Boden: Mid-Season Sale Time!

Good Tuesday morning, everyone!

Today is the "official" start to Boden's Summer Mid-Season sale with a lot of yummy goodies on offer--anywhere from 20%-50% off. 

Most, but definitely not all, clothing is on sale, and as usual the more popular items are either not on sale or only 20% off.  The less popular items range in % off, from 30% to 50% off.  Also many previous "clearance" items have magically appeared in this sale, lol, good trick there, Johnnie.  If you need to know if something was in the clearance before and are not sure, you can ask me in the comments.  It isn't a bad thing that they re-appeared, in fact the prices are the same as they were when they were in clearance, it is just that they are not all of a sudden receiving a big price drop the way some of the other items are.

There is no free shipping or returns on this sale, so if you decide to buy, try to compile your choices in one order since the $10 charge for shipping adds up quickly if you do multiple orders.

I received word about the sale early, but wasn't sure if I could announce the news here until today, however if you swung by my blog last night, you saw that I updated my sidebar with all the new banners for the sale (and a new banner aimed just at new customers--that bag looks awesome--too bad I am definitely NOT a new customer).  I have also put that banner at the bottom of this post for easy access to the sale.

If something you love is not in the sale and you need a coupon, my 15% off coupon still works, but that coupon does not work with the mid-season sale, sadly.

Anyhow, as per usual, it is shaping up to be a busy Tuesday, so I won't be doing any picks today, but if you have any choices, let us know in the comments!  Thank you in advance!  :-)


Above is the direct link for the sale.


Above is the new customer offer I spoke of above.


Above is the regular coupon code. ;-)

OOTDs: Time for Tiny Florals.

I am sure he was telling me something very important here.

Day: Saturday, March 9, 2013.  (So timely!  LOL.)

Where: Sewing Class.

Ease of Wear: (4.5 of 5 stars--5 being the most easy to wear.)  Needed ease for all the bending over my project (see completed skirt here at this post).  The Sarah dress was exactly right for the slightly warm classroom, cool enough to not overheat and because it is a stretchy jersey, much more comfortable than pants and a sweater would have been.

And ballet flats?  Come on, super easy.  :)

Cool Factor: (2 of 5 stars--5 being the coolest.)  Add five inches to that hemline and bouffant up my hair and you have dinagideon--sister wife.  This dress, while beautiful, is definitely more conservative and requires exactly the right high heel and accessories to take it out of frumps-ville.  (I wore it here last, still conservative, but a bit more edgy with the wedge boots and multi-chain necklace.)

I still felt pretty, though, and I love how the necklace's star pendant is the exact right shade of blue for the dress.

Anecdote from the day:  When I sew, I zone out, it's very "zen."  The only other time I am able to do that is when swimming.  It kind of freaks me out, though.  I will think I have only been working on a sewing project for an hour or so and then look at the clock and realize it has been closer to three.  Do you all do that with the hobbies you love?

Day: Tuesday, March 12, 2013.

Where: Rex's Bible Play.

Ease of Wear: (3 of 5 stars--5 being the most easy to wear.)  I love the Babycord Shirt Dress but find that the bottom three buttons unbutton far too easily, so over the summer I will just sew up the placket from about hip down to the hem and be done with it.  I have read that others are doing similar things, but it still bugs me that we have to do this.  Blegh. 

These tights are super cozy and fit well, unlike the super extra large pair that I bought and wore with this outfit.  The booties (yay for Target!) are awesome and very very comfortable.

Cool Factor: (2 of 5 stars--5 being the coolest.)   Sister Wife--part two.  But I was attending a bible play so it's okay.  *Clearly.*  I don't have to be cool--if I am cool even 10% of the time, I am totally fine with that.  I like the conservative pretty and preppy look a lot, anyhow.  ;)

Anecdote from the day:  Yeah, so Mr. Dina and I couldn't really understand the play because the kids voices didn't really project all that well in the auditorium.  We got the gist of what they were doing and they all look so cute dressed up in their robes, so that's all that really matters, right?

Okay, all, have a happy rest of your Monday!  Thanks for stopping by and visiting!  Sorry for my recent sporadic posting, btw.  As usual, real life has been busy so my virtual self has been placed on the back burner most days.    

Boden Weekly Review Roundup: Gingham Style.

Happy Tuesday! 

So instead of waiting to publish this review roundup on its "usual" Wednesday, I thought it would be best to get it out there and concentrate on catching up on my ever-growing backlog of ootds/reviews/made by me posts. 

I should be back on a normal schedule by next week, and am grateful for the opportunity to slow down a bit.  I feel so lucky that traveling has been part of our lives lately, but with three kids and a routine, traveling is always a bit hard to recover from.  ;)

No special announcements this week other than the usual:

1. New set of trim items are at 20% off (and if you use the sidebar coupon or the one at the bottom of this post you will get an additional 15% off).  It seems like every week new things are added, while many things from the previous weeks stay.  I think the trim is a good deal if you think it will be a "one week only" type item OR if you need it now.  Otherwise you can probably wait for a better discount.

2. My current coupon code isn't set to expire for a while, but if you do notice that it isn't working, do let me know, since it has had days where it goes "off."  As soon as that happens, the affiliate program likes to know to ensure that it can be fixed right away.  :)  (You can definitely e-mail me at dinagideon AT aim DOT com.)

3. I have received some great questions and ideas in the recent comments here at the blog.  I am definitely working my way through them, so if you think I am ignoring you, I *promise, hand on heart,* that I will get to your comment! 

Okay, onto the roundup!

Gingham Shirt Dress.  I had problems with this one and the correct size for me.  I bought the 6 long initially because a lot of Boden is running large these past two seasons.  I received the 6 and while it fit, it just was "off" in the skirt portion and the slip bit was very much hugging my curves.  Because the slip was shorter than the skirt itself, I felt it and it bugged me tremendously.  So even though it looked good and required zero alteration through the bodice, I returned it for the 8 Long.

Above is the 8 long and as you can see, I LOVE IT.  The bodice is a titch too big (more obvious in the next photo) but the skirt feels great and because the slip isn't touching my legs, I am not annoyed.

I decided to belt it for my day out with my brother (Winesday--woo!), but I ended up taking the belt off later in the day (the high was 90 so it was HOT HOT HOT), and  I ended up liking it better that way.

Back view.  You cans see how the bodice has a lot of extra fabric.  This is a dress that is very straight up and down, so the waist measurement is nearly the same as the hips and bust.  That said, there is a bit of shaping, so when worn belt-less, it doesn't look too sack-like.

I will probably end up trying to add some shaping on my sewing machine, but I need to figure that out before I do anything since I definitely don't want to screw that alteration up.  If you sew and have an idea, I am all ears!

Side view.  The reason the slip stops short of the skirt bottom is because the skirt has two side slits at the hem.  I don't know if given the choice that I would have that, but since I didn't design it, I have no say in the matter. 

No belt.  I ended up preferring it this way.  I don't know, maybe I am crazy, but I just think it looks and feels better this way.  Very simple and casual, but still very pretty.

The color is exactly the same as it is on the website, which thrilled me as I adore this shade of buttery yellow.

Gingham Shirt Dress.  Egyptomaniac has the same dress, but in navy, and man does she make it look good!


Gingham Shirt Dress.  Many sizes and colors left, but I would say jump on it if it goes on further sale since I don't think it will stick around.


Easygoing Top.  Egyptomaniac also gives us a great review of this very versatile top that is currently part of the trim sale (with the exception of the navy color which is not part of the trim).


Newquay Dress.  I wore this recently on another very hot day here and so did Lou on her voyage to another hot climate--Dubai.  It seems if you need a dress for heat, this is the one to get.  ;)  (It is also selling well, so definitely grab if you think you would use it sooner than later.  This won't be long in the sale come clearance time.)


Casual Weekend Dress.  Lou wore this pretty dress again recently as part of a easy "dressy casual" look. 

Okay that's it for this week.  :) 

If you need a code, here is one below.

Boden: One Day Only! 25% Off All Mini Boden and Johnnie b.!

Hey, all!  Very very quick post alerting you all to the one day sale that Boden is having on all mini Boden and Johnnie b. items.  This sale works and my shopping bag (which currently only has mini and Johnnie b. stuff in it) went from around $400 to $300.  Now, I probably won't buy all the items in there, but I will definitely pick up the must haves from the items that are in there.

I appreciate the folks at Boden having this sale so soon after debuting the mini Boden and Johnnie b. summer lines, since I ended up falling for a lot of the garments when I saw them a week or so ago.

Couple of things, though...my sidebar coupon (15% off with free shipping) does NOT stack with this promotion (though it works on Boden for men and women) and this sale ends at midnight TONIGHT.

I don't have the time to do a picks post, but if you have any "must haves," please do let us know in the comments!

Here is the direct link to the sale!  Happy (sale) shopping!

OOTD: So Stunningly Simple.

Day: Friday, March 29, 2013.

Where: Target Run.

Ease of Wear: (4 of 5 stars--5 being the most easy to wear.)  I must have lost at least a little weight in my lower half since the Zip Ankle Skimmer from Boden (review here, this season's version here) are a touch looser than they were six months ago.  I have always thought they were comfortable, but these are even more so now.

The tee is one of my favorites from J. Crew ever, but since the extra-small fit me well while fully pregnant, it is definitely very loose now, almost pj-like.

Cool Factor: (4 of 5 stars--5 being the coolest.)  It looks pretty cool, for a casual outfit.  I think the silhouette helps with this, keeping it trim but easy.  The Madewell necklace and Marc Jacobs clutch are nice accessories that I keep reaching for, so I am especially pleased that I was able to get them when I did.

Anecdote from the day:  It was Good Friday that day, and normally church is not an option since the three kids would not be able to handle the three hour service (if I am remembering how long I used to go for before I had children).  It still was not an option, but Rex had come home with a book that he created at school on the Stations of the Cross, complete with hand drawings of each station, so I could at least take a few minutes in the afternoon to sit down with the three of them to explain why Good Friday is so important.  Rex loved that we were able to teach from his book, and relished the opportunity to read each sentence.  :)

The Target run was later that night, with an emphasis on travel gear (most important for us--earphones for the kids on the plane) and Easter items (the neon yellow "grass" was my favorite).

Alrighty, that's it!  I hope you all are having a wonderful Sunday!

Boden fans, don't forget tonight is the last night to grab any current "trim" items from the sale.  A new set of items will be in the sale tomorrow morning.

You can use the coupon below (or in the sidebar) to make the savings even better (the trim items are reduced by 20%, then by adding the 15%, you end up with around a total of 32% off).

Made by Me File: Poppy Print Pocket Skirt (Simplicity 1887).

I had fallen for this lovely pants pattern from Simplicity while in my first sewing class (back in January) and even though I knew I wasn't ready to tackle the pattern then, I figured it wouldn't be super difficult for me to finish when my sewing skills were a bit better.

I had originally intended to make the trousers (view A) with this adorable poppy print cotton poplin that I found at G Street Fabrics, but I wasn't thinking when I purchased the fabric and only bought two yards instead of two and a half, which is the bare minimum I would have needed to make the trousers.

Upon showing up for part two of the sewing class, I realized my error and decided to make the skirt (view D) instead.

My favorite bit of this pattern is the retro 80s waistline, but with its more modern shaping through the skirt (a slight tulip), it doesn't look like I kept it from my junior high days.

The pockets are very deep, and because I had the assistance of my sewing teacher, these are placed perfectly and precisely.  In fact, the whole darn skirt looks nearly professional because of her tireless commitment to proper technique (there are no shortcuts used in her class, which makes the garments more time consuming to make but when they are done, they will last forever).


The trousers part of the pattern definitely appear more of an homage to the 80s, but so long as the fabric isn't too reminiscent of that era, the trousers can definitely work fine now in the 10s.  (Erica B. shows how to do the trousers well.  OMG...I hope that when I sew my pair up they look even half as good as the ones she made.)

This photo is for polyvore, but shows off a bit of the details, too.

I wish the skirt was a touch longer, and had I known when I was making it that it would be a couple of inches above my knees, I would have changed the pattern to lengthen the skirt by two inches.  However...I still love it, and since this is a summer skirt, it is fine at this length.

I ended up making the largest size of the smaller sizes, I believe it was a size 14*.  I had plenty of room in the hips and the elastic waist was specifically sized for my waist, which is such a nice thing about sewing, the customization.  Love that! 

I will probably try this pattern again, but maybe in a solid wool for this fall (with a lining, of course).  This would allow me to get out of my "print safety zone," since prints hide errors more than solids, AND it would also show off the darling details at the waistband/pockets a bit better.

*Sewing patterns run small compared to current ready-to-wear sizing.  Anyone who sews clothing for themselves know this, but since this is primarily a personal style blog and not a sewing blog, I thought I would add this distinction.  ;)

This is a close-up of the fabric.  It is so cute!  It also matches the Nationals colors, so I have the exact right garment for when we go to the games.  :)

Has anyone out there tried this pattern or anything similar? 

OOTD/Review: Newquay and Cyrille.

Captain Photobomb is my name.

Day: Tuesday, April 9, 2013.

Where: Preschool Run/Gardening Class/Rex Pickup.

Ease of Wear: (3 of 5 stars--5 being the most easy to wear.)  Okay, this is a very lovely dress/sandal combo which technically is the very definition of easy-breezy summertime wear (highs in the upper 80s that day!), but because I was just getting over the stomach virus from h-e-double hockey sticks AND the Newquay Dress is a bit fitted in the bottom half, I was sort of uncomfortable for the first half of the day.  By the end of the day, everything was starting to feel better, so I would give it a four for comfort by then.  :)

Cool Factor: (3.5 of 5 stars--5 being the coolest.)  Again, felt really crappy the first part of the day, but the dress's modern shape, the clutch's darling dots, and the studded gladiators helped up my cool factor.  I received a ton of compliments on the dress, which surprised me, since I figured everyone was all, "why is she trying to force her butt into that dress?"  LOL.

Anecdote from the day:  Well, I gave you the gist in the first two categories, but my first real day back in the real world was meh at best.  It was nice to not have to wear seventeen layers, and the flowers blooming everywhere are beyond gorgeous (it's cherry blossom time here in DC), but I was a bit of a sourpuss, which is not my usual m.o.

Review of the Newquay Dress:

I thought I would be publishing the Boden Weekly Review Roundup yesterday and then reality set in when I realized I would be home all of one nanosecond.  So I thought I would at least dip my blogging feet back into the pool with a big ole combo post this morning.

Okay, so this dress seems pretty popular, not as popular as I expected it to be, but this one may get more popular as the season moves on, since this is a solid summer dress, for sure.

I bought the 6 Long, since most Boden jersey dresses fit me in a size 6.  This was no exception, except for the aforementioned fitted skirt that I was not expecting, since I think it looks a-line in the model shot.  It isn't a terrible fit on me, in fact because the shoulders are shaped the way they are, the dress gives me a balanced look (even from the back) that I am not normally to achieve with my clothing.  It just becomes imperative that I wear the proper undergarments to ensure no VPL.

The long is quite long, which I adore, since it grazes my knees.  However, with the extra length comes extra length in the torso, which means I have a very blousey bodice that somewhat hides the darling yellow elastic waistband detail.  No biggey, but want the rest of you "tall, but short torso" ladies to know that this dress has that particular feature.

I don't mind the pockets, and found I used them throughout the day, but since they are somewhat "on-seam," they puckered a bit at the hip, which is not the place I need that to be happening.  I probably will tack them down a bit on either end of the pocket with my sewing machine to see if that helps (but still leaving enough room to place my hands).

The cotton is super, super soft and very thick, so it is going to last a long time.  For the $78 they are asking (which really goes down with Boden's omnipresent coupons--btw, the one in my sidebar is working again), you get a great dress.  They could have charged more and I don't believe anyone would have complained.


The model looks really cute in her version. 

Review of the Cyrille Sandals:

I missed out on these studded gladiator sandals when J. Crew debuted them a few years ago, and sort of have been sad ever since (not depressed or anything, just "aw, would have liked to have them" kind of sadness).  Well, lo and behold, these beauties come out this last rollout (the March one) and at the same time as a pretty decent full-price coupon.  Woo!  They look exactly the same as the ones I missed out on, so I was stoked.

I bought them in my usual size 9.5 and they fit perfectly, nice and long, but narrow enough that my foot isn't flopping out.  The smart folks at J. Crew even added enough holes in the closure there at the ankle to ensure all varieties of ankle widths would be able to wear these.

Even my freaky, smaller than a toddler's, little toe is able to be ensnared by the straps, which is not always the case with my sandals.  (BTW, does anyone else have a massive big toe and a teeny little toe?  It just seems weird, but feet are weird inherently, I guess.)

The leather is nice, and the studs are very sturdy.  The sole is not leather (at least the copy at jcrew.com says it's manmade), but the the sole is comfortable, regardless.

Alrighty, that's all for today.  About to run off and beat some ladies at bowling.  Ha, as if.  ;)