Boden: The Classic Shirt Review.

Hi, all!

I think I might be able to do this, publish a few days in a row.  Woo.  Which means I won't be back till July after this run.  LOL.  I kid.

I made the promise above last night in this post.  I decided that with the diminishing discount on, it seemed sensible to do reviews when the savings are actually pretty decent (currently 25% off).

Anyhow, I wore the beach conversational print the Classic Shirt today, and it did what I wanted it to, it helped to lift my spirits on this awful rainy day (and it was the first day back to school, ugh).

The Classic Shirt.  Size 8 Petite.  I really love this print, but my track record with Boden blouses and shirts (not tees) is not that great, with me having to return as often as I keep.  This version, though, is a 100% keep (and it has more to do with fit than the print).  It is a stretchy cotton with darting in the back, and a bit of shaping through the sides.

It is exactly the right length for my torso, which is actually a petite (I am longest through my legs).  I probably could have purchased the 6 petite, but I love how this fits just right through the hips, and a touch of roominess in the shoulders and bust is nothing that bothers me.

I decided on this print after really hating how the Josephine dress fit me, but wanting that print so badly.  (I had purchased the Lola Skirt, and initially thought it didn't fit right, so I thought I would return it, but oops, it actually fits right, I must have had a bad day when I tried it on...never a great idea!)  This print is true to color as what you see at Boden, a very pretty mix of teal, red, pink, and yellow.

So now I have a skirt in the blue version of this print, and this shirt in the white version, but as I have told the world (too many times to count), I am definitely a print girl.  :-)

From the side you can see it fits nicely through the hip area, without being too loose or too tight.  The only thing I wish would be different is the length of the sleeves.  Though I may have a petite torso, my arms are super long.  Oh, well.

And the back view.  This shirt can be tucked into a skirt or pants, but they have to be high-waisted for that to happen.  I'll try it with a skirt tucked in next time I wear it.  These pair of pants have too low of a rise (on me at least) to tuck this shirt in.

The outfit as a whole from today.  I wish J. Crew would reissue these turner pants. They are my jam.  Boo.  But I digress...

Okay, I hope you all had a great Monday, I'll be back with more tomorrow.

Remember to use the code 5N3R to receive the 25% off.

Boden: Black Friday Reviews!

The Boden Black Friday sale is just "meh," at 30% off, but I know things are moving over there (some of the items I had been looking at were pulled from my cart after selling out), so I thought I'd put out a few reviews for those of you wondering about some of the items over there.

Bear in mind a few of the items I am reviewing are in the "clearance" section, so they aren't part of the 30% off, but there are at least a few from below that are from the newer "on 30% off" with the Black Friday sale (they are listed under Regular Boden). 

I have included the link to the sale, along with the code for the sale, at the bottom of the post.  :-)

Regular Boden:

High Neck Dress.  Size 10 Long.  I had initially tried this an 8 Long, and it fit, but just.  Since I knew I wanted it to not cling, I sized up to a 10 (which I do have to do in many of Boden's slim fitting skirts and dresses). 

Upon receiving the 10, I did find it fit far better.  I feel like the top half is quite blousey, but because it doesn't have a similarly blousey bottom half, it works.  If you are an inverted triangle shape, you will definitely be able to go with your smaller size since the bodice is rather forgiving.  If you are a pear shape, size up.  Trust me.

It is made from a heavier poly crepe and it is lovely, but very static clingy.  I took some dryer sheets and liberally applied them all over my tights and to the inside of the skirt portion of the dress.  It worked to end the static cling, and it also made my outfit smell fresh.  (LOL.)  You could also try this mainstay from my youth, which I used when I was in high school and my wool/poly skirt (I wore a uniform) would always stick to my tights.

Here is the Instagram shot.

High Neck Dress.  This one is selling decently well.  I would say if you'll wear it now, then grab it, but if you're not sure, you probably can wait for clearance pricing (which should be better than 30% off).

Mia Tunic. Size 6 Long.  I have already reviewed this here at the site (almost one month ago, SO SLOW am I at updates).  I wanted to give you all another view, since I am such a huge fan.  I am very happy to say that it washed well and didn't shrink.  But I did not put it in the dryer and I washed it in cold water, and I know that helps. 

Here's the Instagram from the day I wore it.

Mia Tunic.  I still think I am the only one who loves this.  Oh, well.  :-)  You all can wait for a better price.

Make a Statement Breton.  Size 8.  I sized up from a 6 to this in an 8 because I wanted to be able to untuck it and wear it loose over a pair of pants.  If I had bought the 6, it would have clung too closely for my liking.  The cotton isn't very substantial, so if you are used to Bretons being more heavyweight, be prepared.  It isn't super thin, but it is not a hard wearing Breton.  This top runs a touch long for me, so if you have a longer torso, you'll like this one. 

The print is so sweet.  I love the stripes, but the over-printed hearts, which from far away look just abstract, are so pretty and different.

Here's the Instagram from the day I wore it.

Make a Statement Breton. It isn't sold out in many sizes, but I know how Boden operates.  They will for sure not reduce these beyond 30% in clearance time.  They know women love their Bretons and will pay well for them.  So it's really neither here nor there when you buy it.  But if your size is in low stock or no stock, and it comes back, buy it now.

Priscilla Jacquard Dress.  Size 8 Regular.  I just love this dress.  To be honest, any knitted jacquard dress from them are my friends.  I have a few.  ;-)  (One of my favorites from last year, worn here. And another one, worn more recently.)

This dress runs true to size for their knitted jacquard sheaths.  Though the knit would allow it to stretch over my hips in the 6, I don't want to do that, I would rather it just fit with a touch of ease there. 

The dress is quite covered up, great for work, but pretty conservative.  I went with the regular length so as to avoid being too frumpy.  (Remember, I work at a Catholic school, so this means their long length would be really frumpy!)  It also helped to break up all that pattern with the lariat necklace from Stella and Dot. 

I am so appreciative for the subtle shaping at the back of the dress.  It fits very precisely. 

This photo was the only one where I could come close to showing you the actual color.  It is definitely blue, leaning towards a navy.  The white dots are more grey, but only just, and that is from the weave of the yarns.  This is not a brown dress, at all, but because of the hall light and my phone camera, it shows that way.

From the side.  It is fitted, but I am okay with that.  I used control top tights to help keep my tummy sucked in all day. 

Instagram here.

Priscilla Jacquard Dress.  This dress is not selling so well.  The other color way is doing poorly, too.  I think you all can wait to buy.

Clearance Items:

Carolyn Ponte Dress. Size 8 Long.  I waited a while to wear this, partly because I wasn't sure if I could get away with wearing it without control top tights.  Well, I did need shapewear, but I used a spanx like item instead (one that cinched my waist, too), so no tights needed.  I chose to wear it when it was in the 70s recently. 

This dress is made from a super lovely soft ponte, but dang, it's thin, so I had to wear a padded bra, too.  Shudder.  The bra fits well, but I am not used to wearing them, so by the end of the day I'm all, "get off of me, you cursed garment."  (I wear camis, typically, remember I am a 32B, so not exactly in need of support.)

Instagram here.

Carolyn Ponte Dress.  I would say this color is not accurate, I would say it runs a touch brighter than this.  The yellow is that yellow that is hard to wear by a lot of women, so I would keep this in mind.  It does come in a black, too.  The black is nearly sold out, though.

Jersey Swing Dress.  Size 15-16.  This is a Johnnie b. item.  They have changed the sizing at Johnnie b, so they no longer carry 16+.  I also think they have narrowed their fit, so a 13-14 is a bit slimmer than it was in the past (the size I wore in the past--in their tops).  The dress here is a bit of a tunic on me, but it worked for the occasion (hanging out with the family in Richmond).  It is a lot like this jersey tunic from Boden from last year, barring the pockets.  I really like this dress.  :-)

CW is wearing the dress in a size two sizes too large (she is a real 8 and this is a 9-10).  For now it is a long dress, but by the time she gets to age 10, it will likely fit more like it does on me.  (She'll wear leggings with it then.)  She makes me laugh with her combat boots, she looks like she belongs 1993. 

(She wore them as part of her Emma/Invisible Girl costume on Halloween.  You know the girl in the Miss Peregrine's home for Peculiar Children?)

Jersey Swing Tunic.  All sold out in the floral version, but there are a few sizes left in the red stripy version.  They also have it in grey.

Okay, that's all from me for now.  I hope all of you are doing well.  Hope you had a very Happy Thanksgiving and will have a happy weekend!
Make sure to use the code 3Y8N, the promo is valid from 11/22-11/28!

Made by Me File/OOTDs: Four Recent Dresses!

Hey, all! This will be a photo-intensive post, but to ameliorate how much reading you'll need to do here, I will save the nitty-gritty details about construction and pattern/fabric reviewing to the posts on that I have made at either PatternReview.com or the Fabric Mart blog. Those links are scattered about. :-)

I hope all of you have been well. I have the night off from children and hubby (I am in Georgia with his family and they all want to go and get Krystal and see a movie, I gently declined both), so I am using it to my full advantage!

This is a dress I made in April for our annual auction at our school.  This year's theme was "My Big Fat Greek Auction," and it was recommended to wear dressy blue and white.  I think I accomplished that.  ;-)

The other years I have done the same, made up a dress to go with the theme.  Last year's was on Space, so I crafted a galaxy printed dress, and the year prior was Kentucky Derby, and for that I made a floral sheath and paired it with a light blue hat.

The dress is made using Vogue 1499, an Anne Klein pattern, that features a full, pleated skirt, and a fitted bodice with distinct seamed details and cap sleeves.

It was an easy make, but because I lost any stretch in my fabric by placing the border so it would run parallel to the floor, I had to be extra sure I was right about my size on my bottom half.  It fits, and it fits well, but if I gain any weight between my waist and hip, I will definitely be unable to wear it in the future.  (Must always ensure I get my steps in and swim!!!)

This dress is magic, I can see why Anne Klein has it in her collections. (It is also available in a yellow stripe and grey stripe!)  It is very fit and flare, so it truly emphasizes the waist, and if you use a border print fabric, you can make sure to place the print in a way that draws the eye to it.

The fabric was a leftover from Maggy London (her London Times line), and because I like to sleuth for designer fabrics and how they were used originally, I found this pin of the same fabric being used in a similar way.

I had a great time at the party, and the dress did well, as I felt comfortable and a bit carefree.

I wrote a blog post at Fabric Mart and did a review of this at Pattern Review, if you would like to see more on this make.

I made this dress for my June make for Fabric Mart.  I was unsure of where I would wear it, but after I was done with it, I decided it was comfortable and lightweight enough to wear to a winesday night a few weeks back.  It held up well, and didn't wrinkle at all, even though it was steamy and hot that day.

The dress is made from a silk double georgette, which is (to quote a lol sentence I recently read in a sewing forum) "the devil's favorite fabric."  It is a right B**CH to work with, and though I spare you the details on working with it here, you can read all about it over at the Fabric Mart blog (link is below the last photo).

For all of its work, the fabric sure is beautiful, and suited the pattern's silhouette quite well.  And because I underlined it in a light blue cotton voile, it was easier to work with (eventually).  It also was incredibly breathable and airy and feels fabulous next to my skin.

The pattern is a reprint of a vintage 1969 Simplicity pattern.  It is Simplicity 1059, and is an a-line shaped shift dress with a v-neck, and can be made sleeveless or with longer sleeves.

I knew I couldn't choose a pattern that was super fitted or had too many seams with the georgette, so this fit the bill perfectly.

This was a very simple make, and had I chosen another material (like a cotton lawn), I would have had a very quick make on my hands.  I definitely think I can push one of these out in a few hours given a less fussy material.

Apropos of nothing, this shot makes me laugh.  Angus wants to be in all my photos now.  I love this shot, it's one of my favorites since his recent turn as ootd photo bomber.

This dress was written up at the Fabric Mart blog.  The pattern was reviewed at Pattern Review, as well.

I was in Indiana with my bestie, Lynn, in May, and because I can't ever say no to the siren song of a fabric store, we went to Joann's where I spied this beautiful and luscious Nicole Miller (for Joann Fabrics) scuba knit. 

I had no plan for it, but I knew I wanted to make it ASAP, and probably in a dress.  I have worn it a few times since, including on a recent trip to Wisconsin (to the House on the Rock, which if you know this place, you will know my dress looks muted in comparison, lol).

This is made from McCall's 7122, which is a dress that features raglan sleeves, a slight a-line skirt, and a slight scoopneck.

The back was cut in two separate pieces, and though I prefer to sew up ones cut on the fold, this type of seaming means there is a gentle shaping, which helps shape the dress to the waist and the hips.  I really do like the shape of this garment, and have plans to make future dresses from this pattern.

The fabric is crazy, but as you all know, I like the crazy colors and crazy prints.  I am not quite to Pucci levels of crazy, but I appreciate the Pucci lovers out there for their unconditional love of the crazy.  ;-)

Nicole Miller has quite a few fabrics with Joann's, you can check them out here.

The pattern review is at Pattern Review.   

My birthday make!  I always like to have a special bday dress, and this year was no exception.  I had seen this fabric a few months back in one Julie's Picks (it's a member only fabric subscription service) and I knew I would have it and make it as soon as I could.

In the end, a comfortable, feminine dress was on order, and I really loved wearing out that evening.  I went to China Chilcano, which is a Jose Andres restaurant that fuses Peruvian food with Chinese and Japanese food.  It was amazing, and I really enjoyed my Pisco.  Yum.  After we went to see "The Lobster," a kind of terrible (probably in a good way) hipster movie at a super hipster movie theater.  BUT!  One of the actresses, Lea Seydoux, is a July 1 baby, too, so I was in the virtual company of a fellow 7/1 child.  (It's also the bday of Gigi of CA, my actual birthday twin Sufjan Stevens, and of course, CANADA!)

The fabric is a cotton stretch poplin, and features these little triangles in varying shapes and sizes abutting each other.  It is very distinctive.  The color is a deep brown/orange color and white, and I definitely do not have anything in this color in my closet.  Would I have loved this more in a different color?  Probably.  Am I better off having it in a shade I don't have anything in?  Yes, for sure.

Blurry shot, but it shows the adorable cutout back nicely.  This is why I made this pattern up, because it has this cutout.  It is made from Butterick 6351, and features a straighter skirt with an elastic waistband (back only), a tulip shaped crossover back bodice, and a button closure.

I had to line the skirt in a slippy fabric to ensure it didn't get caught on my underwear, but other than that, I kept to the plan of the pattern very closely.  I love this cutout.  It is very summer, and since my birthday is very summer, too, I couldn't think of a better choice for my (much older than I think I am) birthday.

Here's a closeup of the fabric.  Swoon.  So pretty and different.

After sitting for a while at China Chilcano, the dress became a bit crumpled, but it still did well overall.  I told my hubby to take a photo of me in front of the FBI building because I understand they are meant to raze one of my favorite buildings in the city (yes, I am one of fifteen fans of Brutalist architecture).

This dress was reviewed at Pattern Review.  :-)

I hope you all are having a great summer!  I'll check back in with you soon.

P.S. Boden fans, they have upped their sale to "up to 60% off" with an extra 15% off dresses and tops and skirt.  That's decent.  I just wish they had more in their sale, instead of shuffling some of the older spring and summer stock to "new and now."  The link to the sale is below and remember to use the code 3W5C for the extra 15% off those extra items that are eligible.

End of season sale! Extra 15% off Sale Dresses, Tops & Tees, and Mens/Boys Shirts., valid 7/7-7/1

Boden: Pretty Jersey Dress, Easy T-Shirt Dress, and 30% Off!

Hi, all!

Happy Sunday!  I know many of us have tomorrow off and I hope for all of us it means incredibly lovely weather.  :-)

Boden had started a 30% off sale on Friday, but because I work Friday, I didn't have a chance to do anything more than a very basic announcement over at the blog's facebook page.  I actually can sit still for a few minutes this morning, so I thought I would get a couple of reviews done (only one with photos, though), and let you all know more about the sale.

First the reviews!

Pretty Jersey Dress.  Size 6 Long.  This is a very old school Boden kind of dress.  Of course I bought it.  ;-)  I am pleased that they are willing to still have some of the styles that brought many of us to their company initially.  (For some of us as early as 2004!)

The jersey is a cotton/modal and very comfortable.  There is actually less need for a stretchy material in this dress since the style is a bit loose (that gathered skirt is attached to a loose waist--it doesn't even cinch in at my waist, it appears that way, but that is because the tee portion is a touch fitted).  The only reason I could see any of you all needing to size up is if you are incredibly blessed in the bust department.  I could have sized down to a 4, but I like how this style looks loose, so I am fine with the 6.

The length is wonderful for teaching, it hits right above the knee.  If it fell any longer, I would definitely look pretty frumpy.  I do not recommend going with a longer length unless you are taller than 5'7".

The pockets are deep and generous, and held my phone and my ID all day. 

I wish I had straightened out my skirt before taking this photo, that bump of fabric above my bottom is from not fixing it before taking the photo.

You can see the looseness in the bodice here, nothing big, but because it is a stretchy knit, it is completely unnecessary ease.  Again, don't care, but if you hate excessive ease in knits, this may not be the dress for you.

If you are long-waisted, this style may be too short-waisted for you.  I have a short torso, so this waistband is actually at my real waistline, but I totally get and understand why those with longer torsos would prefer something less "babydoll" in silhouette for themselves.

The print is a pretty little abstract dot print, with a true dark olive background.


Pretty Jersey Dress.  There are plenty left, but most are on backorder.  Mine came before my expected date, so maybe yours will too?  The blue is selling well, so if you like that color, bear that in mind.

Easy T-Shirt Dress.  I ordered the 8 Long in the white shade.  I should have ordered the 10 Long in order for it to fit properly and well.  It is NOT a jersey t-shirt dress, it is a full on woven rayon dress.  UGH.  Dumb, Boden.  Many of the reviewers are like, "you say t-shirt dress, and that means we are expecting something stretchy, knit, and more casual."  I actually like it in the woven rayon, but my hips need more material in a woven material.  Rayon knit means I sometimes can size down since it is so stretchy, but in this style, I thought I would do a size 8 to have it look more like it looks on the model.  Grrrr.  Dumb, Boden.  ;-)

Anyhow, it fits in the 8, but barely, and the pockets become non-functional.  And there is the completely expected shrinking after washing, so I have to send the 8 Long back.

Having said this, though, the dress is nearly sold out in the white shade.  So if you love it, and it's in your "WOVEN size" in stock, then grab it.  I see there is a 10 L on sale today, so I grabbed it, but I am going to be honest, I am not holding out hope it will work for me.  I suspect that one will go back, too.


Now the sale info...

So the sale is pretty basic, 30% off everything that is current season.  It does not apply to clearance stuff, and this is the sale I like for buying items that will NOT be 30% off in the clearance sale when that rolls around in early July.  (Most of the time items that don't get to 30% off are the ones that are very popular during the regular season, you can tell those by how little of the items are left in stock right now.  The Rose Dress would be a good example of this.  When it goes in clearance, it might get to 15% off, which is about the regular "sale" price during the season.)

The sale ends midnight tomorrow night.

The link below will get you to the sale, but remember to use the code 2Z7C to receive the 30% off.