Dressing Room Snaps: The Boden Outlet

Last weekend I went on a pilgrimage.

That’s right… a fashion-related pilgrimage to the Boden outlet.

You all know how obsessed I am with Boden (Proof: On my Boden Wishlist for Spring, Boden Website vs Reality: Winter Dresses and Checking out Boden: Website vs Reality) and I basically worship the way they magically design a jersey dress so that it flatters my figure, looks professional for work, and can be thrown in the washing machine. I knew that there was an outlet in Pennsylvania, but it was almost 4 hours away from my house, so I thought it would be ridiculous to make the trip.

I mean, it is a little ridiculous.

But then my friend, Jenni, asked if I’d be interested in going with her and it suddenly sounded like a good idea. I mean, not only would I be able to try on everything to my heart’s content, but I’d also have uninterrupted time to chat with my girlfriend?! Heck yeah, sign me up!

We went over the weekend and after weeks of trying to convince myself not to get too excited because it might suck, I’m happy to say that OHMYGOD it was AWESOME!

The outlet is like no outlet I’ve ever visited before. Instead of cast-off clothing from a bunch of seasons ago, it was brand-new clothing that I just saw added to their online store. As for pricing, all dresses were $40, no matter what. The entire store had the feeling of a fun and exclusive boutique and each rack was filled by size. I typically wear a 10 or 12 in Boden, so I found the 10/12/14 rack and worked through it from one side to the other, trying dozens of items on. I mostly focused on the dresses, but also tried a few skirts and even swooned over the shoes at some point.

I’m so glad I had the opportunity to try things on in a variety of sizes, because I was able to determine what fit my body best without worrying about trying to decipher online reviews and ordering two sizes to try before returning one (or both) of them.

Let’s check out some dressing room snaps!

{Sources: Dress 1, not online; Selina Dress, different color, $198; Dress 3, not online}

All three of these dresses were in my ‘close, but no cigar’ group. They each had a little something that kind of bothered me. The teal dress pulled just enough in the chest that it would have driven me crazy. The blue and white dress had some kind of pleat situation that got all wrinkly when boobs were involved and the striped dress wasn’t doing my momma-belly any favors.

{Sources: Allegra Dress, $130; Dress 2, not online; Rosemond Jersey Dress, $140}

I really liked the Allegra dress, but I didn’t love it. It was a little too boho casual to wear to work, but still felt a little fancy to throw on for a casual weekend. The middle dress was cute, but with the print it seemed a bit juvenile. The Rosemond jersey dress was a total winner though. I loved the fit, the pretty green color and the leaf print. You can actually get a better view on this Instagram picture.

{Sources: Rivera Dress, $140; Angeline Jersey Dress, $150; Gwendolyn Jersey Dress, $130}

I had been eyeing the Rivera dress ever since it came out, but wasn’t sure how the length would work on me. The Kelly green of the Angeline jersey dress totally called to me off the rack and as soon as I put it on I knew that it was coming home with me. I liked the Gwendolyn dress on the hanger, but what really sold me was the super easy but flattering fit when I put it on. I can see throwing it on for weekends when it’s 100 degrees outside, or pairing it with a cardigan for work.

Here is an example of where sizing can really vary. On the left is the Rivera Dress in a size 10P and on the right is a 14R:

The difference between the 10P and the 14R is minimal because of the tie-waist on the dress. I also tried a 12, but they didn’t have it in this particular color (which I preferred). The main difference in the two sizes is the length. I ended up with the larger size because it gave me some extra wiggle room in the hips and also it kept the pockets from poking out when I walked. There is a bit of extra room in the top, but a few stitches should make it just about perfect. I’m undecided on the length though… do you think I should leave it long or chop it to knee-length?

So, if you’ve been keeping track… I came home with four dresses and one skirt (that I forgot to take a photo of):

Rosemond Jersey Dress, $140
Rivera Dress, $140
Angeline Jersey Dress, $150
Gwendolyn Jersey Dress, $130
Jersey Maxi Skirt, $90 (I bought a different pattern)

My total would have been $650 had I bought everything off their website for their full-price (a couple things went on sale since yesterday). Instead, I paid $190 ($40 for each dress and $30 for the skirt). That means that I saved 71% off the original prices!

My friend Jenni also scored with a great new work wardrobe. She bought a pair of trousers, a pair of shorts, a maxi skirt, 2 gorgeous dresses and 2 blouses and a blazer. She added up her total from their online listings… the full price of her purchases was $1,086 and she paid $350!

So, was it ridiculous to take a full-day to visit the Boden Outlet in Pennsylvania? Um… Yes. But it was also TOTALLY WORTH IT!

Did you enjoy my terrible dressing room pictures from the Boden outlet? Did I leave something behind that you think I should have bought? Am I insane to drive so far for a good deal?

 

Disclaimer: This post is not sponsored by Boden. This post contains ShopStyle affiliate links. This means that clicking on a link may help me earn a small commission at no cost to you.