My Favorite L.L. Bean Boat and Tote Colors and Monograms Offered Today

Sizes, Trim Colors, Monogram Styles, and Monogram Thread Colors

I get asked all the time what my favorite Boat and Tote trim colors and monograms colors are.

And as I often show (read that rhapsodize about) my favorite past seasons L.L. Bean Boat and Tote colors, I thought it would be fun to whip up a post on my favorite Bean tote bag colors/monogram styles/thread colors that are available today.

Links:

• Zip-Top

• Open-Top

As an aside, I use their totes everywhere for all kinds of things – around the house, in the cars, as tool bags, the classic “bags to store bags”, and even for storing sheets. I have taken to storing my L.L. Bean flannel sheets (in White only and which have been great) in a Large or Extra-Large Zip-Top tote. For whatever reason, the clean sheets stay completely odor free, even for long periods of time. (If I simply wash and dry them and put them in the linen closet, they quickly develop “that” smell. And I really hate non-intentional smells. Every product I use is fragrance free, so this has been a life saver.)

Seaboard Blue

Starting with their newest, and one of their best colors, Seaboard Blue. Very fresh and pretty, and ideal for summer. And the only monogram color I use with it is Navy.

L.L. Bean Boat and Totes in Seaboard Blue

Blue/Navy

Probably my number one color is what they call Blue and I call Navy. This is the classic and if you could only buy one color, it would be this. I have long lamented that fact that they do not offer a good Kelly Green monogram thread color, as it would be my “go to” monogram choice. Having said that, their Dark Pink is awfully good, and it has become my default. Also good is the Mimosa Yellow for that nautical vibe, and occasionally when I am feeling in a more low-key mode, I opt for the Navy on Navy. Never wrong.

In the photo is also their Pink thread color. A bit pale for my taste, but not bad.

L.L. Bean Boat and Totes in Blue

Natural

With the Natural trim I usually go for the Navy monogram, classic and simple, and on occasion, the Dark Pink.

When it comes to monogram styles in general, I use Times Bold, sometimes Block, and on also on occasion, Insignia. I used to go for their Diamond monogram style which they unfortunately discontinued.

L.L. Bean Boat and Totes in Natural

And if it seems like Beans is always raising their prices on their Boat and Totes, they are. This tag on the Large Open-Top was from only a few years back. It now costs $49.95. Still though, not too bad for what you get and when compared to their competition.

And after that, next in line…

Regatta Blue

While I don’t love the Regatta Blue trim I also don’t hate it, and have found that really only the Navy and the Mimosa Yellow monogram colors work on it.

Dark Green

The Dark Green frustrates me. Beans used to have a better dark green back in the day, so I am forever comparing it to their old Hunter Green. (Their short-lived Lawn Green from a few years back was fantastic.) However, the Navy monogram thread color works on the Dark Green, but also surprisingly, so does the Dark Pink.

Orange

Despite not overly being an Orange person, theirs is a particularly good shade of Orange. The only problem for me is that I couldn’t find one good color for the monogram. It really needs several colors. So I designed my own through their L.L. Bean for Business department. If I hadn’t done this I probably would have left it blank. (And I do have an Extra-Large Open-Top sans monogram.)

Take the Fork

There are so many permutations of colors and designs.

I have long had the L.L. Bean credit card which gives me free shipping, free monogramming, and Bean Bucks. Utilizing this trifecta has allowed me to play around far more than I could ever justify with the various trim colors and monogram colors and styles.

Links:

• Zip-Top

• Open-Top

So, when it comes to Boat and Totes, I have taken the advice of Yogi Berra. “When you come to a fork in the road, take it.”