If less is more.....

... then I'm on a roll. 

Continuing with my review of the Boden Spring range and this time round I thought I'd see what their basics are like.  Boden are well known for their prints but seeing I had such success with my plain jumpers from there last season, when they asked this time what I'd like to review, I said I'd go with the classics. 

With my French "less is more" ethos still front and foremost in my mind, I chose three things that I thought would work perfectly in expanding my Parisian wannabe wardrobe.  

First up - classic skinnies.  But with a slight twist.... Lovely detailing of an ankle zip, which you can open slightly to give a tiny flare to the bottom of the jeans (plus it makes getting them on so much easier.) 

These are the ones I chose.  I've had skinnies from Boden before and I have and do rate them highly.  I would love them to do a couple more washes in the denim and a little bit of distressing wouldn't go amiss but that's just my inner grunge coming out. 

Reasons I love these?  They're skinny but they're not spray on.  They don't look they've been hermetically sealed to your legs, giving that not so attractive, sausage bursting out of its skin, look. Even in white, Boden skinny jeans work.  Fact.  Oh and they don't stretch during the day, which randomly I always find worse with white jeans, and make you look like a saggy old bag by teatime.

Zip Ankle Skimmer Jeans £49 

I got them in the classic black (although to be honest, I could do with the grey pair as well.... love the faded look to them with the contrasting black zip) as I don't think you can ever have enough black skinnies.  These are the ideal every day fling on trousers - so many of my black skinnies I shy away from wearing as they're "for best".  I know I know, I shouldn't do this but, well I do.  And so having another pair would be infinitely useful.  And these are perfect.  I got the long and, at 5ft10, they are just above my ankle bone with a great mid rise to hide my muffin.

Black Zip Ankle Skimmer Jeans 

It was a toss up between choosing the black jeans or the pants below.  I love this whole look - it screams chic to me and I am very tempted to order the pants myself. 

Skinny Minnie Pant £49

These are the jeans that I have had before and can totally vouch for.  I have them in the white.

Skinny Jeans £49

Topwise, I was looking for something that was slightly more substantial than a tee but not so thick it wouldn't go under a blazer so selected the Easy Day Jumper and am really really pleased with it.  It's a very lightweight cotton so will take you right into the Summer, it's the perfect length - just on the waistband therefore hiding my *must do something about it* muffin.  And not too long over high waisted *actually I'll just wear these & hide the muffin* jeans. 

Easy Day Jumper £49

I chose the grey melange as I don't have a grey sweater and I thought it was the best neutral to work with the other basics that I have, navy, black, white and khaki for my Francophile look.  As well as being a black canvas for those other days when I'm in the mood for bling.  I also got the 12 as I don't find Boden generous with their sizing and I definitely didn't want it too tight. 

The sleeves aren't long long as say most of the reviews but I don't find them irritatingly short at all.  

In the grey melange 

First time I wore this, one of my closest friends revealed she was wearing the exact same jumper and couldn't rave highly enough about it.  We both agreed we'd be buying more in different colours. 

Top of my list would be the Breton version.  Which I would definitely wear with the black jeans - my obsession with navy and black knows no bounds.  Whether it is an ode to Paris, I don't know but I certainly am putting up there with my homage to all things glamourous and French.  It definitely seems to fit the brief.

Melange Navy £49

On the subject of Bretons of course, Boden have a classic set to choose from.  Now I've never had a Boden Breton but I do know people who speak very highly of them.  On the website reviews, recently it does seem to be totally personal preference as to whether they work or not but there are definitely more positives than negatives to them.  

The shape for me, is the perfect Breton shape.  I love the fact that it seems to be not a thick heavy Breton fabric as that really isn't that suitable for the Spring/Summer months and is certainly pants when it comes to layering. 

Top of my wishlist would be the classic blue £25  For the record, the chances of me swanning around on the beach wearing just my bikini bottoms and a Breton are totally non existent. There is a reason I asked them to send me jeans which will be clad to my legs for the foreseeable months.

And as we're staying on the subject of a pared back, classic French style (literally in the case of the model above - when I said, less is more, I meant in general and full on fashion looks as opposed to actual items of clothing.....just to clarify.....) then I'd go for colours that would complement that clean look. 

I am having a love affair with my yellow breton - perfect with navy, black or grey and all the basic shades together. 

In Ivory/Butter 

The other colour I think would definitely work wonders with our basics is the Ivory/Aster (that's grey to you and me.....) version. 

My final choice of item to review was a pair of shoes that I have seen advertised again and again and simply had to try.  I thought these would be the perfect added interest to my French basics. 

And they are indeed.  Now, the one thing I will say about them is that they do need wearing in.  But I find that with every single pair of new shoes or sandals in those first months that we free our feet from the confines of socks and tights. 

If I had a £1 for every time I've been complimented on these, I could buy the silver pair too. 

Lille Lace up point £89

And the silver.  Now I chose the navy as I thought they were a more classic colour and I know that I have more things to go with them.  Yes, I have had my concerns about the whole Irish Dancing connotation but in the navy suede as opposed to the black leather, for me, these really work. 

Although the silver were a very close second. 

So I've been trying out my basics with some old favourite clothes and I am over the moon with them.  I think they are the perfect Spring additions.  They are the ideal antithesis to the onslaught of 70s mania which, I'll be honest, has totally overwhelmed me. 

I have thought, thought about being able to combine my basic pared back look with some 70s influences and being able to create a look that works for me and one that isn't just lifted from the pages of a magazine that works on a 20yr old stick thin model with no kids to run around after but doesn't quite translate to a 42 yr old mum in Commutersville (who does get out occasionally......!)  Of course, the chances of this not working are high.  Very very high but that's the beauty of fashion and personal style - you can give it a go and if it doesn't work, just take it off and put something else on. 

The upside about having a great set of basics to work from, is that they will always work on their own.  And classic style never goes out of fashion. 

I'm quite pleased (she says modestly) with how they've worked so far and can highly recommend. 

Discount code that works at the moment - 4Q9S gives you 11% of one item, two items equals 16% off and three items or more will give you 21% off.  

So here's a repost of a pic from last week - the grey Easy Day jumper and the navy Lille shoes.  I love the simplicity of this outfit.

And here - today in the zip skinny jeans with the shoes again.  

White layering shirt - Me+Em

Black merino knit jumper - Uniqlo

Black zip skinny jeans - Boden

Check coat - Hobbs

Navy Lille pointed flats - Boden

Stone Maxi Zip satchel - Anya Hindmarch

I definitely think there is something to be said for finding excellent building blocks in your wardrobe.  My cunning plan is to accrue some great basics and then be able to go slightly off piste with some fully on trend fashion bits and "hopefully", if you put them together, it will work.  That's my theory anyway and, thinking about the dungarees, I think it works.  I'm sure there will be those who disagree but that's the great thing about personal style.  It's personal and so long as it works for you and you feel comfortable in it, then that's all that matters. 

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