Dear L.L. Bean Boots,
I just want to thank you for all that you do in these cold winter months. You keep my feet dry and warm while I trudge from Southwest to Hasbrouck and everywhere in between. I know I can count on you when I step in a puddle that is a little deeper than it looks, trusting that you won’t allow my foot to get soaked and uncomfortable for hours afterward. You are probably one of my best investments and because of this you are always there to help out. I’m so glad my feet are so wide that I had to order the wide size because if it weren’t for that you would have been on back order until February and we wouldn’t be able to spend as much time together. You’re not only my go-to shoe, but you are the go-to shoe for a fair portion of the UMass Amherst student body. I see you guys on boys’ feet and girls’ feet across campus.
I’m sure every person that has a pair feels the same because that is definitely the shoe of choice. But why? You’re heinous, but practical. Is this the reason? For me, the practicality overshadows the look by far because what they look like is pretty irrelevant. We care about warmth in the winter, which is why we wear layers upon layers and boots that may not be the most attractive things in the world. We want to be warm as we try and survive yet another Massachusetts winter, as brutal as they may be. I applaud the Bean Boot for this reason. You are also roomy enough that wearers can wear thick socks without having their feet feel trapped. I love stepping in snow banks and not caring about ruining my shoes or having to deal with the loss of feeling in my feet if I do so. It’s the same sense of joy I will be getting in a few weeks come spring when I’m wearing my rain boots and stepping in puddles like a child. I thank you, Bean Boots, for giving me that pleasure in the cold months.
HCXO,
Addie