Duck boots may not seem like a style must have - they're all-purpose, rubber-soled, and more function than high fashion - but still, popular purveyor L.L. Bean can't manage to keep its own version - the bean boot - in stock. According to Bloomberg, the brand ended last holiday season with a backorder of 100,000 pairs of the popular design. And this year, despite the brand's best efforts, the same issue is back - supply just can't seem to meet demand.
Part of the reason L.L. Bean is struggling to fulfill its orders: the fact that every pair is made in one of two factories the brand operates in Maine. "We're making them literally as fast as we can," Mac McKeever, a spokesman for L.L. Bean, told Bloomberg. "It's not something we can just stamp out." The brand refuses to outsource the process, instead marketing itself as a heritage brand with a focus on craftsmanship.
But it's not just quality that has created the cult following. The boots have also proved to be just plain fun to style, and the Instagram hashtag #beanboots has been used over 25,000 times. So whether you're currently on the waiting list or you've already scored a pair all your own, read on for 23 photos that will have you jumping for joy that it's finally bean boot season.