Pennsylvania’s beloved Punxsutawney Phil didn’t see his shadow! For those of you who don’t know the legend of this famed mammal, his lack of shadow is cause for celebration; an early spring is on its way! The East Coast has been catching glimpses of the season with the occasional high of 45 on the forecast, but spring has yet to replace freezing temperatures, snow, ice and wintry mix. Obviously winter means boots, but there comes a point in the season, amidst the elements of snow, ice and the occasional rain, our beautiful leather riding boots just don’t cut it.
Much to the entertainment of our parents, duck boots are joining the ranks of wayfarers, leggings, loafers and cat-eyed glasses as the latest retro fashion revival. The shoe, originally designed by L.L.Bean in 1912 for hunting, is a must on any East Coast college campus. As the story goes, L.L.Bean created the boots for him to fight the discomfort of cold and wet feet customary on winter hunting trips. With a leather upper and rubber sole, often lined with shearling or flannel, duck boots are cozy, weatherproof and fashionably functional!
On a gray, cold day where the weather can’t make up its mind between rain and snow, this Fashionista rocked duck boots, the retro, utilitarian remedy for cold feet. She accented her classic duck boots with high neon socks over skinny jeans, paired with a cozy cream sweater, a green and cream scarf and a hunter green military jacket. With the threat of a nor’easter always on the horizon, spring is still a solid month away for us East Coasters. Duck boots are a must to keep your feet warm and dry and protect your leather boots from damaging salt and water. Pair yours with skinny jeans or leggings and an oversized sweater like this Fashionista, or make a dress or skirt winter-proof by adding bean boots, thick socks and tights.
If you’re not a fan of the boots’ somewhat drab color scheme, Sperry Top-Sider for J.Crew put a whimsical take on the duck boot trend with the addition of bright fuchsia and kelly green rubber bottoms. L.L.Bean is following suit. The brand is capitalizing on the utilitarian-style boots’ newfound popularity and announced styles with bright blue and pink leather for spring. Rain or snow, duck boots will keep your toes cozy and dry from the first snowfall to the last of April’s showers.
Spotted: This past season, Marc by Marc Jacobs, See by Chloé, Rachel Comey and Tory Burch adapted Leon Leonwood Bean’s iconic boot for the runway and outfitted their customers in luxury, fashion-forward customers in duck boots.
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