Boden's latest catalogue

[PollyPerky]

Arrived today and yet again a disappointment. Apart from the usual smart casual trousers (which I sometimes buy) it's all badly cut dresses, horrible fabrics and over priced T shirts.

I've not bought one thing this season and hardly anything except a cardigan for years.

It seems to have really gone downhill.

I'd prefer that coat if it was plain pink rather than a pink herringbone pattern Mrs9

The prices!!!! Haven't bought from them in years, the quality is awful.

The side stripe jeans are just awful, and look so cheap
www.boden.co.uk/en-gb/womens-trousers-jeans/jeans/wc188-stp/womens-side-stripe-cavendish-girlfriend-jean#pr-header-back-to-top-link

I think they design for pear shapes. I have slim hips and thighs but many trousers are for saddle bag thighs. Most of the dresses are shapeless or empire line (to hide the Mum Tum) and any nicely fitted dresses are usually lined in polyester - for summer.

I was in Australia and in the fabric section of a hobby craft equvinlent they had the exact and very distinctive patterned fabric at about £2.5 a meter.

It's put me right off them as it's all fancy marketing and I find their children's knitwear very poor wearing.

The sizing and stock management have gone a bit bonkers too.

Boden's always been on the big size, but I ordered the phoebe dress in an 8 reg and long - it was really baggy.

Ordered a 6 regular and long (no way am I a six) - fitted perfectly but reg was too short. Long is out of stock indefinitely. And this was when it had not long been out.

So that's £48 of mine they've lost. Shame as I used to really aspire to a lot of their stuff. Now I can afford it and it's a bit pants .

And I'd forgotten what my username was!! You can probably tell I have had some issues with catalogue vs reality before now!!!

I wonder how long they will keep going at this rate?
I used to think of hem in the same price and quality bracket as Hobbs (which I don't buy as it's a bit staid usually), Jigsaw and Phase 8 perhaps.
But their patterns and styles are just weird now.

The few items I've bought from them aren't worthy of being described as 'quality' at all. They're very very standard. Their cuts are off, I'm a 12, and I have to buy 8 in some Boden items, never a 12, unless it's jeans. Shame, I think the quality was spoken off a few years ago.

The other thing they do, which I don't like, is give bloggers free clothing to keep the 'mum market' alive. That's where I saw the coat I linked to, on blogs, before it was released.

Maybe that's where all the size 6 long Phoebe dresses have gone, Mrs9C!

I like the red stripy dress but it's nothing I couldn't get in a supermarket or matalan for probably a third of the price. I like their t-shirts as basics. Everything seems to be variations of the same, with a choice of the sane fabrics. If you don't like this year's prints then there's nothing for you.

I actually saw a few things I liked, unlike the last catalogue, but £50 for a pretty vest! £120 for a dress I liked!

The prices seem to skyrocket with every new catalog, these days.

Looked through my new Boden catalogue last night, and then put it in the recycling bin: never before known.
Prefer Hush these days, following my conversion on here.

There is that many Boden promotions nowadays I don't know if anyone buys when it's full price. Probably why prices have increased - people think they're getting a deal with 15/20% off but they're paying the same probably as they would've done dull price a year or two ago.

Boden don't do size 6 in Long for anything so not sure how you managed to order it, Serial. As size 6 is equivalent to a 10 in places like Oasis I'm not sure why its the only size Boden do without a long version. Boden's sizing doesn't work for me at all now - a shame as a few years ago I got the most flattering work trousers from them. As it happens, the things i do like in the current catalogue are the linen shirts which only come in oversized - smallest size in that is far too big.

They have definitely changed quite a lot in the last couple of years. I used to look forward to the new season stuff, there'd always be knits and jackets I coveted (but couldn't afford till clearance ). Now there's nothing, really. One or two things that are okay - like, I'd wear if someone gave me as a gift - but nothing I want.

I could actually afford stuff now, too, as had some generous cash Christmas and birthday presents.

I do LOVE the long length baseball tees from the A/W range. I bought one and found I just wanted to wear it all the time so grabbed some more in the sale. They're so soft and light and non-clingy. I wear them under knits, on their own, over vests and in bed with PJ bottoms.

I hate all the patterns and colour combinations this year. :( I've ordered a few T shirts and a couple of dresses but I'm expecting to send some back.

Just had a look at catalogue which arrived today - tbh I was bored by a quarter of the way through, gave up and put it in recycling bin.