Wednesday, October 26, 2016

Boden Reviews: An Anna, a Hannah, and a Mia.

Hello, all!  I wanted to get this post out before the "birthday" diminishing discount sale ends on Thursday night.

I have only bought a smattering of items from fall and winter.  Like I mentioned in my picks post for Boden's Spring 2017 preview, I really am not feeling the love for Boden this season.  The items I have from fall and winter are wonderful, they just are not "knock my socks off" wonderful.  To be honest, I am glad for them specifically because they are more conservative and allow me to have easy, comfortable, modest clothing for my job as a teacher in my school.

That being said, the current sale is pretty good if you have items you will wear now or are selling out.  The link to the sale is in the bottom of this post, but also in the sidebar.  You do need to use the code 8Y3R to receive 25% off the items, though.  The 25% is not off any clearance items or any items that are more than 25% off.

Reviews:
Anna Dress. Size 6 Regular.  I love this mix of prints, and the retro look to the dress is appealing.  It is a perfect "Catholic School teacher" dress.  If I had bought the long, it would have been even more modest, so keep that in mind.  This is a very covered up dress.  :-)

Like all jersey dresses from Boden, this fits the way I expect it to, so the 6 was the right call for my frame.

This side view shows the mix of prints nicely.  The prints are very "feed bag" looking, and I am reminded of 40s prints when I see them.  The green is more muted than it appears on the model below.  I think I prefer this teal color, but I was expecting something more vibrant and green.

The sash is sooooooooo long.  SO LONG.  I don't love its length, but it did up nicely enough, and the wrap effect at the front was pretty.

Here is my Instagram shot.


Anna Dress.  See how bright that green is?  Anyhow, the dress is nowhere near selling out, so unless you need it, or you need the modesty for your job, give this a pass till a better % comes along.  :-)

Mia Jersey Tunic. Size 6 Long.  This was one from my summer preorder that came through in August.  It has just gotten cool enough to justify wearing it.  I do really like this one, especially how the "lines" are placed just so, and with the seaming, I feel like my shape is framed well.

This is a touch on the tighter side, but the tighter side is up top, where I do not carry my weight, so it works for my pear shape.  The sleeves are slender, as is the shoulder and bust area, so definitely bear this in mind if you have the triangle shape.

I definitely don't love my choice of white socks with loafers, but I lol-ed when an Instagram friend said I was channeling Michael Jackson.  All I needed was a singular sparkly glove.

It comes to mid-thigh, and as this is the long, I know I can only wear it with leggings to teach.  I could maybe get away with thick tights and flats for going out, but not for school.  If you are shorter (I'm 5'8), you could make this work as a dress if you order the long.

The color is a mix of olive greens and greys and black.  


Mia Jersey Tunic. I think I may be the only one who loves this.  It is very much in stock.  Super fun to wear, and I definitely think this is in my top three of this season, but I am solo loving it, apparently.

Hannah Seam Detail Dress.  Size 8 Long.  This reminds me so much of the Hartland, I suspect they just renamed it and did something to it with regards to the pockets.  I was attracted to the birdies on the print (see photo below), and not the silhouette, but in the end the dress fits better than I thought it would, though it is very large in the bodice compared to the room I have below the waist.  It isn't so extreme that I can't wear the dress, but I feel like I should be wearing a size 36D bra to make this one work properly. (I wear a 32B by comparison.)  You can really see how much it sags in the next photo.

But it is a good choice for my lifestyle, and I enjoy wearing it, so it's a keeper.

The birdies!  And the sagging bodice area, lol.

The cord fabric is so soft and it is a bit stretchy.


Hannah Seam Detail Dress.  See girlfriend above has no curves like I do, so she can wear the size 2 properly.  My bust would probably best work in the 2 (redonk), but my hips need the 8.  Oh, pear shape...

This dress is also not a huge hit, but seems to be doing better than the Anna or the Mia.  The green Hannah is fully stocked, but some of the other colors are not.

Here is my Instagram shot.

Below is a link to the sale.  Do any of you have any good choices to share?  BTW, don't forget to use the code 8Y3R:
Boden USA

Sunday, October 23, 2016

Boden: Spring 2017 is Live! And Some Picks!

Oh, work.  You vixen. 

I was actually over the moon excited about the new Boden preview (I received the email last Tuesday), and I really really wanted to share it with you all here, but dang it all, I had to you know, grade, plan, sleep, etc., so I decided I should probably wait since I like the money I get and I do actually really like the job.  So I put off my desire to share and waited.  :-)

There are some really adorable, sweet, pretty pieces for Spring 2017.  FINALLY, BODEN.  Finally!  They seem to have remembered the things that initially drew people to them and designed items for those of us that truly love quirky, colorful patterns in flattering, feminine silhouettes.

The email included a code, and since the preview is not affiliate related, I can share with you (normally I am bound to share only affiliate created coupons and codes).  It is 4M2V.  It gives you 20% off with free shipping and returns. It also expires October 28.

Tomorrow, Boden will be having a new sale, the diminishing discount sort.  It will mean that your basket (barring clearance items or items more than 25% off) will be reduced by 25% off.  This will go till Thursday.  I have a coupon for it at the bottom of this post and I will make sure to update the sidebar of the blog before tomorrow morning.  (I think I can also do a very quick review post, too, of items I have purchased over the past few months--a lot less than I used to, but there are still a few cute items to be had.)

Onto the (VERY) pretty:

Fleur Fitted Dress. Come on.  Swoon.  The border print is used so exquisitely in both versions.  LOVE.  As I own this Martha Dress, I think I will preorder the navy and red version.  It is made from a lovely stretch cotton blend, so I know it will be perfect, as most of their stretch cotton blend items are.

Martha Top.  This lovely print also shows up in a non-border print version as a top. 

Isabelle Dress.  This print is very Boden.  It has the punchy colors, bold florals, and tailoring we {{had}} come to expect before Boden decided to become Britain's purveyor of a whole lot of blah.  I mean we all know they have had winners over the past few years, but the items were not as plentiful and you had to seek them out amongst the sad-looking tees and frumpy trousers. 

Philippa Top.  Yep, the punchy colors are reversed on this stunning little number.

Riviera SkirtThis is the one item that reminds me most of Boden circa 2008.  The lines are a bit more fitted (the fun skirts of the past were a bit more bell shaped), but the return to this kind of skirt with a nice friendly pattern is welcome (by a whole lot of us who read or write here). 

Martha Dress. This print is verdant and reminds me of being in a lush growth of watercress.  I love the Martha Dress (I bought my last one in a size 8 regular, which is true to size and not a long, which I normally choose). 

Rita Ruched Dress. Instead of buying the green Martha dress, I am going to get this ruched dress instead, which features a border print in a precious pink floral.  It is a lyocell knit, so I am going to size up to an 8 R instead of a 6 R as the lyocell combined with this fitted silhouette may be too tight for my frame, especially my lower half.

Riva Jacquard Dress.  Okay, I know this seems more current Boden than that of what they have done in the past, but I do see a need for dresses like this in a lot of our wardrobes.  I personally love having a structured, forgiving knit dress in a comfortable shape, that features pockets, for my daily teaching work.  The red color is also very alluring, and is a right pick-me-up.  It does appear to be very tomato colored, so if you are a cool coloring, then this may be too warm of a red.  (It doesn't seem to be that true red that all skin tones can wear.)

Posy Shirt Dress.  I am not preordering it, but I really wonder if I should since most of the cute printed shirtdresses made by Boden sell out right away?  This is a print of a botanical garden so unusual and unexpected.  This print in the skirt reminds me a whole lot of this seaside skirt from J. Crew back in their golden years.  Love!

Marina Dress.  This dress would get a whole lot of action in my closet.  I could wear it with tights and a cardigan in winter, but leave it be with sandal for summer.  I don't think it will sell out so I will wait to buy it, but it is on my list to purchase.

Isla Dress.  What a special garment!  I love the mix of the darker print with the lighter one.  It is a print and not a jacquard.  Sometimes jacquard fabrics have a reverse weave on the back and so you can use both sides in a garment much like this.  I think, though, a process like that would have made this a whole lot more expensive, as jacquard fabrics are much pricier than stretch cottons.  (Also not super spring or summer friendly!)

Lily Ponte DressIt's the big sister of my Floral Ponte dress.  :-)  I do really like this one, too, but I think I have to hold off and hope for reviews before it sells out, since my curvy lower half is not really suited to this kind of shape.  I need to know more about how it fits before purchase.

Lolly Dress.  This bird print seems very subdued from this vantage point, but if you zoom on in, they are really cute.  This dress also has pockets.  :-)

Lucia Dress.  So simple, but so elegant, so lovely, and so utterly perfect in linen for a summer night out.  Yes!  Good, Boden!

Off Duty Slim Jogger.  Haha, I know, I know.  But I love them.  And I would wear them.  All weekend long.  (With the tee below.)

Juliette Top.  They are birds!  Wearing sailor hats.  Oh, so so cute.  This is a Johnnie b top, so it will only fit if you can wear a women's size 6 or smaller (the 15-16 is equivalent to a large 6 or small 8).

There is a lot more to love.  Definitely check it out. 

Anyone else as jazzed about the return of the Boden we all know and love?  (And I really hope they read my gushing review so they know some of us are really stoked!)

Here is the link to the current diminishing discount sale at Boden, 25% off for their 25th birthday. You must use code 8Y3R to get the 25% off!  Boden USA