Has anyone bought anything from Boden since their recent ‘relaunch?’

[ChienneDesFromages]

I was a bit fanatical about Boden in about 2012. Hadn’t bought anything since 2020 and drifted to other (less flouncy) brands.

I saw a gorgeous looking skater style dress in a peacock blue this year. Very like their old styles, which really worked for me.

It was so disappointing. £85 for the thinnest viscose you could imagine (think the cheapest supermarket dress material.) Obviously not lined. knickers and bra strap showed through. Literally, every expense spared.

There are a couple of more expensive things I like the look of - a velvet blazer, merino sweater and tweed skirt. Now wondering if I should bother even ordering.

Has anyone had a more positive experience?

There were a couple of dresses I was tempted by but the reviews say exactly what you are saying. Personally, I don't like viscose- It feels sweaty and scratchy like polyester to me.

It's a pity because some of the styles and colours are right up my street - and I wouldn't have said that about Boden in recent years.

2 v well cut silk shirts and two pretty fair isle ‘grandad’ jumpers

I was interested to see that the word ‘BODEN’ doesn’t appear anywhere in the new catalogue - well, it’s on the back cover but not very prominently.

A big change from the old days, when Johnnie was a bit of a rock star and they were selling the ‘Boden lifestyle’.

They’re in big trouble, and I think they’re trying all sorts of desperate measures - sounds like the quality has gone down to cut costs. Shooting themselves in the foot, I think.

Yes! I bought the taffeta skirt, which I've had loads of compliments on https://www.boden.co.uk/en-gb/taffeta-pull-on-midi-skirt-black/sty-r0286-blk

And also I think it's this dress though I have it in a green and black tiger print https://www.boden.co.uk/en-gb/laura-jersey-midi-shirt-dress-emerald-night-spaced-dot/sty-d0764-dgr?cat=C1S22_G4 - also really like it.

I tried the Kate dress on but it was too thin and DD said I looked like a teacher (with apologies to any teachers, I'd just like to say some of my best friends are teachers!)

I haven't bought anything else for years, I was tempted back again by their refocus.

LunaNorth I noticed that too. The catalogue is very typical old-style Boden but no mention of the brand. To be honest, the lifestyle they are selling, all huge glittery Christmas trees, marble fireplaces and toddlers in tartan looked pretty outdated.

I agree they are in big trouble. They’ve dropped their menswear offer, which had remained decent quality. Their shirts are a staple of DH’s ‘solicitor at the weekend’ look.

I might try a couple of styles from their winter sale. The tweed, silk, cashmere and velvet stuff might be worth a punt. I presume there will be plenty available come mid-December.

I bought a pair of trousers which were apparently from "archive stock", in early Seot or so, I love them, wear them loads an now unavailable or I'd buy more. Havn't bern hugely tempted by anything else, but maybe that's the prices! Tte dc have outgrown the Mini range too.

I have £10 voucher though.

Just looked at their website for the first time in about four years. So dated and eye-wateringly expensive prices. Fashion has changed to much since Covid and clothes are so much more relaxed now. It all looks very formal at Boden. I guess they’ve just failed to change quickly enough. What a shame because, my God, they had a magic money tree going on back in 2010 - 20. I just adored everything they made.

I reckon I’ve got so many £10 vouchers stashed away, I could probably make an offer for the whole business.

I was a bit devastated about the menswear. I now don’t have a source for DP’s xxl shirts — they were just the right size. And picky/sensitive teenage DS liked the very soft cotton t-shirts. Those were where my £10 vouchers always went.

I bought a top last night, a blue velvet top, but the code h6n6 didn't work for me. Maybe because i'm in ireland. So annoying. I went to the EU site, and the promo code was still there advertised. But when i entered it (and I rechecked it) I got a message saying something doesn't look right. I bought it anyway but I feel annoyed.

Any suggestions of places to shop for clothes instead of Boden. I don’t know where to look now they have gone downhill.

The only things I liked were the knitted dresses but they were £120.
I waited till they had their 20% discount but all my sizes went out of stock.

I ordered one dress- can't remember the name but it was the navy and gold spotty one (slightly bo-ho) and I returned it. The waist was so high and the skirt so full, it made me look pregnant.

I've not ordered anything else as all the r eviews are so bad.

I just bought this dress - really decent heavyweight fabric, like the classic Ponte dresses I used to get about 10yrs ago from them. Had a £10 voucher and got 15% off too so it was a pretty decent price.

After buying a coat and realising the issue with the way the back was hanging was not my fat posterior but the fact the lining was too short and was pulling up the back of the coat fabric (I fixed it by cutting the lining from the coat material hem and then realised the lining fabric was short by at least 3 inches!!!!), I realised their glory days were over and haven't ventured onto their site since. What is wrong with producing items to a good standard, from a decent fabric, and not trying to out-grow what was their happy core market. Sometimes a brand can stretch itself too far and loose rather than gain a market share.

I still love their clothes although I do appreciate that some of the items just aren't for me ie: they're too young or just not the right fabrics. Their tweed, velvets, knitwear and Breton tops are fantastic and I always buy a Christmas jumper from them.

I purchased a fair isle type cardigan - was really pleased with it. Did think their prices had really gone up , but I had a 25% off code at the time so it was ok - would not have bought full price

What was the skirt like IRL - I was tempted but worried it would be to stiff bc and stick out

They used to have a concession in John Lewis in Cheltenham. Very useful for seeing if something was good quality or not. That's gone now.
Bought a tank top this season. Had a code for 25% off so it was worth it. Lovely colours, gets lots of comments whenever I wear it. Wouldn't have bought it at the full price.
Still have ,and wear, a beautiful green velvet coat and a purple one . I bought them 18 years ago. They still look so lovely. Not tempted to spend the amount they cost today on any Boden coats.

I have a cord skirt I bought - but I listened to the reviews ( which were correct ) and bought accordingly . Sizing is all over the place . Listen to what the reviews say about sizing . Got a dress that looks frumpy and will go back .

prices are ridiculous - only worthwhile with discounts and vouchers

Yes I noticed the Boden concession in JL Oxford St has either moved or I think more likely gone.
The problem is that the poor quality of the clothes was more obvious if you could handle them IRL.

@BeaLola It does stick out a bit but it's structured well to be part of the design rather than it just sticking out IYKWIM. I lost weight last year through illness and I'm a size 10 (down from a big size 12) - I don't think I would have worn it at my old weight. On the other hand it might have worked well because it's supposed to hang like that, I don't know!

I used the love Boden...
The only think I've bought recently is a blazer that isn't great quality but it fit me really well and was.on deep discount (absolutely not worth the 225 quid original price🙄). Anyways, it's a black poly mix crepe that looks good when you leave the house but shows every speck of dust so I have brush myself off multiple times a day. If I had known I wouldn't have kept it.

I used to buy lots of tops and dresses from Boden. I haven't bought anything from them for years. I got the marketing nonsense about Johnnie messing up... thought it was ridiculous. Why trash your own brand? Why not just get on with quietly making it better? The clothes should speak for themselves.

Anyway... they've totally got it wrong with their catalogue. 20 somethings carrying toddlers (who obviously aren't their children), the fake laughing and flat chested models (who don't show how a garment looks on a more usual body type) just didn't do it for me. Why do they always insist on using models who are nothing like their key target audience?

Despite all that, I did like the look of some of the clothes but the prices were way too high. And by the sounds of it the fabrics are missing the mark too. I'll keep an eye out for the sale and maybe try a few things then.

I haven’t bought anything but kids’ clothes from them for ages. Even a couple of years ago they had gorgeous girls’ clothes, and I could have bought the whole range for DD. The simple jersey dresses were a huge favourite, and great quality (though they kept getting a bit less so).

Then they, like Cath Kidston just before it folded, went all in for odd “jolie laide” looks - all paisley and unflattering 70s designs and shapes that looked “edgy”, but which I hated and DD wouldn’t consider wearing. Last season I couldn’t find a thing for her. There are a couple of items I liked in this current autumn range, but still a bit too much of the “edgy” stuff.

Why do brands do this? DD used to love Cath Kidston for the cute prints. Then they started making ugly ones, and shortly after folded because no-one wanted to buy ugly Seventies purple designs! Boden is going the same way. Not sure a relaunch is quite enough.

I’d love to know that too.

I bought quite a few things from Hush for a while. But this seasons offer is so dour I can’t even bring myself to make an order.

Hobbs is generally good quality for work clothes, if if a bit on the boring side.

I found a lovely party dress in Marks & Spencer, which all wet Christmas events, but they’re a bit hit and miss.

With so many brands reducing their quality (and increasing their price) and sizing all over the place, I have found the best option now is to put a Saturday aside every few months and go into real shops to try things on. That way, at least I know things fit, are the quality want, are made from decent fabric, and it avoids the problem of ordering things , thinking that’ll do and never getting round to sending them back. I’m lucky to live very near Cambridge town centre and the John Lewis there is a bit of a one-stop shop for me, although I do have to try on dozens and dozens of items to arrive at an outfit I’m pleased with.