BODEN- I am so over them after 30 years.

[SummeryBells]

If I was married to them I'd be filing for divorce.

I loved them thirty years ago when I bought a poacher's jacket.
There was the honeymoon years when I couldn't get enough of them. Lovely knitwear, basic trousers, nice plain-ish smart dresses, great wool coat still going strong after 10 years.

And now I can't bear the sight of them.

The colours are garish, patterns headache-inducing, dresses nothing that appeals, prices- well, don't get me started on those - £80 for a pair of basic jeans? T-shirts close to £30. I could afford all of this but refuse to be ripped off.

I wonder if they will exist in a few more years?

I’ve just had a look at their new in email.
There’s a riff off of the Anthropologie Somerset dress and J Crew Swimwear, whoever said he’s after the US market was spot on.

My catalogue arrived on the post today. Oh dear. There’s a vast number of taffeta skirts. Lots of fussy patterns and dresses with bits dangling off them.

I guess with the £ to $ exchange rate being what it is, the flouncy dreadfulness is much more affordable in the US, if they are going for the market there.

On the plus side, falling out of love with Boden has opened my eyes to lots of other options I hadn’t considered before, especially some smaller and more ethical brands.

I feel 100% the same

When I first started my current job 10 years ago I bought two gorgeous jersey dresses from Boden, lovely quality fabric and I felt amazing in them. I remember that when they eventually went to the charity shop there was still life left in them.

A year or so ago I bought another jersey dress, think it was £60 with an offer code, I nearly sent it back because it was so flimsy but I liked the style. Half a dozen gentle washes and the colour had faded so much I couldnt wear it any more.

Your rip off your customers and you lose them, simply as that. Sorry Boden I wont be ordering from you again.

I have never shopped at Boden, although much of the talk here likening the cheesy head honcho (old D Cameron's chum-chum boy) to a cheating spouse is rather turning my stomach.

I too recommend Finisterre, Handworked, and some good quality second hand. The entire market is oversaturated with overpriced, synthetic tat, and that includes M&S. Sadly, if you prefer trend driven styles, there aren't many well sourced options..
Brora are hiking up the prices whilst producing youth focused (cropped, etc) trend offerings that wouldn't look out of place on Rod, Jane and Freddy.

Where oh where did the middle ground go?..... not the sopping-wet mimsy- conservative-fun-times Boden (uurrgh) but more the sleek, well crafted, lovely things like the 30 something lady in an episode of Inspector Morse might wear as she lounges around reading poetry or the broadsheets on a grey afternoon, sipping earl grey tea in the window seat.

Another week, another offer that started at 20% off and then increased to 30%. Seems like Boden are finding it hard to shift their stock this season.

Still not tempted by anything, though.

Me too. Johnny sent me a £10 off voucher. Still nothing.

Oh, yes, I got a £10 voucher too. I will just save it in the hope that they eventually have something half decent.

I haven't had their "what do you think of our upcoming collection" type survey for a while. I wish they would send me one, so that I could tell them exactly what I think!!

When I was skint I used to eagerly await the Boden sale to treat myself to a piece or two. Now I have money I occasionally check out their website and never buy anything. I too have the £10 voucher, I haven't looked at the site yet but will but it will have to be something special to tempt me.

I used to love the dresses. I have also fallen out of love with it.
The prices are crazy - dresses at 120.00, not for special occasion outfits, just cotton or linen or even polyester day dresses.

Just looked at the dresses. There isn't one print I liked. I remember I used to buy three or four of their dresses. The Phoebe dress was brilliant and the fabrics were great- either plain or some really lovely, original prints.

I think Boden is looking like Next. And Next have loads of cotton dresses too!

Ah I belong here. I must have spent thousands on Boden twenty years ago. I still have it all and it is still in good condition. Their new stuff is cheap and nasty. Is this what the US wants?

I don’t buy clothes much now as I don’t need much but I like Sea Salt for the odd dress and H and M for basics. I spend a lot of time in charity shops

I used to get my children's clothes from Boden all the time probably spent a couple of thousand I stopped two years ago after a snotty email from someone who said I couldn’t use two £10 vouchers together even though I always had without problems and I was always spending quite abit . Also noticed lately after a quick look the clothes aren’t as nice , will be heading the same way as joules most likely and I’m saving a lot by shopping at George Asda clothes honestly there actually quite good and made me realise I wasted a lot of money at Boden .

I've just had a look at the kids clothes for DS4 and most of them are awful! Most of his clothes are from Boden so I'm very disappointed.

I'm afraid my £10 voucher will go unused. In the Olden Days, you could use it on an order of any value (so you could treat yourself to a £12 something or other for £2), but there's nothing I want to spend £30 on.

On a brighter note, I bought a lovely linen Boden shirt in a charity shop the other day for £6!

I have the £10 voucher too.

I looked at the simple T shirts and then thought why would I still pay around £20 for a very basic T shirt when I can buy the same from J Lewis for £12-£15?

And possibly half that from Primark except there isn't one near me.

I looked at the scarves and thought, nope, not paying £45 (- £10) for a piece of viscose.

The dresses are ghastly, with too much flesh on show, or high necks, or hideous prints.

Even the knitwear in the sale is hardly under £50 for manmade fibres.

I was looking at this too. But the v is just stupidly low. Too low to wear really. Everything would just fall out.

And l hate all the colours. All really garish.

I just had a look at the new catalogue. What happened to the lovely, quirky prints that Boden used to do? The ones they have now are really garish. In fact, the designs don't look like Boden at all. I mean, who is going to wear this?

www.boden.co.uk/en-gb/pleated-palazzo-trousers-black-gardenia-pop/sty-r0252-blk

@ArseInTheCoOpWindow In my case, there is nothing to fall out. Which is not a good look, either. I'm a whole lot flatter than that model!

@Anoooshka I'd say they were a snip at £102. Pure polyester, too. Mmmmm.

Seasalt are SO frumpy these days!
Yes I loved Boden 12 years ago.
M&S and john lewis have been successful for me lately.
I still pop into monsoon but they are pretty polyester these days too 😢

I suggested to DD I buy her this… 🤣

www.boden.co.uk/en-gb/puff-sleeve-embroidered-dress-provence-dusty-pink/sty-g4006-pnk?cat=C1_S13_G4

@Anoooshka I actually like those…with 70s chunky platform boots and a fitted black jumper/polo in winter or gold sandals and a silk cami in the summer. Agree they’re overpriced though (although presumably a lot of material!).

Those palazzo pants look like they are trying to rip off La Double J but it doesn’t translate somehow….

Agree on the recycled polyester shite.