I don't "get" Boden stuff.............

[alwayslookingforanswers]

I shopped with Ocado for the first time yesterday - as it wasn't a huge shop so actually came in under my budget.

Along with my order today came a Boden Autumn 2009 catalogue.......I've just looked through it all and I think it's all hideous.

If I had a girl I may be tempted to dress them in some of the stuff (in girls sizes obviously) - but I really don't see the attraction for women - especially not at those prices!!!

Am I missing something really obvious, can someone explain the garish colours and styles to me..........

IKWYM Maggie.

DH always looks at the catalogues and says 'Why do they all have such wide mouths?'

The 'mum dropping her two little rapscallions off at prep school' picture in the winter catalogue was a particular classic of Boden lifestyle imagery, I thought.

I pick and choose with Boden. For example I have great jeans from there that really fit well and last, and some much-loved pjs, jumpers and cardigans. But it tends not to be the garish/multicoloured or "sassy" (bleurgh) stuff - well I do have a spotty raincoat but that's it. I would hate to think I'd gone all-out for a head-to-toe "Boden look" but then I wouldn't do that with any shop. Just look out for the odd item I like.

Also they do brilliant kids' stuff - yes expensive but very hardwearing and keeps its shape. I sometimes get DS tops, pjs and winter coats. The last winter coat was £24, lasted 2 years and was so warm and well-designed. I've just ordered another, with discount was also under £30, I think that's not bad for 2 years' use.

Plus the cheesetastic catalogue and the more extreme examples of hideous wear are just the gift that keeps on giving - they provide endless hours of amusement on here

girls stuff is gorg have bought my daighters clothes from boden this season big button dresses are adorable

oh no ive been away and nearly missed a Boden thread as someone else says its not compuslory if you dont"get" it dont buy it i dont "get" a lot of clothes but i love Boden and its not that expensive with the codes off ive seen stuff in high street shops in the last few days about the same price and not as near good quality

If you don't like Boden ypu don't actaully ahev to announce it, you don't earn a special 'Ihate Boden so I must therefore be cutting edge'badge you know.

If you don't like it, don't buy it.

I like boden but generally can only afford to buy secondhand on ebay. Just got a lovely boden duffle coat for dd, quality is excellent, should last for dd2 as well.

I think it's nice, not my shop of choice as I'm only 5'2 and I think Boden is for tall women.

Baroness - I was just genuinely surprised - never having actually looked at the stuff before, depsite having seen it raved about on here for years - that I didn't like any of it - I'm notoriously easy to please with clothes and expected/hoped to find at least one thing to covet after.

I agree Posie, I'm five foot two too. (tutu). Jonnnie Boden has never met a woman who is not 'willowy' I suspect.

at cherryblossoms... a couple of years ago i did indeedy contemplate finishing a cultural studies ma with a boden dissertation

was all about the contradictions between consumption and that bizarre 'natural' running around the mountains aesthetic they had going, afai can recall...

i didn't bother lol, but occasionally i pull the proposal out when i become overloaded with the pomposity of academia, and it makes me grin every time (in my head my working title was 'from the bohemian to the bodenian' )

(hangs head in shame)

ha ha, you so taaaaaalll Jajas

bagacious is an excellent word.

i am in therapy as i dont like boden

i am intrigued byt eh stock levels adn colours people choose.

you're all blardy tall - I'm 5ft

I hope the chaise-longue in your therapist's surgery is fashionably apolstered.

Imagine if your therapist greeted you with 'I'm Isolde, I'm 32 and I like to drink hot chocolate in the rain"

But I'm tall and I can't wear their dresses or coats because the "waist" falls just under my norks (which aren't enormous droopers btw) and also their tops aren't long enough and the sleeves are never long enough (if I get something long-sleeved, it's 3/4 sleeved on me). Boden is made for slimmish women of about 5'6", with short arms.

rofl at maggie

"i am Kirk and i love girls with sparly eyes"

I have said this before,but I do buy the less obvious Boden bits,plain tunics,knitwear,trousers.
I hate Next,loads of it around here,not so much Boden,despite being Cheshire
Also buy
Kew
White Stuff
Autograph
Fat Face
Great Plains
Noa Noa
Warehouse
Avoca
etc etc.
Boden scores on reliability,customer service,sales etc,plus for me,the ease of buying it online...

Trouble is,Noa Noa hard to locate in the frozen north,only stocked in a couple of smaller boutiques,no actual shops except York,which is 100 miles away at least!
But I do like the smaller labels in independent shops,you don't see everyone wearing the same,either.

I think Boden is in danger of becoming a cliche of itself - I used to love their stuff, classic, good quality with a little twist, but it's all a bit "samey" now, or else it's trying too hard. I have a gorgeous retro 50's ish dress from a couple of years back that i wear a lot in summer, and a lovely pair of tweed kitten heel shoes with jewels that I bought in their sale (can't afford the full price stuff) but the last couple of catalogues have been stuck in the magazine rack unread.

I love the kids' stuff, again wish it was cheaper though often buy next-size-up in the sales (my girls are in anoraks from last winter's catalogue now). I do think the quality has dropped though - I bought plain long sleeve tops, vests and PJs for DD1 10 years ago, and bought some new ones for DD2 as she hadn't yet grown into the hand-me-downs but there was a distinctly less heavy/soft feel to the cotton.

Next is OK, I could spend loads in their kids department, the women's stuff is good for workwear or jeans, but not really the inbetween stuff which I like (smart casual but I hate that phrase!) Though when they do nice kidswear, why do they sell blingy tracksuits like Nike tracksuit ? as I'm not sure it fits with their market unless I'm very out of touch?