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Original poster

Am thinking men don't "get" Boden

26 replies

takingchances · 20/04/2011 09:17

I have a few things from Boden that my girlfriends/colleagues always admire and say the colours are lovely blah blah.
Last night I had on the silk painterly top and I said to DH "d'you like my new top" and he went "meh. It's ok. A bit loose and baggy...you have nicer things".

Went out to meet DSis for dinner who was loving the new top and commented on it straight away.
Thought about my other Boden things and I have had a similarly noncomittal reaction from DH.

Are Boden clothes too mumsy or safe for men to find attractive? Just wondering if other people have found the same thing. By the way, I don't dress just for men to find me attractive in case I start open a whole can of worms. I am just thinking about the styles/shapes/patterns in Boden.

OP posts:
ZillahWhoDrankTooMuchGin · 20/04/2011 09:19

I think 99% of it is mumsy and foul tbh - and i'm a woman.

BunnyLebowski · 20/04/2011 09:22

Well I'm a woman and I don't get it either. Most of it is frump central.

daimbardiva · 20/04/2011 10:25

I don't think it's just Boden things - I find quite often the things my OH likes on me are different to the things I/my female friends like. My OH tends to like fairly unfussy things that show me off, rather than the clothes IYSWIM, so no bold colours/prints, which I guess does apply to a lot of Boden.

I have a cloudspotter mac in green and black - a kind of sixties-esque design - and my OH doesn't like it, but every female I've encountered whilst wearing it loves it!

Oh, and I know the painterly top you're talking about, love the look of it!

tulpe · 20/04/2011 10:29

oh I don't know about that. I wore the pink mini skirt yesterday (well, it says mini but is in fact a mere inch above my knee) and DH was very appreciative of its form fitting ways Wink

SaggyHairyArse · 20/04/2011 10:30

I don't get the Boden thing either, it is very 'geography teacher' to me and over priced.

I bought some trousers and jeans from them once, camels toe a-go-go. Once bitten, twice shy.

DarthNiqabi · 20/04/2011 10:30

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

FebreezeYourJeans · 20/04/2011 10:33

There is nothing sexy about the Boden look. All the women I know who dress, almost exclusively, in Boden tend to be thoroughly organised, real planners, confident, chatty mums but a bit safe and practical.

Boden does make my teeth itch I'm afraid.

Clockface · 20/04/2011 10:34

I was wearing an ancient Boden 'essential shirt' yesterday and a male friemd commented on how lovely it was. (In fact I have a few Blush and men have often commented favourably in them).

maybe I just live in Frumpsville?

NorbertDentressangle · 20/04/2011 10:35

I don't get it either.

I have a couple of things that my MIL has given me but TBH I can't believe how 'average' they are considering the price.

pinkbraces · 20/04/2011 10:35

I dont get Boden either and Im a women :)

Meggles76 · 20/04/2011 10:38

I think if you dress head to foot in Boden, it is a bit boring/ safe/ frumpy etc.. However, I buy some of their plainer stuff and mix it with things from other places which I think works.

That said, DH is much more likely to say that I look nice in my FC tunic dress than my Boden one...

tulpe · 20/04/2011 10:42

All the women I know who dress, almost exclusively, in Boden tend to be thoroughly organised, real planners, confident, chatty mums but a bit safe and practical.

Am chuckling to self. Am most disorganised, unconfident mother in the playground. Our braying mums tend to wear a rather unattractive blend of M&S, Fat Face & White Stuff.

I think the Boden head to toe look is a no-no. But then that goes for any brand, IMO. Mix and match with vintage, high street and high end labels. Would also always avoid anything remotely hotchpotch or high volume print too.

stapledmythumb · 20/04/2011 11:03

This is not really about Boden (which I am not a great fan of though like a few bits) imo men like different things from women. Would pretty much agree with what daimbardiva said.
I too have a mac that has been massively admired by other women and my OH fairly hates it. male friends are not keen either.
Not saying that men all like the same things any more than women do - but there is a difference. I think women who dislike Boden etc would class it as frumpy - whereas my DH would think pretty, but not special/sexy.

DarthNiqabi · 20/04/2011 11:07

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Longtalljosie · 20/04/2011 11:13

Boden has zero sex appeal. In fact, I think I remember Johnny Boden saying so quite cheerfully in an article. So no surprise your DH is underwhelmed...

BarefootShirl · 20/04/2011 11:17

Have never ever bought Boden - far too mumsy frumpy for my taste - but then the school mums probably think I look a mess when I turn up at the gates - each to their own Smile

daimbardiva · 20/04/2011 23:01

Although I am generally a Boden fan and have quite a few things from there, I'd never dress in Boden from head to foot. But then again, I don't think I ever dress in clothes from any one shop from head to foot!

bristolcities · 20/04/2011 23:11

N I don't like it and I don't have a DH, maybe that's were im going wrong?

ValiumBandwitch · 20/04/2011 23:14

I don't get it either. The patterns are too loud. And the plain stuff is too boring. I like the chidlren's clothes though.

I don't care what men think of how i dress though. I'm single though!

Butterbur · 21/04/2011 10:26

Boden stuff is weird, mostly. But I wouldn't look to DH for style advice either, as his taste runs to the very low cut, tight, and short, regardless of my age, skin colour and body type.

BendyBob · 21/04/2011 10:29

I don't get Boden either. It's so easy to spot and looks like a uniform.

Cornflakemum · 21/04/2011 10:36

I think women look for different things in clothes from men.

I look at something in a soft cotton or wool or silk, and think, 'that looks comfortable, quite smart, and I could wear it for work and weekends...'

DH looks at something which is tight-fitting, too short, too low and in some itchy man-made fabric and says 'that looks nice... '

Hmm

He always denied this until we were shopping for a shirt for him, and I pointed out a nice, quite fitted, cotton/ linen shirt which I thought would suit him, and he said 'oh no.. too scratchy, and I wouldn't be able to move in it' and then he realised he applied the same sort of criteria!

Original poster
takingchances · 21/04/2011 14:49

Ha Cornflake! That made me laugh. You're so right, my DH loves dresses. He doesn't even notice when I put on trousers or jeans, even if they're v nice and my overall ensemble is new/fancy. Any old skirt or dress though? He always admires it.

OP posts:
Cornflakemum · 21/04/2011 15:38

Yes! DH is the same! And I HATE dresses with a passion, as I am always too cold, or have the wrong shoes, or feel too 'girly'.

As a now 45-year-old mum of two boys I now always go for practicality and comfort as a priority and fashion/style later....

Original poster
takingchances · 21/04/2011 15:43

I love dresses but I hate the leg-preparation. My legs are blue-white and freckly. Also hair seems to grow at a super-human rate there. (But sadly not on my head).
That's why winter is soooo good. 80 denier opaques are my best friend!

OP posts:
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