"Thanks!" to many of you, including Raina (of the lovely "If The Lamp Shade Fits" blog), as well as JCK (in this post), who let us know that LL Bean's latest line, Signature, is now available (click here to shop online). They even have their own Facebook page (click here to check it out).They are also offering a $10 gift card with *any* LL Bean purchase of $50+. This offer expires 4.26.10.
My first impression is that the line is okay (and a bit pricey too). There are a few pieces I would like to see in-person, including the {classic} Dobby Stripe Shirt (Item #NC261736; $59.00). I will definitely be keeping an eye on this latest line.
I am not sure if LL Bean Signature will get much attention from my wallet like the Land's End Canvas line (which has great pieces at great prices) though. I recently purchased the Women's Sport Utility Jacket (Item #38778-8X54, $69.50) and love the cut & style.
What are your thoughts on the new LL Bean Signature line? Have you ordered any items yet? If so, please share! :)
i liked some of their pieces but wow...i think they got a lot of their styling from past jcrew catalogs! and agree...they are a bit pricey even for LL bean
ReplyDeleteMy favorite piece is the Oxford Printed Wrap Skirt:
ReplyDeletehttp://tinyurl.com/yctg3nn
I thought the shoes were a little dowdy.
P.S. Thanks for the shout-out!
I didn't see anything especially interesting or inspired...just a lot of plain stuff, which at prices comparable to JC doesn't make me want to buy. At least JC makes novel pieces for the high prices they attempt to charge.
ReplyDeleteI did like the piped wrap dress, but will only pick up w/ promo or markdown.
Sort of OT, I also got my LE Canvas utility jacket, but it did not work for me. It felt more like a thick shirt than a jacket too me, which just made me look like i was wearing a man's shirt, not stylish. So far my JC downtown field jacket from the fall is the best "utility" piece to flatter me.
I think it's promising, and I'll likely buy a couple of pairs of the cropped twill pants (love the blue and pink shades), but I agree that it's a bit pricey for not a whole lot of originality.
ReplyDeleteI have an LLBean Visa so am a huge LL fan. I use my card to get free shipping/free returns/free momongramming and $10 rewards to us towards purchases. I plan on continuing to buy with the new line as well.
ReplyDeleteI liked the Lands End items better and the price points were also better. Lands End has also been generous with codes and shipping freebies. The LL Bean items are perfectly nice, and I may be tempted by an item or two if they were on sale. I think my non J. Crew dollars are going to Lands End.
ReplyDeleteAlexis How is the length on the LE Canvas Jacket. I'm looking at it and the lieutenant jacket at JC. Don't love the warm beechwood color at JC but was concerned the LE one would be too short. Thanks
ReplyDeleteI just paged through the Signature catalog I got in the mail today. They lost me at Maggie Rizer.
ReplyDeleteI was a little underwhelmed with this latest from LL Bean. I guess I was expecting some updating / modernizing but it seems very similar to everything else already on their site. I probably just misunderstood what they were going for with the launch of signature.
ReplyDeleteOh well, I have JCrew and LE Canvas to keep my wallet busy!
I think some of my initial Signature excitement had been stopped in its tracks by how well the Canvas line is. I agree with the other gals, I too am a little under-whelmed but the printed poplin skirt and the madra plaid dress look very very interesting. I'm concerned the dress may be a little too long for shorty me though.
ReplyDeleteI like the LL Bean signature stuff. It's simple but less boring than the LE Canvas line. I like the plaid tunic, I could wear that over bikinis to the beach. And I love the cashmere t...j crews current cashmere ts have that weird hem that rolls, the LL Bean Signature looks like a better, more traditional style and a good basic work staple.
ReplyDeleteI'm kind of disappointed. The only things that caught my eye are the indigo canvas tote, which is way overpriced IMO, and the cotton flowered scarves, which are just squares of cotton fabric. I could easily make them myself out of Liberty of London or other premium fabric for less money. Soooo... I have no plans to order.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the review of the LE Canvas utility jacket, Cass. Lemming killed. :) The Canvas shirt line is very nice, but I'm having mixed success with my other recent LE and LE Canvas purchases.
My worst experience: Everyone raves about LE swimsuits, so I decided to order a simple tank with a hard to find DD bra. HUGE disappointment. I ordered my usual size but the suit is too big and very unflattering. The worst part is the bra. Apparently they assume DD=boobs growing out of your waistline, because that's where the bra is located. It's quite bizarre and totally unwearable.
I was surprised to receive a catalog that had a free shipping no min offer but I'm really not seeing anything worth getting. The only thing that slightly caught my eye was the Dobby Stripe Shirt dress. Everything is pretty expensive for my liking.
ReplyDeleteHi Alexis,
ReplyDeleteI purchased the LE Canvas shift dress in the navy after seeing it on your blog and I was wondering how you washed it. I dry cleaned it and the bright white top portion came back grey.
Thanks for your help and I apologize if this is too off topic.
Maria
Thanks everyone for sharing! :) I am glad to hear that I wasn't the only one who was underwhelmed by this latest line. I really thought I was the only one!
ReplyDeleteCass: Sorry to hear that the Canvas Utility Jacket didn't work for you. :(
Crewcrazy: I thought the length of the Canvas Utility Jacket (hits my hip, and not high hip either) worked out great. It's not short on me (and I am 5'8). I went with an XXS (I thought the XS might be a smidge too big). It fits great in the body, although it is a smidge tight in the shoulders if hunch over or something. So I am thinking that XS might have worked out fine too.
Also the cotton fabric felt like a nice Spring/Summer jacket. It did not come across looking or feeling like a regular shirt for me. It also has a nice shape to it. I would recommend it to anyone interested in it. And if you can get it with free shipping, I would definitely say "why not try it", at the very least. :)
Maria: I am so sorry to hear about your shift dress! Yikes! That is awful about the dry cleaners.
ReplyDeleteI actually did wash it once I got it. (After watching a report on GMA about clothes being dirty at the store, I have to immediately wash them once I get them home.)
I placed the dress in a garment bag. The dress was inside out and I folded the top/white portion inside the dress (I hope this part makes sense). I then used Woolite and the Delicate cycle (with the cool/cold setting) on the washing machine. I also placed the dress with other dark colors and it came out looking great. The top is just as white as when it came shipped to me. I was impressed how easy it was to clean it.
Again, I am so sorry about your dry cleaners messing up your dress. :(
I agree with Emily. I actually like the LLBean line quite a bit more than Canvas - I haven't ordered from Canvas, and their price points are good, but just from a style perspective their stuff is pretty basic and a bit boring to me. The LLBean stuff has some unexpected items - but I like a nautical preppy style. I was hoping for this, as I was excited for both lines but was really disappointed with Canvas.
ReplyDeleteThanks Alexis! I'm going to try some sort of color safe bleach and handwash the top portion. It's worth a try. LE was really nice and offered a full refund if I returned it. They would have shipped me out a new one, but it's sold out in my size. I love that when I called them I get a person immediately. No wait time or button selections to hassle with--I'm pretty impressed.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the helpful tip!
Maria
THAT'S where all the pretty jcrew models went!!!
ReplyDeleteI think 99% of the time, the models sell me the outfit. I can't say that I have bought anything that the jcrew models have been wearing this season. If I do buy, it's because I see a beautiful headless mannequin wearing it.
Kudos, Alexis, for bringing this to our attention....
I LOVE the LLB line!! I actually prefer it over canvas-- I ordered the Royal Blue piped wrap dress, oxford cloth shirt dress, and pintuck print shirt. I am honestly liking a lot of their stuff MORE than jcrew at the moment!! For similar price points, LLBean generally has a better quality item. I will review the items with regard to sizing, etc-- I ordered my usual jcrew size. Oh, and there are FS codes online if you google them.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteI was underwhelmed; I think LE really knocked it out of the park with Canvas -- classic items, but with a younger, more modern fit. The LL Bean Signature stuff mostly looks like it just missed cute -- skirts and dresses cut a shade too long; pants and shorts with rises just high enough that they are creeping into mom-jeans territory; t-shirts/tanks that are a little too boxy. Maybe they'll improve with time, but for now, it's just a big yawn.
ReplyDeleteJeanne,
ReplyDeleteSorry to hear about your swimsuit experience. I still stand behind their suits though. I actually own about 20 of them (serious swimmer that I am) Also, buy them for my daughter. They fit me great and I have never had to return one for fit issues.
I am definitely ordering the piped wrap dress. That is perfect for me. My biggest problem with most wrap dresses (with the exception of the always perfect DVF classic wraps) is that the sleeves are too short for work. These are perfect.
ReplyDeleteI just got an order from LE Canvas and here are some observations:
The cotton heritage cardigan is perfect - good quality, good shape and in the medium is just a smidgen larger than a Jackie in a medium (perfect for me as I am in between sizes due to chest in the Jackie). I will be ordering more of these.
The heritage stripped poor boy turtleneck (that soooo many mags have been featuring) is SO cute and it shaped really well. The placement of the seams at the arms is perfect, I hate it when the seam hang off my shoulders. Probably won't get to wear it until fall, though!
The women's elbow sleeve tee is so pretty! With a scarf and cute pants it is a perfect casual outfit. The cotton is substantial and the sleeves a good length for spring. TTS and comparable to JC.
The boyfriend Vneck cardigan in orange stripe was SO cute but the only thing not TTS, it was HUGE, and not in that cute slouchy way. I might reorder in a small.
None of the pants I ordered worked for me. They all fit TTS, but I didn't like the way any of them fit. I ordered the boyfriend jeans, straight leg jeans, the stretch crop pants and the canvas cargo pants. All except the cargo pants looked a bit mom-jean on me and fit weird in the thighs (I have big thighs, though). The cargos limited my range of movement and were not comfortable at all (and they were not too small).
The flats I ordered were cute but too big, so I can't really review them.
So, in short, all the tops (except the boyfriend cardi) were a big success, and the pants not so much. They might need to work on their cuts across the whole line as I have similar problems with other LE pants (JC Favorite fit in 10 fits be perfectly for comparison)
I already received my LLBean Signature order -- with free shipping (LLbean Visa).
ReplyDeleteI mentioned earlier that I am a sucker for madras and ordered the tunic, sleeveless tie top, and skinny scarf. (Not the dress though, it looked way too long for me.)
I wore the vintage rose scarf yesterday w/a white t, navy jackie, and jeans -- looked great, lots of compliments. It is skinny, which I like-- especially in warmer weather, but if you prefer fuller scarves you might be disappointed. It is almost sash-like, so I think you could use it as a belt or headwrap as suggested.
The plaid tunic did nothing for me. It is bias-cut, gathered under the placket, and more fitted around the waist than I was expecting. It just doesn't fit me right.
I love the idea of the sleeveless top, and I keep trying to convince myself to keep it. It seems like a great hot-weather top, but the ties are kind of long, and I can't get the fabric to sit right on my shoulders -- it kind of stands up. I ordered size 4 and 6; I think I may keep the 4 (my usual Jcrew blouse size).
I ordered a striped polo for my husband that looks good.
As an extended misses' size, I think I'm going to take a look at this Signature. So far what I've seen is just a bit meh, but I'm hopeful that more looks are coming.
ReplyDeleteI just got my $10 (free) gift card in the mail after making a $50 purchase earlier. I am having fun deciding now what to buy next:)
ReplyDeleteNMS, as I think I like the Land's End Canvas line better. But I'm happy that there are options out there for others! :)
ReplyDeleteI just wanted to weigh-in on the llbean signature line as I got my first order yesterday and seriously, almost everything was great! I'm very impressed. I'm with the other poster that said that LE canvas seemed boring - it's cute but very basic. Many of the ll bean signature items are similarly basic, but there are some true standouts:
ReplyDelete- the wrap dresses. SO NICE! I ordered the royal blue piped wrap dress and the material is nice and heavy - no vpl and I even put a cami under it and that didn't show either. But it's still definitely breathable - I can totally see it for work/conference/meeting on a hot summer day when you have to look nice but don't want to wear anything but a tank and short. There is actually a dress in the orange buoy pattern that is shown in the poplin printed skirt that I also ordered. It's not online for some reason but it is similarly fantastic. Both were TTS in terms of comparison to j.crew. if anyone wants the # for the buoy print dress just let me know and I'll post it! I saw it in the preview video and emailed about it when it wasn't online and CS gave the number very promptly.
- I also got a pink oxford bomber-esque jacket that isn't online but was in the video (also emailed CS for the number). it is ADORABLE. TTS to size down (if you're small on top which I'm not). Overall, a super cute way to update and feminize a kind of retro style.
The things I didn't like were the striped port tees. I LOVED the style, but the cut is funky. It's not straight, but curves out at the bottom which just reminds me of things my mom wore when I was in high school. I much prefer a straight cut like j. crew tees. Disappointing for sure because I loved the tiny stripes and the contrasting bands. The fabric was also nice and soft! Aside from the flared bottom, it was a really cute tee.
Sorry to go on and on but I wanted to share my overall impression, which was very positive. I know they've "borrowed" a lot from the old j. crew, but I'm really glad to have those kinds of items back! Like Genny I just got my $10 bonus card and can't wait to buy again!
Kater- I'd LOVE the # for the buoy dress. I also got the wrap dress in royal and LOVE IT. I found the other items I ordered (floral pintuck shirt, oxford dress) a size large, so I placed another order and will exchange. At least I get another $10 gift card!!
ReplyDeleteThe items appear well made, and I find them much more appealing than LE for some reason.
kendra - I agree about LE canvas! I liked a few things (got the polka dot button down and the navy canvas belt) and LOVED that they had old school tretorns (which I snatched up immediately) but everything else for me was "meh."
ReplyDeleteLL Bean signature has been the exact opposite and I can not wait to make my next order and to see what else they come out with! Maybe it's the styling that is getting us? I love the pics out on docks, in old structures etc. It is definitely doing it's job and selling me on items!
The info for the dress is: Sidney Wrap Dress Short Sleeves in Chili (which the buoy print), item #CF262562. I believe it also comes in the blue starfish print, and runs small, medium, large etc. just like the piped wrap dress.
Kater- Thanks! Could you take a pic of the Sidney dress? How did you find out what it looks like?
ReplyDeleteRe: the styling, I spent a lot of summers in ME- my mother's family is from there, so I definitely think that's part of the appeal!!
kendra - it is the exact same style as the piped wrap dress except there isn't the contrast piping at the edge, and it's in the buoy or the starfish print (see the poplin skirt for what those look like). I saw it in the promotional video that was on the site before the line launched, and unfortunately, can't find the video now! Maybe if you emailed ll bean signature they could help you access the video? Or even send a picture? I would take one but 1) it will be bad b/c it will be from my phone and 2) I don't have anywhere to post it. But trust me, the dress is identical to the piped wrap dress except for the contrast piping and the fact that it is in a print. I believe the fabric is even the same! HTH!
ReplyDelete