Of all the things that came with the prep revival during the noughties, LL Bean’s duck boots may be the best of them. Dozens of things have come and gone from that era — many first described as classic, but couldn’t last past the prep craze. But LL Bean’s duck boots have a kind of versatility that’s hard to beat. They go with jeans and cords, Barbour jackets and French chore coats, tweeds and casual overcoats. They work with almost any wardrobe that can be considered vaguely classic.

They’re also some of the best foul-weather boots you’ll find anywhere. Originally called Maine hunting shoes, they were designed for outdoorsman tramping around the countryside. They have a fully waterproof rubber construction, which wraps around the top of your foot, while the shaft is made from leather. And they have that better-with-age quality we love. I leave mine out on my back porch during the summer cause I think the leather looks better when it’s sunfaded.

LL Bean boots run about $150 shipped, but from now until Tuesday, the company is having a 25% off sale (just use the checkout code FALL25). That puts these at about $100 to $110, depending on the model. And while the company’s return policy isn’t as good as it once was, they still guarantee product satisfaction for up to one year.

Some things to consider if you’re new to the style: