Boden...what's the obsession?

[StarlightPrincess]

Now before I registered on here, I'd never even heard of Boden, but practically every other thread in Style and Beauty is about it! I went on the site expecting something amazing...and just saw a whole lot of well...blah, not to mention rather pricey! Why does everyone seem to love it so much?

I like the kids stuff, the adult clothes are dull, dull, dull and expensive to boot.

Completely agree with the poster who says they are proper children's clothes and not min-adult stuff - that is exactly what Boden is imo.

Like driving a 4x4 when you live in the centre of London?

Just saw Brooke Shields in OK magazine wearing Boden coat...nooooooo!! It's everywhere!

I wouldn't say I'm obsessed with Boden, but I'm definitely a fan. It's just so EASY. And yes - I am middle-class, yes, I am style-lazy and yes, I am shopping-lazy (or more precisely, time-strapped and high-street averse and absolutely LOATHE actual, real shops).

The quality is mostly very good, mostly fits me well, the stuff all goes together, you can throw things on in the morning knowing you will look basically respectable and well-put-together , and then not think about what you are wearing for the rest of the day. It's expensive, yes, but (after years of buying my clothes in George ) it's worth it and I find I simply don't need as many clothes in my wardrobe.

The only downside is that where I live, Boden (and Joules, White Stuff and Fat face) is practically a uniform amongst the mums (yes - it's VERY middle class here ) and you will almost inevitably see half a dozen other people with the same stuff as you. But, for the reasons given above, I give not a stuff I like to think I have better things to worry about

"well I don't think they are pricey at all. if you compare it with Hobbs, Jigsaw, Kew, White Stuff etc it's about the same."
But I don't buy from any of those places either. Like the OP I didn't know anything about Boden until using this forum, so I took a peek at their website, but when I saw their prices I just switched off. I can't see how they can justify £40+ for a top that looks pretty ordinary. I have just looked again at their site and find their sale prices much more wallet friendly, but still on the expensive side.

I don't know anyone in RL who wears Boden. I am not "catalogue clothes" shaped and have to try things on when buying clothes, so Boden is never a consideration for me when I buy clothes. I tend to shop in M & S, Matalan, New Look, Debenhams, Asda, Tesco, Wallis and various other clothes shops that you find in an average shopping mall.

I think that like all things fashion, people like it because other people like it.

There are people that would wear bin liners covered in rat poo if they were told it was fashionable, or they thought it showed people they had class/taste/money.

The same garment is revolting the year before it's in fashion, to die for the year it's in fashion, hideous the year after it was in fashion, frumpy a decade after it was in fashion, retro 20 years after it was in fashion, funny 30 years after it was in fashion and romantic 100 years after it was in fashion.

Now it's the same garment. It hasn't changed. So therefore I can only conclude that many people pretend to like or dislike things based on what the magazines tell them.

Bunbaker- well I never but from any of those shops, as aprt from M&S i think the quality and materials are rubbish- maybe it's an age thing- my DD does but she is 22 and I am 55.

My BF buys designer and will easily spend £150 on a pair of trousers or £500 on a winter coat. It's all relative.

I also never buy from Boden unless there is at least 20% off.

I am 52, but I don't have a "Boden" income. I have had no problems with the quality of clothes from the shops that I buy from. I am very selective about what I do buy and won't buy anything that is of poor quality. I don't buy from Primark because I think their quality is very poor.

I am surprised that you find Debenhams and Wallis clothes of poor quality BTW.

OH wouldn't buy a pair of jeans from Gap the other week because he thought £50 was too much. Personally I think he was being silly because he wears jeans all the time.

I also go to retail shopping outlets at Castleford and Doncaster to find bargains.

I generally buy DD's clothes from Next, but have never bought anything for me from there.

I mix and match Bun- 2 pairs of my best fitting jeans came from Uniqlo and were £15 and £28. I don't spend much on clothes so I would rather have 1 nice cardi for £50 than 2 for £25.
generally I avoid man made fabrics,- Ihate polyester and acrylic- and Boden does do a lot of natural fabrics like cotton and wool.

The bloomin' dog has just chewed two pairs of my cheep and cheerful shoes so I have just ordered a pair of the Bloomsbury t bars to replace them. I feel better now!!

We are not a 4x4 driving family and I do not aspire to be a 'boden family'. However, I would rather have fewer quality items than lots of cheaper ones. The customer service is also second to none so I can aways order with confidence that, if there is a problem, it will be sorted immediately

Purple Peony- I am the same age as your daughter, and I buy in all those shops, bar M & S as I personally find them too 'old' for me.
I generally tend to shop mainly at Primark, boohoo.com and H&M. I know the quality of the first two isn't generally great, but for me and people of my age, they're fantastic because you can get the latest look for half the price that somewhere like Topshop will sell it for. As I tend to clear out my clothes every year and buy new stuff anyway, the quality of an item isn't as important to me as how it looks, to be honest.
I'm pretty loyal to H&M for my DC's clothes though, great quality and very funky so it ticks all the boxes for kids clothes for me.
Has anyone been into Forever 21 yet? I'm dying for one to open up near me!

I am a longtime Boden fan, and have also started recently buying Joules which I like for a more 'country' look.
My kids grew up in Mini Boden and are now wearing Johnnie B, which is excellent, if over priced. Boden sometimes get it wrong, with the odd frumpy piece, but can generally be relied upon to clothe you in simple style. The times I have been complimented on my dresses or tops, boots or bags are many. I am now in my forties but wore Boden throughout my thirties. I'm not sure at what age we are supposed to start shopping at The Woollen Shop (!) but I won't be any time soon!!
Boden has great longevity, great quality, excellent re-sale value (ebay) and is instantly recognisable. Long may it live!

Its great for children, although their sizing in girls trousers leaves alot to be desired. They are tiny and I avoid them.

Its great for basics and the occasional day dress.

I avoid their shoes like the plague as they are way too expensive and awful fitting.

I never, ever, pay full price. The spend £30 get a tenner off code is fantastic when it is around. I doubt anyone ever pays full price for anything.

I like that I can buy clothes that automatically make me fun or funky...er....

Even though am still in my 20ies I have worn Boden for a while (before my MN days ), nothing 'fun' or 'hotchpotch', but I like the fact that they do long length in all skirts,trousers,dresses etc. Never understood the 'obsession' or the hatred to be honest, it's just a clothing brand. There are high st brands that are v recogniseable that don't get this reaction.

Boden models drive me round the bend with their happy-happy thing - always have to have a man in tow, or otherwise be doing Drinks With The Girls. The one with the nostrils from the autumn catalogue in particular.

That said, I buy a few things from them. I can get away with it because I live abroad where there's no Boden.

I think their success is down to their colour range - in fact I wish they'd ditch some of their direr prints and focus even more on colour and putting it together well.

I love grey, but when I look at e.g. Mint Velvet's site it makes me wonder whether I just lost all colour on my computer. Mint Velvet's clothes probably look great in a shop, but the way they display them on their website - ugh.

Where I live hardly anyone wears Boden. I like it because it is a little bit different to everyone else. I do mainly buy in the sales though!

It used to be excellent quality and beautifully made and finished, but I have to say I have been disappointed the last couple of years and bought most 5-10 years ago.

I only buy it in the sale or on eBay as I think it's overpriced. Some things are lovely done things aren't.

Def only buy in sale or with a code, there is always one around.