Boden: Fall 2016 Preview! And a Couple of Picks!

Textured Knit Skirt (here) and Textured Knit Top (here)

Before I start in on the Fall (Autumn) 2016 Boden Preview, I wanted to let you all know what I have been up to in my life.  :-)  As you may remember from last year, I made a full suit for my son for his First Holy Communion.

Well this year was CW's turn, and I made her a very fancy pants lace dress for her First Holy Communion.  Hers, though, is mine cloaked in lace.  I knew I wanted her to wear my original 1980s dress (which was also handmade for me), but it was needing an update.  At some point, I will write up a post on it since it took nearly as long as it took me to make Rex's suit, but it will be a bit.  Still working a lot, still sewing a lot, and still running around a lot.  I make amends with the blog every couple of weeks, but it definitely doesn't feel like enough.

Okay, so onto the Boden Preview.  When CC first mentioned it in the comments in this post, I went immediately to the site and nearly sobbed over the boring.  I was all, "that's it, they have officially determined they want nothing to do with the Boden they used to be, and I may just have to sit in a corner and sew up some happy dresses in Swedish folk prints instead."  (Which I probably still will do, lol.)

Today I realized I hadn't gone back, and they definitely updated from that first visit.  There are some really cute items, and I actually have a basket full of items.  I haven't done that in years!  That doesn't mean I will pull the trigger (don't love the way they charge cards for preview orders), but I know that I will likely want a few things this fall from them.

There is a code for 20% and it is 5D9T.  I don't get affiliate commissions on preview sales, so I know I can legitimately give the code.  :-)  (I can only give current season codes that the affiliate program gives me, I have one right now, it's in the sidebar and the bottom of this post.)

My picks list is short, but mainly out of necessity of time, which I only have spare bits of in each day.  I hope that you all will add your favorites to the list in the comments!

I obviously love the Textured Knit Top and Skirt at the top of this post, but I hesitate trying it myself with my pear shape.  I may give it a go, but I will probably hold off for the time being.

High Neck Top (here)

It's kind of weird, but so is my style.  I love the severe cut, and would definitely pair it with sleek pants (think cigarette shape) or a cute knit a-line skirt (tucked in, of course).  It also has pockets (!!!).

Mia Top (here)

This is a pretty little mid-century inspired silhouette with a fun print that isn't too wild.  It has a design in the back that reminds me of the back of my Martha dress (review here), and so maybe this is this year's name for the Martha of the past two years?

Fab Fit Tweed Blazer (here)

I love the Moon collaborations with Boden.  I own a few items from this partnership, and I adore them.  They wear well, come in beautiful shades, and are well priced for the craftsmanship and fabric.  This year's blazer is very modern-looking with its especially pointed lapels (they thinned them out, too).

Floral Ponte Dress (here)

I am always such a sucker for a border print, and in a ponte, well yum.  Body forgiving fabric, in a green ponte, with a border print?  Well, I am sold.

Hannah Seam Detail Dress (here)

I don't about this shape for me personally, but the pockets and the print are awesome.  The print is wee little birdies (that from far away read as an abstract).  Swoon.

High Neck Dress (here)

Sister to the High Neck top (above), this is just as beautiful, and because this color combo is more sedate, it is also more appealing to more people.  I am almost 110% sure my body shape wouldn't work with this style, but if it ends up coming up in the reviews it fits pear shapes well, I will definitely bite.

Lucinda Knit Dress (here)

It is the updated version of the Amelie Dress (see it here on me) that I know many of us loved.  This is super cute, but the colors are pretty blah, and I already own more than enough grey knit dresses for ten women, so I will say no.

Mia Knit Jersey Tunic Dress (here)

This is the second appearance of a Mia in this picks post.  :-)  I don't think this especially looks like my style or what I expect from Boden, but I dig it and want it.

So there were no accessories or shoes on show for us, and with the expiration of the 20% off code happening in a few days time (the 13th is the last date you can use it), I don't think they will have any on show for us this time around.

For those of you interested in current season styles/discounts for it, below is the link to the current sale.  You have to use code 3K9M to receive the 15% off, though.

OOTD: It Matches!

Before I start the post, I wanted to congratulate Julie, she won the NOVICA $50 giveaway. Random.org gave me the result of #18 of 20 entries, and that was Julie's comment.  I will email Julie with more information.  Very excited Julie gets to enjoy some NOVICA shopping.  :-)

Day: Tuesday, March 31, 2015.

Where:  Substituting for the upper grade's Spanish teacher.

Ease of Wear: (4.25 of 5 stars--5 being the most easy to wear.)  Skirt was made by me back when (here is the original post on its construction), and I have lost a couple of pounds since then, so it fits very well now and is very comfortable.  The Tippi sweater from J. Crew is also amazing, I know there are lots of women who are fans (and own multiple colors) but I haven't really dipped into the Tippi pool, outside of a handful of versions from years past.  I am a fan, but I don't actively seek out having multiples of it. 

The only ding came from the loafers, which fit fine, but after standing all day in class and then walking to Harris Teeter on my break (in warmish weather), I found they felt really small and were rubbing against my feet uncomfortably.  So I went ahead and purchased those "half-socks" from the grocery store and that helped a bunch.

Outfit Details:  When I made this skirt, I was thinking I would have no problem matching tops to it, but I was surprised by how hard it was.  I either just don't buy these shades and can't get things to work with it, or the print has a very specific look and needs something especially unfussy for it to work with it.  I had tried regular white tee-shirts and blouses, but it was too plain, however anything with any amount of print or sequins or embellishments was too much.  The top I wore with it originally is fine, but I want to sell that one as I don't really love it.  I did not purchase the Tippi with the intent of matching the skirt (I just really loved the color), but found that it was exactly the right shade for my skirt.

Long story short, lol, is that you can find the Tippi here at J. Crew (this is the heather aqua shade).

Anecdote of the Day:  The big burly cashier at Harris Teeter really liked the old school J. Crew necklace and said it perfectly matched the skirt.  LOL.  I love it when people you don't expect to be into style are into it.  :-)

I am not 100% ready to reveal the dress on me yet, as I still have hemming of the skirt and sleeves to do, but I know that a lot of you are both fans of sewing and of Boden, so I kind of figured you would be into seeing my latest project, which is my Easter dress.  It is New Look 6262 and is supposed to be a close approximation of Boden's Rosalyn dress.  I had originally ordered the Rosalyn dress, but after the huge mess of the preorder and my card company having problems with the double charges showing up, I decided to cancel my order and just make the darn thing instead.

The floral fabric (called Waverly Blossom Boutique Twill Aurora) is actually a home decor fabric, but it is lightweight enough to work with this pattern.  I have to admit to preferring this floral pattern to the one Boden used.  And based upon the fact that I know the Boden version's bodice would have likely been too long for my short torso, I was glad to have creative control and a tape measure in my hands to ensure my version wasn't too long.  I also decided to add a back invisible zip instead of a side zip, so I won that way, too.

It's not that I don't love the Rosalyn version, in fact, seeing it on AudreyBella made me realize it is a very beautiful garment, but knowing I could make my own gave me fuel to just get it done.  I also had enough fabric left over to make my daughter a version, and so far so good.  Wish me luck on getting that one done in time.

If you would like to see the nearly finished version above on me, I gave the Instagram folks a sneak peek last night.
 

Here is a close-up of the fabrics.  The eyelet broderie fabric is from Fabric Mart last year and is definitely not around anymore.

Okay, that's it for now.  :-)

Real quickly, before I go, Boden has upped their mid-season sale to 50% off on some items, including a lot of the ones I have reviewed (Rainbow Knit sweater, French Knot sweater, etc.), so go on over to this post to learn more about the sale.  (The post says "up to 40%," but it was written earlier this week.)

OOTD: Rosanella and Burgundy.

Before I start this outfit post off, I wanted to *briefly* mention that the 20% portion of the Boden diminishing discount sale will end tonight.  Tomorrow it goes to 15%, which is fine, of course, and par for the course in a diminishing discount way, but 20% off sounds pretty good to me.  :-)  I would say go for the 15% off tomorrow only if it is on an item you wanted but is sold out and pops back.  I wrote more on this sale here.

Day: Monday, February 17, 2014.

Where: Probably the grocery store, 'cause that is all I ever seem to do.  LOL.  No it was Target, which was stupid on my part (more in the anecdote section), and then to the school to pick the kids up from school.

Ease of Wear: (4 of 5 stars--5 being the most easy to wear.)  Oh, such an easy outfit.  The only reason the point is knocked off is because I was a *tiny* bit worried that I would snag the pretty lace on the Rosanella Pullover sweater.  By the end of the day, the sweater still looked amazing, so yay! 

This sweater got really great reviews over at Anthropologie and sold out super fast.  You can find it on ebay, but as of right now, there is only one for sale. 

Cool Factor: (4 of 5 stars--5 being the coolest--for both outfits.)  I feel so egotistical when I write that I think an outfit looks cool, but I felt like I really was working it that day, even in my harried state at Target.  Don't worry, there are plenty of bad attempts that are most definitely not cool to make up for all of the good, so I stay humble (most of the time).

Anecdote from the Day: The kids went to school on Presidents Day to make up for all the snow days they have had (they don't want to extend the school year) so I completely spaced that it was a national holiday in an area FULL of federal government workers, who ALL want to go to the Seven Corners Target on their day off.  Pulling into the lot I sort of noticed an uptick of cars, but it wasn't until I started going around the store that I realized not everyone there was either really old or stay at home moms like me.  Oops.  I don't mind crowds, I just feel like since I can shop in off hours, I should, to keep the stores from being over-crowded when everyone else has to shop.  Oh, well.

Okay, one last thing about that Target--they NEVER have buggies (grocery carts) at the entrances, and the ones in the parking lots don't work half the time.  I sincerely wonder where they all go.  I am not the only person who stares dumbly at the place where the carts should be, either, several other mothers of young children were staring despondently at the area.  Fortunately some nice lady gave Angus and me a buggy, but I tell you, if it weren't for the kindness of strangers...

Good night, you all!

OOTD/Review: Jacquard Roll Neck and Lace Peplum.

Good day!  I hope everyone had a fabulous Monday.  I also hope that if you are affected by this *ridiculous* cold snap that is sitting on top of our country like a mean viper on top of rocks that you are able to stay relatively warm.  Most of the counties around us canceled school today (laugh at us MN, go ahead), but not Arlington county which is where the kids go to school.  So I have to bundle tiny Angus up and settle him in his new car seat (just installed yesterday) and hopefully get him to watch a movie or show on our video player in the car instead of him wanting to run around before pickup (usually his preferred activity--which is fine 95% of the time).

Anyhow, enough blah blah, onto the reviews and outfits...

Jacquard Roll Neck.  This one is currently in clearance over at Boden.  (The new Spring items are available, btw, I wrote more on that here at this post.)  It is a great price at $55, and since I had received a $50 gift card from my mother-in-law, I was able to buy it for $5!  So yay.

Okay, I purchased the size extra small since I read it was running large.  I had to do the same with last spring's hand knit sweater.  I could have purchased the small and had a larger, more casual look, but I think it looks nicer on my frame more fitted since the jacquard design makes my waist look fairly trim and I think the effect would be less so in a larger size.

The wool is very thick, a mix of lambswool and nylon.  I think I would prefer the wool if it were all lambswool, but I suspect that would have made this sweater even more expensive (but probably still reasonable on sale).  I found that the sweater looked a bit ratty by the end of yesterday, a few pills here and there, and had I purchased this at full price I would have been a bit ticked.  A good wash and flat dry should bring it back to life, though.

The color I am wearing is the lightest shade and the one on deepest discount.  There is also a pink and green version, too, but those are more expensive.

The shoulder seam is dropped.  As I mentioned in my review on the Vintage sweatshirt in metallic triangles, this may not be a look you want for your shoulder line, so keep that in mind.  I love it, but I seem to be in the minority.  I don't know that you can even really tell it's dropped on this sweater, but it could just be because my shoulders are narrow.

The design is pretty cool.  I dig the 70s ski lodge look of the design, and had I wanted to, I could have gone full on hipster with this, but chose to keep it more preppy and tailored instead.

This is the sort of sweater I would think Anthro would sell, so I was pleasantly pleased that Boden issued it.

One last thing, the weave of the jacquard design is on the inside of the sweater, so it adds an additional layer to the fit (so two layers of wool instead of one).  It makes this a bit warmer, but if you like to have super warm sweaters, this would be a bonus, I would think.

This is how I wore it yesterday on our trip around town doing errands (like getting the new car seat).  It was getting cold, but it wasn't cold cold yet.  Had it been like it is today, I would have for sure swapped out the pants, socks, and shoes for more weather appropriate choices. 

The shoes are on 50% sale, too.  They are the Embellished Ballet Flats, and you can find my original review of them here.

Lace Peplum Top.  Size small.  Like my Vintage sweatshirt in metallic triangles, this top was one of the *only* items I have liked from J. Crew recently.  Not enough to get this one at full price, but definitely enough to grab at sale price minus 40%.  ;-)

The fit is wonderful, if a touch too big at the waist.  It has enough stretch in it to size down if you would prefer a more fitted look, but since I wanted a top that I could wear around with my kids, I knew I wanted something with a bit more room overall.  The top still has enough vavavavoom in a bigger size, so you could definitely dress it up with a cute pencil skirt, heels, and tights and wear it on a date.

There is a back zip and while I can slide the top over my head without unzipping it, the zip is a welcome feature, especially if you are the type of lady who puts on makeup before putting on your top.  I usually put the clothes on and then the makeup, but to each their own...

I love how curvy I look here, it is rare for my bustline to be that enhanced, so go lace peplum for adding a bit of oomph to my ladies.  It almost looks like I am an hourglass instead of a pear here.  Woo!  That said, this may steer you away from the top if you are very busty and would prefer not to show off all of your assets.  ;-)

We were meant to visit Philadelphia's historic district and have lunch on South Street that day, but as you can see from the view from our hotel room that those plans disappeared.  We woke up on Sunday morning to Philly newscasters telling everyone to stay off the roads since they were super icy.  Rather than tempt fate, we decided to head home instead.  Sigh.  The waitress at Denny's got to see my cute top, lol.

Gigi and Shopwithm did reviews of this top, btw.

Okay, that's it, you all have a great day and STAY WARM!

If you want to grab something from the sale section at Boden, and you need free shipping, you should be able to get it with this link.  Let me know if it doesn't work for some reason.  The clearance items do not go further down in price, though, only the regular (in season) items do.

OOTDs: Floral Skirts, Stripes, Sequins, and Some Lace.

Good Wednesday morning, all.  :-)

I am planning on getting a Boden Weekly Review Roundup done in the next few days (maybe even today if I am feeling especially energetic), but I wanted to let you all know that I have set up a page for Boden reviews that you all can leave comments at for reviews that you would like me to publish in the next roundup.  The page is located directly underneath the blog header...and since I finally figured out how to get disqus over there (which allows for hyperlinking to other sites), I can officially declare the page ready to go.

Now for some flowers, stripes, sequins, and lace.

Day: Saturday, September 28, 2013.

Where: Rex's Teeball game and Bethesda for some yummy Cajun food. 

Ease of Wear: (3.5 of 5 stars--5 being the most easy to wear.)  I managed to keep the Alice Lace Top (review here) tucked in for most of the day, but it did come untucked from time to time.  That shouldn't bother me, but I get all persnickity about things like that. 

Cool Factor: (3.5 of 5 stars--5 being the coolest.)  Barring the Born sandals, this is a decent outfit.  A little different, but that unique sometimes makes for cooler looks.  I also let my hair do its crazy natural wavy thing, and it looked just mussed enough.

Anecdote from the Day:  I saw a woman that taught Rex a few years back and we got to talking about our various health scares over the years (hers--cancer; mine--Rex's birth and the PFO/mini strokes) and it was a really uplifting conversation.  I think I forget that when you come through something really and truly awful and make it to the other side that it can be really life affirming.  I get so caught up in the daily grind of cleaning, fussing, fixing, and transporting that I need the reminder that I have lived through issues that wouldn't have afforded me the chance to have the daily grind had things gone differently.  So after that talk with her, I thanked the Lord that I am still here doing the daily grind.  ;-)

Day: Saturday, August 10, 2013.

Where: Sewing Fashion Club at G Street Fabrics. 

Ease of Wear: (3.5 of 5 stars--5 being the most easy to wear.)  Decently comfortable, although I found the skirt a bit short for sitting at the club for longer stretches since I don't like showing off my legs in chairs (I always think people are looking at my thighs and saying "ugh," yeah, I know it's not happening, but I am really insecure about my thighs).

Cool Factor: (3.5 of 5 stars--5 being the coolest.)  It's hard to properly grade this one when the skirt is one I made, but I think the colors work nicely together and the bag gives the outfit a bit of a lift.

Anecdote from the Day:  The class is always so informative, I really appreciate the store offering the free lessons.  Armed with what I learned that day, I feel like maybe I can tackle a cute, lined, plaid wool skirt (this is the fabric I will use) for this fall.  (The topic of the day was wools/plaids.)

Day: Friday, August 23, 2013.

Where: National Gallery of Art and Pret a Manger with CW. 

Ease of Wear: (3 of 5 stars--5 being the most easy to wear.)  Had I known it was going to rain, I would have probably brought an umbrella or a jacket.  CW was smart, and clearly knew what she was doing, when she chose to wear her Hello Kitty rainboots.

(I love my Seventies Wedges, but they probably weren't the best for tackling summer rain. BTW, I have worn these sandals way more than I expected to, definitely the MVP of my summer shoes!)

It started raining about an hour into the trip--this photo was taken at the beginning of the day. 

Cool Factor: (3.5 of 5 stars--5 being the coolest.)  Sequins are probably out, but I like them, and felt like this outfit was a good choice for going around town with CW.  Just the right amount of dressy casual for a day date with my favorite little girl.

Anecdote from the Day: CW will talk the ear off of anyone and everyone.  People always come up to her and ask her questions, probably expecting a "yes" or "no," since that is what little kids usually say to people that they have just met.  Not my little lady, who will wax poetic about whatever topic is in her head that day.  I believe the guard at the museum got to talk with her about her baby doll, and the guard at Zara got to talk with her about her rainboots.  Both of those conversations lasted for five minutes each.  The guards seemed nonplussed by it all.  :-)

Day: Sunday, September 22, 2013.

Where: Friends' birthday party. 

Ease of Wear: (3 of 5 stars--5 being the most easy to wear.)  I love the design on the skirt, but I think it is just the wrong shape for me, so I bet this one will be in my next "let's sell all my skirts" party that I post.

Cool Factor: (2.5 of 5 stars--5 being the coolest.)  I don't love this look.  I think the color in the top would have worked better with the skirt had the mint in the skirt been just a touch more prominent.  In real life the outfit looked less "in your face," but it's obviously hard to tell that from these photos.

Anecdote from the Day:  This family that we are friends with have two separate September birthdays, and usually the wife just celebrates the little girl's birthday (she turned 6 this year), but since her husband was turning 50, she threw him into the mix, too.  He is a really cool guy, so I bought his some "Handsome Devil" wine.  I have no clue if he drinks wine, but he can at least display the bottle.

Alrighty, that's it for now.  You all enjoy your day!

P.S. Boden finally updated their coupons in the affiliate program, so the sidebar now hosts a womenswear coupon.  Same discount, etc., but with a photo of a lady instead of kids and/or bunting.

Review: Boden Alice Lace Top with a Peek at an Evie.

Alice Lace Top and the Evie Bag.

I purchased the Alice Lace Top in the emerald color since I have a big ole soft spot for lace, in any form.  And even though I *suspect* I could sew something like this up on my own, I also know that I am the world's slowest sewer and I know that I couldn't get it done in time to wear it by this fall.  (And definitely not by tonight which will be its first official outing--yay for cooler, drier DC weather!)

The Evie bag filled a long lost desire of mine...to own a navy bag that can be taken everywhere and go with almost everything, and I am happy to report that this is exactly the bag I wanted.

The Alice Lace top is a size 6 and fits exactly as I expected, a bit loose, but not so loose I would go down a size.  The most fitted portion is through the bust and shoulders, with a slight swingy shape through the waist and hipline.

The Evie bag does come with a long strap (which you will see in my more in-depth review of it during the BWRR*), but I don't care for long straps like that so I am choosing to store it and just use the top handle instead.

*Went out swimming with the kids today and am going to Winesday with my bro tonight, so as much as I really wanted to get the BWRR done, I just can't get the timing to work.  If only I could be split into three separate folks, it would all get done. ;-)

Back view of the top.  The wrinkling bit is because I have a much shorter back length than the Boden fit model does.  The only way I could get rid of those would be to shorten the top at the waistline, which would cause a horizontal seam in an odd place.  Or I could size up to a 10, but then I would have a sack for a top and lose any definition in my torso.  Or I could just not care and accept this as a part of my particular figure and know that if it *really* matters, I will tuck in the top to keep it neat and tidy looking.

The torso is lined in a green cotton fabric, but the sleeves are unlined.  I like the look, but if you prefer it to be all lined, this is not the top for you.  

Close up of the lace.  I adore the look, it reminds me of this Rosea Lace at Fabric.com, but in this amazing shade of green.  The top can read teal or it can read a more proper shade of emerald, it really just depends on the lighting of the room.  This color above is the most accurate representation of the color.  The other photos show it appearing more teal, which I can see in the brighter conditions of the room I was in, but it doesn't really look that blue in real life.

I love this shade for my complexion, but I have noticed that some shades are universally lovely, like this version of green.  I think if you have worn colors like this before and been happy with how they work with your skin tone, then you should be good to go.  Just make sure you are aware of the sizing before you purchase (read the garment measurements).




Alice Lace Top and Evie Bag.  Both are fully stocked, but I would bet the Alice Lace top sells out sooner than the bag.  That said, the bag is really awesome and if you can use it and will use it, 25% off is a pretty good price for what you receive.

Regarding my last post, there are a lot of questions from a lot of you...I am working to get the questions answered, but (and God bless the babies and all) my kids are driving me crazy with their inability to clean their rooms without my hovering over them, so I am not promising squat till they go to bed.  LOL.

Have a great day, and we'll talk soon!