OOTDs: Dressing Up, Wind Whipping Style.

Hi!  Happy Thursday.  :-)  I have been nose to the grindstone, and with great concentration, furiously sewing up my son's suit for his First Confession on Saturday.  I started the project last week, and whenever I could find the time, I worked on the blazer.  I am *still* working on the blazer, but at least the shell is done, I just need to finish the lining.  I am actually insanely proud of the work so far, but I won't exhale until the finished product is being worn by him on Saturday.  Anyhow, wish me luck, and I hope that explains a bit of why I have been away so much lately.

Also, NADA is going on with Boden, sale wise, so there's that, too.  I had plans to do the Boden Weekly (haha) Review Roundup this week, but with the details I need to follow to the tee with the blazer pattern, I realized something had to be given up.

Okay, I do have a few brief moments to show off a few recent dressier outfits I wore in the past two months.  I have definitely been more focused on casual wear, especially since Rex is housebound and I am going nowhere, but there have been a few occasions that required me to give a little more effort than a pair of Turner pants and an embellished sweatshirt.

Day: Friday, January 16, 2015.

Where:  Fairly certain I went grocery shopping with the Angus that day.  This was before Rex got injured (that happened 1/25), and I saw I took photos of him fooling around the house that day, so because I got dressed up and I have photos of him at the house, I have to assume that Harris Teeter was the reason for my "dress up."  LOL. 

Ease of Wear: (4 of 5 stars--5 being the most easy to wear.)  I never know what size to get at J. Crew or J. Crew Factory when it comes to these straight shift style dresses (this one is the Factory Printed Shift Dress).  I always know that the bust and shoulders will be too big unless I get a size 4, but my hips don't lie and are a size 10, so that's what I chose to purchase.  That was a wise choice, but I still could use a half-inch more if I am being honest, I would prefer just that little bit of extra ease.

Cool Factor: (4 of 5 stars--5 being the coolest.)  Love this look.  I need to wear this again before it gets too warm (ha, no threat of that here in Southern Canada aka Virginia).

Anecdote of the Day:  Angus made some cute faces when I was taking photos of him that day.  Other than that, nada.

Day: Thursday, January 22, 2015.

Where:  A friend's father's interment at Arlington National Cemetery.

Ease of Wear: (3.5 of 5 stars--5 being the most easy to wear.)  It wasn't about ease that day, since the occasion called for very formal.  I am glad I had proper funeral clothing, but with the very chilly day and windy weather, I have to admit that I was close to frostbite (especially on my feet) by the end of the ceremony.  But again, more than okay by me, we were honoring a man's service to his country on this day, my cold feet are nothing to complain about.

Cool Factor: (N/A of 5 stars--5 being the coolest.) Again, unimportant.  Not a concern of mine that day.  The look is very proper, very put together, and in sedate coloring.

Anecdote of the Day:  I cried at one point, even though I had never met my friend's dad.  The ceremony was so moving.  I felt honored to be there for her and was in awe of how reverent the military is in honoring their deceased veterans.  And the day, though bitterly cold, was incredibly beautiful, and from what my friend said, she knows that her dad would have been so pleased with both the weather and the ceremony.  :-)

Day: Monday, January 12, 2015.

Where: Subbing.

Ease of Wear: (4.5 of 5 stars--5 being the most easy to wear.)  Super comfortable, and the outfit kept me warm.  Let me give a shout out to the J. Crew Factory Harper Double Bow ballet flats.  These shoes fit well on first wearing and have been worn at least fifteen times since I purchased them in early January.  I bought the 9.5, which is my normal size.  They are great for folks who want something pretty but are also flat enough for those of us on our feet all day.

Cool Factor: (4 of 5 stars--5 being the coolest.) Exactly the right look for substitute teaching.

Anecdote of the Day:  Everyone loves that collar necklace from Accessorize that I bought when I went to Ireland two years ago.  I have a pattern for collars from Simplicity, so I bet I could figure out how to make the base from a firm fabric (like canvas) and bedazzle it with beads.  Hmm...

Okay, thanks for stopping by!  Hope my next post is sooner than later, as that means the suit sewing didn't do me in...

Boden Reviews: Beatrice, Eliza, and Isla.

Today's reviews will be in this order: Beatrice Dress, Eliza Coat, and the Isla Dress.  I purchased the Eliza Coat way back in preview, and reviewed it here when it came to me.  It has only recently gotten chilly enough to justify wearing it, but I have worn it three times this week alone, so yay for that.  :-)  (Still hate cold!)  The Beatrice Dress and the Isla Dress are both very recent purchases, bought when Boden was having a good sale or another (can't remember if it was the dresses sale or if it was the Black Friday sale, I am 100% sure the Isla Dress was purchased during the Black Friday sale, though, since I was only able to buy it after receiving a $50 gift card from my mother- and father-in-law).

I am partially doing these reviews as a way to tip my toes back in the water of blog writing after my recent loss, but also because I know that the big end of season sale has moved into second cuts and I am sure some of you really want to see some of these items on someone already.  ;-)

FWIW, the Beatrice Dress is 60% off (very good price for what you receive), the Isla Dress is a mere 20% off (except the beetroot check which is 40% off), and the Eliza Coat is 30% off (that's a good price, the coat is gorgeous in real life).

Beatrice Dress (here at Boden).  I chose to purchase a 6 Long as it seemed to have enough of a bell to its skirt to make that my choice rather than an 8 Long which I will sometimes purchase if a skirt is more straight on a dress.  I was nearly right, it is a slight bell, but it is definitely not as full as I thought it might be.

Regardless it fits well.  The top half is a touch long in the bodice, but this is the case with nearly every dress I own, so bear that in mind, as most of you are not super short through your torso.

The length on the dress is awesome, though, hitting right where I like my skirts to hit, mid-kneecap.

If you look closely you can see that there are two pleated tucks in the waistband of the skirt.  It's fine, but I would prefer that Boden consider a different application in the future.  They always want to do this, but a lot of women can't wear that well.  I felt the need to stand very straight in order to keep this dress from poufing out.  I think a pretty gather there would be a better choice (where the skirt front is a bit more full at the bottom to compensate for it).  Or if they really want a more straight silhouette, just go with a couple of darts at the waistband.

BTW, no pockets.  Boo!  It is easy enough to add them, but that is for the future. 

The material is amazing, a lovely mid-weight brocade polyester.  The florals are all woven into the fabric, but well done, and even though it comes with a delicate care tag, I didn't feel like I was going to pull the threads out at any point in the evening (I wore it to my kids' Christmas Pageant at the church).

The back features a back zip!  Hurray!  The bodice is fitted, so while I *can* zip it up with a bit of a struggle, it is helpful to have someone else help.  Just letting you all know.

The pleated detail on the front does NOT extend to the back, thank goodness.

I hadn't even noticed the back of the sleeve until I was editing these photos, but there is a cuff placket detail back there.  That takes work and care, and that bit of tailoring you rarely see anymore.  I did the same effect on a dress I sewed up recently, and I appreciate that Boden still adds these features.


Beatrice Dress.  Not really selling out in the color I chose, but the other colors appear more popular.

Eliza Coat (here at Boden).  I rarely ever purchase a size 8 in coats from Boden, but this season I had to buy two that size (I usually wear a size 6 in their coats).  I think they narrowed the shoulders and waist on their coats, and normally that is where I am smallest, so keep that in mind if you choose to buy this one.

I think you can tell this is a good fit on me and it is over just the dress and some tights.   I think it is meant to be a traditional ladies coat, one worn out for dressier events, so I don't think the intent was that we should wear it out over thick sweaters and pants.  (I did wear it over a thin sweater, though, no problem.)

Buttoned up you can see how its buttons look.  It does look like I have properly buttoned them up, but they are actually snaps with a fake button front.  I like snaps, but I have read a few reviews where the reviewer questioned the choice.  My son did spend a lot of this week (I taught his class while his teacher is away) popping my buttons at recess (he was "line leader"), but whatever, I just snapped it right back.

Side view you can see the placket and how it features snaps.  The pocket is so pretty, I love the slanted welt detailing.  Those pockets are deep, btw, great for when you absolutely need them to keep your hands warm (definitely the case yesterday).

Back view is very simple and you can see that they chose a raglan sleeve.  The silhouette was very popular in the mid-60s, so I think they made the right choices for the look they wanted to achieve.

Like a dummy I forgot to clip that vent.  I always do that, lol.

 
Eliza Coat. The Eliza coat is popular, but not selling out.  I think the sizing issue is a big deal.  Remember to size up.

Isla Dress (here at Boden).  Since I already own the Amy Dress (that review here), and this dress is exactly the same but in a woolen check fabric from Moon, I knew that the same size would be the right call for me.  And it was, the 6 L fits the same way the Amy Dress fits, and if I am being very honest, I think the Isla dress may fit me even better!  (The bodice seems less troublesome on this dress, which may ultimately come down to how it was cut in the factory.)

The length is like the Amy Dress and the Beatrice Dress, exactly right for my frame.  Mid-kneecap is my favorite and am thrilled that the Isla dress in this shade popped back in my size over the Thanksgiving weekend when I could get it on a discount and with a gift card in my pocket.  (Yes!)

I had intentions of sewing this up for myself, but after calculating amounts, and adding in the gift card, the type of wool, etc., I knew that the price I paid out of my own pocket was less than making it for myself.  That doesn't mean I don't want to try, but I will save that for next fall and winter.  ;-)

Same side view as I get on the Amy dress, but you can see that the bodice fits me a touch better here on this one.

The checks are nicely aligned, it is difficult to match plaids, especially on the bias and at the side seams (the skirt is placed on the bias).

The sleeves are not 100% aligned on the same plaid, but it doesn't look bad, so I am good.

The back really shows the craftsmanship.  Here you see how the back seam is perfect, with the plaid on either side exactly matching up in the middle.  Bravo, Boden.  There is also a zip there, and that, too, is nearly invisible.

You can tell (kind of) that the lighter stripe is a pale pink, the same shade as the Eliza cot.  The blue is actually more teal in real life, and the grey is a mid-color grey.  All around very beautiful plaid and a bit unusual.

My hubby said I looked like a Catholic school girl.  LOL.  Good thing I was teaching in one yesterday when I wore this.

Love how full this skirt is, and fully lined for protection of the wool fabric and for ease of wear with items like tights.

The wool is very soft to the touch.  I kept stroking it yesterday.  It is not itchy at all.  Definitely consider it if you are wary of wool because of the itch factor.

The shoes, btw, are the Low Heeled Loafer (review here), and suited the occasion of teaching well.  I felt fine in them all day.

Whole ensemble together.  I love this ladylike look.


Isla Dress.  Very popular.  If your size pops back and you like it, I recommend grabbing it.  This dress sold well this season.

Okay, that's it!  Have any of you tried these items?

The sale banner below says "up to 50% off," but it is actually "up to 60% off." 

OOTDs: Wearing Pretty Summer Sundresses.

Hey, all!  Happy Wednesday!

Before I start, I wanted to let you know that Boden has a special promotion going right now where if you refer a friend to receive 15% off, you will receive a $15 voucher to spend at Boden in the future. Sounds good to me.  Since I have referred a ton of people to Boden, maybe they can send me a big ole voucher? Just kidding (but only slightly!). Anyhow, I put that link and the coupon link (just in case you needed something before you received the voucher) at the bottom of this post so you can enjoy sending out the Boden love if you so desire.

Okay, onto the pretty summer sundresses!

Day: Saturday, August 30, 2014.

Where: Mass and dinner to an Indian restaurant.

Ease of Wear: (4.5 of 5 stars--5 being the most easy to wear.)  I love this Boden Lovely Linen dress (here on sale) as much as I did when I first wore it (here).  Still fits really well, but because the linen shrinks up a bit after washing and drying, the bodice area was a touch tight upon first putting it on.  That wasn't that big of a deal, though, since it quickly loosened up and became much more comfortable.  (But bear that in mind if you carry your weight up top, you may want to size up for that very reason.)

The Dansko shoes were a gift from a friend who knows that I can't usually wear Danskos as they run wide in my shoe size.  These, though, run pretty narrow, and she got blisters every time she wore them, so she knew exactly who to give them to after she discovered the fit issue.  Danskos are so comfortable, just wish they fit my feet better.

Cool Factor: (3.75 of 5 stars--5 being the coolest.)  I may be a fan of both the Lovely Linen dress and the Dansko shoes, but am not so sure I love them together that much.

Anecdote from the day:  Angus ate up all his Indian food he was given.  All of it, and then some more.  He got angry when they took his plate away because he could see remnants of the meal still on the plate.  He literally wanted to be part of the clean plate club. 

Day: Thursday, August 28, 2014.

Where: Harris Teeter.  Yeah, I know, I wore this outfit to Harris Teeter.  It's been too casual of a summer, I wanted to wear a dress!

Ease of Wear: (4.5 of 5 stars--5 being the most easy to wear.) The only thing that was slightly uncomfortable about this look was the length of the dress, but it wasn't that short that I felt overexposed.  My hubby made a comment about it, though.  Whatever.

Cool Factor: (4.5 of 5 stars--5 being the coolest.)  Definitely an A outfit.  Solid 90%.  The Accessorize necklace was the big hit, though...every lady working at Harris Teeter complimented me on the necklace.

Anecdote from the day:  Well I told you both stories...that the ladies loved the necklace and my husband gave the side eye to the skirt length.  That's all I got.  ;-)

Before I finish this post up, I wanted to share with you the pair of shorts that I finished sewing up today.  As I mentioned to you all in my last post, I was chosen to be part of a eight person, six-week sewing competition that Fabric Mart is hosting (though I could be cut the first week, so keep that in mind).  Because of that, I need to get a whole bunch of sewing done when I can so I can free up time to make the items for the contest.  Anyhow, this is Kwik Sew 3614 and in addition to being excited that I have a great pair of shorts that fit me very well, I learned how to properly insert a fly front zipper.  So yay for small things.  Now if there is a need to insert a fly front zip in this challenge, I am set.  :-)

I tried them on for the photos, but plan on wearing them properly tomorrow as part of a SAHM outfit. 

Finally, regarding the Boden info I told you about above:

To refer your friend to the 15% off Boden page, check out this link.  All the info you need to refer your friend and receive the $15 voucher (after their first purchase) is there.

For those of you needing something before the voucher comes, the link below will get you 15% off with free shipping:
Shop New Arrivals for Autumn with 15% Off plus Free Shipping on ALL Orders!


Alrighty, you all have a great day!!!

OOTDs: Florals and Mosaics.

First, before I get on with the ootds parade, I wanted to direct you to my FB page if you have an interest in seeing some of the Boden summer items on me in person.  I loved a lot of what I received, but I had *major* sizing issues with about half the order.  Sigh.  Anyhow, head on over to this page to see more on that.  Eventually these will all make it to the BWRR, but I want to remind you all that I often can update the facebook page more quickly than I can this blog, so go ahead and "like" the FB page if you want to get the things I do post in your feed.

Day: Saturday, April 4, 2014.

Where: Lunch with my dad and the kids and then to the Little League photo shoot.

Ease of Wear: (4 of 5 stars--5 being the most easy to wear.) I made the pants so they are very comfortable, but let's be honest here, is anything *really* that comfortable when you are bloated?  (You know whatimean, right, ladies?)  For all of my bloatedness, I was better than I have been in the past, and I credit ohsosoft jersey and wool with keeping me happy in my skin.

Cool Factor: (3.5 of 5 stars--5 being the coolest--for both outfits.) The pants are a great intro pattern (Simplicity 2061) if you have just started sewing knits and would like to try them out with a lot of hand holding.  I will eventually add my review over there, but I am a bit backlogged with that, too, so give it time.  I will say that while I know there are things I could have done better, I did manage well for my first knit pants pattern.  I've had them for a few months now, and although this was the first time they made their public debut, they have been worn about the house a few times. 

I like the styling here, and I love my hair.  I wish if it was going to go all wavy and curly, it would do it. just. like. this. every darn time.  I also upped the makeup because I had extra time on my hands and extra bags under my eyes.  (LOVE YOU, bloating, swak!)

Anecdote from the Day:  The wind was crazy on Saturday.  Although the temperatures said 60, it felt like 45 whenever the wind blew in.  I really should have worn a jacket.  I don't know how Rex survived in his little uniform (no jackets for the pictures).

Day: Sunday, April 6, 2014.

Where: Church.

Ease of Wear: (4 of 5 stars--5 being the most easy to wear.) Love this dress (you saw it here ready to go for the auction) so much.  I am so glad I have this in my closet with all its stretchy glory ready for me when I want to look good and feel good, too.  (Yeah, bloating day two continued.  Sigh.)

The Bella jacket in pink is exactly the right shade of pink to work with this dress, but it was a bit scratchy.  I was being sensitive, so you all know.  ;-)

Cool Factor: (3.5 of 5 stars--5 being the coolest--for both outfits.) Love the styling from neck down, the Accessorize necklace and darling pink belt really worked nicely, as did the Bella jacket, the navy tights, and the wedge heels.  The neck up, though, was were I struggled.  I was sensitive, remember, and was all verklempt that I couldn't get my hair and makeup to cooperate.  My husband assured me I looked pretty, but you know, dramatic Dina kind of won out. 

Anecdote from the Day:  Rex had a visitor called Hoppy this weekend and he was able to take it everywhere he went, including church.  :-)  We are gonna miss Hoppy now that he is going back to his teacher. 

Day: Monday, April 7, 2014.

Where: Harris Teeter (surprise! not!) and the school run.

Ease of Wear: (4.5 of 5 stars--5 being the most easy to wear.) Bliss!  I may not be *as* bloated as the past two days, but I still am struggling (grr!), but this outfit was so comfortable.  These jersey tunics are beyond amazing and I really wish Boden would make more of them.  They seem to have gone the way of the Fun skirt and are not being issued anymore (wait, I lied, the Everyday Tunic seems to be similar in style and fabric).

Cool Factor: (3 of 5 stars--5 being the coolest--for both outfits.) Decent casual look, and the Mia boots look so cute with the ensemble.  The scarf helps tone down the tunic a bit, too.  The hair, yay!  It is back to being obedient...

Anecdote from the Day:  Won't it ever warm up?  I am so cold and tired and ready for the warmth.  It was rainy and windy and raw today.  Sigh.  At least I was able to get some yummy food from HT (always get their freshly made sushi, their sushi chefs really know what they are doing!).

Okay, that's all for now.  You all have a good night, and stay warm if you are near here. 

Boden Weekly Review Roundup: Nude Penny Loafers and Not So Nude Clothing.

Before I begin this long overdue BWRR, I wanted to remind you all of a couple of things in the Boden world. 

First, yesterday started another big discount over at Boden, with 20% off everything (barring clearance items) until tomorrow (Thursday, May 30, 2013).  I have the link in the sidebar and the bottom of this post.  On Friday the discount reverts to the "usual" 15% off, at which point I will just place the normal coupon back in its place in the sidebar.

Second, the lovely Lou (What Lou Wore 365) sent me the Boden Autumn/Winter Preview Lookbook a few days ago and I had a chance to photograph all of the women's line photos and a few from the Johnnie b., mini Boden, and baby Boden lines.  You can see that post here.

Okay, let's get started!

Regular Boden:

Penny Loafers.  These are a size 40, which is supposed to be a size 9 US.  I should be wearing a 41, which I do from time to time, but I find that Boden will run so wide that my narrow foot needs the smaller size to stay on my foot.  If I had gone with a size 41, these would definitely have been too wide and they would probably have flown off my foot every step I took.  The length is fine, and since it is leather, will stretch enough over the years to mold to my exact length.

I was going to be out running around with the family that day, so I wanted something that would work with the navy and green combo and not distract from it, and that is what these shoes did.  They are "nuder" than I wanted them to be, since the color matches my legs precisely, but I have worn them enough to see that they look better than I thought they did at first. 

Nude heels make sense to me, but nude flats seemed weird.  (I don't know why, it probably only bothers me, like flippy sequins do, oh how I hate flippy sequins.) 

Anyhow, I am definitely keeping them, and if I had unlimited funds and a HUGE closet, I would buy these in the orange or aqua shade.

Close up.  I think these look really nice when you can make out the penny loafer detailing, which gets lost in the outfit photos.

All leather construction (as per usual with Boden) and careful craftsmanship.  The upper part of the patent leather has wrinkled a bit because walking bends your foot which bends the leather, but I like it better a bit worn looking since the shoes are almost too perfect looking with no creases.  (Again, this may just be me and my particular personality.  Others may prefer it be brand spanking new forever!)

Okay, so this collar necklace is not from Boden, but it is so pretty I have to show it off.  (It is from a British company, so it counts, sort of, right?)  This necklace is all sold out from Accessorize, but here is the info from polyvore so you can stalk it if you want it.  I bought it on my trip to Ireland, and was so stoked because I loved Accessorize when I lived in England in 1995.  So last weekend I am at Pentagon City mall and guess what is just down the mall floor from J. Crew?  Accessorize.  I must be living under a rock, not realizing that the shop had made its way across the Atlantic.  :)


Penny Loafers.  Many sizes are fully stocked, but there are the odd outliers which are completely sold out.  If you wear comfortable shoes a lot, then these may be worth the investment as they are a bit pricey.

I also wore these shoes with the LouLou dress to church, since it was raining.  More on that outfit here at this post.

Off Duty Shorts.  Size 10 Long.  Please go to my initial review so you can see why I chose the size 10 Long.  :)

Please forgive the clash of stripes and florals.  My hubby absolutely loved this outfit, but I was *this* close to changing into a different pair of shorts for the day.  (I ended up wearing black pants to church, so I got my way later on...)  I think the outfit looks okay, but I feel like I look a bit like a crazy toddler here.  LOL.  I have no idea why Mr. Dina liked it so much.  Men.

Anyhow, weird styling aside, I love the shorts so much better in the larger size.  They do gape a bit at the waist, but nothing terrible.  It is so nice to have shorts that are a touch too big everywhere so that I can feel relaxed wearing them and not like I need spanx just to make it through the day.

And if I end up losing weight, enough that I would have to size down, I can just alter them on my sewing machine and be done.

Still a crazy toddler!  For those of you who are curious, the Tippi sweater in multistripe is still available (runs a bit long and wide, but I like how easy the small felt, so I don't know that I would size down to my usual extra-small, the Tippi sweaters fit differently in each style, so I never know what size to buy).  The Sperry Top-Siders for J. Crew were a huge sale score at the store, since they are still higher priced on-line.  I paid $30 after all the discounts.  They call these shoes "deep violet," but look a lot like a bright cobalt blue to me.


Off Duty Shorts.  These are definitely selling well.  The green print is selling slowest, so you might be able to wait for a better discount if you don't anticipate wearing them soon.


Lace Dress.  I wore the yellow version on Mother's Day.  :)


Lightweight V-Neck T-Shirt.  Lou is head to toe Boden.  :)  And of course it looks wonderful on her, especially the pear drop shade of the tee. 


Authentic Casual Shirt.  Lou looks lovely in yellow, yes she does.  Worn as the shirt suggests, that is casually, but with the most amazing blue pumps, she fits right in with "casual Fridays" everywhere.

The Shirt.  Speaking of shirts, Joanna looks perfectly put together in her ensemble, from her dotty button-up right down to her darling wedge sandals.  :)  (Use the link in the name, the affiliate program does not have this item in its catalog.)


Ruffle Bikini Set.  Joanna has bravely (and I do mean the word bravely since I know how much courage it takes) shown off this adorable swimwear set for us.  :)  I love it on her, ruffles and stripes alike.  And to show her I am with her in spirit, I will link back to the last time I showed off all my thigh lumps and bumps in a swimsuit.  (And will do so again when the Johnnie b. swimsuit I bought finally comes off the slow boat from England.)

Johnnie b.:

Leather Clogs.  I wore them here (and did a review).  So all of these are currently sold out.  As of two weeks ago, there was a full run of the leather clogs.  Hmm.  I don't think my review alone caused them to sell out, but it is a bit surprising to see them all gone.  Use the link in the name to access the page, since my affiliate program no longer has the photo link (which is why I used the photo from the blog post instead).


Floaty Top.  I had seen this one in the pretty seagull print and considered it (here is the seagull print in a pair of pants), and now that I see how darling the top looks on Egyptomaniac (wearing the concert ticket print), I definitely will stalk it for a good price for CW in the size 8 so we can have a mommy/me outfit day when she is 7 (she can wear one size up).  ;)

Clearance Boden:

Embellished Spot Cardigan.  This is a spring item, and until this year, this item would still be in "regular" Boden.  This year Boden has decided to tinker with the usual and has placed many spring items in the clearance section many months earlier than the typical July clearance start date.

Don't let the "clearance" moniker fool you, though, since the price they are offering it at right now is the same price I purchased mine for back in January.

Anyhow, I think the cardigan is delicious, well made, and just blingy and detailed enough to justify the cost, especially since it is ivory colored, which means it will work with nearly all of my wardrobe.  I can't see selling this one anytime soon, and since I often will grab a cardigan for the possibility of a chill, this gets worn often.

Here is my advice if you like this one...buy the ivory version if you love it, since that one is more likely to sell out.  The dark grey version looks like it will stick around for the long haul (except in the larger sizes, since those are gone), which means that it will make it a deeper discount the next time they have cuts on clearance prices.  (The ivory might, too, but not all sizes will get there.) 

Detail Shot. This cardigan is in the size 6, which is what I typically buy in Boden knitwear.  When I do up all the buttons, it doesn't gap, but I don't do that ever, except to see if it fits that way.  :)  The knit fabric is so soft and lightweight, exactly the right feel for spring and summer (well not our summers, except in the freezer aisle of the grocery store).  The little embellished dots are made from a poly or rayon fabric and have not frayed, which makes me think they were treated with an anti-fray solution before placed on the cardigan.  The beading is very secure, only one small seed bead has fallen off, and that one is near the side seam which gets a lot of abuse from my "flingy" arms. 


Embellished Spot Cardigan.  I would love to see what the dark grey looks like on someone, since the detailing is so much more obvious on that colorway.


Adelaide Dress.  Lou is wearing the navy version again, despite the rain.  (Lou is also very fortunate to have received that umbrella for free, I had wanted the folks at Boden to sell that one!)

She also speaks to the fact that this dress is in clearance so quickly after just being introduced this spring.  :)

Okay, all, that's it for today.  Be back later, I am sure.  Thanks again to all my blog friends for sharing their reviews with us!

Below is the link to the 20% off sale going on right now.