On Monday I checked out the Boden concession that has launched at John Lewis in Cambridge. Boden are a British brand who are known for their high quality pieces in vibrant colours and fun prints. Currently they operate through their catalogue, website and I believe they have a store in West London. The brand is opening concessions in five John Lewis stores this autumn and their range will also be available on the John Lewis website.

While I am familiar with Boden I have never tried on any of their clothes. Shopping for me consists of spotting something online and then running to the store to try it on. I hate buying online and sending things back so the fact Boden is now in John Lewis definitely makes the brand more appealing and easily accessible.

I decided to pick up various items from the range and try them on to get a feel for the brand.

How I got on with Boden.

The first item I tried on is the Cashmere Crew Neck Jumper. It is 100% me and fit like a dream. Its obviously incredibly soft and most importantly; it’s machine washable. I hate having cashmere pieces and then having to hand-wash them. They end up just sitting in the laundry basket until I can bring myself to do it. The jumper is easy to throw on with jeans or dress up with a leather skirt.

Next up was the Jessica Dress in the black folklore print. The dress is perfect for brunch dates and even for work. It has a flattering fitted shape, long sleeves and is a great length. The only thing I will say is I went for my normal size and the dress was a little snug just around the waist. It is advisable to size up one size because of this.

For the final outfit I put together the Grace Button Jumper in chalky rose with the Martha Skirt in melon crush crescent geo. The jumper is a cotton wool mix and it features button detailing to both sides. I went for a small but I should have tried extra small because I prefer a slightly more fitted style. I love the print of the skirt, the pencil shape is flattering and the waist band sits on your natural waist line. I’m quite short (5 ft 3) so I did find that it was probably about two inches too long for me.

Boden is a great brand for autumn and the bright colours combined with the quirky prints will really liven up your wardrobe for this season. I think it is the perfect fit for Cambridge and am sure it will do incredibly well here.

Brora

While we were there we also checked out Brora. The brand sells luxury Scottish cashmere and clothing. The clothing was not necessarily my style although there were two cashmere jumpers that caught my eye. For me the brand would be perfect for accessories. They had some beautiful scarves and gloves and the bobble hats were incredibly cute.

If you’re heading into Cambridge make sure you check out Boden and Brora, I’d love to know what you think!