Attn: Eastland Made In Maine Collection Now Available

When I first came across Eastland's Made In Maine Collection at capsule (NY) I was blown away.  The market may be oversaturated with high end mocs and boots already, but Eastland obviously doesn't care.  They are taking things back to Maine and have produced one hell of a collection.  These are shoes that need some hands on love to be fully appreciated - we're talking leather so oily you could make a goddamn salad dressing.  I'll put my own personal opinions on Opening Ceremony aside for now because they are the first retail spot to carry the collection.  If you're looking for that one big footwear purchase for F/W 2010 you should have no issues finding it here.  I've been wearing Eastland shoes for a very long time and it's great to see them take things to the next level and finally put some stock into their heritage.  When an American brand realizes that there is a niche market begging for this kinda stuff everybody, especially the consumer, wins.  Look for the collection to also show up in store at Save Khaki in NY and online at Eastland's webstore among other places.

-L.A.S

High/Low Americana Deck Folk

From what I've read everyone seems pretty stoked on the Visvim Americana Deck Folk.  I'm not personally enamored with this particular shoe as it strikes me as the bastard love child of a boat shoe and a New Balance sneaker. All personal opinions aside, if you are feeling this shoe you might want to hold off on dropping the $450.  Eastland has just released their own version ("a sneaker in disguise"...dun, dun, dun) and, well let's just say, the price (yet to be announced) is probably a tad more affordable for the average working Joe.  Obviously the materials and overall quality of these shoes are like night and day, but some of us have kids to put through college.

 

-L.A.S

Knot So Fast

[Pictured: Fresh new Eastland Bluchers, fresh new Eastland knots.]

Stumbled Across: Eastland Shoes

[Pictured: Eastland's Maine staff.  Picture courtesy of Eastlandshoe.com]

I don't know how I've missed out on Eastland, but I'm happy I've found them.  Probably best known for their eponymous knot, this Maine based, family-owned shoe company has been turning out classic styles since 1955 .  Their shoes are affordable and while the majority of their stock is no longer produced in the USA, Eastland is known for both the quality of their shoes and their world-class customer service.

It's no secret here at Sartorially Inclined that shoes are highly coveted, so any chance to get some classic, quality shoes on the cheap is taken quite seriously.  Almost all of Eastland's boots and "retro classics" are under $100 a clip and look great.  They serve as a great alternative to lots of the styles being sold by companies ranging from L.L. Bean to Red Wing at a higher price point.  Check out some of their best offerings below...

Seneca...$90.00

The idea of a blucher boot is kind of fascinating to me.  It's a style I rarely see and one that I often overlook.  If traditional blucher mocs are a little to S/S for you, this is a great alternative.  I can even see these going great with your shorts when the weather warms up, similar to the Desert Boots and shorts look popularized the past few years.

Falmouth...currently on sale for $49.99

I've already talked about the L.L. Bean Blucher so I won't spend to much time talking about virtually the exact same shoe plus a little Eastland branding.  I will say this however...Bean's Blucher is $65 while this shoe is on sale for $50.  Yeah, I just ordered my own pair too.

Yarmouth...$80.00

Another classic blucher style moc available from Eastland.  With boat shoe style 360 degree lacing, this shoe would look great with the aforementioned Eastland knot.

Lumber Up...$90.00

Another Red Wing alternative.  These boots are everywhere these days and there's no reason you shouldn't be able to get a pair.  If price is the number one factor in your boot decision making this fall, you're welcome.  I can almost guarantee these will last longer than any other rip-off out there.

Brooklyn...$100.00

Moc toe boots have hit the bigtime and Eastland is offering a few models.  I'm really digging these Timberland-esque boots due to their boat shoe references.  I saw a street style picture over at Complex, which pairs these boots with some slim denim and the combination looks great as far as I can tell.  At $100 these good looking boots are a bargain.

p.s. For anyone looking to update their bluchers/boat shoes with a fresh Eastland knot, here is another detailed guide on how to.

-L.A.S