Boden X Graham St

August 7, 2024 Hannah MacLeod

The problem with working in the fashion industry is that you spend a significant amount of the year looking ahead to the next season. Whilst this can be lovely on a dreary February day as pops of colour begin to populate the shop windows of your favourite brands, knitwear in August is potentially another story! But Boden recently approached us, asking whether we would be keen to interpret their latest knitwear collection in a way akin to our Graham St style, and we were keen to oblige. Boden knitwear is very good, particularly the quality of their cashmere. So here we are, sharing with you what we will be wearing as the seasons begin to change….and let’s face it, if you live in the UK, knitwear is not just for Christmas!

When we collaborate with a brand, I always ask to visit the offices so that I can see the collections up close. I like to touch and feel each piece and get a really good sense of what everything looks like before styling the clothes into outfits, ready to share with you. The Boden office is an enormous building set in a rather dreary looking industrial estate not far from Acton (on the outskirts of London). Although not much to look at from the outside, once inside, it is anything but dreary! In fact, it is exactly as you would expect it to be- warm, friendly, extremely brightly coloured and very cheery. Everyone that I have interacted with at Boden has been lovely too.

These pieces are hot off the press, having only just landed on the Boden site. First up, this red waffle knit piece somewhere between a cardigan and a jacket- an ideal weight for early Autumn. I love this colour on mum. We don’t always wear super punchy colours but it’s important not to forget what a splash of bright red can do for the complexion. I particularly love it with the pale blue of this Oxford shirt. I own a few shirts like this and find them to be extremely useful - the perfect foil to many other colours and an interesting alternative to white.

The pencil skirt is a silhouette that we have seen return with gusto over the last few seasons and it is definitely here to stay. This navy blue, needlecord one would be such a great addition to an autumn/winter wardrobe. Here we have tucked the shirt in but a chunky, roll neck jumper worn out and over the bum would be fab. Mum is wearing navy blue tights but the coloured tight is going to remain de rigueur this season so a burgundy or deep green would look great. You could keep the overall outfit neutral apart from your tights.

A special mention goes to these stripy jeans. I adore them. They won’t be for everyone but for those of you that like stripes and a statement trouser, these will be for you. I wear a lot of navy and earthy colours so they would slot into my wardrobe very nicely. They’re also trans-seasonal which I love. You could wear them as easily in summer as you could winter.

The blanket stitch on this coat is an excellent detail but it’s also the cut that we like. The sharp, structured shoulder is flattering while the car coat shape comes up slightly longer than the pea coat style that a jacket like this is usually cut in. The deep, patch pockets are also a great detail.

This trench coat is excellent quality. We have to be honest, there are three stripes at the back of the coat in navy and red. Because of these stripes we probably wouldn’t wear this coat. We chose to feature this piece as a trench coat completes the outfit so well and a good trench coat for the shoulder months is a fantastic investment, but we would choose a plainer version without stripes. If statement details are your thing then the design has been executed well and the quality to price ratio is excellent, but otherwise it is very easy to find a simple trench coat, made well at a reasonable price.

Mum is a size 10 and she is wearing a small in this jumper. She would usually go for a medium but we sized down because I like the look of a more fitted jumper to balance the wide leg jeans. Mum is 5.7 1/2” and the leg length of these jeans is standard. We tried the longer length but interestingly they were too long. Mum’s height is in her back more than her legs but I thought that it was worth mentioning.

We love the dark navy suede of these sling back pumps. I find that often navy suede on the highstreet is too blue but these are a really rich dark colour, making them look more high-end. The square toe with the buckle poking out of the wide hem of the jeans is a great look.

I fell in love with this cardigan when I saw it hanging on the rail in the Boden offices. The floral embroidery belies its high street label. The colour combination is pretty without being garish- the brown with the red and pink flowers grounds the overall look and stops it being cheesy. It also lends itself to being paired with these elephant cord trousers. I love the traditional fabric with the arts and craft style cardigan. The tapered leg of the cords with the rolled up hem keeps the look contemporary, as do the matching exposed socks with the desert boots.

I particularly love this knitwear poking out from under the blanket stitch coat. It adds interest without being too over powering. It is often the subtle details of an outfit that make the overall look.

Mum is wearing the cropped version of the wide leg jeans. Obviously they could be worn with no socks but we wanted to feature socks because as the colder months draw in, bare ankles are not the thing! Of course dark socks would work but a coloured sock can be a fun alternative. Dark green would have worked as would a caramel or burnt orange.

Camel can be a tricky colour to wear. As with all colours that are trickier, if you’re stilll keen to wear them then make sure that the colour that is nearest the face, is one that is flattering. For example, here we have layered the camel cardigan with a cream silk shirt and a navy blue neck scarf. These are the pieces closest to mum’s face, breaking up the camel which isn’t as flattering for her complexion.

The navy blue scalloped trim on this cardigan is such a lovely, subtle detail which makes it into something more special.

Take a moment to check out Boden’s accessories selection, particularly the jewellery and belts. I have found in the past that some pieces have too many design details for my liking but this season there is a really lovely selection of subtle gems like the gold pendant necklace that mum is wearing or the gold chain that I am wearing. They have also designed simple, gold buckled belts in all the neutral colours which can be surprisingly difficult to come by on the hight street.

For more statement accessories this leopard print belt is absolutely fab. As they say, leopard is a neutral, in other words, it goes with everything. Not all leopard prints are created equal though and this particular one is a goodie. The matching mules are wonderful in my opinion - and mum’s - but they might not be for everyone. I should mention that they would be tricky to keep on your feet worn with socks so they would probably need to be reserved for bare-foot wearing only. These are great too!

The quality of Boden’s cashmere is extremely good. The quality to price ratio is one of the best on the high street. They’ve also produced the knitwear in some really lovely colours. This is a bit of a bug bear of mine, when high street shops create good quality knitwear but in bonkers colours! Boden’s plain coloured cashmere comes in this lovely oatmeal, navy, black and dark green, as well as a dusky pale pink and this perfect vibrant red.

NB, we have found that the knitwear comes up quite neat in size so if you prefer a slightly roomier fit then I would suggest sizing up one.

And lastly, never underestimate a simple outfit in a great colour. This fantastic pilar box red tank top that I am wearing with the matching red lip is enough to elevate what is essentially a jumper and jeans into something suitable for any ‘smart/casual’ occasion. I have sized up twice in the top as I wanted a loose, relaxed feel. I am wearing it as a piece on its own but it would look great with a white shirt, or indeed a stripy one, as well as a tight fitting turtle neck jumper.

The footwear at Boden has long been one of their strongest categories and this season is no exception. These Mary Jane flats are an excellent shoe, perfect for now but also brilliant as we move into the winter months and eventually party season. Don’t be afraid to wear them with a sparkly sock!

-This is a paid collaboration with Boden but as always, all choices are our own-

PHOTOGRAPHY BY ALEX MOONEY

Outfits 1

Sue wears…

Red cardigan, coming soon

Hoop earrings, Sue’s own

Hannah wears…