Friday, May 31, 2013

Boden: Autumn 2013 Preview is Live!


Well, right on time, Mr. Boden!  :)

As I thought, based on what Boden's FB page kept saying, the Boden Autumn/Fall 2013 Preview is ready to go this morning, on the very last day of May.  (The folks at the facebook page kept promising the preview would be ready at the "end of May.")

I am going to be out all morning and most of the afternoon and evening, but I will be able to at least look at the lovelies at some point today, and if I get a moment, I will go back to the lookbook post and link to the items that were in the press binder.

Until then, sit back, grab a cup of coffee (or glass of something stronger if you are in the UK since it is already the afternoon there), and enjoy all the pretty.

Oh, and if you grab another moment, come on back here and comment with your favorite pieces!

Talk soon!

P.S. I don't know what the code is for the 20% off, but I am sure it will be discovered soon enough.  If you do know, please share, as all of us LOVE having our codes... 

Thank you to both Lila's Mom and Michelle for sharing the codes.  Use either WPFB or PRV3 to receive 20% off with free ship and returns!  :)

Wednesday, May 29, 2013

Boden Weekly Review Roundup: Nude Penny Loafers and Not So Nude Clothing.

Before I begin this long overdue BWRR, I wanted to remind you all of a couple of things in the Boden world. 

First, yesterday started another big discount over at Boden, with 20% off everything (barring clearance items) until tomorrow (Thursday, May 30, 2013).  I have the link in the sidebar and the bottom of this post.  On Friday the discount reverts to the "usual" 15% off, at which point I will just place the normal coupon back in its place in the sidebar.

Second, the lovely Lou (What Lou Wore 365) sent me the Boden Autumn/Winter Preview Lookbook a few days ago and I had a chance to photograph all of the women's line photos and a few from the Johnnie b., mini Boden, and baby Boden lines.  You can see that post here.

Okay, let's get started!

Regular Boden:
Penny Loafers.  These are a size 40, which is supposed to be a size 9 US.  I should be wearing a 41, which I do from time to time, but I find that Boden will run so wide that my narrow foot needs the smaller size to stay on my foot.  If I had gone with a size 41, these would definitely have been too wide and they would probably have flown off my foot every step I took.  The length is fine, and since it is leather, will stretch enough over the years to mold to my exact length.

I was going to be out running around with the family that day, so I wanted something that would work with the navy and green combo and not distract from it, and that is what these shoes did.  They are "nuder" than I wanted them to be, since the color matches my legs precisely, but I have worn them enough to see that they look better than I thought they did at first. 

Nude heels make sense to me, but nude flats seemed weird.  (I don't know why, it probably only bothers me, like flippy sequins do, oh how I hate flippy sequins.) 

Anyhow, I am definitely keeping them, and if I had unlimited funds and a HUGE closet, I would buy these in the orange or aqua shade.

Close up.  I think these look really nice when you can make out the penny loafer detailing, which gets lost in the outfit photos.

All leather construction (as per usual with Boden) and careful craftsmanship.  The upper part of the patent leather has wrinkled a bit because walking bends your foot which bends the leather, but I like it better a bit worn looking since the shoes are almost too perfect looking with no creases.  (Again, this may just be me and my particular personality.  Others may prefer it be brand spanking new forever!)

Okay, so this collar necklace is not from Boden, but it is so pretty I have to show it off.  (It is from a British company, so it counts, sort of, right?)  This necklace is all sold out from Accessorize, but here is the info from polyvore so you can stalk it if you want it.  I bought it on my trip to Ireland, and was so stoked because I loved Accessorize when I lived in England in 1995.  So last weekend I am at Pentagon City mall and guess what is just down the mall floor from J. Crew?  Accessorize.  I must be living under a rock, not realizing that the shop had made its way across the Atlantic.  :)

Penny Loafers
Penny Loafers.  Many sizes are fully stocked, but there are the odd outliers which are completely sold out.  If you wear comfortable shoes a lot, then these may be worth the investment as they are a bit pricey.

I also wore these shoes with the LouLou dress to church, since it was raining.  More on that outfit here at this post.

Off Duty Shorts.  Size 10 Long.  Please go to my initial review so you can see why I chose the size 10 Long.  :)

Please forgive the clash of stripes and florals.  My hubby absolutely loved this outfit, but I was *this* close to changing into a different pair of shorts for the day.  (I ended up wearing black pants to church, so I got my way later on...)  I think the outfit looks okay, but I feel like I look a bit like a crazy toddler here.  LOL.  I have no idea why Mr. Dina liked it so much.  Men.

Anyhow, weird styling aside, I love the shorts so much better in the larger size.  They do gape a bit at the waist, but nothing terrible.  It is so nice to have shorts that are a touch too big everywhere so that I can feel relaxed wearing them and not like I need spanx just to make it through the day.

And if I end up losing weight, enough that I would have to size down, I can just alter them on my sewing machine and be done.

Still a crazy toddler!  For those of you who are curious, the Tippi sweater in multistripe is still available (runs a bit long and wide, but I like how easy the small felt, so I don't know that I would size down to my usual extra-small, the Tippi sweaters fit differently in each style, so I never know what size to buy).  The Sperry Top-Siders for J. Crew were a huge sale score at the store, since they are still higher priced on-line.  I paid $30 after all the discounts.  They call these shoes "deep violet," but look a lot like a bright cobalt blue to me.

Off Duty Shorts
Off Duty Shorts.  These are definitely selling well.  The green print is selling slowest, so you might be able to wait for a better discount if you don't anticipate wearing them soon.

Lace Dress
Lace Dress.  I wore the yellow version on Mother's Day.  :)

Lightweight V-neck
Lightweight V-Neck T-Shirt.  Lou is head to toe Boden.  :)  And of course it looks wonderful on her, especially the pear drop shade of the tee. 

Authentic Casual Shirt
Authentic Casual Shirt.  Lou looks lovely in yellow, yes she does.  Worn as the shirt suggests, that is casually, but with the most amazing blue pumps, she fits right in with "casual Fridays" everywhere.

The Shirt.  Speaking of shirts, Joanna looks perfectly put together in her ensemble, from her dotty button-up right down to her darling wedge sandals.  :)  (Use the link in the name, the affiliate program does not have this item in its catalog.)

Ruffle Bikini Bottom
Ruffle Bikini Set.  Joanna has bravely (and I do mean the word bravely since I know how much courage it takes) shown off this adorable swimwear set for us.  :)  I love it on her, ruffles and stripes alike.  And to show her I am with her in spirit, I will link back to the last time I showed off all my thigh lumps and bumps in a swimsuit.  (And will do so again when the Johnnie b. swimsuit I bought finally comes off the slow boat from England.)

Johnnie b.:
Leather ClogsI wore them here (and did a review).  So all of these are currently sold out.  As of two weeks ago, there was a full run of the leather clogs.  Hmm.  I don't think my review alone caused them to sell out, but it is a bit surprising to see them all gone.  Use the link in the name to access the page, since my affiliate program no longer has the photo link (which is why I used the photo from the blog post instead).

Floaty Top
Floaty Top.  I had seen this one in the pretty seagull print and considered it (here is the seagull print in a pair of pants), and now that I see how darling the top looks on Egyptomaniac (wearing the concert ticket print), I definitely will stalk it for a good price for CW in the size 8 so we can have a mommy/me outfit day when she is 7 (she can wear one size up).  ;)

Clearance Boden:
Embellished Spot Cardigan.  This is a spring item, and until this year, this item would still be in "regular" Boden.  This year Boden has decided to tinker with the usual and has placed many spring items in the clearance section many months earlier than the typical July clearance start date.

Don't let the "clearance" moniker fool you, though, since the price they are offering it at right now is the same price I purchased mine for back in January.

Anyhow, I think the cardigan is delicious, well made, and just blingy and detailed enough to justify the cost, especially since it is ivory colored, which means it will work with nearly all of my wardrobe.  I can't see selling this one anytime soon, and since I often will grab a cardigan for the possibility of a chill, this gets worn often.

Here is my advice if you like this one...buy the ivory version if you love it, since that one is more likely to sell out.  The dark grey version looks like it will stick around for the long haul (except in the larger sizes, since those are gone), which means that it will make it a deeper discount the next time they have cuts on clearance prices.  (The ivory might, too, but not all sizes will get there.) 

Detail Shot. This cardigan is in the size 6, which is what I typically buy in Boden knitwear.  When I do up all the buttons, it doesn't gap, but I don't do that ever, except to see if it fits that way.  :)  The knit fabric is so soft and lightweight, exactly the right feel for spring and summer (well not our summers, except in the freezer aisle of the grocery store).  The little embellished dots are made from a poly or rayon fabric and have not frayed, which makes me think they were treated with an anti-fray solution before placed on the cardigan.  The beading is very secure, only one small seed bead has fallen off, and that one is near the side seam which gets a lot of abuse from my "flingy" arms. 

Embellished Spot Cardigan
Embellished Spot Cardigan.  I would love to see what the dark grey looks like on someone, since the detailing is so much more obvious on that colorway.

Adelaide Dress
Adelaide Dress.  Lou is wearing the navy version again, despite the rain.  (Lou is also very fortunate to have received that umbrella for free, I had wanted the folks at Boden to sell that one!)

She also speaks to the fact that this dress is in clearance so quickly after just being introduced this spring.  :)

Okay, all, that's it for today.  Be back later, I am sure.  Thanks again to all my blog friends for sharing their reviews with us!

Below is the link to the 20% off sale going on right now.

Tuesday, May 28, 2013

Boden: Autumn Winter 2013 Preview Press Book!

The lovely (and especially generous) Lou of What Lou Wore 365 sent me a Boden press book that she picked up at the Boden preview day that they held a few weeks back.  (Lou had a lot of photos from that event, please do go to this post of hers to find all the links to the photos.)  Boden did hold a press day in NYC, but yours truly didn't know about it until after the event occurred.  :-P  I think I may just have to get on Twitter already so I can find out about these events beforehand so I can go.  (Mr. Dina thinks going to a Boden press day in NYC sounds right up my alley and has even said we could make a weekend of it--if we find out early enough of course!)

Before I start, though, Boden is having a diminishing discount on current spring/summer items.  As with all diminishing discounts, you get the best deal at the front part of the promotion, which is right now at 20% off (I have the coupon running in the sidebar and at the bottom of this post).  I don't have a lot of time to go into my picks, but if I grab a moment, I will get a few picked out for tomorrow!  :)

Anyhow, I don't want to blather on when there are pictures to be looked at...

Front Cover.  I was expecting a pamphlet.  It was a binder full of all sorts of beautiful photos.  :)  LOVE!

Inside front cover.  I lol-ed at the fact that the clear insert before the first page had copy DIRECTLY over the model's teeth, making her look like she has braces.

No braces.

Pages 2 and 3.  That coat is amazing, very mid-century mod chic.

Pages 4 and 5.  Not really feeling these pages.  The floral necklace is pretty, though.

Pages 6 and 7.  Another "meh" for me, but I have a feeling some of you are gonna love these two images.

Pages 8 and 9.  I was just thinking that I needed a navy blue bag, and voila, there it is.  :)

Pages 10 and 11.  Flirty dress in a print that reminds me of J. Crew's heart print from a couple years ago.  The skirt also is reminiscent of one of J. Crew's dotty skirts.  I am a teeny bit bothered that they couldn't line up the dots in the center seam, though.

Pages 12 and 13.  The boho peasant top is pretty, and the Fair Isle sweater is beautiful in that shade of gold.

Pages 14 and 15. For you J. Crew bubble necklace fans, Boden has their own version which is slightly less in your face.

Pages 16 and 17.  These two images are my favorite in the whole book (besides the *adorable* baby Boden photos, of course).  I think I must have a pair of those wine-colored high heeled oxfords.

Pages 18 and 19.  Bit ho-hum, but I really like the silver chair.  ;)

Pages 20 and 21.  All the bags.  Hold them right now!  That pink coat, though, omg, so scrumptious.  That one is definitely on my wishlist.

Pages 22 and 23.  Anyone a fan of these long sought after Penelope Mary Janes from J. Crew?  Here is a near duplicate!

And hahahaha at the pose the model is doing on the right.  I seriously hope she has on some invisible "trousers," because saying "pants" here makes it truly hilarious for my British blog friends.

Pages 24 and 25.  That blue skirt looks promising, and the lace tee in that vibrant jade is dreamy.

Pages 26 and 27.  That spotted bag is definitely derivative.  I think they had that back in 2009, if I am not mistaken.  The light blue a-line skirt is a great color, very unexpected for the fall and winter.

Pages 28 and 29.  This screams spring.  Very pretty, but unless that skirt is wool, I don't know how well it will sell.

Pages 30 and 31.  Nice close-ups of the items.

Pages 32 and 33.  I adore the styling on the left hand side, very preppy.  And if you love the Janey flats from J. Crew, there is a dupe from Boden in amazing jewel tones for the fall.

Pages 34 and 35.  Last photo for womenswear and first for Johnnie b.

Pages 40 and 41.  I didn't photograph all the Johnnie b., mini, or baby, but I did photograph my favorite images from each line.  This one above shows the sort of clothing that we full grown women can steal from Johnnie b., since their 13-14 and 15-16 fit like a Boden size US 2-4 and Boden US 6-8.

Pages 58 and 59.  This little girl is so pretty!  I must try and recreate this outfit for my own beautiful daughter.  :)

Pages 94 and 95.  Have to end the Boden photos with this image.  GAW--So so cute and squishable!

Okay, that's it for today.  I understand that bodenpreview.com should be up and running with all sorts of pre-orderable items by the end of this week, so I will definitely alert you when that happens.  :)

Any picks from what you see above?

Also, another BIG THANK YOU to Lou for sending this book to me!

As promised, below is the link to the Diminishing Discount sale going on at Boden right now.