Boden for older children - what’s going on!?

[Notcontent]

First of all, I applaud Boden for having sizes that go beyond 12. I do buy leggings, tshirts, etc for dd from H&M and similar, but my 12 year old dd likes more traditional things like cord trousers, woolly jumpers, etc and Boden used to be great for that. However, I have noticed recently that they have got rid of their JohnnyB range and now the older kids range is the same as the younger range - I din’t think this makes sense!

For example, over the weekend I wanted to order dd some plain, not too short and not too tight denim shorts. It seems they only had one style of denim shorts and not surprisingly they are all sold out - plenty of other shorts, but they are all in really young, cutesy prints...

Anyone else noticed this? Incidentally I also looked at gap, and noticed that all their plan stuff that older girls might want to wear was also sold out, leaving all sorts of naff prints and embellishments...

It sounds to me as if they are catering for children who are still young but need bigger sizes.

I agree- dd is a small 14 but actually guffaws and recoils at Boden.

It's all a bit frillsy, flouncy and oh! a dinosaur, how original.

Imagine it’s a tough age range for Boden as they are very obviously identified with prints for babies and younger children on one hand, and then prints aimed at the adults on the other so perhaps it wasn’t selling?

Rainbowtrees - that may be so, but anyone over the age 10 is unlikely to want to wear novelty prints aimed at 3 year olds.

Cornishstripes - you might be right.

I think the Jonnie b range was trying to appeal to the age range who very much don’t want to be wearing the same clothing brand as their younger siblings or their parents. I’ve often been surprised at how big the regular Boden children’s range goes up to, I can’t think there are many 12 year olds who want to wear bright yellow pinafore dresses with appliqué bunnies on them.

I agree, the Johnnie B range was fab. I haven't bought anything since they stopped it - my 13 year old really doesn't want to wear clothes that are also in age 2-3 !

The bigger sizes now are clearly aimed at children who are large for their age rather than that age iykwim.

My daughter has only just turned 9 and is in teenage Boden sizes. It's one of the few places I can buy clothes that aren't too grown up looking.

It’s a pity as I really struggle to find things dd can wear. No problem finding leggings, skinny jeans or hoodies, but anything else is a struggle to find.

Try here, notcontent

www.brandymelville.co.uk

Or Hollister, Primark and New Look

AuntieStella - thank you, but the issue is that my dd would not wear any of the clothes from those shops, except maybe the odd hoodie. They are all a certain uniform - skiing high waisted jeans and cropped top - which is completely not my dd!!!

my 10 year old dd loves boden and wears 12-13 , so im glad they go up to this size.

I'm having the same issues with clothes. DD doesn't really like the cutesy Boden prints anymore, the plainer clothes are still fine. But she's a bit young /,doesn't like teen fashions yet.

I can’t find anything for DD (soon to be 9) in the UK. I tend to buy from Monoprix in France ...

Totally agree.

How many 14 year old boys want to wear glow in the dark dinosaur PJs?

You can get a lot of Johnnie B on eBay. I agree it’s rather frustrating.

Yes! I have had exactly the same thought process this week - needing to use a Boden voucher and finding no pre-teen denim shorts to spend it on. Fortunately I found decent Gap ones instore (age 12 being sold out online) which were a good buy at 40% off.

There's a reasonable variety of clothes form Primark and New Look, it's not all cropped tops. H and M is good for this age and some Next stuff sometimes. Neither my 12 year old nor my nearly 10 year old would wear Boden I wouldn't think, it's more for younger kids in terms of style.

I miss Johnny B. My 5ft 6 11 year old used to like their stuff. Now it’s horrid.

For the poster up thread looking for shorts. There were some denim roll up shorts to about 2” or so above the knee in New Look teens yesterday. I’ve also found normal length shirts in Primark ladies wear. I think they go down to s size 4

And none of them were high waisted. Just normal waist position. 😊

Jack Wills is pretty good for the 11-15 market. Expensive and not Boden quality - but sales are good with big discounts.