Teenage fashion meets grown-up style

Johnnie b, Boden's teenage collection, is one of those fashion secrets that you feel so excited to stumble across, you want to keep all for yourself. It's not an obvious place for a twenty-something to look for classic, easy-to-wear yet on-trend pieces, but that's exactly what it offers.


As a little style experiment, and because I wanted to take my new Marni x H&M polka dot coat out for a walk, I dressed my Johnnie b anchor jumper and purple ink skinny jeans with pieces that I felt would offer a healthy mix of grown-up style and fashion fun. And I'm pretty pleased with the result.


There's colour, motifs and print here, but all in subtle enough doses not to make me look as though I accidently wandered into the wrong part of the shop. Johnnie b’s sizing is also accommodating for those with the womanly bits many teenagers don’t yet have – this jumper is a large (they go up to XL), and the jeans a 32L. By marketing the range at 10 – 16 year olds, I think they’re missing a trick here, but I’m quite happy to keep this collection as my little style secret.


Coat - Marni x H&M
Jumper - Johnnie b
Jeans - Johnnie b
Satchel - Boden
Boots - vintage from To Be Worn Again


Jumper, jeans and satchel received as review items.

Johnnie b good

I’m becoming more disillusioned by fast fashion by the day. As I grow older and learn more about the fashion industry and consumer culture, I’m veering further from the cheap and cheerful and closer to the idea of investment pieces.

This is where brands like Boden come into play. Boden’s target audience is mums: Mums who like modern clothing that’s durable and not faddy, mums who dress their kids in head-to-toe Mini Boden, knowing that it will survive rough and tumble, and now mums who want to buy their teenage children good quality clothes that they’ll actually wear.
Enter ‘Johnnie b’ - Boden’s new youth brand. It’s been created by a new team of designers for the teenage market, and it’s great. The cuts are flattering, the prints current and the style timeless. And the best thing about the range? As a press girl at Boden’s autumn/winter preview proved, it fits twenty-somethings too. No longer does liking Boden make you feel that you’re turning into your mother.
My favourite pieces on display were a soft leather jacket – of which there was a lovely blazer version in the Boden proper collection – a cream prairie-style dress and red suede ankle boots: These alone create an outfit that could be rolled out time and time again.
The brand is obviously trend-aware – denim pieces were prevalent and a roll-sleeve grey marl jersey blazer hinted at Alexander Wang-inspired sports luxe – but all the designs are modern takes on classic pieces. Every wardrobe needs a few checked shirts, Breton tops and floral dresses. And my wardrobe definitely needs a bit of Johnnie b.