Hoping to score a pair of L.L. Bean or Sorel boots this year? Bad news, guys: Yahoo Style reports that classic winter footwear is already selling out across the U.S.
L.L. Bean is currently out of all its Bean boots in women's size 8, while most other sizes (men's and women's) are backordered until February or March. So, you could snag a pair just in time for winter's last gasp?
Meanwhile, Sorel's most popular style, the Arctic-ready Carnival boot is sold out in every women's size except 5, 6, and 11. Curse these average-sized feet!
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L.L. Bean spokesperson Carolyn Beem told Boston.com that the company expects to sell a staggering 450,000 pairs of its eponymous boots this year — a significant increase over 2013. Why the surge in popularity? It's those heritage-hungry hipsters, of course:
“Younger people are buying them," Beem says. "[The boots are] all over college campuses and high schools. Without changing anything, they’re back in style.”
So, why not just make boatloads of Bean boots to keep up with demand? Beem says they're really trying. L.L. Bean has invested $1 million in new equipment, and employees are making the boots around the clock. But, quality takes time: Since it takes an employee 26 weeks of training to learn the brand's patented stitching process, it'd take a new hire until June to finish his or her first pair. See you this summer, L.L. bean catalogue.
So, what's a girl facing down a Polar Vortex to do? Try a less hipster-beloved style by your favorite boot brands; buy a pair of Timberlands or Uggs, whose stock thus far seems to be holding out. Or, consult our winter boot guide, here — we weren't kidding when we told you to buy 'em now. (Yahoo Style)