I have been in love with BODEN for many years but only rarely indulge in buying Boden items for myself. These days, I am more likely to pick up a second-hand Boden skirt on Ebay ....

MINI BODEN, however is a different story. The new Mini Boden landed on my door mat today and I immediately sat down and started leafing through the "Girls" section, making a mental note of those items I found most attractive (most of them let's face it), what my daughter would love, what would be perfect to go on holiday ......and then it hit me! My daughter has just turned 13, even last summer a size 14 was a bit of a squeeze....our Mini Boden days are over!!!!

If I looked back at our photo albums I would be reminded of all the lovely funky dresses, the gipsy skirts, the stripy t-shirts, the comfy pedal pushers and spotty swimsuits she has worn over the years. So what makes Mini Boden so special?

Above all, I love the fabrics, the prints and the colours. I love the flowers, the stripes and the spots. I love them mixed together in every colour of the rainbow. Surely children are too full of life to be dressed in drab boring colours!
I love the designs and how practical and well thought-out every item is.
Pockets, elasticated waists, pull it on and off. These clothes are designed with children in mind.
I love the styling and all the cute little details.
The quality and the finish are superb. The colours do not fade, the trousers do not shrink, and the buttons do not fall off. These are seriously and deceptively robust clothes.
I have never had any problems with my orders. The website is excellent and allows you to zoom in and get a very good idea of what your items will look like. You can see clearly what is available and what isn't. Delivery is swift and returns straightforward. If you ever need to call them, Boden customer service is excellent.

Undeniably, prices are a little higher than what one should pay for children's clothes but I believe they are still good value for what you get. You can often get 15 % off your order and that helps a little that helps. I might be worth mentioning at this stage that Boden sells really really well on Ebay and that once your children have grown out of their Boden fineries, you will be able to recoup some of the cost through Ebay and make enough money...to order more stuff from Boden!

In an attempt, I guess, to retain customers like me (mums whose daughters are growing up fast and are not little girls anymore!), Boden have created the Johnny B range. It is aimed at teenagers and tries to fill the gap between Mini Boden and Boden. I have failed to fall in love with Johnny B. To me , it has not captured the essence of Boden and I will not be purchasing anything from that collection.