Boden catalogue - a feminist critique

[MarineIguana]

OK I know it's only a mail order catalogue but bloody hell! There I was leafing through the spring one, and the little twee bits where they ask the models questions are just breathtaking. I'm sure they have got much worse. It used to be irritating but non-gender specific stuff about do you like jumping in puddles, cat or dog, etc. Now we have:

Maria, what gets you knickers in a twist?
Subtext: Being a woman you DO get your knickers in a twist obviously, and also we wanted to mention knickers (even though we don't sell them) asap.

Maria, what "pseudo occupation" do you assume at parties?
Subtext: you're a model, you must be thick and you can't be proud of what you do, can you?

Maria, what do you remember about your first kiss?
Subtext: we're still thinking about knickers, now also with pervy thoughts about teenagers added

Maria, what's your view on exfoliating?
Subtext: Maria, we know you're not thinking about the new government or the large hadron collider.

Maria, what things do you hide from your boyfriend?
Subtext: a) obviously you have a boyfriend b) you are an untrustworthy scheming jezebel

Maria, what single thing confuses you most about men?
Subtext: Oh ffs!

Maria, what would you do if you were a man for a week?
(Maria: "Do nothing and be looked after by a women"

Maria, what's the best way to flatter a mother-in-law?
Subtext: Because that is your job obviously.

Maria, what part of your body tends to get airbrushed?
Subtext: You may be stunningly beautiful, but don't forget for a second that you're still not good enough.

Maria, what's your stingiest habit?
Subtext: Whoever wrote this hates women, don't they?

Some of the models give quite good answers though:
Anna Flore, what single thing confuses you most about men?
AF: "Their taste in women"

I thought there was supposed to be a bit of a feminist backlash atm? Why can't we have a browse for a new garish "sassy" spring outfit without being bombarded with subtly nasty, undermining misogynist messages?

Luckily I can boycott Mr B as there's nothing I like this season... well maybe this bag in purple

But seriously - wtf? Am I being po-faced?

toast --
www.guardian.co.uk/theobserver/2007/sep/02/features.magazine117
pmsl at 'no I do not fancy a chinese' - spot on

Alternative answers to the

"Gabriella, what do you hide from your boyfriend?" question:

My vibrator
My other boyfriend
My girlfriend
My feminist views
My escape fund

Anne Flore
'How do you know when a man is serious'
'When he lets you choose his clothes'
Really, a man who cannot choose his own clothes!
[jawdrop]

There was something else about MILs as well, they came in for it as well.

I don't think you need to read the Boden catalogue to critique it from a faminist pov. every picture screams at me one massive subtext: that women should be good-looking clean-living married sahms. Occasionally they're allowed to glam up a bit for parties but only for the purposes of making their dh look good

Oh yeah, I still think it's completely shit and kind of depressing.

I just meant, I don't know that there is any point in hoping for some better, snappier answers from the models, cos I'm sure they have absolutely no say in what "answers" are printed beside them.

They do it for the kids too I think, don't they? Pretty shocking if they don't do it for the men as well. (Have only recently begun getting their catalogue, the current one has not reached me yet so I've only ever seen last season's)

But really, what self-respecting feminist would be wearing Boden anyway? (sits back and waits for flaming by full-floral-skirted-and-twinsetted feminists)

I don't have any Boden myself so far, but I do sometimes buy it for the dc, is that ok

well you know, even feminists have to wear something.
(disclaimer - I am wearing Monsoon. Is that ok? what are preferred feminist labels? Remember we can't wear White Stuff cos of Smack My Witch Up or M&S cos of Hooters )

I do wear some boden things, mainly jeans because they're a good fit on me. But I reject anything that screams "bodeny", I can't stand that 36-year-old skinny housewife dressed as a six-year-old look.

Basically, you're stuffed.

Even if you want a boilers suit, you get directed to 'Ladies' Workwear'

Actually, to be fair, I suspect someone has given in to the temptation to ring up & scream down the phone I AM NOT A FUCKING LADY as Dickies have now retitled the link to said 'ladies boilersuit' as 'Women'

They even sent my parcel to Mr Takver

I'm a feminist but don't mind being called a lady. Nowt wrong with it.

I'm pondering where a proper feminist should buy her clothes. People Tree + rummaging around Afflecks Palace/Quiggins/Camden market etc, I would say. For that "stuck in the 80s" feminist look.

Round here the feminist mix in Earth Mother circles which leads to a lot of handmade felt, but I'm not really recommending that.

It offends both my feminist and my lefty sensibilities (their Eisenhower trousers are awesome, though, pretty much indestructible IME, and a million pockets, so I almost forgive them)

Damn, was looking at your profile, Fennel, to see if there were any pics of you clad in home-made felt . . . can we have some?

I'm loving the Ladies' boiler suit

Unfortunately I have not yet become sufficiently integrated in yurt valley to wear homemade felt without shame. Nor those Conker shoes. No doubt in a few years time I'll manage it.

Fantastic thread - thank you OP!

I couldnt agree more. I was reading the latest catalogue earlier while sitting on the floor with small children - they like looking at the patterns on the dresses and like you I like getting wound up reading the Q&A with the models.

I am fascinated by Simone's answer to "What winds you up most about other people's husbands?" "Disrespect". Because she is a model? Because she is an egoist? I can't think of any of my friends husbands who obviously disrespect me..

Laura winds me up the most. Bambi eyes, cheerleader hair and a spotty top my 5 year old daughter would dismiss as too girly. "Who would you least like as a mother in law?". "I haven't got one yet, so I'm still wondering". ie "I must get married and soon".

I detest Johnny Boden.

i have a boden top from ten years ago. i didn't know it was ten years old until my manager pointed out that i had worn it when i first worked in said workplace (and i was gone for 7 years in the interim before i fetched back up).

but actually, i'm more aghast that my manager remembered what i wore to work ten f'ing years ago. freak. (or as it's mn, should say 'fraek'? )

i appear to have been removed from the boden mailing list. this appears to be a Good Thing as i genuinely thought those questions in the op were made up.

johnny, johnny. tsk tsk.

will try to work out right-on clothing choice.

I ordered some men's clothes from Boden a while ago. Thought I'd give it a go. I ordered medium (I normally take medium or sometimes large as I'm quite tall), but everything was enormous! Their target demographic must be proper fat fuckers for that to fit!

Madwoman, I hope you were at your manager when he/she said that. Most odd!

We are not really Boden's target market - wasn't there a Johnnie Boden interview last year where he talked about how so many mothers lose their confidence? He spotted a niche in the market, and has exploited it.

The brochure is aimed at stoking insecurities. Make women feel the need to buy that tat to make themselves feel better.

Didn't Johnnie say something erudite like "there isn't much more vulgar than middle aged mums looking sexual"?

Classy.

By using 30-40 something male models and teen-20 something females?

I had a look on the Boden website after joining MN to see what all the fuss was about. No black models I noted at the time. White white white. I decided not to browse further.

hattyyellow I also noticed that "disrespect" one and was baffled - but now I think maybe she means their disrespect for their own wives? Which would make more sense.