Friday, January 22, 2010

Johnnie Boden, I think I love you.......

About 30 minutes ago, there was a knock on the door and guess what the FedEx man brought me??? My Boden order (well, the first one... since I ordered more last week). As most of you know, I have been a wee bit excited/anxious about this package. In fact, these are all items I pre-ordered back in November. I have never ordered from Boden before so I was worried about the sizing and (of course) the typical "I have built this up in my head too much what if I don't like it" probelm.  So I had to try on and photograph everything immediatly which is why I have a messy ponytail, the necklace on I wore today and zero lipstick on. While you are at it, try to picture me tan.

**Boden runs a lot of percentage specials so if you are thinking about placing an order, register for a catalogue and see what they email you for discounts, I got this order at 20% off with free shipping and my second order was 15% off with free shipping as well**

Smart Knitted Dress in green-$138 UK Size 12 Long, US Size 8L

This dress is amazing on. It is so comfortable and it is beautifully made . You aren't just paying for the design, the quality is great. It is a light sweater knit and comes with an attached sweater knit slip to make sure there is no sheerness in the light. The cut is very slimming and doesn't hug the bad spots.

I consider myself a size 8 in anything that hugs my hips. I found this dress to be very true to size. I also ordered it long since I am 5'9" and prefer dresses to hit at or below my knee whenever I can.

Rose Cardigan in Light Blue Melange -$88 UK Size 10, US Size 6 and
the Embellished Jersey Vest in Navy Batik- $58 Size 10, US Size 6

This tank screams vacation to me and it is really light, flowy and easy to wear. The embellished neckline makes it even more special and even though it is a looser cut, it does have shape at the sides of the waist/hip which is a rarity.

The cardigan is such a pretty spring/summer color and it will go well with jeans or a dressed up with a skirt. It is vey feminine and the embellishments are done very well. It is a light Merino Wool and I can see it getting a lot of use in my wardrobe!



Textured Cotton Shift in watermelon stencil-$118 UK Size 12L US Size 8L

This particular colorway is not for the timid, and I see it looking great with a denim jacket but for quick photo I just threw on a basic white cardi. Don't ask me what I was thinking with the pose. Boden really does a shift well. It was tight going on but once it was in it's place, the fit was perfect. I sometimes run into problems with shift dresses not fitting my figure and adding bulk to my waist and hips. It may be partially due to the fact that this is a "long size" so it hit my waist in a better spot, but whatever it was, I likey.

Again, I went with my true size when a dress is fitted on the hip, an 8. There are some great, more subtle prints in this dress as well. I also really liked the neckline on this dress, very femine and the material has a very nice weight.

Favourite Crew Neck Cardigan in Sealion Leopard-$74 UK Size 10, US Size 6

I had missed out on the J Crew ocelot cardigan and had been looking for a great "leopardish" print that wasn't a typical animal print and this fit the bill perfectly. I am kind of a snob when it comes to the quality of my cardigans. It is not like I need them to be cashmere (in fact I prefer my every day cardigans not to be) but I like the material to be soft and keep a shape. Sounds simple enough but I find a lot of the inexpensive ones that I like with cute designs are stiff after the first washing. Where was I going with this thought? This cardigan has both, a cute print and a great quality.

I love the playful design of this cardigan. The extra large print and the knotted ribbon on the buttons keep me from feeling like I am trying to look like some type of sexy cougar. This is just an issue I have with animal prints and my age. It is a fitted cardigan but the material and cut keep it from bunching and giving rolls where I sure don't need them. The buttons are a little tough to button but I doubt I'd button it all the way up normally, I just didn't have a shirt on underneath so I kinda had to.

Hopefully, these reviews help all you other Boden newbies out there. I couldn't be happier with the quality and sizing of their items. So what is still on the way? This beautiful maxi dress which I grabbed at 15% off + free shipping before it went on backorder:


16 comments:

Marley said...

Ohh...I love ALL of it!

rynetta PhD said...

I love all of it, too!!!!

Handbags*and*Pigtails said...

Thanks for posting your reviews Debye....I love em all too! Esp the dresses. They make me long for warm weather(Im here in NY with, ya know, 10 degree weather).:)
Sarah

Amy said...

Thanks for the reviews! I keep thinking about ordering from Boden but wasn't sure about the quality and fit so your candid reviews are helpful. If you could only choose one smart knit dress or the cotton shift which one would you choose? Only have the budget for one but both are on my wishlist.

Debye said...

Marley, Rynetta and Sarah-thanks, I love it all too. I am now a Boden lover

Amers72-if I had to choose one, it would be the smart knitted dress. I am in love with everything about it....the feel, the colors and the fit!

None said...

You look great in all of it! Especially the last dress.

MMM said...

LOVE all of your picks too!! ;) They look like they were meant for you.

I went Boden-crazy about a year ago but then I got a little tired of it! :-\ But, after seeing your reviews, I think I need to start exploring them again!! :)

Enjoy your weekend.

dinagideon said...

Oh, why Johnnie? I am in VA, and I still have yet to receive 3 of my 4 shipments...so very sad.

I love them all on you...btw, I bought the sweaterdress in the green and blue, and now I am so anxious to get it. GORG!

I also bought the dress you have in the red and orange in the multi-color pattern and it is so pretty in real life. :) Good choice!!!

Hopefully I get to do my own irl photos soon...

Bianca C said...

NIce! I really love the cardigan with the cirle buttons. That may need to come down to North Carolina.

In my new catalogue, it says they switched the sizing to the US. So, that makes it a little easier!

T said...

Thank you for these lovely shots and reviews - you've convinced me to take the plunge and try Boden. You look gorgeous in those dresses! And I"m ordering that embellished top, its just too pretty...

Pamela said...

I love every piece you purchased. They all are so pretty and look wonderful on you! I love that maxi dress!!!! I can't wait to hear your review on that!

Jan Russell said...

You look fantastic in your new Boden! Love it all! I also bought the jersey vest - but my order isn't here yet. I'm excited to hear your reivew that the cut is so nice! I have shopped Boden for about 5 years now, and they never dissapoint! My boys LIVE in Mini Boden too - their clothes wear like steel! Anyone on the fence should definitely give them a shot, their CS is excellent, too if you ever do have a problem with your order - plus free returns make it risk-free :) Hope the sun is shining again in Cali!

Lake Nokomis said...

Thank you for the review on your new purchases from Boden. I have a few of the same items in my shopping cart & seeing them on your (we are a similar height/clothing size) is extremely helpful. Can't wait to see the maxi dress...that is the one that I would really like to order if the fit/quality is good. Thanks again for your reviews!

Genavee said...

I love that cardigan. The second I can get 20% off, I'm snatching one up.

HeidiG said...

Love these pieces. I really love the magenta/orange combo of the textured shift dress. I can't wait to see the maxi dress when you get it. I've been looking for one and have yet to find one that doesn't make me look like a house.

AppGal said...

Great picks, and it all looks awesome on you! I esp. love the print of the navy tank. If I'm not mistaken, they have that same print in a jersey dress that I'm dying to get! Glad you've fallen in love with Boden--they are definitely a cool company!