Eastland Shoe by Bob Guccione

In loving memory of Bob Guccione

The Yarmouth

Kennebunk

Rangeley

More Rangeley

Penobscot

Camden

Heart breaking...

Little over a month ago I was walking west to the Capsule show in a sleet like rain that was as cold as it was annoying. I thought. Within three or four blocks of the venue I began to see them. Slowly at first and then it was like a Paul Bunyan convention. They were everywhere. Suddenly Manhattan looked like Minocqua, Wisconsin. Either that or there was a pancake house nearby.

I carelessly left my camera in an outside coat pocket and that's why the first picture looks like I shot it through a Bob Guccione stocking. The condensation finally lifted though the pictures don't do any justice to these shoes. Made in Maine by a third generation family owned company, Eastland Shoe is authentic enough to be the real deal.

The Made in Maine Collection is hip enough for Paul Bunyan wannabes and classic enough for old guys and gals. This kind of heritage does not come cheap. You knew that, right? Shoes start at $275 and that hurts. Like a lotta old guys, I live to run prices through the inflation calculator. Back in 19 and 83, when I was in college, that Camp Mocc was $32.75 or $73 bucks today. Even my beloved Ray Ban Aviators sold in the same Summer 1983 L.L. Bean catalog for $29 bucks or $64 today.

What are you gonna do? I search out the best I can find, look for good value and buy what connects to me. Like pornography, it's hard to describe but I always know it when I see it --especially when it's shot through a stocking.

The Bean Blucher vs Frau Blucher

The Blucher Moccasin circa 1988. This was taken in British Columbia. God's country, eh.

A favorite shoe of mine and I should never have thrown 'em out. Back then you just assumed you could always order another pair. Had I known then... Not a fan of the barrel knot. It always reminded me of the girls in college who bit their nails.

This is what LL Bean'll ship today. It looks nothing at all like the pair I'm wearing. Plastic feeling leather cheaply made and with only the most obvious details left over. The last is clunky and the toe squared to satisfy Kenneth Cole fans. What a shame. It makes you shudder - - or whinny. I wonder if Frau Blucher bit her nails?

"Japanese magazines, Michael Bastian and LL Bean"

I'm reading this magazine over the summer ^ and I see this...

An article on Michael Bastian. There he is ^ on the fire place mantel. Nice tortoise shell in the fireplace. As an ex-National Park Ranger, I can only hope that was acquired pre-1973. I'm sure it was. I like Bastian's line. Good looking, normal clothes with Trad centered in the cross hairs. Cool shoes as well and they're L.L. Bean Camp Moccasins. Wow! A big time fashion designer wearing $69 shoes. Gotta love that.

I like 'em a lot so I finally get around to placing an order. They arrived last week and they were a good half size too big. Call up the 24/7 toll free number. Bing-Bang. 8.5 's are on the way. I will say that Bean is and always has been one of the best customer service companies I've ever done business with. They really do make it easy. I get the 8.5 moc today and they fit perfectly. So, I'm putting the 9's back in the box to return when I see it. Do you see it? Those 9's are only a week old. Compared to the 8.5's, they look like they were distressed.

There's a HUGE (like the magazine-get it?) difference between the color, grain, finish and shape of toe. The 8.5 is a much better looking shoe than the 9. I check out the box thinking maybe I ordered different colors - - Nope, same color, vendor, country of origin and stock number. Bean paid for the shipping on the new shoes although I will get dinged for $6 to return the old ones. Free shipping both ways if you sign on for their credit card but that's the last thing I need. I'd have more Bean stuff than a lesbian phys ed teacher in Wisconsin.

Lately, there's been a lot of quotes citing Bastian's love of the Bean Camp Moc along with Randolph sunglasses (wore them in the Army - American Optical is better) . He said, "There are things that are perfection in their generic-ness." Just like that line. Pure perfection, buddy. Now, where did you get that shell?