Boden Weekly Review Roundup: In Chic Tweed We Trust.

Happy Friday all!

In case you missed it, I wrote up my winter/holiday picks at this post.  I received the Tulip Party Dress yesterday and realized that while it fit, it was a touch too close for my liking in the hips.  I started a thread at my facebook page lamenting the fact, but on the advice of my facebook friends, I went ahead and reordered the size 8 R (since the 8 L is out of stock).  Really wish I could have had the 8 L, but maybe a little leg at the high school reunion isn't that bad of a thing, right?  ;-)

I should get the picks post up for the Spring 2014 preview, but it is a slow process.  The 20% off promo (PRV3) is set to expire on November 18, so I can guarantee you all that I will get the picks done well before then.

There are a lot of reviews here today (yay!!!), so let's get our boden review party started...

First, though, let's help a blog friend out...
Advice needed from Boden fans for another Boden fan, Anna.  She asks:

Hello, I was wondering if somebody could help me out. I got the Paris blouse and love it, the fit is perfect in my usual size, I love the design, color and pattern (got the navy with mushrooms). However, I had reservations ordering it as it's made of rayon and I've never had a good experience with rayon pieces (they always shrink even if they are supposed to be machine or hand-washable). I now saw two reviews on Boden site commenting on how the top shrunk to the point of being unusable after washing. So I pretty much made up my mind about returning it, but I thought that before doing it I'd ask here if anybody here washed their blouse and how it turned out. How I wish Boden used a different fabric for this beautiful top! 

I responded that I didn't have any direct advice since most of my rayon has not shrunk, but I understand the worry, since I have read stories of items shrinking (mainly in length) over time.  I baby all my rayon and rayon blend items because of that, but I realize that even with a gentle touch, my rayon items' days are numbered.

Any advice out there???

Regular Boden:

Chic Tweed Shift.  So I don't really lead a lifestyle where I really need this kind of dress, but it was calling to me like a siren song because of its very mid-century mod feel, both in fabric and in shape.

I am really glad I ordered this when I did (in preview) as all the tweed shades have completely sold out (occasional popbacks of course). 

I chose to buy the 8 L and while it fits, it is a very close fit.  I feel kind of va-va-va voom in it, which wasn't necessarily what I was going for, but in the end, that's my hangup since I can objectively see that the dress makes the most of my curves and doesn't overemphasize my larger bottom half.

It has nicely placed pockets that don't gape on me, at all.  I have read a review here and there that say it does gape on some women, but I definitely didn't have that issue.

The dress is fully lined in a black poly of some sort, very silky, which is nice for when wearing the dress with tights.

The fabric is not a wool, though from far away it does give the impression of a very thick grey (black/white) boucle tweed.

It is actually a mix of fabrics, including cotton, and no wool.  This means, though, that it can be worn in warmer months, which if you are in a place like VA, is more of the year than not.

You can see where it is almost too tight on my upper thigh area.  This dress will keep me honest about my weight, at least.  LOL.  Most people have jeans they use to keep them honest, I prefer a Boden wiggle dress. 

A back zip is there instead of a side zip.  Honestly if this had a side zip, I would have had to return it since being able to step into the dress makes getting in and out of it much easier.

I forgot to clip the vent thread there at the bottom of the dress and it split upon my attempt to use the facilities.  Whoops.  I always forget to clip those threads.  Tell me I am not alone.  ;-)

I was all dolled up to go see my daughter in her first real kindergarten assembly called "America Sings."  Since we are in an area with so many military folks, all four military branches songs were sung at the assembly.  CW sang the Marine Corps anthem constantly in the three week period leading up to the assembly, and I *still* catch her humming it to herself.  I see a future Mrs. Marine Corps or a future Marine Corps troop (she can be one herself, ya know!).

I chose to add a pop of color by wearing the orange bonbon coat since all the grey/sage/black was a bit blah. 


Chic Tweed Shift.  So sold out, but popbacks come and go...just keep a hawk eye out for them.


Military Wool Jacket.  Wore it for real a few weeks ago, hate the cold, but love all the awesome outerwear I have in my wardrobe!  (Photo of the ootd is near the bottom of the post.)


Ava Dress.  Check out new mom Monica in the Ava Dress.  She looks so good!  Congrats again on the birth of your darling daughter, Monica!  :)


Amelie Dress.  As you know by now if you read this blog's every single post, I chose to purchase the Amelie dress in brown because of "Baroness" That Damn Green Dress.  She looked so good in hers, I figured I at least needed to see if it would work for me.  (It did! I wore it in NYC last weekend--take a sneak peek at it on me below this paragraph.)

Hannah Dress (praline color), Printed Button Back Sweater (Jumper) (no affiliate link, use link in name), Notre Dame Skirt, Bistro Pants (Trousers), Montpellier Top, Hannah Dress (berry color), and Winter Audrey Dress.  See all the above on the wonderful Lou here (Hannah dress praline), here (for the button back sweater), here (for the Notre Dame skirt, Bistro pants, Montpellier top, and the berry Hannah dress), and here (for the Audrey dress).



Off Duty Sweater (Jumper), and Canonbury Clutch. See the two items on Avril here at this blog post.  




St. Ives Sweater, Westbourne Sweater, and Desert Boot.  See them on Joanna here (for the sweaters) and here (for the *very bright pink* boots).  :-)

Boden Reviews Page Reviews. (Thanks as always to the people who contributed reviews!).

Libby Dress.  Above you see two images of the lovely Evi wearing this dress in red.  She looks amazing in it.  If I didn't already own two LouLou dresses (sickness, I know), I would be all over this one.  I will live vicariously through Evi instead, who also had a written review to accompany her photos.

I received the Libby dress in red today. The colour is very very very bright(which I like but it's not everyone's cup of tea) The cut and fabric are very similar to last year's Loulou dress which I also have. Some reviews said the waist was too high but I think it's okay on me. I'm 170cm,pear shaped and my measurements are 91cm-71cm-110cm (I don't know it in inches,sorry).

The measurements in inches/feet are 5'6" tall, 36"bust, 28" waist, 43" hips.  She is nearly my measurements!  Evi, whatever you like I am likely to like, so keep those reviews coming (I selfishly say, lol).  :-)


Libby Dress.  Not selling out completely, but many colors/sizes are super low stock or sold out.  Depends on the color you want. 

Ponte Skater Skirt.  LS kindly photographed herself in this skirt for us (above).  The skirt looks like it is a winner, and her written review echoes the sentiment!

I just received a Boden ponte skater skirt and I love it! I normally go for pencil skirts because they flatter my rather straight figure. Pleated, full skirts I often find frumpy. Not this one. The fabric is quite thin and the skirt is unlined but it falls perfectly and does not cling to tights. I ordered 12L rather than my usual size 10 (UK, sorry, not sure about American sizes) because many reviewers said it was rather short so I wanted it to fall on my hips and cover my knees. In fact, the long length makes it respectably long even when fitting tightly to your waist, which I the point of this skirt. So if I the overseas shipping costs were not prohibitive, I would exchange it because it does fall below waist than it should on me. The skirt was 40 per cent off in mid-season sale so it was a great deal. I am wearing it here with heels but it works great with flats, too. So all in all, highly recommended.


Ponte Skater Skirt.  Wowza, nearly all gone.  As per usual, check back for popbacks, as they do happen.  



Leather Gloves and Bejewelled Sweater.  Lizzyt shared her reviews of these two items with us.  She would also love some thoughts on how to style the bejeweled sweater, so if you have some ideas, definitely share them in the comments!!! :-)

I received a few things tonight and wanted to share my review. I finally received the colorblock gloves (sorry I don't remember the exact name). I ordered the Aubergine with pink fingers. They are stunning but the pink fingers are much darker in person than on the website. I would say it's a true fuchsia in person and doesn't match the Ingrid coat. That's ok with me - I think they will be beautiful with a black coat and my new Banana Republic colorblock scarf in the same colors.

My next item I received is the new bejeweled sweater in ivory. I ordered both the gray and ivory to see which one I would like better and I'm now worried I will want to keep both. The ivory is stunning! A tiny bit see through but I expected that. It's also a tad short but I'm 5'10 (come on Boden with tall sizes in tops!). I plan on wearing it with a button down underneath so no big deal. I plan on wearing with the cardy Ugg boots to make it a bit more casual. Any other styling ideas?



Ottoman Dress and Fair Isle Yoke Sweater.  Anna received her order and it is love.  She writes of both:

I got part one of my recent Boden order. I love both of my two new things! First is the Ottoman Dress in Khaki. I got it in size US10L, 10 is my regular Boden size, I usually get regular length as I'm 5'5 but I got long based on reviews and measurements and I'm glad I did, it hits slightly above the knee where I like it. The dress is 100% cotton and is just the right weight for fall - quite thick and warm but still soft and drapes well. I hesitated to order it because it made me think of either a carpet or a synthetic 1970s type fabric, and I worried it would be stiff, but none of it is true. I love that the neckline is high, it scores points for warmth and work-friendliness. The color is a true khaki, will be a good neutral, I plan on wearing with both brown and black tights. The fit is semi-fitted, hugs me in the bust and is a bit more loose in the waist and the hips, it drapes nicely and creates an overall flattering look. I have a pretty straight build and in my case the pockets help a bit by creating an illusion of a more hourglass figure (but the effect is very subtle, I don't think it will enhance hips too much on a true hourglass figure). I will wear this a lot.

My second new item is the Fair Isle Yoke Sweater in silver. I don't know if I can add anything to what Dina already said in her review, I will just say that it is a really wonderful sweater, TTS, mid-weight lambswool, wonderful colors. It has a great fit, semi-fitted with just the right amount of slouch to keep it relaxed but not at all sloppy. It's one of those sweaters that the moment I put it on, I felt like it was a trusty old wardrobe staple that I've had for years. A great find.

Jaclyn published TWO massive polyvore sets with reviews in them.  They are both below.  Jaclyn, thank you for taking the time to publish these!  :-)  She added her measurements to the polyvore, as well (5'4" 117lbs 36(28FF)x26x36 4R at Boden.), so thank you for that, as well, since that helps us with sizing. 

Thoughts on Boden by jlcl119 featuring boden skirts

Sixties Skirt, Laura Dress, Merino Collared Sweater, Amelie Dress, Breadwinner Skirt, Gathered Tunic Dress, Colourblock Points, and Tassel Loafer.

Sixties Skirt - It's a mini, but the long version functions as a regular skirt for 5'4" me. The Dark Green is an awesome color. Well made, thick, heavy, comfy. The pockets are dumb, but lovely skirt anyway.
TTS.

Laura Dress - Warm, comfortable, soft. Great sweaterdress, too bad it is one of the frumpiest things I've ever tried on. Skirt is too long and puffs poorly, the ribbed top has a widening effect. Not cute for me. Pewter is a good background to statement jewelry.
TTS.

Merino Collared Sweater - Runs short, so I sized up for length. The Navy/Berry combo is fun, classic, and trendy. Nice. Wool is soft, smooth, and not itchy. It's thin like Tippi.
TTS but short.

Amelie Dress - Again, soft, warm, cozy. Not good for an hourglass with a very defined waist as it is an empire line. The stripes are fun, but husband said they made him dizzy. I really liked this and almost kept it, but I didn't love it on me and have no room for things I don't love.
TTS.

Breadwinner Skirt - Looks like office wear, feels like yoga pants. This is probably the best skirt ever made. This is the best pencil for an hourglass, because of the stretch, you can buy for your waist and the hips will fit without looking trashy. I'll be buying one every year.
TTS.

Gathered Tunic Dress - Same soft cozy material as Amelie and Laura. Horrible, frumpy, tent-like shape. Overall too large, may be worth a try for the material alone if you can size down 2+.
2+ sizes too big.

Colourblock Points - Super cute. I loved these, but the vamp ends where my foot bends causing the shoe to painfully dig into the bones of my feet. I could not keep them.
TTS.

Tassel Loafers - Starts out tight, ends up awesome. Very comfortable, well made. Fig is a fun and unexpected color that works surprisingly well as a pseudo-neutral.
TTS.

Thoughts on Boden part II by jlcl119 featuring long sleeve sweaters

Must Have Tunic, Audrey Sweater, Retro Tunic Dress, Hotchpotch Jumper, Libby Dress, and Must Have Tee. 
Must Have Tunic - I was afraid this may look maternity on me, but I really loved the pattern and color so I tried it anyway. It does indeed make me look like I'm expecting. I have a very long waist and this just hit too high. The scoop neck was also too low on me. It was dress length on short-legged me. The fabric was nice and comfy. Poorly suited for my shape, but would work well on straight and boy figures I think.
TTS.

Audrey Sweater - I love this sweater. I love this type of neckline, the color is beautiful, and the fabric is soft and warm. Comfy, cozy, and cute, I want them all.
TTS.

Retro Tunic Dress - This fits like a long Audrey Sweater. I also love this, for all the same reasons. However, I hate the pockets. Not the zippers, those add interest, but the actual pocket that adds weird lumps to my body. The fabric is just not thick enough for the actual pocket. A+ otherwise and I'm getting the pockets removed. The Regular length is an above knee dress on me, bit baggy thorough the middle but hugs my chest and bottom in a classy sexy way.
TTS to slightly big.

Hotchpotch Jumper - Comfortable, cute, and a good price. I liked the look and feel. However, I wasn't paying attention to item descriptions and didn't know about the metallic threading in the sweater. I'm not blingy with my clothing really and I knew that bit of sparkle would make me pass it up, so back it went.
A bit small, I ordered a 6 and it fit great.

Libby Dress - I ordered this in a Long so the waist would hit where it needed to. Good call as it was perfect length. The hem hit me at high-mid calf. That's fine, I had been planning on getting it hemmed. The navy color isn't very rich, it actually looks like a faded purple. I sent his one back. It looked nice on my body and I did like it. The fabric was heavy and comfortable and it was warm and my style. It just wasn't special enough for the price. I'd love to catch this one on sale though.
TTS to a bit big. I wish Boden made 2L.

Must Have Tee - This is what makes Boden great. I didn't order this. I had ordered the Must Have Tunic in Fig and they sent me this tee by mistake. They immediately refunded me for the tunic and told me to keep the tee on them. Love you, Boden!
Anywho, I like the color and the fabric is very light and comfortable. It's extremely casual and very big in the body with snug arms. If I had bought this, I wouldn't be keeping it. Since it's a "gift" I wear it layered under other items. Because it's thin, it isn't bulky and works well under slim sweaters.
1-2 sizes too big.

That's it! I tried pretty much everything I wanted and fits in my life from their winter range. I'm looking forward to Spring and have my eye on a few items in preview.

Johnnie b.:

Jersey Harem Pants.  Size 15-16.  After loving and wearing last spring's version of these (see them here), I pounced on the navy star version during the fall preview.  They fit exactly like last spring's.  I wore this to go take Angus to a Little Gym class and to get our car repaired.  The freaking van took forever, so I ended up running a bunch of shopping errands during that time, thanks to the shuttle they have at the VW dealership.  The whole outfit was super comfortable, thankfully. I am wearing last spring's Sparkle Skye sweater (you can still get  this fall's version of the Skye Sweater) and last spring's suede brogues here, too (you can still get this fall's version of the Brogue).


Jersey Harem Pants.  Not selling out the way they did last spring, but bound to be super popular once the clearance time comes.  I chose, btw, to not have my harem pants be as oversized as they have them on the teen model.  Maybe at 15 I could have done it, but not now.  No way, Jose.  If you like that look, size up.

Sally Sweater Dress.  Mr. Dina is a fan.  Seriously.  He was all "ooh, so pretty!"  I just kind of lol-ed.  It must be because when he was 15 years old, this look was popular, and he remembers all the pretty girls of his Mississippi high school rocking out in their foil printed sweatshirts.  (And side ponytails, natch.)  And yeah, I kind of like reliving 1987, too.

It fits exactly like I would want it to, not too tight, yet not too loose.  Looks really nice with leggings or skinny pants, but I don't think I would ever attempt the dress in tights.

There are pockets, too, and they are fairly hidden.  I used them quite a bit during the day, fwiw.


Sally Sweater Dress.  Fully stocked, so you can probably wait...less likely to be as popular since it is a fairly trendy item and won't work for everyone's lifestyle.


Boyfriend Jeans.  Took my pair out for another spin a few weeks ago.  (Halfway down the post, btw.)

Okay, you all still around?  Lots there, huh?  Thanks again, all my blog friends for their reviews.  You all are the best!

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