Boden Reviews: Ottoman A-Line, an Alisa, and a Patti!

I won't bore you all with too many details, but yes, I am alive, yes, I am fine, and yes, I am definitely a full-time teacher with three kids.  It's a bit insane.  If you've been here, you get it.  ;-)

Okay, so Boden sent out a postcard saying there would be an "up to 40% off" sale starting today, but it wasn't until today that I realized it was a mid-season sale.  (MID-SEASON!  CRAY!  It's been a fast few months!)

The sale is decent!  I think there is a bit of a lag in sales based on what is in the sale (a lot) and how much of it is reduced to the 30-40% off.  I have plans to ask for a discount adjustment as I made an order last night (I had a voucher set to expire), and though I received 20% off, the two items I purchased are now 30% off.  Does anyone else get the sense that barring a few items, very little is selling well?

Anyhow, links are in the usual places, in the sidebar and at the bottom of this post.

Onto the reviews!

Ottoman A-Line Dress. Size 6 L.  I LOVE this color, but I wasn't so sure about the dress initially.  It came off as a bit blah, a bit frumpy, but I am glad I held onto it.  It needs major accessories and such to be a good item.  Since I usually wear prints, I am also a bit uncomfortable with that much solid color all over me.  But I do really like the look with the scarf, the shoes, and the sunglasses. 

I think I will like it even more in the winter with a cute long necklace and burgundy tights and a pair of low heels. 

It is a bit big, the 6 L is almost a touch too big all over, and I normally wear an 8 in these ponte dresses, simply because I would prefer my lumps be skimmed over than on display.  (I don't have that issue with the viscose spandex jerseys they make, their fabric there is very beefy and does many good things for my curves instead of showing the not so awesome bits off.)

The L is not that long, so if you are truly very tall, this will likely hit at mid-thigh.  At 5'8" and a lot of leg (my outseam is 42"), I am at three inches above my knee, which is the highest I'll go for school or mass.

It didn't stretch out the way other of their ottoman ponte dresses have, so big thumbs up there.  They might have decreased the cotton and increased the spandex content to achieve that.

Ottoman A-Line Dress.  This dress is not selling that well.  The green is doing fabulously well selling, but the pretty lighter pink version I am wearing is fully stocked.  I wonder if it is a pink thing, but I am here to sing the praises of its loveliness!  (It is also 40% off!)

Alisa Dress. Size 6 Petite.  I did buy the petite.  I did not want a midi dress, and though I know that is what they meant for the dress to be, I know that this style dress (higher neck, short sleeves, and full skirt) will definitely, for sure, look very frumpy on me.  NOPE.  I did the whole "sister wife" thing back in the '90s, and not going there again! 

Anyhow, the good:

1. It is a very cute design, like little dandelions or bubbles.  The blue color is very flattering and neither too soft or too bright.

2. The length in the petite is fine for my frame, a couple inches above the knee.

3. The waist was high on me, which I need as I have a short torso.  (This is like a "bad" for most of you.)

The bad:

1. See #3 above if you are long-waisted. 

2. The material is a bit odd, I like crepey rayons, but this one is more sheer than the ones they have used in the past.

3. The pink is nearly see-through.  I immediately sent it back as I didn't want any underwear on display (I wear nude for the most part, but if sunlight were to peek through my legs, you would see the outline of my legs).

4. I personally was fine with the shoulder and neck fit, but it was bordering on tight.  I have a size 6 upper body (sometimes a 4) at Boden, so beware when buying, especially if you have a larger upper body.

5. There are zippers at the shoulders.  They were weird.  I would rather they be super visible, or not there at all.  Or just add a darn zipper somewhere else for access.  Seriously!

Back View. This material was very rumpled on first inspection. I did spray it with water and hang it to dry, but I definitely haven't ever seen that in most rayon crepe I have encountered.  Odd odd stuff here.

I am keeping it, it does seem to work for me, but this is my cautionary tale if you have particular things that drive you crazy, I'd rather you not buy and be saved the return. 

Alisa Dress.  The blue is selling far better than the pink.  (Umm, lining, Boden, ever think about it as a possibility?)  This dress is at 30% off.

Patti Flat Point. Size 40.5.  Love these!  And though they are a decent price now, I am so glad I bought them when since they are all sold out in my size (I prefer the 40.5 to the 41 for my size 9.5 foot as I have a very narrow foot, and the 41 is often too wide).

I especially love that they match so many of my outfits, since apparently I own about 3,989,513 items in this deep peacock color. 

The comfort level was fine, but I definitely had to apply bandages to the back of my feet after wearing them all day while teaching today (no socks, fwiw).  Usually it's a one day issue, as the leather stretches out in length enough that I never have to do that after the first day.  I know, for sure, the 41 would have been too wide as the 40.5 width was perfection.

So I say going normal size for length and width, but if your feet do run a touch wide, maybe size up one to compensate for this width being potentially more narrow than other Boden shoes.

The dress I am in is the Clementine Jacquard Dress, Jade/Dusty Pink, Boden, which oddly enough, is still available at Boden (it is from Fall 2015). 

It's a good design.  The point is very feminine, but not an absurd point that can look comical.  The coverage on the toes is nice, as I am not the hugest fan of toe cleavage (I find I look pointy or something, and I don't love my toe cleavage, lol).

Patti Flat Point. This color and the yellow are nearly sold out.  The others are not selling as well.  These are all at 40% off, which is a very good price for what you get.

Okay, that's all.  It may be another nearly two months before I can post again, but really, sincerely, I hope I am able to do a post earlier than that.  :-)  Missed you all!

Hey, it's creepy bent neck girl! But click on her and you will get to the sale. :-)

Made by Me File: Vogue Couturier 2439. It's a Valentino!

You can pretty much guarantee that if I am silent here AND on Instagram, I probably have been delving deep in sewing, and that was for sure the case this past week and weekend.  (I haven't even used Instagram from Saturday forward, and I blame the oversaturation of sewing for that, as Instagram couldn't be any easier to use.)

Anyhow, there is a Vintage Pattern contest running over at Pattern Review, and though I really (honestly!) don't care about winning, I like to have an excuse to make something, and this contest seemed the perfect kick in the behind to get my sewing mojo on and get a dress done in time for school to start (and with the perfect retro flair, the way I really like it).

I have in my stash of patterns this beautiful Vogue Couturier pattern from Valentino from 1970.  I have a real sickness for these older patterns.  There's also the Vogue Paris Original patterns that are lovely, too (I made this LaRoche pattern a few years back).  If I see that one or a few are for sale and they will suit me and fit me, I'll put in a bid on ebay or purchase them outright from Ebay. 

There is a lot of history on Vogue designer patterns, and this very recent (as in yesterday) article from the New York Times explores it a bit.  They even mention Valentino in the article. 

I knew most of what was in the article, but it always bears repeating, the garment on the cover of these patterns ARE the garment as designed and shown by the original designer, and the pattern makers from Vogue use that as their base for their patterns.  So I was basically recreating the original garment that Valentino crafted even before I was born.  This is still true today, and the Anne Klein dress that I copied was from an original from the Anne Klein line.

Obviously I really dig the style and silhouette of the dress and if a current designer or clothing company made a dress like this, I would want to buy it.  The pockets are integrated into the front dress design, and those belt carriers are part of the dress design, and are NOT added as a waistband feature from a waistband pattern piece.  Instead they are part of the dress front and pocket and dart pattern piece.  (All in one.  When you see the instructions below, you will agree with my hesitation in cutting my dress fabric in the convoluted design they wanted me to...of course it worked out, clearly, but I couldn't believe that design would lead to what you see above.)

The dress, as made up, is very pretty, but practical.  I made it from a double knit, so it is very comfortable and stretchy, but the pockets and belt add a level "I didn't know I needed these features until I had them here."  I now want all my dresses to have these details.  Especially the pockets, which are not your typical inseam pockets, hiding from the world.  These are integrated on the front and help showcase the unique seaming. 

Nearly all my belts fit in these carriers, and the fancier, jeweled belts helped create a more formal look, while this patent leather one suited a more casual outing, like teaching school, or going to church.

The mockneck is very comfortable, and though it could read frumpy, the sleeveless and fitted bodice help keep it from looking too dated.

Though I have few plans to wear the cloche with the dress, I did like the look, and would possibly pair the two for the right occasion.  :-)

The back was far less complicated than the front, but I will say the dart that extended from the back yoke to the hip was one of the longest I have ever encountered.  It also integrated the belt carriers into it, so there was a bit of finagling there, too.  There was also an additional back carrier that had to be created by making a welt insertion for the facing piece, and that terrified me that I would place the welt in the wrong place and ruin all my work.

Because my hips are larger than the pattern called for, I had to bring my seam allowances from waist down from 5/8" to 1/2".  If this had not been an a-line skirt, I would have likely had to add allowances to the pattern itself as no straight skirt from this era would ever fit me in a size 12 (the hips on a size 12 are a 34, I am that plus 5!).

The mockneck called for hook/eye closures that are hidden, but I wanted to use a loop/button closure.  I wish the loop was a bit tighter, but I don't think it totally ruins the look of the dress, either.

I love this fabric.  It was exactly right for the job.  The weight of the double knit means I can wear it in non-summer months, but it also meant I didn't have to try a designer pattern from 1970 in a non-stretch woven.  Plus, it even looks a bit like the original Valentino dress fabric (though I know that was likely a brocade of some sort).

Here's a good closeup of the fabric, the carriers, and the pocket detail.  So glad this all worked out.  :-)

Yeah, those are the (dang) clear directions.  But look at the illustration for #2, that was the shape I had to cut.  I mean, it makes sense how that becomes what you see on me, but it does require a bit of a leap of faith that it will all work out.

If you would like to see my pattern review, it is here.

In other news...before I even started my pretty Valentino dress, I had to complete this ridiculous Piranha costume.  I used Simplicity 2853 for the pattern, and yeah, I recognize it doesn't look a thing like the pattern shows.  That was because I took a lot of liberties with the design.  It all worked out and the swim team LOVED it (or was scared, rightly so).  What a monstrosity.  LOL.  :-)

Okay, that's all for now.  I hope all of you are doing well, and I'll be back soon. 

Boden: Floral Ponte Dress Review.

Hi, all!  Hope all of you have been well.  :-) 

I realize it's been a while since my last Boden review, and since I actually had an opportunity to wear something from this fall's collection this summer (most of the fall items are made from fabric not really suited for Virginia summers), I figured I could get it up before it completely sells out.

Floral Ponte Dress.  Size 8 Long.  I took a chance on buying this in preview since it was so pretty and unique that I was pretty sure it might sell out.  And it actually looks like it may just do that, based on the numbers/stock levels I am seeing today.  Others that I have noticed nearing sell out status include the Alisa Dress (in blue) and the Carolyn Ponte Dress (yellow on deep backorder).

Anyhow, the measurements were up for this one (by some miracle) in preorder, so I knew I had to buy the 8 Long in order for it to work for my frame and height.  And it does fit, with just enough ease to keep it from clinging to my curves, but still fitted.  It is a touch loose at the shoulders, bust, and waist, but anytime I purchase an 8 instead of a 6, that's what happens.

The stretch is just enough if you feel inclined to purchase a smaller size, but since I plan to wear this teaching, I would prefer the extra length and room throughout that the 8 provides.  The length is 39" and it hits right above the knee, which is typical for 39".  (42" hits right below my knee, and 37" hits two inches above the knee.  I will only go shorter than 37" if I know that it is a super loose style like I am wearing here in this Instagram photo.)

The decoration is so special, the printed border snaking up each side of the dress, and fully covering the sleeves.  The green is an army green, while the print is a nude shade, not quite tan, but definitely not white/beige, either.  The neckline and silhouette are not anything write home about, but they are both fine for day to evening, and as you can see, can be accessorized, provided you keep it on the simpler/more neutral end.

Those shoes are the Georgia Woven Sandal, btw, and I purchased them in a size 41, which is the right size for my narrow 9.5 foot.  The neutral color on the sandal matches the print on the dress, so it was the right choice for that day.  :-)

If I had sucked my tummy in even more, and got rid of my (very flat) chest, it would almost look like there is no solid green at all from the side.

If you are NOT a pear shape, this dress will likely be more a-line on you.  I clearly am a pear shape, and my thighs/hips/bottom fully fill out the skirt portion.  I wish that wasn't the case, but I do like the look of the dress as it looks on me (different from the model).  The model looks cute but not like this, at all. 

I love love love the way the print was placed on the back.  It makes me look so much thinner from the back than most dresses do.  I don't love the blue version of this dress, but had they made another colored version of it, I would be very tempted to purchase it. 

There is a zip, but I didn't need it.  I just slipped the dress on right over my head.

Okay, that's it!  Has anyone else bought this dress?  Thoughts?

BTW, if you have commented here on the blog in the past month, THANK YOU, and be assured I have read and appreciated every comment.  I will reply back.  I have been busy with a lot of swim team stuff (I am one of their in water coaches, too) and traveling, so I am now just settling into quiet time (phew).

I have a coupon from the affiliate, but do make sure to use the code 5H7B to receive the 15% off!

Boden: Fall 2016 New Arrivals Are Really Here!

I remember the days that Boden would do this glorious rollout of a gazillion items for fall/winter (with only a very small holiday rollout in October), so now it feels a bit less celebratory than it used to, but this one feels a bit more special than the past few seasons.  I think it's the fact that they went to Italy (I believe) for their catalog shoot, and well, that makes for a special looking set of photos/clothes.  :-)

Besides the soft rollout of a few items that they did a few weeks ago (I discussed that in this post), they have been keeping most of these items under wraps.

Before I briefly talk about what I am seeing in the new arrivals, I did see that the affiliate program has updated their coupons/links, and I have inserted two in this post to help you save 15% off.  You do have to use the code 5H7B once you are at the shopping bag page, and I have made sure to note that wherever the links are.  

15% off plus free shipping & return over $49 with code 5H7B, valid 7/11-8/7

Okay, some picks, etc.!

Above is the Lucinda Knitted Dress and the Carolyn Ponte Dress.  They are both very pretty, and I love LOVE this image.  More of this in your catlogs, Boden.  Some of the shots feature the models contorting themselves ridiculously (like the very crooked neck of the model in the Floral Lace Dress shot, yikes!). 

I have a similar dress to the Lucinda Knitted Dress (I love it, btw), so I have no desire for a new one, but the Carolyn Ponte Dress seems perfect for a teacher, and I just love that yellow color.  We'll see!

This is the Floral Ponte Dress (I bought this one in my larger dress size of 8 Long), and I actually brought this with me on vacation (I am in GA/SC until Wednesday) so I have plans to wear it tomorrow night.  I most likely would be unable to update this blog after wearing it, so check out my Instagram to see it (I usually update my Instagram at 7 pm).  Later this week I should be able to do a more in-depth review of it here at the blog.

Finally, the Mia Jersey Tunic...I praised its beautiful fit in this post, but I really think you can see how flattering it is here on the model.  The sides of the front have very deliberate seaming, and the placement of the darker splatter/animal print is there, and it very much slims and highlights the curves.  It feels magical to me.  :-)  I sized to the smaller of my dress sizes on this one (6 Long) and it's fitted without being too tight.

Do you all see anything you are loving?  How do you feel about the models' poses?  The location? 

Remember to use the code 5H7B to receive the 15% off.

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