North Face vs. LL Bean

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:To the anonymous saying new englanders wear ll bean, ummm, where? Bcuz i've been in new England over 40 years, everyone I know wears northface for the quality. Some wear ll bean but def not more than northface.

+1. I live in NY and never see anyone in llbean. It’s all NF and Canada Goose here.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I would really need to be desperate to shop at LLBean.

I shop at Bean quite a bit. I have a summer home on the Maine coast. I don’t think of myself as “desperate.”

[Anonymous]

In New England, I’ve found that kids wear NF for the logo/name brand, whereas parents are going logo-less. It’s tacky for a grown ass adult to care about a logo. I grew up in Weston.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:LL Bean is an old brand that appeals to the middle-aged, like me. I love LL Bean. It's not fashionable, but mostly timeless. I have a few fleece jackets from LL Bean that I love. They are warm and well-made and last a long time. Ditto for their polo shirts. I bought several for DH and for the kids, and they last forever. I did buy DD a North Face jacket, which she wore until it practically wore out. She was on the cutting edge of fashion, but stopped wearing it when all her friends started buying North Face jackets (micro-down, or whatever it's called). Now she wears a dumpy, Army-green jacket that's all the rage with her friends. Not my style, but I'm not a teenager.

Oh, sorry, OP. Get the LL Bean jacket if you like it. It's probably better made than the North Face jacket, which is not worth the price at all. And North Face is out, according to DD.

I went to prep school in New England a hundred years ago, which is where I first learned about LL Bean - the kids there used to wear the shoes out, then return them and get a new pair. The flannels were big then, too. I still think of those are clothes that kids too right to care what they look like wear, because of that formative exposure.

This is my experience too (graduated from NE boarding school in 94). I'm a woman who loves fashion, and I prefer the understated classic LL Bean style outerwear with smaller logos (or invisisble). Get the jacket to be form fitting and in a chic color - black, navy or I'm seeing crimson or burgandy more and more, and you'll be fine.

[Anonymous]

Just bought my college age son a heavy LL Bean coat as he is way up north. He was quite happy with it...but he has never been too concerned with brands.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:In New England, I’ve found that kids wear NF for the logo/name brand, whereas parents are going logo-less. It’s tacky for a grown ass adult to care about a logo. I grew up in Weston.

This! My BIL is THE most New England prep school person I know and he's a partner at a Biglaw firm in Boston. He shops at LL Bean and goes logo-less.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:To the anonymous saying new englanders wear ll bean, ummm, where? Bcuz i've been in new England over 40 years, everyone I know wears northface for the quality. Some wear ll bean but def not more than northface.

Well, Maine, which is in New England. I live in Maine part of the year and the Mainers I know wear L.L. Bean. So do flatlanders like me who only live there part of the year.

[Anonymous]

This thread is a little silly...BUT, I would say go with whatever looks better on you. Last I checked, The North Face had a more slim, contoured fit. Because I recently looked at both for my teenage son, I can tell you that both have lightweight, non-puffy versions of packable down coats.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This thread is a little silly...BUT, I would say go with whatever looks better on you. Last I checked, The North Face had a more slim, contoured fit. Because I recently looked at both for my teenage son, I can tell you that both have lightweight, non-puffy versions of packable down coats.

P.S. Ended up going with Lands End instead bc they were having a 50% off sale on their non-puffy, 800 fill down jackets.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm known as a fashion plate among friends and co-workers and I would go with an LL Bean jacket over North Face 9x out of 10.

Lifetime warrantee. Well made products. Classic looks that are well fitting. They really are the kings of outerwear in my book... although I grew up in New England and that absolutely taints my view.

+1

My New England friends swear by them. I would take their opinions over anyone elses, because they have the weather to back it up! WTH do southerners know about winter clothes? LOL.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:In New England, I’ve found that kids wear NF for the logo/name brand, whereas parents are going logo-less. It’s tacky for a grown ass adult to care about a logo. I grew up in Weston.

This! My BIL is THE most New England prep school person I know and he's a partner at a Biglaw firm in Boston. He shops at LL Bean and goes logo-less.

+1

The polar (pun intended - but useful) opposite of southerners.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:In New England, I’ve found that kids wear NF for the logo/name brand, whereas parents are going logo-less. It’s tacky for a grown ass adult to care about a logo. I grew up in Weston.

Whereabouts? Love Weston! Makes McLean look poor and uneducated (As my NE friend says about certain NE towns - she's right!)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Oh, and BTW, my teenager would NEVER wear anything from LL Bean.

Thankfully, I don't take fashion advice from 15 year olds.

+1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Somebody please talk me out of spending twice as much for a North Face Canyonlands Triclimate 3-in-1 Jacket ($260) than an LL Bean Storm Chaser 3-in-1 Jacket ($129).

Go to REI.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:i have bought both and find the north face cut slimmer than LL bean which is more flattering or more comfortable tradeoff.

I agree about the slimmer cut. I bought an LL bean a few years ago and barely wore because of the shape.