While away I availed myself of the sale and made my first-ever Boden order. Boden comes from the UK to Canada. There was free shipping and no hidden costs, but of course the CAD prices are higher than the US prices. And I will have to pay for returns, though if I want to exchange, they will send the new item free again.
Overall, I'm impressed with the quality of these dresses. They are old-fashioned in all the best and (depending on one's style descriptors) some of the worst senses of that word. They are ladylike, with whimsical patterns and retro cuts that remind me of dresses my mother sewed and wore in the 60s and 70s. They are also beautifully and thoughtfully constructed of lovely fabrics. Some are cotton and lined in cotton -- imagine that!
I found them more or less TTS. For reference I am 5.4" (standing tall!). I usually wear a 0 or 2 or XS in BR, J. Crew, Ann Taylor, etc. S in Zara. And a 2 to 4 in higher end or designer stuff. At the moment I'm about 10 pounds up from my preferred weight so depending on cut and brand, I sometimes go with the larger size mentioned here; at my lower weight, I'd go with the lower. My bone structure is slightly more substantial than Angie's, but still on the small/ narrow side, and I'm a small busted hourglass/rectangle.
I ordered 3 dresses in UK 8 (US 4). Two in L length, and one in regular. And one dress in UK 6 P. Partly I went with what was available and partly I based my choices on descriptions in the reviews and the cut of the specific item relative to my body type.
First, Phoebe in cotton jersey. (#1) I got this is UK 8 regular. The fit is perfect. It's a very casual yet presentable throw on and go dress, which is an extremely useful item for my lifestyle. Mr. Suz loved it right away, so it's a keeper. It comes to just past the top of my knee in the regular length.
Next, the linen notch neck dress. (#2-5) I adore the 100% soft linen fabric, the cut, and the style of this. It has a size zip for easy on/off. I ordered long partly because it's what they had in my size and partly to see if I would like the extra length. This is a K/R, however, because although the fit is great, I'm not sure about the colour, which reads coral. Not my best. And the pattern feels a bit girlish to me. I would absolutely love this dress in a different colourway/ pattern, but wonder about it in this not-quite red. Thoughts? Keep and leave as is? Return? Keep and hem?
Then we have Penny in 8 long. (#6-8) Penny is the longer sleeved version of Phoebe -- it's just cotton knit. But I thought it would be a great transitional fall dress for me in Vancouver. Easy to dress down or up. In this case I definitely like the extra length. In cooler weather I would wear with hose/ tights. K/R?
Finally, Jade. (#9-13) Jade I ordered in UK 6 P. The fit in the bodice/ bust/ waist is perfect. The length is to mid-knee rather than below knee, but still a decent length. The clear colours are fresh and pretty -- this is a beautifully made dress, as Christina pointed out! I found a way to do the sash so that it doesn't feel so "girly." But I still think the pattern may be too girly for a woman with hair as grey as mine. Perhaps I should exchange it for the plain navy, as a more sophisticated option? I do like the style, even though in itself it's more girly than my usual. I haven't had a true sundress in years and there's something lovely about that.
FWIW, Mr. Suz thought this one was a definite keeper. He didn't much like Penny (but I do) and he quite liked the linen and thinks it works.
Note also another new purchase, the Wittner Dafina white sandals. Super comfy soft leather and a good heel height for me. Sorry, no Find yet. https://wittner.ca/collections.....cts/dafina
