Has Boden got any better- which is what JB promised?

[Makemineadecaff]

I'll admit it- a lot of my wardrobe used to be Boden, for almost 30 years. I'm middle aged, fairly 'staid' and wear mostly smart-casual.

I liked Boden as they did petite sizing, easy of buying, returns etc and I could always find the occasional dress that I'd wear.

However.....desperately looking at summer dresses on the Boden website and they are mostly ghastly. Dreadful patterns in huge prints (don't work when you're 5ft 2"), too much pink and black (who wants black for summer), silly prices and just....well not nice.

I bought a summer dress recently, it's a horrible fabric and looks so cheap. Definitely not as good as it used to be, I had some brilliant linen dresses from there years ago which were much better for the summer.

The winter collection seemed better - more plain fabrics and nice cuts. Still overpriced but I did buy something when reduced for the first time in 3yrs. I do quite like pink though so going to go and check out the most recent things now!

Like you OP, I keep checking for their petite ranges, but I have been buying less and less. The prices are insane even with codes. The patterns ridiculous and just plain ugly. The fabrics nasty.

I'm glad it not just me.

I see a style I like, then look at the colors available and just think NO!

Too bright, too girly, too overpowering.
And then the only safe options are black (or navy.) I like navy and I have ordered one dress but no doubt it will be returned.

Prices are crazy- used to buy quite a bit of knitwear but not at £100+.

I had that letter last year, saying they had lost their way etc and were back to what they did best etc etc. so I went online and GOOD LORD the prices!! So even if they have gone back to better clothes, I can’t afford nearly £200 for a summer dress! Their stuff just isn’t good enough to justify the price. I still have some old Boden from 10-15 years ago that is much better made, and cost about 50% of what it does now.
They have priced themselves out of the market when the quality doesn’t match what they’re asking for.

I'm sort of eating my words by possibly keeping one summer dress but it's still £76 with 15% off. Plain navy, as ever.

If I was going to spend that kind of money I'd go to Me&Em.

Totally agree. It’s fucking shite!

It used to be amazing but have bought very little recently.

bought plain trousers recently and one pair went bobbly

Used to buy a lot of Boden but that was when the fabrics were natural fibres and the quality was great - nice heavy cotton jersey, linen and silk! Now the price hike is eye-watering but the quality much worse. And I like neutral basics, not mad prints. Kids’ clothes have gone the same way - I used to buy loads for DD and would really love their stuff but current designs and quality are really meh.

I still get their old stuff on Vinted and eBay - it’s much better!

Everything I've ordered recently has gone back. The quality is shocking for the price.

I've bought some lovely blouses recently which tuck nicely into jeans.
But yes lots of the dresses have large gaudy prints. And prices are very off-putting.

I couldn't tell you when I last bought stuff from Boden- probably about 7 years. Now hugely overpriced and I'd rather spend that sort of money on something I'd wear for much longer. Shame, some of their plainer things were very classic.

I buy it but only from eBay.

I recently bought 3 summer dresses from Boden.
One had 15% off but still came in at £95. It’s gorgeous, I bought it for Wimbledon but it will get lots of wear.
The other 2 were in the sale.
A fuschia linen midi which was £50 reduced from £125. I love it, the bodice is fitted with a v-neck and the material feels heavy.
The last one was £39 reduced from £95.
I like it but very nearly sent it back as the neckline is extremely low…hopefully I can alter it as it’s a wrap type neckline.

I don’t even bother looking at their website these days. Ten years ago my entire work wardrobe and a lot of my casual clothes came from Boden. I just saw a post from them on social media saying they were about to launch their new “circus-inspired styles”. That just about sums it up. Clown clothes.

In addition to lower quality and higher prices, it’s been revealed that Johnny Boden is now a life patron of the Portman hunt. Two members of the hunt were convicted of illegally hunting a fox with dogs in September 2024.

I'm struggling with summer clothes generally this year. I'm 5'8", a size 10.

I've bought a well made Chanel-style cotton jacket, a pain of cotton chinos that are long enough (hooray) and a pink & green dress in cotton sateen.

Not so sure about their blouses and tops so far, but more than I bought from them last year. For me at least, they are getting better.

They sent me a voucher but I couldn’t find anything I liked enough to use it.

about 50% of my wardrobe used to be boden.

I used to be a loyal Boden buyer about 10 years ago. But they just went so rogue with their styling and the prices were eye watering. I don’t think I’ve even looked at their website in 2 years.

They lost me when their prices went mad. I used to live in Boden but no more. The quality isn't great and I won't pay their ridiculous prices for unpleasant fabrics and ghastly patterns.

I just sent back everything i ordered. The fabric was thin and they didn’t fit right through the shoulders. It’s a shame because they used to be great.

I like meandem for a few nice pieces and find seasalt good quality - I wish they were a bit less twee but the basics are reliable.

Can I ask where you shop now instead?

I buy my daughters clothes from boden. I like their pj's, underwear and tops for girls. My issue though is that the stuff I get goes into the sale eventually. So this week there's been 30 then 40 then 50% off. Its off putting. I bought myself a couple of tops this week. One full price one in the sale. Fit was off on the one in the sale but I kept them. Won't be buying again. I now buy mainly from wyse (expensive but I'm a fan) and sometimes from hush.

Not just life patron but master of hounds I believe, my mum knows him.