Do you think Boden is frumpy?

[perceptionreality]

I always thought so....then this year I've caught myself liking one or two of their shoes

Is this a sign I am getting old????

I think it depends what you get and like many I avoid the garish patterns. I love the sort of Mad Men look you can pull together with Boden. But I'm the sucker that thinks if I wear the same clothes as the model I will somehow start looking like her. When will I learn.

I agree BegoniaBigtoes but there are some out there that want you to know what they are wearing I have a friend who told me her playgound had cliques known as the Jigsaw clique The Boden Clique The designer clique etc etc Scary thought !! and that was the Mums ??!!

God help anyone "aspiring" to wear Boden or show it off!

It's pretty much middle/lower end of price range these days unless you go to Primark or Next , H&M etc.

Compare it to LK Bennet, Hobbs, Jigsaw, it's not expensive but I never buy with less than a 20% discount unless there is something I love.

If you buy in the preview you can keep your 20% discount going by returning anything and exchanging, so it's always worth buying in preview to have a look and swap for something else.

Frumpy. Completely.

Lower end of price range ameliagrey, really?? I don't think £99 for ballet pumps is lower end in anyone's world tbh! I don't shop in Primark but in all the high street shops ballet pumps are normally half of what Boden ask.

I have bought a few things over the past5 years (now 34). I tend to go for plain knitwear or tees though I did buy a print cagoule last year. Have never bought trousers for some reason.

Is that what Boden charge for Ballet pumps now? Bloody hell, French sole aren't much more than that!

Yes Amber - they have them in the sale for £50, that is half price!

They are one of those brands that say they are aiming at younger mothers and always show the clothes on slender models who in reality are aiming at a different type. They always sell out in big sizes - and they go up to 22 (?). Lots of their clothes are made of nice strechy jersey and you need never worry about necklines or hemlines being immodest. This and the prices adds up to the reall Boden purchases being 40ish, plumpish and seeking comfortable clothes, which is a bit of a set up for frumpiness.

If I buy Boden it is mainly for work as it is presentable and just right for a charity. My boss wears lots of Boden too and she is almost 60.

Yes, I do!

I think they are the same price as jigsaw and about the same quality - and that's not a compliment.

In general I find Boden twee rather than frumpy, and with too many clothes with an under-bust line or gratuitous gathers or frills. Not to mention terrifying patterns.

But I have some Boden stuff which is great. Pick and choose discerningly.

I get my dds stuff occasionally and I have one or two items but generally their sizing is so bizarre I never find anything which fits at all!

I like Boden on the whole and find myself buying more and more of it .

But some of the prints! Oh my word...Shocking.

Which High St shops ae you talking about Perception?

Do you mean Clarks etc?

Boden shoes are usually leather lined and have leather soles. I don't have any ballet pumps as they don't fit me, but I did have some from French Sole and they were not that good quality- plastic soles.

I wouldn't pay £99- I'd always get 20% off which would make them more like £75.

Also many of their clothes are 100% wool, silk or cotton- you can get man made for half the price or less, but I don't want an acrylic jumper for £15 .

it would be sad if all of us who are over 40 and 'plumpish' and who like clothes to be comfortable - in the sense of fitting well and not having to worry about them once they're on - were to be condemned as 'frumpy'.

I no doubt thave frumpy days but don't generally feel so. I think, as long as you choose carefully from Boden or elsewhere, it's then about how you wear the clothes, carry yourself, put an outfit together as much as other factors.

I wouldn't pay £99 for my Boden Ballet pumps, I got mine for £50, which is still a lot but they are really, really comfy & I love the leopard print.

I started with boden in my 30s and now in my forties I dont want to get old gracefully with it but stylishly and that is why I occasionaly look or buy from Phase Eight the italian collection in muted colors or Mint Velvet and Charity shops I dont want to follow the seasons and I hold on to the poem of the women in purple so frumpiness is held at bay

Frumpy isn't the word I'd use, more extremely old fashioned, my mother is all most 70 and she wouldn't even wear 90% of there stuff because it's too old fashioned or hippy prints she thought she'd seen the last off in the 60's.

I live over looking their London store tho and I find it annoying that they actually have some really nice T-shirts and things for the kids, (my son has some of their nice t-shirts and jackets) I can't understand why they can't do that ssort of thing in womans sizes why does it all have to look like your grannies curtains cut up and turned into a top/dress?.

Agree this last season has been particularly bad for '60s and 70s revival' type things - their 'fun' tunic was just one eg - would make me look like a walking cultural reference joke!

I choose Mint Velvet & Phase Eight too over Boden.

I have got a fair few things from Boden. I like some of their jackets (not the patterned ones). I need to have a look at the sale stuff - is it any good?

I like some of Boden but not all. Often find it looks frumpy on me (mainly due to the cut of some items) but some of their classic clothes are nice so I'm selective of what I buy from them. Mainly it's jeans, knits and t-shirts that I buy. I tend to steer clear of their bold prints, I prefer plain colours with just a small touch of colour or pattern.

I'm getting a bit bored with the Boden bashing threads that seem to crop up so often. I've been buying Boden for about 20 years when they first began and had a very limited collection of " country type" clothes.

I think they are in some way synonymous with White Stuff- in the same way that they do folksy prints, Boden does fun prints.

But you can choose carefully. Both of the above do plain items as well.

I think their winter coats are often good value. I've got skinny velvet jeans, cargos/chinos, some cashmere that's now into its 3rd season, a couple of cardis- and none is patterned.

I tend to buy basics from them that will last.