Deliver Me From L.L. Bean

Before I dive into today’s post, let’s take a pause to send each other mental high-fives. There’s a lot to be grateful for this Thanksgiving — something that can be hard to focus on when we see another tragic news story or hear about the ill health of a loved one.

Nobody’s life is perfect, but it’s always good to remember that for most of us, life is pretty good. And thus, it wouldn’t kill us to be a little kinder than usual. Some examples:

  • Wait a few extra seconds before you honk at a red light.
  • Hold the elevator door for someone who is moving a little slower than you would prefer.
  • Refrain from sighing passive-aggressively at the manspreader hogging the seat on the 5 train.
  • Don’t manspread. (I’m sure you’ve done it at least once!)
  • Talk to you grandmother for longer than the 20 seconds it takes to say “Wait, let me put my mom on the phone.”

After that, there’s no natural segueway into an outfit post, so let’s just hop right in.

Coat: L.L. Bean | Jeans: Madewell | Sneakers: Nike
Coat: L.L. Bean | Jeans: Madewell | Sneakers: Nike

Today’s post title comes from one of my favorite movies, Beetlejuice. The movie posits that the scariest fate is not actually dying or being haunted by ghosts — it’s being stuck in the Connecticut suburbs. (This pretty much describes why I never intend on leaving NYC.)

Because I’m such a city mouse, I’d never shopped at a brick-and-mortar L.L. Bean store before — until I visited one in Massachusetts last weekend.

I was delighted to find that the brand is insanely stylish — particularly the outerwear section’s selection of coats. (I saw styles that have been knocked off by everyone from Michael Kors to Balmain.)

In addition, the coats came with warmth ratings (such as whether a coat works better for a 40-degree afternoon vs. a -20-degree tundra) and they are very affordable, especially considering they come with a lifetime guarantee.

Turtleneck: Old Navy | Shoes: Old Navy | Navy Coat: L.L. Bean | Jeans: Madewell
Turtleneck: Old Navy | Shoes: Nike | Navy Coat: L.L. Bean | Jeans: Madewell

I had two personal favorites — the peacoat and the toggle coat. I picked the toggle simply because it was the longer option, but both are equally classic.

I won’t be wearing this coat this weekend for the holidays — I’m in Miami — so watch out for a recap of my tropical trip next week. In the meantime, Happy Thanksgiving!

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