Tuesday, June 12, 2012

Boden: Riviera Shirt Dress Styled.

Hi, all!  Happy Tuesday!

Yesterday I saw my little guy (or not so little guy) Rex graduate from preschool yesterday (tear).  I have been mentally preparing for this for a while, so there were no real tears, but I am still overwhelmed by the emotion of seeing all of them grow up.  Heck, Angus is barely three months old and I just look at his pudgy body and I think, "wasn't he just a skinny little long baby like yesterday?"

I was always that sensitive child, you know, the one who would cry if someone look cross-eyed at her, so I suppose it is no surprise that things like my children growing up would bring out the sentimental momma in me.  (Which does not bode well--at all--when they go off to college.  I think the empty nest syndrome was named in honor of folks just like me.)

Anyhow, on Friday last week I had to bring Rex to his new school (my alma mater, btw) to be tested for kindergarten entrance (well, not tested..."evaluated").  He did great, as expected, because they evaluated his academic abilities.  Had they evaluated teamwork/patience/social niceties, he may have been in a world of hurt.  My boy is still pure id.  Sigh.

Since my old school is really conservative (it is tied to the church we go to every Sunday), I figured short shorts and a tank would probably not be looked upon kindly...so I went ahead and pulled out a dress that has only recently been fitting me, the Boden Riviera Shirt Dress.  Bonus?  The colors match the school's colors, blue and white.

You don't really need to do too much to make this dress "styled," as that pattern is really really busy (and may be too much for anyone who is petite), but the red Andie bag (J. Crew), the bronze strappy sandals (Aerosoles, like a million years old), and the statement earrings (J. Crew) seemed to be the right amount of accessorizing.

I went ahead and bought the size 6 regular back before I had Gus, so even though I knew the shape would eventually work for me, I was sort of surprised that this was the dress that took me the longest to fit into.  Turns out that even if the fabric is stretchy (made from a stretch cotton blend), if the dress is a button down, the buttons will gape wherever the fit isn't perfect.  For me, the bust and waist area was gaping (very unusual as I generally have problems in my lower half), but I have a feeling the postpartum "girls" and waist just needed some time before things settled down.

This has an exceptionally full skirt, so if you are a pear shape, you will be stoked, and can likely go with your smaller dress size.  If you are an apple or inverse triangle shape, then you will likely have to go with your larger dress size, but the skirt may become too voluminous at that size.

I hadn't realized this but the skirt is a bit longer in the back than the front.  I think it is a really pretty, lady-like shape, but may be a bit too retro for you if you would prefer your vintage to stay vintage and your modern to stay modern.  This dress could have easily been sold in the 1950s as is, although the fabric would have been straight up cotton, as opposed to the stretchy version Johnnie has offered us this season (and next--they have new colors in the Boden Preview, too!).

Close up of CW and me on Friday.  The earrings were just the right amount of sparkle, as any necklace and/or bracelet would have looked wrong with this dress.

CW is wearing baby Boden's Printed Applique Dress.

Riviera Shirt Dress.  You all, if you are really really really tall, go ahead and order the long version, but keep in mind that it will be a whole lot of dress.  I normally wear regular sized dresses, but I do that because my torso is so short, and often find that hemlines on the dresses are a bit shorter than they appear on the models.  This dress is still plenty long in the regular version, so I know the length will be insanely long in the long version.  Sadly there are no petites (but the fall version there are petites--yay!).

Okay, I will re-mention this in tomorrow's Boden Weekly Review Roundup, but I wanted you all to see this today just in case you have some summer/spring items on your radar...

Boden is trying to entice us...
Over the weekend A WHOLE LOT of the items in the line went from being 15% off (which is my coupon offer in the side bar) to 30% off.  I was blown away.  Almost all Limited Edition items are at 30% off, and a smattering of regular items at that percentage off.  Everything else is between 15% off to 25% off, and as long as you have free shipping and returns (which you can get with my sidebar link--also at the bottom of this post), you are looking at some decent savings.

Here is my caveat--if your item is COMPLETELY 100% in stock, you might be able to hold off till clearance time and receive a better price.  If your item is pretty darn decently stocked, but some of the other sizes and colors are sold out/low stock, then you may want to think about getting it now, as the one you are looking out may be quick to sell out during clearance time.  If your item is low stock now, or is sold out and pop backs, you should buy it right now as it likely won't be around at clearance time (and likely won't even have that great of a sale price, anyhow, as Johnnie only deeply discounts things that aren't really moving).

Hope that helps you all!  :)

Here is a link for 15% off and free ship/returns (but for many of the items you will get more than 15% off):


Have a great Tuesday!