When It Comes To Timeless Dressing, Don't Sleep On This Heritage Brand.
It's one of my favorites to shop new and vintage.
This letter is brought to you by Eddie Bauer.
My mom has taught me many important lessons. When you apologize, it’s not enough to say, “I’m sorry.” You have to say what you’re sorry for doing. Threading a bobbin. Avoiding caffeine on an empty stomach. Cleaning room by room. And shopping Eddie Bauer.
It’s as much a part of my family heritage as stockings on Christmas morning and eating chili with cinnamon rolls. Eddie Bauer was always the gift du jour for exchanges between her, my dad, and my aunt and uncle. Everyone was tall. And everyone loved Eddie Bauer.
As a kid, my preferences leaning a little more toward American Girl Dolls and Gap hoodies, but as a grown up, I’ve rediscovered a love for the classic brand. Over 100 years of heritage really means something in a world of trend-forward fast fashion. Here are my top five items from EB plus secondhand picks from them, too.
Outerwear
Last year, a beloved puffer I had for nine years started to tear in ways I couldn’t just have mended. I immediately hit eBay to find an Eddie Bauer parka to replace it. There was no question in my mind this was the way to get the highest quality piece that would serve the utilitarian purposes I was after.
I’m obsessed with EB’s new Reissue collection, which incorporates modern details into some of the brand’s most iconic silhouettes.
Even my signature barn jacket is an old school Eddie Bauer find on eBay.
Here’s the Men's Reissue Original Down Bomber Jacket. It’s sooo plush IRL and hits all the rights notes from the vintage inspo. Here’s the women’s version, but I went for a Large Men’s.
You know I’m a sucker for some vintage corduroy. This jacket is $50 on eBay!
A cool, lightweight vintage EB jacket option from Noihsaf for $70.
I love this Women's Shaw Long Down Bomber Jacket and that it comes in regular, petite, tall, and plus. Did I mention it’s under $100?
I’m into this vintage contrast stitch fleece from EB on Etsy for $30.
Try this vintage Skyliner bomber jacket for under $70.
Base Layers
It’s hard to find brands that offer tall sizes, and even when they do, it’s only on a select number of pieces. Eddie Bauer is the gold standard for long sleeves that are actually long enough. And the quality is incredible, so instead of replacing a cotton turtleneck every season, you can take care of your base layers so they last a lifetime.
When Christian and I decided to honeymoon in Copenhagen and Stockholm in January, the first thing I did was order base layers for both of us from EB in black. It’s the perfect thing to have in the back of the closet for ski trips, winter hikes, and frigid airplanes.
I find myself wearing my Women's Essentials Ribbed Crew Long-Sleeve Shirt in this blue shade (I took a Large Tall) all the time.
In 1995, Eddie Bauer launched AKA Eddie Bauer, a high end line. It was short lived, but the pieces, like this silk tuxedo shirt, that last are very chic IMO.
I am obsessed with the sleeves on this vintage EB sweater. It’s $44.
This EB Signature Fleece Crew Sweatshirt comes in a ton of colors in both regular and tall. I can’t really believe it’s on sale for $30.
I should probably be buying this for my husband, but here you go. It’s $30!
This is the kind of vintage sweater you’ll wear for decades.
Vests
Finance bros have owned the vest narrative for too long. The vest is a highly practical piece that belongs in almost every closet. And you don’t have to be an Excel whiz to appreciate the way it ties an outfit together like a bow. I have a vintage Eddie Bauer vest I found at a thrift store in high school, shocked it was only priced at $3.99. I went through a phase where I thought it was a little too outdoorsy for me, but thankfully, I never donated it back. I’ve been sporting my reissue vest from EB with an EV monogram for a month now and can attest to its brilliance in its modern iteration.
My bone to pick is with vests that look warm, but don’t offer any practical comfort. The 650-fill power premium down insulation fits the bill perfectly. And the water resistant fabric is more important than you’d realize, sort of why I’m not in love with corduroy or suede vests.
Behold the glorious Men's Reissue Original Down Bomber Vest. I went for a Large, but I’d do Medium next time.
A really great vintage EB vest for $40 on Poshmark.
Genuinely, who has the need for this many pockets? But the color is fab.
Something about a vintage corduroy zip vest that just gets me excited to pull an outfit together.
Socks
Here’s another lesson from my mom: socks make a perfect stocking stuffer. I’m not talking about those cheesy fuzzy Christmas ones from the dollar section. We grew up pulling 100% wool socks from our stocks, next to a pack of something from Target. That’s how I built my collection of long-lasting socks for cold days and long walks. I like that Eddie Bauer has socks for every kind of active endeavour.
These were my holiday gift socks to myself this year. A charcoal grey sock is very chic IMO.
My brother is a big hiker, so a few pairs of these Men's Wool-Blend Crew Socks should do the trick.
Sporty Shorts
By now, you know a sporty short is my go-to bottom for the warmer months. I like to wear mine with a button up and loafers most of the time. I also find this is a category that tends to get overlooked on a personal level, making it prime gifting territory. How many pairs of sporty shorts does your partner keep for going to the gym that have the name of their high school on them? Just mine? Eddie Bauer sporty shorts can handle being washed and dried a thousand times, which is more than I can say for some of the trendier pairs I’ve tried out in the past.
Saying I’m obsessed with sporty shorts sounds a little dramatic, but if you know me, you know these Men's Floatilla 2.0 Shorts are right up my alley.
Random, but vintage EB has some very cute plaid skirts. This one is a 10 and $30.
Told you! Ok, back to shorts.
A little red sporty short with a stripe! What’s not to love?
My favorite pick for last…somehow deeply wearable and completely impractical at the same time.
Thank you for reading Long Live. It means so much to me. You can shop my favs here, follow along on Instagram + Tiktok, and shop my Notion template. Get matched at EV Salon. And if you want to partner on a future Long Live, email evan@communite.co x
EB is a brand that makes my sister and I squeal when we find it at the thrift!! Along with lands end, LL bean, vintage Liz Claiborne, and oddly, St. John’s bay 👌🏽
AND...they had Eddie Bauer Ford Broncos in the '90s! I remember one being in the actual store at the mall (Woodfield). I'd post a photo here if I could, but you can imagine.