Lands end vs. LLBean

[swl]

Are there any Lands Dnd and/or LLBean fans here? The two brands have very similar products and since I can't order everything twice, I would like to ask your opinion on a couple of items in terms of their quality:

1) classic open-top totes
2) fleece jackets, tops or whatever that you ordered
3) outwer wear such as down jackets or pea coats

Overall, what do you think are the major differences between the two companies?

 

[appletini]

I bought a ton of stuff from Lands End earlier this year for a ski trip...jacket, down vest, long underwear and love all of it. Great prices and well made. They will also do price adjustments if things go on sale for at least up to 2 weeks after the purchase...all you have to do is send them an IM.

 

[movie zombie]

lands end because i can return at sears if i don''t like the item......

mz

 

[Haven]

I feel like L.L. Bean''s clothing fits me better. They''re both great quality, though.
Land''s End''s tops seem to be cut shorter and boxier and L.L. Bean''s tops seem to be cut longer and leaner.

I bought a tote at Restoration Hardware and it is fabulous. It was on a super sale, if you''re looking for totes I''d check them out, too. It''s really hardy.

 

[monarch64]

LLB...just for history''s sake...chambray shirts if they still do those...

Otherwise...JCrew for canvas totes and other classics.

Great experiences in the past!

 

[swl]

Haven, I didn''t know Restoration Hardware sells totes

what does the tote look like? I only saw diaper bags on their website, which are so cute

Monarch64, I have mix feelings about JCrew. While I got a wonderfully warm and stylish down vest from them, I was not satisfied with their cashmere sweaters

It''s chic and soft, but so thin! ever since they go with the whole tissue T thing, their other tops start to go thin too...

 

[HollyS]

I never really liked, or wore very often, anything I ever bought from Land''s End. Things just didn''t ever fit quite right.

I have had several things from LL Bean. But . . . I''m not preppy, or athletic, or minimalist, or terribly traditional in my clothing choices. So, I don''t have anything from them currently. If I lived in the East, I might occasionally shop LL Bean for well made basics. But there isn''t a whole lot of need in TX for turtlenecks, wool, cords, or even fleece.

I do like the shoe styles I''ve seen in the Land''s End catalogs, especially the summer styles.

 

[Linda W]

Land End. I have a few of their warm jackets and I love their Cashmere sweaters.

 

[swl]

Holly, what's in fashion in TX

I would love to explore different styles (brands) across the country!

Linda, have you ordered any fleece items from lands end? i am deciding between sherpa or their heavenly fleece... the sales representative told me their softest fleece is the heavenly fleece and sherpa is kind of bulky...i would love to hear some customer reviews from my dear PSers

 

[orbaya]

I live 10 minutes from the LL Bean flagship store, so that''s my vote! I''ve never purchased anything from Land''s End.

 

[akmiss]

L.L. Bean all the way (except for swimsuits - go with Lands End there)

I order a great deal from LL Bean including Toboggans, sleds, and long underwear for the kids Definitely one of my favorite places to shop.

 

[HollyS]

Date: 11/12/2009 4:35:29 PM
Author: swl
Holly, what''s in fashion in TX

I would love to explore different styles (brands) across the country!

Linda, have you ordered any fleece items from lands end? i am deciding between sherpa or their heavenly fleece... the sales representative told me their softest fleece is the heavenly fleece and sherpa is kind of bulky...i would love to hear some customer reviews from my dear PSers

Texas has every type of person, from every walk of life, including many immigrants from many nations. Austin will be very trendy, very young, very hip. Dallas will be very conservative and designer-esque. Houston, much the same. But in between, anything goes. We really don''t do the overall cowboy look. Too cliche.

 

[Haven]

I can''t find any pictures of the totes on the Restoration Hardware website, but they come in all sizes, they''re made of really thick canvas, and they come in really delicious colors. Mine is a buttery yellow, and it''s huge. I got it on sale for $18.

 

[Linda W]

Date: 11/12/2009 4:35:29 PM
Author: swl
Holly, what''s in fashion in TX

I would love to explore different styles (brands) across the country!


Linda, have you ordered any fleece items from lands end? i am deciding between sherpa or their heavenly fleece... the sales representative told me their softest fleece is the heavenly fleece and sherpa is kind of bulky...i would love to hear some customer reviews from my dear PSers

Yes, I have both of their fleeces. They are cozy warm. I mostly wear them in the evening when we take our dog walking, when it is chilly out. Also, when we go camping they are cozy to wear. They are warm enough that at times, I don''t have to turn our heater on

We live in Northern California. We don''t have too many cold days, but when we do, I get really cold. I have some of their fleeces that are 6 years old. They hold their shape and last and last. I love them. I wear them with my jeans, warm socks and boots. Cozy warm in winter. I get a lot of compliments on them too.

 

[swl]

oh that's good to know! do you mind if I ask which line of fleece you got? the thermocheck? heavenly fleece?

 

[marcy]

I have fleece jackets from both LL Bean and Land''s End and the Land''s End beat the LL Bean for warmth and softness. The heavenly fleece is the warmest but it sheds like a cat. I have 2 styles of the polartec 200 from Land''s End and they do block wind and are very warm. I also have the sherpa fleece and it is nice but for some reason I don''t wear it too often. The LL Bean fleece jacket is the wind blocking jacket with the polar fleece 200 and it is not as warm or soft as Land''s End. I buy clothes from both places but I have more Land''s End clothes than LL Bean. What i like about Land''s End if you don''t like it you can return it to Sears for a refund. Right now they are having killer deals every day. I just ordered fleece button shirt for only $15.00.

 

[marcy]

On coats I doubt I will ever buy another winter coat from anyone other than Land''s End. I have one of their squal parkas. It blocks the wind which where I live is a very nice thing to have in a winter coat. We get wind chills well below zero here.

 

[partgypsy]

I have a bunch of stuff from Land''s end (pants, sweater sets, tank tops, polartec jacket I wear all the time). I recently got both my girls heavenly fleece jackets and they love them! They are soft like a chenille robe.
While the clothes wear well I do have the say Land''s end is not exactly "fashion-forward".

It seems that LL Bean clothes may be cut a little more flattering so I may check out their after season sale

 

[swl]

part gypsy, did you notice any shedding issue with the heavenly fleece?

In terms of fashion, I think we are just too use to the classic American style

Lands' End have business in Japan and i am sure it's considered another cool brand like Gap (Gap might not be even that cool to Americans lol)! Gap is so expensive in Japan

Marcyc, i can't believe their down vest is only $20 for today. I can't wait till other companies do these one day sale thing! it's so exciting!

 

[Allison D.]

Date: 11/12/2009 4:50:56 PM
Author: orbaya
I live 10 minutes from the LL Bean flagship store, so that''s my vote! I''ve never purchased anything from Land''s End.

Orbaya! We''ll have to connect the next time I''m up in the area!

I grew up in Portland, and my folks still live there.

 

[orbaya]

Date: 11/13/2009 10:47:22 AM
Author: Allison D.

Date: 11/12/2009 4:50:56 PM

Author: orbaya

I live 10 minutes from the LL Bean flagship store, so that''s my vote! I''ve never purchased anything from Land''s End.

Orbaya! We''ll have to connect the next time I''m up in the area!


I grew up in Portland, and my folks still live there.

How neat! I''ve lived in Maine my whole life, and grew up in the Portland area, and am now back to civilization...compared to some of the towns I''ve lived in! Isn''t Freeport a great place to shop?

 

[partgypsy]

swl I haven''t noticed any shedding with the heavenly fleece, but only had them a couple weeks, haven''t washed them yet. I would say they are a more "youthful" look than the other fleeces they have.

I wonder if the popularity of Land''s end versus LL Bean, etc is regional. I''m from the midwest and so known of The Company Store (bedding) and Land''s end for 20 years. Another catalog to check out for sturdy clothes is Cabela''s.

 

[swl]

very interesting...anyone else on the regional aspect?

Part gypsy, please update me on the feel and shape of the heavenly fleece after your first wash!

and what exactly do you mean by "youthful look"?

 

[partgypsy]

What I mean by youthful, the ones I got for my two girls are in bright colors, combined with the fluffy look, they look "young". I''m past 40 and so feel more comfortable with the look of their other fleeces. But where people draw the line is up to them. Probably if it was in a different color (black, charcol) it would look less youthful.

The reason why I mentioned Cabela''s, just got a coat (parka type) from them for my mom, and she is really happy with it and my brother had bought stuff from them before. Can''t mess around with midwest winters.

 

[luv2sparkle]

I don''t have any of the things you mentioned anymore, since we no longer live where it snows, but I do love love love Lands Ends exercise pants. My
absolute favorite!

 

[swl]

oh look what i found! http://canvas.landsend.com/canvas/index.html

no wonder why LLBean is launching a new younger line this March! cause Lands End already did! i really like this new line now that i found it, definitely have a different target audience compare to the traditional brand.

 

[luckystar112]

Date: 11/13/2009 12:27:24 PM
Author: orbaya

Date: 11/13/2009 10:47:22 AM
Author: Allison D.

Date: 11/12/2009 4:50:56 PM

Author: orbaya

I live 10 minutes from the LL Bean flagship store, so that''s my vote! I''ve never purchased anything from Land''s End.

Orbaya! We''ll have to connect the next time I''m up in the area!


I grew up in Portland, and my folks still live there.

How neat! I''ve lived in Maine my whole life, and grew up in the Portland area, and am now back to civilization...compared to some of the towns I''ve lived in! Isn''t Freeport a great place to shop?

Another Mainah here! Grew up in the Biddeford/Saco area, went to H.S. in Kennebunk, and now living here in TX.....desperately trying to get back.

Obviously, I''m biased toward L.L. Bean.

 

[Fly Girl]

Lands'' End. Used to live in Wisconsin about 30 years ago, and got started shopping from them then. Right now, I live in my Lands'' End jacket whenever I head outside.

 

[Fly Girl]

Date: 11/13/2009 8:41:47 PM
Author: part gypsy
What I mean by youthful, the ones I got for my two girls are in bright colors, combined with the fluffy look, they look ''young''. I''m past 40 and so feel more comfortable with the look of their other fleeces. But where people draw the line is up to them. Probably if it was in a different color (black, charcol) it would look less youthful.

The reason why I mentioned Cabela''s, just got a coat (parka type) from them for my mom, and she is really happy with it and my brother had bought stuff from them before. Can''t mess around with midwest winters.

Ditto on the Cabela''s parkas. Everyone in our family owns one. In fact, I need to go dig mine out of storage before it gets seriously cold.

 

[Maria D]

If you''re a fan of LLBean at all, get the LLBean Visa. It has no yearly fee and you get free shipping and returns on all LL Bean purchases. You also get LL Bean coupons based on the total amount you charge on the card (not just LLBean purchases).