Fashion Synopsis

Leave it to L.L. Bean to create the ultimate in functional fashion. The all-weather, all-purpose duck shoe became the height of fashion for conservative preppies while duck-hunting in the swamps, or bargain-hunting at the mall. Besides being terribly stylish, the ingenious combination of leather upper and rubber bottom kept feet dry when raining. Now you could splash in puddles all you wanted, and your mother was never happier.

Leon Leonwood Bean, an avid duck hunter, was tired of coming home from the swamps with soggy shoes. He took the bottoms of rubber boots and attached them to the leather uppers of boots. This mix of comfortable leather upper and waterproof rubber bottom was a hit with all the hunters, and a legend was born. LL Bean added the boots to his existing line of clothing, and introduced them in his next catalogue.

The preppies’ day in the sun passed as the 90’s began, but fans are still fanatical about the boot/shoe, and diehards still adorn their feet with duck shoes.

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