Dandy & Dapper differ on duck boots and eco-friendly denim

Sir, your words "back in fashion" imply that duck boots were once trendy. Foul-weather boots are not a matter of style, but of utility and are used to keep the feet warm and dry in true winter climates, which explains why you have not seen them in Hong Kong. The name refers not to their appearance but rather to the use of duck cloth, a water-repellent canvas. Invented by Leon Leonwood Bean in the early 1910s, the waterproof boots are also made from chain-tread rubber soles, steel and leather, hand-stitched in Maine, in the United States. Waiting lists at LL Bean are said to be months long due to an unexpected surge in interest. However, dogged clicking through each model (US$109 to US$199) and size on www.llbean.com should result in some success.

Whatever. Dapper doesn't get it because this is a trend for young people. Sure, we don't have snow in HK, but we do have rain, duh! I'm surprised he didn't quote from The Official Preppy Handbook, which lists the "Bean's Maine Hunting Shoes" as an essential part of the preppy man's wardrobe. Blah, blah, blah. I'm here to tell you about cool alternatives! Sperry makes Avenue Duck Boots with pop colours, including red lining and laces (HK$853; www.sperrytopsider.com). Or order a pair of Sorel's Caribou XT boots (HK$1,288; www.eastdane.com).

Mr Dandy: I know, right?! There are a few start-ups (visit kickstarter. com) as well as established brands experimenting with eco-friendly jeans. I'm guessing you've heard about the now-extinct Bottle Rockets line by Bonobos in collaboration with Cone Denim (the "beer bottles" were plastic, by the way). They're still collaborating, in case you want just normally awesome jeans (HK$760 and up; www.nordstrom.com). Anyway, did you know that tonnes of bottles and other plastic stuff we use end up floating in the ocean? Pharrell Williams does. That's why he's teamed up with G-Star to create the Raw For the Oceans line, which includes the slim, tapered Arc 3D jeans in plain or printed raw denim (HK$1,975 and up). Levi's has been working on being more eco-friendly for ages and now produces its signature cuts, such as the slim 511 (HK$450 and up), using ever greener methods.