Is anyone else finding Boden hugely overpriced and largely unwearable now?

[OompaLumpaLabrador]

Until recently, I loved Boden clothes and bought so much from them. I know they aren’t for everyone but the plainer, more classic styles did the job at work and often at home. Advice found some unusual, beautifully designed gems too. But, oh my gosh, there is not one of the voluminous, frilly floral dresses or randomly captioned, nylon-heavy knits that I can bring myself to consider. I did get a couple of frocks delivered, but at £120 with flimsy unlined fabric I would get batter value from wearing my living room curtains. When I think of some of the gorgeous, quality clothes I bought from there ten years ago (Andy still wear), it’s really unfortunate. Luckily, I’ve discovered the clearance section on the Hobbs site so there’s life in my ‘staid with style’ look yet.

Anyone else given up on Boden, or maybe I’m just getting boring in my old age?

Where do people shop now instead? I’m liking Hobbs for work, Fat Face, John Lewis own range. Just bought two gorgeous cashmere sweaters from Woolovers. Might give Marks and Spencer another chance too. Boden’s jersey dresses, trousers and jackets were perfect for me. But I do a responsible, serious job and none of my clients really want to see me in an oversized floral Peter Pan collar. Actually, I don’t really want to wear that sort of thing out to lunch with friends or at a school concert either. Maybe if I worked at a gallery in Frome? I feel they’ve lost a huge part of their core market (comfortably off, but not excessively spendy professional women).

@wolfstarling

I bought 2 jumpers recently, mistakenly though they were wool as they were expensive. They look like a couple of old rags after a handful of wears. It has put me right off them tbh. Infact after only the first wear they looked old!

Composition: 32% Viscose
23% Polymide
20% Cotton
.....4% Cashmere

Return them for a refund. Boden guarantees that if you are not happy with the quality for a year after purchase, you can do this.

I buy stuff from Sézane, Baukjen, wyse London, gather and see, free people, Levi, the Alex edit boutique, revolve. I’m extremely fussy about my clothes!

[quote LetHimHaveIt]@AnnieSnap You are absolutely wearing the shit out of that coat. But you're a good-looking woman with a nice figure. I struggle to imagine how I'd look 😂[/quote]
Ahh thank you. I’m a size 16 though and would wear this at a larger size!

Return them for a refund. Boden guarantees that if you are not happy with the quality for a year after purchase, you can do this.

Wow! I didn't know this. I am going to see if I can. Thank you @AnnieSnap

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@AnnieSnap

Thank you to all the posters who made lovely comments about me wearing my coat ❤️

Nut no one mentioned your hair! You have excellent hair.

That was meant to say 'But', obviously...

Still buy for the under fives in my household but not for myself or my elder daughter anymore. I agree the quality has changed and it just doesn't match with the price anymore for me personally

Thry have started sticking foil on everything. It fades in the wash! Its not designed to last.

Years ago I did buy from them but mostly mine is from white stuff, fat face, or ethical brands like sherpa or thought .

My pleasure @wolfstarling. Here’s the info

@TheSpottedZebra thank you. This thread has done wonders for my self esteem 😃

The swimwear is good quality and I like the jeans.

There’s nothing I would wear from the dresses this season though. It seems like post-Covid they’ve abandoned their plainer work wear dress styles and gone for floral.

Like a pp, can’t imagine rocking up to the office in any of them.

I bought an azure linen shirt this summer and it is the one item in my wardrobe that always gets praise everywhere I wear it.

I also have a lovely pleated skirt from last year in navy that hangs beautifully.

I tend to go for plain classics from them. And shoes in the sales. I don’t buy dresses, either.

Oh no I’ve just placed a huge order with their 25% promotion! I got the Amelia dress which is definitely one of those “overpriced voluminous floral” dresses and a patterned pair of Richmond 7/8. The only other clothes I got from them was pencil skirts at really low price at very end of sale a couple of years ago. Recently I’ve been regularly ordering from them for the baby, but this is first time I got something for myself. I’ve got DH stuff in sale before but it doesn’t quite fit him. This thread is interesting as I’ve got him Boden jumpers off eBay which he loves so maybe it is a change and decline in quality.

Love you in that coat @AnnieSnap, just the autumnal cheer needed!

Agree about synthetics - there’s some stuff I love the look of but hormonal sweats and polyester do not go!

I liked Boden around 10 years ago when I shopped there for my children too but I now find it badly cut, dowdy and frumpy. Much prefer Zara☺️

I used to like them for decent quality plain tshirts in interesting colours but the quality is really variable now, despite the price.

Only shop there for my two young DDs. Find the quality much better than other stores for them and the clothes are able to be worn by both girls and don’t look threadbare like a lot of the other clothes I’ve got from other places. I do tend to stick to “nice outfits” though rather than basics.

I always use a 25% off code and the vouchers whenever they arrive in the post for £10 off.

The adult styles aren’t my taste and a bit frumpy, but the kids stuff is great.

I’ve lost a lot of weight this year and was so looking forward to buying a few nice dresses from them…I might as well have kept stuffing my face because there’s not a single dress I’m drawn too. I’m tall and long limbed and the current offering would completely hide the shape I’ve worked so hard to achieve 😔

Having said that, I did buy a really lovely cord blazer from them which I’m wearing all the time, and some nice shirts too and cord trousers. Their more tailored stuff is still worth it, but there’s not much of that on their website.

I feel a little bit stuck as my height means many of the other retailers are out of the question, so I’m making do with a very minimalist wardrobe at the moment..I should never have lost the weight. Then at least all my lovely old Biden dresses would still have fitted 😂

@Grapewrath, I may like some Zara stuff, but I can’t tell. I went into my local large branch, stood there feeling uncomfortable at the chaos in there, turned around and walked out. Then I looked on their website and hated that too 😳

In addition to still buying some stuff from Boden. I buy from Baukjen, Hush, & ‘Other Stories and Monsoon. I rarely buy anything without a discount.

Boden still does longer length trousers and jeans for which I am grateful.

It's October, I don't want 70cm ankle skimmers, and I'm 5'8". Other places are so mean with their cut.

@MintJulia

Boden still does longer length trousers and jeans for which I am grateful.

It's October, I don't want 70cm ankle skimmers, and I'm 5'8". Other places are so mean with their cut.

But they don't do long length on all their trousers now - only the ones I don't like it seems!

I so miss Boden from about 10 years ago! Do you remember Next when it came out - really lovely quality clothes and then over the years they just went down and down and I fear the same is happening with Boden!

@OompaLumpaLabrador

I am a staid with style sort of person - where else do you shop?

My dream is to reach 60 so I can wear a kind of tweed suit and wool coat like an Italian nonna in milan.