Examining the Boden Icons collection

Boden recently unveiled its Icons collection, a small capsule of limited-edition pieces meant to inspire closet envy with their beautiful materials and prints. The teaser page certainly had me drooling over pieces like the Margot Midi Dress ($420, above)!

Do these pieces look as luxe as their pricetags in person? Do they fit like regular Boden items? Find out, inside…

 

What do I love about the Icons collection? How most everything, from the prints to the cut to the length, were chosen in-house by the Boden team. This capsule collection is obviously a labor of love where the reins were loosened and the design team was allowed to run a little more free. There are the usual flattering cuts like on the Joan Dress ($370, above) and little details matter like how it has a panel under the arm to conceal a bra. Other items like the Eleanor Silk Dress ($420) feature both a dreamy print and beautiful touches, in this case the trimmed grosgrain ribbon winding around the torso.

These are the three pieces I chose to order from the collection to try for myself. All of them are just as beautiful in person as they look on Boden’s site! Clear attention was paid to fabric quality and stitching on these pieces. Even on pieces where the pattern has seams, a la the Eleanor Dress, the pattern is varied enough that the seam does not detract from the overall piece. In terms of fit, I took my usual Boden size 8 in all of these dresses — and would likely size up to a 12 in any of the sheath styles such as the Greta Shift Dress ($450).

The Margot Midi Dress ($420, top of post) is sadly not the winner on me I’d hoped it’d be. The v-neck cuts very low in real life and is probably better for either smaller busts or larger busts looking to show off more than a bit! The thin pleats are also tricky for an hourglass, falling basically flat from my wider hips and giving the illusion of a wide rectangle shape over my bottom half. While the 8 fit well aside from the bust, the overall effect is not flattering on me. It’s going back.

On the other hand, the Joan Dress ($370, above) fits like a dream! The white cotton is in fact opaque and the dress is fully lined — yes I said fully lined, not half-lined like so many dresses these days! — with a universally flattering fit-and-flare shape. I adore the floral accents at the neckline and hemline, which give such a fun feminine shape. The skirt on this dress is plentiful without going over the top. If you love feminine shapes, this dress is amazing! The 8 fit like a dream.

 

It’s between keeping the Joan and the Eleanor Silk Dress ($420, above). This dress features a more body-skimming shape, halter top and ditzy floral print with a gorgeous grosgrain sash and trim. Simply looking at this dress makes me happy!  The 8 fits me well and I’ll likely wear a criss-cross bra with this dress so it doesn’t show. I love the fit and the length — I can see why this dress is quickly selling out!

If you had to pick one dress between the Joan and Eleanor, which one would you keep?

Some of the other Icon pieces I have my eye on are:
1 | I have a feeling the Grace Silk Maxi Dress ($370) will be too low-cut on me, but I adore the print and color and would like to give it a try!
2 | The Martha Heel ($270) is a beautiful, sleek, high(!!) heel.
3 | The Grace pattern also comes in a different color and cut in the Grace Silk Midi Dress ($370), this time a pretty pale pink.
4 | I’d size up in the Greta Shift Dress ($450), which has a vent in back that should make it walkable. I adore its medallion print!
5 | The Florence Embroidered Blazer ($370) is a fun take on a staid classic, but if I can only pick one jacket from this collection it might be…
6 | The Rita Jacket ($450), which is fun, colorful and has the most modern cut in the entire Icons capsule.

I adore Boden! This is one of my favorite brands to talk about on the blog because they have so many consistent, classic winners. Want to explored more Boden on Effortlessly with Roxy?
1 – Here’s a very recent OOTD featuring Boden shoes.
2 – And here are three with fantastic Boden spring dresses: 1 | 2 | 3
3 – Take a look at some of the prettiest new releases from Boden, or take a look at their Spring line. (Note: the promo in that first post has expired.)
4 – Or examine their sale with me for discounted delights!

Below are some of my Boden favorites! What items have you purchased and loved from Boden recently?

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8 Comments

  1. Sara
    March 29, 2017 / 12:53 am

    I am drooling over everything in this post Roxy! I should've won your giftcard contest so I could buy some of this Ted Baker stuff from Nordstrom! I want that large 4 wheel suitcase so bad! Would it get destroyed by the airport baggage handlers? For my budget's sake, I might have to settle on the luggage tag & passport holder or the large floral tote instead.

  2. Arlene
    May 9, 2017 / 3:20 pm

    I love the Joan dress and would buy it, but I don't have anywhere to wear it. I'm thinking about buying the Rita jacket. Since I've broken up with anthro Boden has become my go to for casual summer dresses. I find that anything that's fitted through the chest/bodice I have to size up.

  3. Ann
    May 9, 2017 / 1:28 pm

    Joan Joan Joan dress. Love it. Take an OOTD for me.

    Not half as exciting but I've been living in the Hampshire crop flares, flattering with just the right amount of stretch.

  4. Amelia
    May 9, 2017 / 5:37 pm

    I just ordered the Midi Tassel Bag in black yesterday! (My first all black bag..gasp!)
    Tip: ebates is offering 15% back all this week on Boden!


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