L. L. Bean digs up vintage summer looks straight from the archives with an eco-friendly twist

With the roaring 20s finally in full swing, vintage styles and apparel have been resurfacing, some as far off and ancient as the early 2000s. But for those of us who grew up on an earlier era of nostalgia, L. L. Bean is kicking off summer with some rehashed apparel pulled straight from the archives. With two colorways inspired by the 80s and 90s to choose from, we’re seeing the Anorak, bucket hat, and tote returning to L. L. Bean’s catalogues. And we’ll be going over all the stylistic details, pricing, and availability right below the jump.

L. L. Bean digs up vintage archive apparel

Delivering styles for the great outdoors since 1912, it’s no wonder L. L. Bean has quite the historic catalogue to choose from. But these reissued vintage styles aren’t just inspired by the original, they’re made from them too. L. L. Bean is reducing waste by crafting these reissued items from the same surplus waterproof material the originals were constructed from in the 80s and 90s. The style is slightly different, with new colorways available in this slightly modernized selection, but the quality is downright classic.

Starting with the iconic Anorak, this nylon and polyester windbreaker is keeping the oversized, unisex style that dominated pop culture at the time of its release. It includes the same kangaroo pocket and bungee waist, plus a high collar sealed by both zipper and Velcro for extra weatherproofing. Like everything in the L. L. Bean vintage collection, it comes in two bold colorways: red violet and purple, or black and sea green. Only 1,700 Anoraks will actually be distributed, due to the limited surplus fabric.

Likewise, only 750 bucket hats and 750 totes will be produced this time around. Each features the same bold coloration and compact synthetic material, and everything except the tote is machine washable. And of course, you’ll find the unique “reissued” L. L. Bean label stitched into either the front of the hat or the bottom corner of the tote.

Now available for purchase

As mentioned above, these vintage styles are walking the talk and that puts them on the endangered apparel list. This six piece collection will see only a 3,200 unit run, but thankfully the prices don’t suffer terribly to that effect. The Anorak will run you the most at $69.95 shipped, while the bucket hat comes in at $40 and the tote at $25.

Electronicsforward’ take:

I’ll be the first to admit it: I’m a sucker for vintage looks. And L. L. Bean is doing something unique here, repurposing its old surplus material. The styles were cute then and they’re killer now, and considering they’re repurposed from the original material, the pricing is on par with what you’d find at certain vintage shops. It’s a deeply on-brand move, keeping waste low on these chic wilderness essentials. Overall, it’s a great look, very green, and right on time considering how popular each of these styles has become in their own right. And if you’re ever looking to switch it up, there’s always Cardi B’s take on history’s hottest athletic apparel to boot.

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