Boden: Fall 2015 is Here!

Good Monday morning!  I am still in California, and like happens every time I come here, I get super busy and never end up on my computer like I thought I would.  I have been having fun (as my Instagram feed proves, lol, oh happy hour), so at least I *sort of* have an excuse.  My aunt's funeral on Saturday was beautiful, fitting and celebratory of an amazing life led.  I clearly would love more time with her, but the way we were able to say goodbye was exactly the way she would have wanted it to be.

Okay, so Boden has rolled out the Fall items today.  On July 13!  Years ago, the fall rollout would occur in August, so this seems so early, just like it did last year when they did the same thing.

Having said that, the fresher look of the website is appealing.  I also have to say that seeing the clothing from the fall picks that I did in their proper catalog shots makes the clothing look more alluring, too.  When the Boden preview was live back in May, they left out the catalog shots, which for many of us is what draws us in first, and so many of us were left not really loving a ton of their new items. 

This is a catalog shot.  For Boden. Yeah.  For real.

The catalog does suffer a bit, though, and I think some of you will agree that the shots with the blanker backgrounds and more muted clothing suffer the most.  It does appear a bit drab, those.  The turn does make me feel like there is a bit of "J. Crew 2011" going on here, which was not a great thing for J. Crew and unlikely to be amazing for Boden, unless all of a sudden a bunch of women have suddenly turned towards blah backgrounds and transparent looking greys and greens as their favorites.  ;-)

My favorites are the outdoor shots, but I also love the ones of the models with all the mid-century furniture everywhere.  Above is the Abigail Tunic on the model (not the color I picked in preview, but a great little dress overall) sitting in a chair I would *nearly* give my eye teeth to own.  She looks beautiful, like a 2015 version of Audrey Hepburn (what they were probably going for here).  Who doesn't want to be her, you know?

Okay, so what are your thoughts?  Any new favorites after seeing them with the catalog shots in place?  Or are you still firm in what you felt back during the Preview time?

I know that there will be some kind of banner coming for this new fall line through my affiliate program, but I don't know when the management will drop it in our links, so I will keep my eyes open, and when it does appear, I will throw it here in this post and in the sidebar.  I really hope it has a coupon attached to it (cross fingers, you all).  ;-)

Talk with you soon!

OOTDs: Dragging Shorts Out of Their Slumber.

Day: Thursday, May 30, 2013.

Where:  Preschool Run/Little Gym.

Ease of Wear: (4 of 5 stars--5 being the most easy to wear.)  Except for the linen button-up coming untucked pretty much constantly, since I didn't belt the shorts (ugh, I hate belting shorts and pants), this was a very comfortable, movement friendly combo.  Kept me cool, too, since May 30th was one of the last truly hot days we have had here.  (Our summer has been very cool and rainy, relatively speaking...highs in the 80s and rain nearly every day.)

Cool Factor: (2 of 5 stars--5 being the coolest.)  I matched my infant son, on purpose.  Something tells me that's not cool, regardless of darling French designed necklace, gingham linen shirt, or cute flat sandals.

On its own, the outfit is probably closer to a 3 out of 5.  ;-)

Anecdote from the day:  Not much to report, but I definitely got a lot of "you match your son, was that planned" comments.  Yeah, I don't know that these people asking that question know me very well.  Ha.

Day: Thursday, June 20, 2013.

Where:  Little Gym/Play Date.

Ease of Wear: (4 of 5 stars--5 being the most easy to wear.)  Making your own shorts to fit your body means comfort won't even be an issue.  Yay for shorts with enough inches everywhere I need them, and no excess where I don't.  I may just need to sell all my ready to wear shorts and make a whole wardrobe of comfortable shorts made just for my body.

Cool Factor: (3.5 of 5 stars--5 being the coolest.)  The look is very hipstery, but I like that look, as we all know.  I think this outfit would have been a slam dunk in 2010, but only with a fedora and ironic glasses, of course.  :-)

Anecdote from the day:  Well, yeah, another typical Little Gym run, but I had both my older kids with me, so they had to chill in the lobby area while I did my thang with Angus at his Birds class.  Fortunately there is glass between the gym and the lobby, so I could keep my eyes on them.  Rex just played on the kindle the whole time and CW found a friend to play with (one of the older siblings of one of Angus's classmates).

Day: Wednesday, June 26, 2013.

Where:  Massage/Winesday.

Ease of Wear: (3 of 5 stars--5 being the most easy to wear.)  These ancient J. Crew shorts are amongst the only pairs that I own that I really truly feel great in, and the two pairs I have are in regular rotation in my wardrobe, well at least when it is warm enough to justify dragging them out, of course.

The outfit received a 3 because the very nice wedge sandals hurt my tootsies after walking from the Mint Condition store to the massage and then the Winesday at Whole Foods (a total walk of about a mile).  I shouldn't have walked so fast, but I didn't want to be late to the massage, which was a treat for my birthday.  (It was my bday gift to me, btw.  It felt great!)

Cool Factor: (4 of 5 stars--5 being the coolest.)  I think it looks cool, especially with the sunglasses and bag.  The tee is one of my most favorites, I really love the unusual hem, which dips in the back a bit. 

Anecdote from the day:  Well I walked too fast and ended up with blisters, but the rest of the day was amazing.  I mean you really can't go wrong receiving a check for your consigned items, having a stone massage, and enjoying lovely wines with your brother at the local grocery store.

Day: Tuesday, June 4, 2013.

Where:  Preschool Run/Fabric Store with my friend.

Ease of Wear: (2.5 of 5 stars--5 being the most easy to wear.)  It was hot that day, and muggy.  I chose poorly, since the shorts felt too tight, and the Short Sleeve Ponte Top from Boden felt too clingy, even though I could potentially see it being okay for summer (the top is currently 60%, so $21.60, for you Boden fans).  I think I can pull this outfit out again, but will have to wait for a drier, less hot day, which around here means fall.  Hmm.

Cool Factor: (1.5 of 5 stars--5 being the coolest.)  Nah, not cool.  I think it looks decent, but you know, in a very simple SAHM style.

Anecdote from the day:  I love hanging out with my buddy (she is the mother of one of CW's former classmates).  She sews, too, and is the reason I have any clue about quilting and/or appliqueing.  Without her help, I suspect these pillows (bottom of the post in link) would have looked terrible.

Since I do a lot of garment sewing, she is asking me for advice (she wants to do more sewing for her), but I still think she might be wrong in asking me since I am definitely still a beginner!

Day: Tuesday, May 28, 2013.

Where:  The Os/Nats Game.

Ease of Wear: (3.5 of 5 stars--5 being the most easy to wear.)  The shorts rode up a bit since I was wearing silky undergarments (cotton ones mean that the shorts stay in place better).  It wasn't terrible, I just felt that I kept needing to pull them down since I felt like at my age, it is probably better if all of my legs aren't on display.  Next time, cotton underpants, for sure.

Cool Factor: (2.5 of 5 stars--5 being the coolest.)  For an Os fan, I look pretty styling, I suppose, but it's still full-on "let's go Os," so not really very sartorial.  CW looks really cool, and I appreciate her being our middle ground, wearing pink instead of orange or red/navy.

Anecdote from the day:  Did we get to see the game?  No.  Torrential rain came down from the heavens for approximately two hours and by the time they could start the game it was almost 8:30 pm (game was supposed to start at 7), and my kids were D.O.N.E. at that point--especially Angus, who was p*ssed that we were tormenting him with the buggy.

Look at my face and CW's face.  I guess we are related, after all.  ;-)

Okay, that's it for now.  More to come, but I will be traveling a bit over the next few days, so my posting may be reduced because of that.

Boden Weekly Review Roundup: Nude Penny Loafers and Not So Nude Clothing.

Before I begin this long overdue BWRR, I wanted to remind you all of a couple of things in the Boden world. 

First, yesterday started another big discount over at Boden, with 20% off everything (barring clearance items) until tomorrow (Thursday, May 30, 2013).  I have the link in the sidebar and the bottom of this post.  On Friday the discount reverts to the "usual" 15% off, at which point I will just place the normal coupon back in its place in the sidebar.

Second, the lovely Lou (What Lou Wore 365) sent me the Boden Autumn/Winter Preview Lookbook a few days ago and I had a chance to photograph all of the women's line photos and a few from the Johnnie b., mini Boden, and baby Boden lines.  You can see that post here.

Okay, let's get started!

Regular Boden:

Penny Loafers.  These are a size 40, which is supposed to be a size 9 US.  I should be wearing a 41, which I do from time to time, but I find that Boden will run so wide that my narrow foot needs the smaller size to stay on my foot.  If I had gone with a size 41, these would definitely have been too wide and they would probably have flown off my foot every step I took.  The length is fine, and since it is leather, will stretch enough over the years to mold to my exact length.

I was going to be out running around with the family that day, so I wanted something that would work with the navy and green combo and not distract from it, and that is what these shoes did.  They are "nuder" than I wanted them to be, since the color matches my legs precisely, but I have worn them enough to see that they look better than I thought they did at first. 

Nude heels make sense to me, but nude flats seemed weird.  (I don't know why, it probably only bothers me, like flippy sequins do, oh how I hate flippy sequins.) 

Anyhow, I am definitely keeping them, and if I had unlimited funds and a HUGE closet, I would buy these in the orange or aqua shade.

Close up.  I think these look really nice when you can make out the penny loafer detailing, which gets lost in the outfit photos.

All leather construction (as per usual with Boden) and careful craftsmanship.  The upper part of the patent leather has wrinkled a bit because walking bends your foot which bends the leather, but I like it better a bit worn looking since the shoes are almost too perfect looking with no creases.  (Again, this may just be me and my particular personality.  Others may prefer it be brand spanking new forever!)

Okay, so this collar necklace is not from Boden, but it is so pretty I have to show it off.  (It is from a British company, so it counts, sort of, right?)  This necklace is all sold out from Accessorize, but here is the info from polyvore so you can stalk it if you want it.  I bought it on my trip to Ireland, and was so stoked because I loved Accessorize when I lived in England in 1995.  So last weekend I am at Pentagon City mall and guess what is just down the mall floor from J. Crew?  Accessorize.  I must be living under a rock, not realizing that the shop had made its way across the Atlantic.  :)


Penny Loafers.  Many sizes are fully stocked, but there are the odd outliers which are completely sold out.  If you wear comfortable shoes a lot, then these may be worth the investment as they are a bit pricey.

I also wore these shoes with the LouLou dress to church, since it was raining.  More on that outfit here at this post.

Off Duty Shorts.  Size 10 Long.  Please go to my initial review so you can see why I chose the size 10 Long.  :)

Please forgive the clash of stripes and florals.  My hubby absolutely loved this outfit, but I was *this* close to changing into a different pair of shorts for the day.  (I ended up wearing black pants to church, so I got my way later on...)  I think the outfit looks okay, but I feel like I look a bit like a crazy toddler here.  LOL.  I have no idea why Mr. Dina liked it so much.  Men.

Anyhow, weird styling aside, I love the shorts so much better in the larger size.  They do gape a bit at the waist, but nothing terrible.  It is so nice to have shorts that are a touch too big everywhere so that I can feel relaxed wearing them and not like I need spanx just to make it through the day.

And if I end up losing weight, enough that I would have to size down, I can just alter them on my sewing machine and be done.

Still a crazy toddler!  For those of you who are curious, the Tippi sweater in multistripe is still available (runs a bit long and wide, but I like how easy the small felt, so I don't know that I would size down to my usual extra-small, the Tippi sweaters fit differently in each style, so I never know what size to buy).  The Sperry Top-Siders for J. Crew were a huge sale score at the store, since they are still higher priced on-line.  I paid $30 after all the discounts.  They call these shoes "deep violet," but look a lot like a bright cobalt blue to me.


Off Duty Shorts.  These are definitely selling well.  The green print is selling slowest, so you might be able to wait for a better discount if you don't anticipate wearing them soon.


Lace Dress.  I wore the yellow version on Mother's Day.  :)


Lightweight V-Neck T-Shirt.  Lou is head to toe Boden.  :)  And of course it looks wonderful on her, especially the pear drop shade of the tee. 


Authentic Casual Shirt.  Lou looks lovely in yellow, yes she does.  Worn as the shirt suggests, that is casually, but with the most amazing blue pumps, she fits right in with "casual Fridays" everywhere.

The Shirt.  Speaking of shirts, Joanna looks perfectly put together in her ensemble, from her dotty button-up right down to her darling wedge sandals.  :)  (Use the link in the name, the affiliate program does not have this item in its catalog.)


Ruffle Bikini Set.  Joanna has bravely (and I do mean the word bravely since I know how much courage it takes) shown off this adorable swimwear set for us.  :)  I love it on her, ruffles and stripes alike.  And to show her I am with her in spirit, I will link back to the last time I showed off all my thigh lumps and bumps in a swimsuit.  (And will do so again when the Johnnie b. swimsuit I bought finally comes off the slow boat from England.)

Johnnie b.:

Leather Clogs.  I wore them here (and did a review).  So all of these are currently sold out.  As of two weeks ago, there was a full run of the leather clogs.  Hmm.  I don't think my review alone caused them to sell out, but it is a bit surprising to see them all gone.  Use the link in the name to access the page, since my affiliate program no longer has the photo link (which is why I used the photo from the blog post instead).


Floaty Top.  I had seen this one in the pretty seagull print and considered it (here is the seagull print in a pair of pants), and now that I see how darling the top looks on Egyptomaniac (wearing the concert ticket print), I definitely will stalk it for a good price for CW in the size 8 so we can have a mommy/me outfit day when she is 7 (she can wear one size up).  ;)

Clearance Boden:

Embellished Spot Cardigan.  This is a spring item, and until this year, this item would still be in "regular" Boden.  This year Boden has decided to tinker with the usual and has placed many spring items in the clearance section many months earlier than the typical July clearance start date.

Don't let the "clearance" moniker fool you, though, since the price they are offering it at right now is the same price I purchased mine for back in January.

Anyhow, I think the cardigan is delicious, well made, and just blingy and detailed enough to justify the cost, especially since it is ivory colored, which means it will work with nearly all of my wardrobe.  I can't see selling this one anytime soon, and since I often will grab a cardigan for the possibility of a chill, this gets worn often.

Here is my advice if you like this one...buy the ivory version if you love it, since that one is more likely to sell out.  The dark grey version looks like it will stick around for the long haul (except in the larger sizes, since those are gone), which means that it will make it a deeper discount the next time they have cuts on clearance prices.  (The ivory might, too, but not all sizes will get there.) 

Detail Shot. This cardigan is in the size 6, which is what I typically buy in Boden knitwear.  When I do up all the buttons, it doesn't gap, but I don't do that ever, except to see if it fits that way.  :)  The knit fabric is so soft and lightweight, exactly the right feel for spring and summer (well not our summers, except in the freezer aisle of the grocery store).  The little embellished dots are made from a poly or rayon fabric and have not frayed, which makes me think they were treated with an anti-fray solution before placed on the cardigan.  The beading is very secure, only one small seed bead has fallen off, and that one is near the side seam which gets a lot of abuse from my "flingy" arms. 


Embellished Spot Cardigan.  I would love to see what the dark grey looks like on someone, since the detailing is so much more obvious on that colorway.


Adelaide Dress.  Lou is wearing the navy version again, despite the rain.  (Lou is also very fortunate to have received that umbrella for free, I had wanted the folks at Boden to sell that one!)

She also speaks to the fact that this dress is in clearance so quickly after just being introduced this spring.  :)

Okay, all, that's it for today.  Be back later, I am sure.  Thanks again to all my blog friends for sharing their reviews with us!

Below is the link to the 20% off sale going on right now.

OOTDs: Sally Wrong Socks.

Day: Monday, April 1, 2013.

Where: Bowling/Packing for Ireland.

Ease of Wear: (4 of 5 stars--5 being the most easy to wear.)   So easy to wear, especially the Lands' End Knit Pants (link takes you to a similar pair). 

The here and there fox tee from Anthro is so adorable, and is made from the softest cotton.  I felt very lucky that I found it over the Christmas season at a sale price and with an additional % off.  I think this tee sold fast and then was completely out of stock.

Cool Factor: (3 of 5 stars--5 being the coolest.)  If I had bothered to wear socks that didn't look redonk against the red lulu bow flats, I could totally have upped this outfit to a 3.5, but "Sally Wrong Socks" didn't realize how stupid the socks looked until she got home and uploaded the photos on the computer.  Never. Again.

Anecdote from the day:  I had to pre-bowl because I was going to miss the bowling that week, but I kept putting it off so I had to bowl the morning of the day our family was going to be flying off to Ireland.  I guess the pressure worked since I bowled pretty darn well.  (Yay!)

The packing was no biggie, since I started packing a whole month early.  I always do that, I pack like a organizational fool.  I wish I could say unpacking was as fun for me, but I *HATE* unpacking.  Mr. Dina is constantly making fun of me because of my allergy to unpacking.

Day: Sunday, March 31, 2013.

Where: Easter Sunday.

Ease of Wear: (2.5 of 5 stars--5 being the most easy to wear.)  I love the perfect pencil skirt and think it gives a nice, sleek line, but oh, man, it is fitted.  I find that I can only wear them for a few hours before I am all, "get this thing off of me."  Ugh.  I still have those darn extra two inches on my high hip (won't lose them until Angus weans completely) and all of my fitted pants and skirts feel off.  The fit, just not the way I want them too.  (Or they could fit exactly as they used to but because I am getting older, I have way less tolerance for the idiocy of my clothes not feeling good on my body.)

The rest of the outfit felt wonderful, especially the darling wedge heels from Boden (last summer's version; similar here).

Cool Factor: (2.5 of 5 stars--5 being the coolest.) The day before "Sally Wrong Socks" wore black socks with red shoes, "Tania Sad Tights" wore a pair of grey tights that exactly matched her grey shoes.  In my defense, it was really cold that day, and even though it was Easter and I was desperate to wear bare legs, I just couldn't.  Plus the control top of the tights helped suck that baby fat right in.  LOL.

Even if I had worn bare legs, the outfit would have been a 3, tops.  The tresco floral Liberty print is awesome, but it is a whole lot of look, especially paired with the purple skirt.

CW was definitely the coolest girl around, though.  ;)  (I wrote about sewing her dress here at this post.)

Anecdote from the day:  We decided not to cook Easter lunch, so we did what any hungry family of eight (my dad, bro, and step-mom came to) would do on Easter Sunday, go out for Ethiopian food.  Mmm, injera!  :)

Okay, that's it for tonight.  I hope everyone is having a fabulous night (or morning if you are seeing this on Thursday morning)!

P.S. Do any of you watch Style Network's Resale Royalty?  I have it on in the background while typing up this post and it is freaking me out how many times they have said the name "Dena."  One of their employees is named Dena and it seems every other sentence mentions her name.  Thank goodness I don't have a drinking game where every time I hear my name I have to take a drink.  I wouldn't just be drunk after watching this show, I would have to go to the hospital.  (Note--I don't actually play drinking games, but Mr. Dina and I really like making up drinking games.)