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?

I bought a denim dress from one of those off-label excess stock web stores recently. Original price £110 apparently, I bought it for £25.

My goodness it is a beauty. So flattering, gorgeous dark soft denim, lovely weight and movement. I'm delighted with it.

But that's where their stock is ending up as it's clearly not shifting on their own website.

I used to buy a lot of menswear from boden.
It was excellent quality well cut and washed well. Very disappointed the menswear has disappeared.
Also the baby wear was so lovely - nothing really now until about two years old. I love to buy for my grandchildren and am so disappointed.
i understand as a grandmother I am not necessarily their target market but always used to but their cashmere and other wool jumpers. The quality has gone downhill in my opinion. The t shirts used to be beautifully shaped and cut ,they are now shapeless.
It is such a shame

I brought a knitted boden top yesterday but I got it from Tkmaxx. Loads of Boden stuff in there.

@SingingSands which website was that, I'd be interested in having a look.

If you are looking at swimwear, read all the reviews. Lovely quality, but they all seem to be cut for every specific body shapes and different ones across the range. I wear petite tops and my regular size swimming costume is only just long enough in the body.

I have bought so much from them in the past but now I'm struggling to afford any of it.

There is a cardigan which would be the perfect Xmas gift for my mum. In the past it would have been maybe £80 and I'd have got it for her. Now is £150.

I've just had a look as never liked much of their stuff. Now I do like some of it , but there's no way I want to pay £95 for a velvet shirt unless it's totally outstanding quality.

I like some of the jersey dresses too but again unless they are outstanding quality I'm more for paying £50 from somewhere like FatFace than £85

At 61 I'm probably not their target market though as I'm loathe to pay those prices just for a particular brand- unless the quality matches

I did pay £110 for a dress in Anthropologie recently, but it's heavyweight, fully lined and well stitched and I could see it first- in store

I am now about to prowl TKMaxx to see if I can find any!

It's this one:

highstreetoutlet.com/products/panelled-denim-midi-dress

🙂

One thing I will say at a casual glance of not looking is that it seems a lot of the styles are geared to if you have a look and figure like Kate Middleton- which is fine as I'm sure some mumsnetters do- but I don't. There is little there to suit if you are curvy (or a bit overweight) have big boobs and aren't quite tall. I found Joe browns worked better- many similar looks to Boden , same quality and cheaper and more suited if you aren't 'rangey'

I was just reading the ‘how to dress like a frazzled, Englishwoman’ thread on style and beauty. On the plus side, a dress that doesn’t quite fit in a possibly ill-advised shade, and shows my bra straps
through the fabric might be helpful for this recent trend.

I went to a client visit today in one of my old faithful Boden dresses (2017, I think). It is such a beautiful heavy fabric and also lined so the skirt hangs really well. Nothing like the disappointing offering that turned up in the post last week.

One way in which they may be able to cut their costs if they desist from sending mini Boden catalogues to those of us, whose children are well into their teenage years. I’m unconvinced that my 15-year-old wants to wear a novelty net dress fashioned to look like a Christmas tree, even ironically.

Unfortunately, the mini Boden style is so distinctive, it does seem to have rather dated.

I’m pleased some of you have been able to find good quality pieces in Boden still. It seems like the more expensive items are still worth a punt, although whether they are good value for money compared with comparable brands, I guess remains to be seen.

Thank you @SingingSands that denim dress is really lovely. It doesn't mention Boden in the description so did you only find out when it arrived?

I ordered from them last week. All sale items as I refuse to pay £100 for a jersey dress.

seven dresses. Two poor quality. The other five the same as items I bought c.2017. Seem to have an issue with the sleeves falling off the shoulders though!

I bought the silver jacket mentioned upthread, and the fabric is absolutely gorgeous- really crunchy, sparkly tweed, far more vibrant than the pics

but the jacket itself is totally shapeless, and baggy and saggy under the arms.

I might try a smaller size just because the fabric is so lovely. It won’t do up but at least it won’t swamp
me

I wondered the same @SingingSands - is there some way to search by the brand?

I thinkthe poster who mentioned fashion having changed since covid is right. I like some of the things in the current catalogue but I'm not going to get good value from expensive party wear as a late thirties hybrid working mum. I also don't have a Kate Middleton.
I picked up a nice casual knitted dress and a stripey shirt last year towards the end of the sales. Quality was reasonable.

The knitwear this season and the silk shirts look pretty but are quite expensive and would probably get ruined with mum life.

They used to do Classic Cotton shirts, which were sometimes awful but often lovely, and they washed and washed. Their lined cotton straight skirts were very wearable too.

I bought a beautiful green winter jacket from Boden, and really love it. It's made of a lovely warm woollen cloth, and the style is utilitarian (which I love).

It's leagues above the very similar Hush jacket that I bought and returned.

@Lavendersquare @AngryBirdsNoMore

Yes, on the website you can filter by brands. "UK's favourite store" is M&S 😉

It can be hit and miss, but a good site to keep an eye on!

I don't understand why you are comparing Boden to Hush. I don't rate Hush at all.

@SingingSands thank you

Hush seems to have gone weird this season.

I’ve got the ponte dress - agree it’s handy and good quality. It has picked up a bit but a way to go. I feel there is a space for Boden but they’ve got to cut back to the good stuff - too many meh products, too much cheap poor quality stretchy stuff.

the kids fair isle cardies are lovely, but agree their kids party stuff lack a bit of something.

i have that navy swimsuit too amongst others - some of their swimsuits are brilliant.