Boden Reviews: A Swing and a Boucle.

I mentioned I would try and get a Boden Weekly Review Roundup done before Thursday night in this blog post, but because of some sewing related and school related deadlines, I can only offer up two of my own reviews.  So here they are, the Swing Tunic Dress and the Boucle Jacket.  Hopefully I get all the other work done soon and can get back on the BWRR train.  :-)

Swing Tunic. Size 6 L.  I was *this* close to purchasing a 4 L, but decided that I wanted the extra insurance of more room overall just in case this shrinks.  It is a lyocell/cotton blend, so though I usually don't have to worry about that blend shrinking as much as rayon jersey would, I don't want to lose length, as I really prefer wearing this as a dress and not a tunic.

The 6 long is perfect.  It hits right at four inches above my knee, but with tights on looks more than modest enough, provided I am not headed to church or teaching.  With leggings I can absolutely wear these to church or to teach.
 

I am very small up top (32B) and most of my weight is at my hips/upper thighs, which this dress hides very nicely.  I appreciate that it is cut slim through the upper chest and shoulders but widens out in a drastic a-line to the hem.  If you are the opposite shape to me, this may be a dress/tunic that won't work for you, but I wear those shift dresses that aren't supposed to work on my shape, so it's your call.  :-)

The pockets are fun, and are big enough to hold a phone.  

The side view shows that it is a bit dipped in the back which again, my body appreciates. 

I love this color, and am befuddled as to why this shade isn't selling.  It is a beautiful mid-blue/green color with a very subdued rectangular block print.

BTW, this tunic can be worn under a full skirt, like the Mollie Jacquard skirt, provided you purchase the skirt in a length longer than the hem of this tunic.  I purchased the 6 L, and it hits right above my knee, and fully covers the bottom half of the tunic.

I don't know if it is the way the dress was falling on me, or if it is intentionally patterned this way, but the back seems less full than the front.  I love the back view.  I am not normally a big fan of my back view.  LOL.


Swing Tunic.  Selling well in all shades, barring this one.  That said, the larger sizes are all gone in all colors. 

Boucle Jacket.  Size 6.  I knew I wanted this, after seeing how the reviewers went on and on about how soft it was, so if it had popped back in a 4, I would have gone for it.  Thankfully, it popped back in the 6, which is the best size for me.  The 4 would have fit, but I prefer the way this hangs in the larger size.  It is not meant to meet at the center front, btw.

The pockets are a bit small and a bit flimsy, but provided you don't use them for anything other than a key/id or your hands, they should be fine.

It hits at my mid-hip, which means for most of you, it will hit at your upper hip, since I have a short torso.  It shorter/boxier jackets don't suit you, this one probably won't work, either.  There is a the funnel neck coatigan, which is made from the same fabric, so if that shape works better, you can get the luscious boucle fabric there instead.

The seaming on this jacket may be why it is selling so well.  That center back seam is beautiful and different from most cardigan jackets out there.  There is also some pretty seaming using the same white rib knit fabric at the shoulders, too.

This is like the world's most casual Chanel jacket.  ;-)

This boucle knitted fabric is harder to find nowadays.  The boucle knitted fabric I own is scratchier and backed differently from this one, but let me tell you, finding any boucle knitted fabric with any wool in its content is near impossible.  So if you sew and you see a wool blend boucle knitted fabric come up for sale, buy it.  Trust me. 

This boucle is softer than the fabric I own probably because of the alpaca content.  Most of us who own it say it is soft, but I know that some of you would find it itchy, too.  Heck, I knew a lady who couldn't wear cashmere because it was too itchy, so soft does not equal wearability, necessarily.


Boucle Jacket.  This one is nearly sold out in the small sizes in the lighter color, but the navy shade is still fully available.

Okay, I hope these two reviews help some of you out there! 

You all have a great day!

OOTDs: Some Regular Clothes. Not for Teaching.

Day: Wednesday, September 16, 2015.

Where:  School Meeting followed by Winesday.

Ease of Wear: (4.5 of 5 stars--5 being the most easy to wear.) This Boden jersey dress is very comfortable, I dig that it is tighter without being constricting.  It also has shaping at the top part of the dress, which draws the eyes up from my hips/bottom, aka my "trouble" spots.

Outfit Details: Dress, Boden; Shoes, J. Crew; Sunglasses, Target; Necklace, tru.che.

Anecdote of the Day: This was the last Winesday before I left for my cruise (on the 20th).  When I got back to town, the next Winesday there were threats of no more Winesdays (NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!) and a few of my most favorite employees had received the ax, even though they were all amazing and most deserving of promotions/more money and not firings.  Stupid Whole Foods.  The Winesdays are still on (phew!), but those employees aren't back.  Boo. 

INSTAGRAM HERE.

Day: Tuesday, September 29, 2015.

Where:  Preschool, Swimming, Old Town Alexandria.

Ease of Wear: (4.75 of 5 stars--5 being the most easy to wear.)  Well, gee, I am basically wearing an adult nightgown outside, but because it is shirred just right, and not of flannel, I can wear it and not draw any suspicions.  The scarf helped keep me warm, though I ended up taking it off partway through the day. 

Outfit Details: Dress, J. Crew Factory; Sandals, J. Crew Factory; Scarf, Do Everything in Love; Sunglasses, Target.

Anecdote of the Day: I never had a preschool run where there wasn't a kid attached to me (either CW as a baby, or Angus as a baby), and wow, it certainly is freeing not having any children attached to me at all.  I really enjoyed swimming and going to Old Town with only myself to worry about.   

INSTAGRAM HERE.

Day: Sunday, October 4, 2015.

Where:  Church.

Ease of Wear: (4.25 of 5 stars--5 being the most easy to wear.) I haven't worn a formal skirt in a while.  I felt compelled to wear this because it was so gross and grey out and felt like matching the skies.  It was fairly comfy, the skirt sits well on my hips and waist, and the tights, sweatshirt, and shoes fit with just the right amount of ease.

Outfit Details: Skirt, J. Crew; Top, Boden; Shoes, J. Crew Factory, Boden; Necklace, J. Crew; Tights, Lands' End.

Anecdote of the Day:  I liked the look, but I was surprised by how many Instagram friends liked it, too.  I never do these monochromatic/neutral looks, and I guess people were happy to see me in something other than eye-searing color and pattern, lol.

INSTAGRAM HERE.

Day: Wednesday, October 7, 2015.

Where:  Funeral of a childhood friend and a school meeting.

Ease of Wear: (4.25 of 5 stars--5 being the most easy to wear.)  Well I knew I would be walking to the funeral from my school since the parking is a bear around the church where the funeral was to be held.  I also knew I would have Angus in the stroller, so I had to wear comfy shoes for that, too.  Fortunately this older Boden Limited Edition dress is made of a jersey ponte, and the shoes are flat without being so flat that they are hard to walk in.  I don't wear this dress often, but I appreciate it for occasions like this, one where reverence and formality are key.

Outfit Details: Dress, Boden Limited Edition; Shoes, FS/NY; Earrings, Macy's.

Anecdote of the Day: My friend went to grade school and high school with me, and now I teach with her mom, who I have known forever.  I feel for her mom, so if you are a praying type, do send some prayers her way and for the rest of the family.

On another note, I have now seen five of my high school friends die before age 40.  I know death is part of life, but it seem so shocking to lose so many so young.  We didn't even have that large of a graduating class (~250).  

INSTAGRAM HERE.

Day: Monday, October 5, 2015.

Where:  Very little done this day.  I may have done the school run.

Ease of Wear: (4.5 of 5 stars--5 being the most easy to wear.)  Leggings, Sandals, and a Tunic.  Yeah, 'nuff said.

Outfit Details: Tunic, Boden; Leggings, Boden; Sandals, J. Crew Factory; Necklace, tru.che.

Anecdote of the Day: If I had something to give you, I would.  I know I was happy it had finally stopped raining, after nearly four full days of constant rain.

INSTAGRAM HERE.

Day: Tuesday, October 6, 2015.

Where:  Preschool, Swimming, Huntley Meadows for a walk, and the other school run.

Ease of Wear: (4.25 of 5 stars--5 being the most easy to wear.)  I found the outfit most comfortable after wearing it for a bit.  The J. Crew Reese pants are great, but sit funny sometimes...it's like I have to find their sweet spot on my hips.  At least they come in a tall length so I can have proper full length pants.  It got really warm that afternoon.  Glad to have it, but wore the wrong top.  Oops.

Outfit Details: Sweatshirt, J. Crew Factory; Pants, J. Crew; Sandals, Birkenstock (can find them here at Amazon.com ); Sunglasses, Target.

Anecdote of the Day: I (heart) Huntley Meadows so much.  It is a local wetland/forest preserve that has a boardwalk over the wetland portion.  We always see something, whether it be a snake, a beaver, a heron, etc.  This time was huge numbers of box turtles out sunning themselves.  Every time Angus said (more like like loudly spoke), "ooh look at the turtles, Momma," they would dive off their sunning logs and go hide.  Can't blame them.  He would look terrifying to me if I was their size.

INSTAGRAM HERE.

Day: Sunday, October 11, 2015.

Where:  Lazy day at home.

Ease of Wear: (4.5 of 5 stars--5 being the most easy to wear.) I feel like I am on repeat here.  Loose fit pants, a sweatshirt, and some Birkenstocks.  'Nuff said.

Outfit Details: Sweatshirt, J. Crew; Pants, Walmart; Sandals, Birkenstock (can find them here at Amazon.com in gold and silver ); Sunglasses, A.R. Trapp.

Anecdote of the Day: My facebook feed was filled with Redskins chatter (SO BORING, GAW) or people exclaiming they had just run the Army Ten-Miler (not boring, but made me feel LAZY).  I need to go away from FB sometimes.  Better for my mental health. 

INSTAGRAM HERE.

Day: Saturday, October 10, 2015.

Where:  Housewarming Party.

Ease of Wear: (4.5 of 5 stars--5 being the most easy to wear.)  I love how polished this looks without being polished "feeling."  The Turner pants will always be in heavy rotation in my closet (every color I have fits well no matter what I am feeling that day, weight wise).  Even with the elastic banding at the cuff, they still manage to suitable for my version of dressy.  The linen Lena top is a bit wrinkle-prone, but manages to cut a nice shape without being too form-fitting.  (It actually swings away from my hips, so its a-line shape is perfect for my pear shape.)

Outfit Details:  Top, Boden (here on clearance, I took a size 6); Pants, J. Crew (they are now available in wool--yes, I bought them in grey); Shoes, Target; Sunglasses, Anthropologie.

Anecdote of the Day: Our minivan's battery died.  We manage to get it restarted and went to the housewarming party.  It started again after the party, so we went to Joann's since I needed to pick up some patterns.  That's where trouble started again.  No battery power.  We found the nicest person in the world to take ten minutes of her time after work (she had just gotten off) and she let us jump the van with her engine.  I need to make sure to pay that forward big time.  :-)

INSTAGRAM HERE.

Boden: Diminishing Discount Time. 25% Off for Four Days!

Swing Tunic, a current fave of mine, 25% off for four days.

Hey, all!  Happy November.  :-) 

Boden rolled out a diminishing discount this morning that is set to last until Thursday night, so I hope to get a Boden Weekly Review Roundup done before the 25% portion of this sale ends.  This sale is exactly the same as all other diminishing discount sales from Boden in the past.  It starts with one % off, then moves down to another % off (this time 20% on Friday), followed by another lower one, etc.  Most people do all their sale shopping during the initial part of the sale, but I have been known to grab popbacks that will never get down in price to that level (at least while it is on Boden's site).  A good example of that would be the Boucle jacket (here) in white.  This one sold out in the lower sizes early on, and though the navy is fully stocked, the white only appears as a popback for sizes 2-8.  I went ahead and grabbed it with a voucher and 15% off, which brought it down to the amount that it is now.  Though I thought I would sew a version for myself up, it turns out the boucle fabric I have is a bit scratchier than the boucle knitted fabric Boden used, so I am thrilled I chose to purchase this one instead.  It is insanely soft, well fitting in my normal Boden knitwear size (6), and very pretty on.  So if you have a "must have but sold out" item, the diminishing discount on any day is probably a good use of your funds.  Do not purchase a fully in stock item during this time unless you have a very specific reason to wear it right now.  Fully in stock items will go down further in price, I promise.

In addition to my love of the Boucle jacket, I have a big ole crush on the Swing Tunic (here), which I bought on a whim during the last 25% off.  I purchased the color the model in the photo at the top of this post is wearing, along with the Mollie Jacquard skirt (here).  Although the swing tunic in the sage block print is still fully stocked, many of the other versions are sold out or nearing it, so I figured eventually the one I wanted would sell out, too.  Anyhow, I purchased a size 6, and it fits great, it is a bit loose through the lower half, but that is where all my weight settles, so it works for me.  I know that this particular tunic probably works best on pear shapes or thin rectangles as a dress/tunic (I purchased a long so I could wear it as a shorter dress), but after tucking it into the skirt (size 6 L for me as well), it looked super cute as a top.  It is shorter than the hem of the skirt, so no peeking out from the bottom.  I suggest you wait on the skirt for another sale, since that one is fully stocked.  You can buy it 40% off right now (it's been that price for a while), but it is still sitting there unloved.  I will probably purchase the blue (I chose the black for my first order) once it hits 60% off in clearance time.

I also received the Swinging Sixties Tunic (here) but only tried it on long enough to see the size 6 L I purchased was a good choice, nice and fitted without being too tight.  Length is just above the knee, and the green/gold is a very pretty combo, though a lot of look if you don't normally splash out in lots of color and/or print.

There are many items at more than 25% off, but this sale is more for the newer items.  Boden is just banking on us putting extra items in the bag, so they kept all the older season stuff at the more reduced prices to push us into doing so.  It worked for me on the swing tunic and skirt during their last sale, so clearly they know their audience.  ;-)

I hope to get these in the next BWRR, at least two of the three newer items, but until then you can go to my Instagram to see the Harriet Shift Tunic Dress (here; at Boden here), and the Victoria Dress (here; at Boden here).  Those two dresses are reduced further than 25% off, but they are good sellers, so I thought I would include them here for those of you interested in them.  I purchased the 8 L for the Harriet (loose up top, a bit tighter in the hips, but a MUCH better fit than the 10 L I initially purchased), and a 6 L in the Victoria Dress (perfect in this size). The most recent BWRRs also have reviews that may aid your sale shopping, too.

Do you all have any favorites you think are worth spending money on during the diminishing discount?  Let us know!

Talk with you all soon!

Boden: Spring 2016 Preview Picks!

Real quick, before I start, Boden rolled out another winter rollout on Tuesday.  There seems to be lots of cute items, but I do tend to like their sparkly, dressier offerings for holiday parties, and usually end up grabbing something from them year to year.  (In 2013, I wore this dress to my 20th high school reunion, and last year, I wore this dress to my kids' Christmas pageant.)   


Okay, so the Spring 2016 preview has been up for a while, and I know I could be all "my work kept me from doing this post earlier," but if I am being fully honest, I am not all that wowed by the offerings.  I mentioned that the blue backgrounds seemed to dull everything down, but I noticed some other things that bothered me.  I don't love the fit of some of the garments on the model.  She has a great figure, but I think they may have chosen to size down on some items rather than size up and the pull lines on many of the garments are distracting.  Girlfriend has beautiful curves, an actual butt, a small waist, and longer legs, and so I feel her particular fit issues, and dude, if I were a model and they shoved me garments too small and too short, I would be irritated.  I think either fit the model properly to show the garment off best (or use a couple of different models), or just show the item as is, no models needed.  But on the bonus side, I definitely now know which garments best suit those of us with a shorter torso, bigger bottom half, and longer legs.  :-)

The 20% off code expires tomorrow night, so if you do plan to preorder, bear that in mind.  The code is 9R7C.

Onto my (slim) pickings...

Dresses

Martha Dress. This cotton sateen classic sheath dress with inverted pleating at the waistband is precious.  That use of a border print is genius and will likely flatter many shapes.  I would like to give this one a try but will need to wait until Boden publishes the garment measurements so I can see how much wiggle room I would have in my hips.  There is also an all-over dotted version and a plain navy version.

Molly Dress. I probably could get away with ordering this early (if I felt like chancing preorder and the usual snafus that come with it), but I think this color is tricky for a lot of folks to wear, so I will wait until it comes out and get it then.  The garment measurements are not published on this one either and this dress looks to be super short on the model.  It is supposed to hit at the low thigh, and if that is the case, then this dress may not work for me as I don't know that this silhouette will work on me, personally, that short.

Floral Jacquard Dress.  The styling of the model in the blue version of this is WOOF.  Who in the world would choose to wear that dress with those animal print tie up flats?  Maybe I'm the insane one, but I think it looks HORRIBLE together.  Anyhow, that said, this dress is lovely, and would work very nicely in many office environments, but is still dressy enough for many more formal gatherings and parties.

Sophia Shirt Dress. Once again, Boden delivers an exceptionally pretty shirt dress.  I have at least five shirt dresses from them, and would be happy to add this sunny version to my closet.  They usually fit well, flatter most, and come in the best prints and styles.

Pants, Shorts, and Shoes

Woven Jogger.  This is made from a viscose crepe, so be prepared to size up for potential shrinkage, especially if you dry yours in the dryer.  (Do not recommend, fwiw.)  The style is cute, and I like it on the model (barring the weird styling).  Don't know if they're for me, but I like them overall.

Richmond Shorts.  Of course I love the crazy printed shorts.  :-) To be fair, I also want them in black.  The change this year is from the designation of petite, regular, and long length.  Now they have a four inch, six inch, and nine inch choice.  Clearly I can wear a 9 inch inseam, but I actually prefer to have a five or six inch inseam since I think it flatters my frame more, so I definitely will be getting the six inch inseam instead.  I do have friends who wear the 9 inch for modesty reasons, and I so I am glad they kept that choice for their sake.

Keira Stud Ankle Boot.  The studs on this boot look less obnoxious than they do on the other items studded up.  I think the studs suit a boot, and on the other versions (the heel and the flat), they look like sad versions of that Valentino "Rockstud" which is everywhere.  (Blegh and ugh.)  I know some of you agree with me.  ;-)

Tops and Tees

Ravello Top.  The Ravello top has been around forever, so the silhouette is clearly not new, but I adore this print in this colorway.  So pretty and fresh feeling.  It definitely will be welcome in the greyer days of winter.  It may have to be the first Ravello top to enter my wardrobe!

Tamara Top. This top I decided to buy in the green floral version from this winter season (I chose a size 4, found the armholes were too tight, so exchanged for a 6, which fits great).  I like this small dotted version.  It has interest, but can still be paired with printed items since the print on this is understated.  Great choice for a formal office setting.

Drop Shoulder Cowl Neck.  This is normally not a kind of item I would be attracted to, but I love the mix of dot sizing with the black background.  It kind of looks like stars.  It seems like it would flatter a variety of shapes and sizes, too.

Okay, those are my picks.  This may be my smallest "picks" post ever.  Hurrah for less work on my part, but sadness over the lack of real pretty and unique.  :-(

Anything I missed that you love?  Anything you loathing?

OOTDs: School Style September and Early October.

Quick reminder: Boden's big mid-season sale ends tonight. The details about the sale are in the original post here with updated information in the latest BWRR.

The extra 20% off Boden's spring 2015 preview ends on the 15th.  I have plans to do a picks post tomorrow or Wednesday.

Onto the latest teacher outfits.  :-)  Note, unless I have something to mention outside of the teaching arena (after school and with family and friends), there won't be any anecdotes of the day in the teaching ootd posts. 

Day: Thursday, September 3, 2015.

Where:  First Day of Teaching and a baseball game.

Ease of Wear: (4.5 of 5 stars--5 being the most easy to wear.) I have made this skirt for myself before in a pretty blue and brown and white floral (last time I wore it and the original sewing review), so I expected this version would be a slam dunk fit-wise.  (It was!)  I love the stretch cotton sateen, it's even from Joann's, which if you are a sewer, usually indicates a fabric that may not be up to snuff.  This one is...so pretty and looks like it will last a while.

Outfit Details: Skirt, handmade (Vogue 8916); Top, J. Crew; Shoes, A2 by Aerosoles; Shorts (from last photo), Boden; Necklace, J. Crew; Sunglasses, Anthropologie.

Anecdote of the Day: I was so stinking tired after school that day that I was *this* close to skipping out on the game.  I probably should have, I actually closed my eyes a few times while watching the game, and considering I normally can't sleep anyplace other than a quiet, dark room in my bed, I nearly fell asleep in those hard chairs in the bright baseball lights.  Yow.

INSTAGRAM HERE.

Day: Friday, September 10, 2015.

Where:  Teaching and church.

Ease of Wear: (4.25 of 5 stars--5 being the most easy to wear.)  I felt fine, but I was worn out from the day before, so the tiniest bit of irritation felt enhanced.  This time it was the dress being just a skitch too tight on the upper hip.  Since the dress is made of a cotton, it stretched out and was fine an hour after putting it on, but still.  Boo.

Outfit Details:  Dress, Boden; Shoes, J. Crew; Necklace, J. Crew; Sunglasses, Anthropologie.

INSTAGRAM HERE.

Day: Thursday, September 17, 2015.

Where:  Teaching.

Ease of Wear: (4.5 of 5 stars--5 being the most easy to wear.) Well this *dress* keeps getting shorter, but I am thinking I was more daring with my skirt length before I was teaching at the Catholic school.  You really do need to have the skirts as long as the knee (or right there close to it), unless you are wearing it with leggings.  So leggings it was!  The whole outfit is wonderfully, deliciously comfortable. And it's a pretty print, so yay!

Outfit Details:  Dress, J. Crew Factory; Shoes, J. Crew; Necklace, J. Crew; Sunglasses, Target.

INSTAGRAM HERE.

Day: Friday, September 18, 2015.

Where:  Teaching, Church, and CW's birthday dinner.

Ease of Wear: (4.5 of 5 stars--5 being the most easy to wear.)

Outfit Details:  Dress, Ideology (from Macy's a gazillion years ago); Shoes, Cole Haan (similar here at amazon.com); Necklace, Tiffany's; Sunglasses, Target.

Anecdote of the Day:  CW's middle name is in honor our great grandmother (many greats added to it, of course) who had an apple variety in Minnesota named after her by my great grandfather (many greats there, too).  CW's favorite color is pink.  It was also her birthday that day, so wearing a pink, apple printed dress seemed especially appropriate.  I also love that I looked like Ms. Frizzle.  (#msfrizzleforever)

INSTAGRAM HERE.

Day: Thursday, October 8, 2015.

Where:  Teaching.

Ease of Wear: (4.25 of 5 stars--5 being the most easy to wear.) Lands' End really has something special with this ponte sheath dress. So much so that I plan on going back for another version of it soon.  I wish it was a touch longer, but Lands' End lengthens their torsos on their dresses in the longs, so I can't purchase the long without it being too long in the bodice.  Sigh.  I am fine with it where it ends but would add an inch in an ideal world.

Outfit Details:  Dress, Lands' End; Shoes, Boden; Cardigan, Anthropologie; Sunglasses, Target.

INSTAGRAM HERE.

Day: Friday, October 9, 2015.

Where:  Teaching and church.

Ease of Wear: (4.5 of 5 stars--5 being the most easy to wear.)  Well I caved on this year's version of the Casual Weekend Dress.  I love last year's so much, and I love this green polka dot print (I have a long dress from Boden in this exact print from 2006!), I knew I would love this dress.  I do!  It is super cute, and the pockets are fab, of course.

Outfit Details:  Dress, Boden (here on clearance); Shoes, J. Crew; Necklace, Stella and Dot; Cardigan, J. Crew; Sunglasses, Target.

INSTAGRAM HERE.

I hope you have a great night!  :-) Thanks for reading!  I am glad I am back with something other than Boden sales alerts for once.  LOL.