Boston Proper

Pros:  Stylish clothing, accessories, lots of size options, versatile styles

Cons:  web site search feature needs serious fine-tuning, prices aren't listed

The Bottom Line:  I love the styles and designers, and the sales Boston Proper offers online, but have the catalog with you when you log on, and don't bother with the search feature.

Full review
If you don't get the Boston Proper Women's Clothing and Accessories catalog in your mail, you're missing out on a chance to see some very stylish clothing and accessories, as well as good sale prices during clearance times.

Why I Use the Catalog With the Website

In the Boston Proper print catalog, I can get a much better feel for the item I want to buy. They have better details about the article, the price is easy to see and the photos are far more clear than they are on the website.

But on the website, I am able to see far more clearance items and deals than they ever print in the catalog. And if I order online, I escape my state sales tax, while I have to pay if I order by telephone.

Almost Too Much of a Good Thing

Make no mistake, I love lots and lots of selections to look at, especially in the "clearance" section. Many of Boston Proper's clothing and accessory items are seasonless, which is a bonus for any woman who wants to make each purchase count.

But 30 pages of clearance items, usually presented 7 to 10 items to a page, takes a whole lot of time. You'll get eyestrain before you get to the end, or you'll fall asleep if you have a 56K modem (even my new high speed connections take more time than I'm inclined to spend to look at everything).

What's the Mystery Price Here?

I've shopped at the Boston Proper Online Store for more than a year, and one problem remains: the price isn't listed until you add an item to your shopping cart.

Personally, I don't like to put an item in my shopping cart, even if I can take it right back out again, until I know how much I'm going to spend. Call me a committmentphobe, I don't care.

You'll see a window that allows you to choose your size, the color when applicable, but the price window is blank. Sometimes, they offer you a special link where you can buy the entire ensemble shown in the photo, jewelry, shoes and clothes. No price there, either.

The Search Feature Delivers TOO Well

Say I'm looking for one of my favorite designers, Allen Schwartz by A.B.S. If I enter that name and brand, I get more than 1400 results! The same thing happens in almost any combination I enter.

If it's a designer like Wayne Rogers, however, I get eight or nine items by that designer. Go figure, I can't!

That's why it's better to know exactly what you're looking for when you shop the Boston Proper Online Store. I like to order online, so I've had better luck by entering an item number from the catalog, or keywords from the catalog description of the item I want to buy.

Picture Quality Online Could Improve

Some of my other favorite clothing websites, like Bluefly.com or CitySpirit.com, let me see enlarged versions of patterns in a higher resolution image. Boston Proper's efforts here could be improved. I'd rather make my decision from a catalog photograph, even though it's usually smaller.

Great Purchases I've Made

Thanks to Boston Proper's great sale prices, I've bought a Wayne Rogers top for $24 that normally would have cost $70 or more, and a dress by the same designer that had been $150 for $69. I also have a hankerchief hem paisley dress that I bought last year for only $59 and I've worn it many days last summer and again this year.

I'll continue to use the Boston Proper Online Store. But unless I get lucky and the search feature works for me without too many results -- and the price isn't a mystery -- I'll keep the catalog nearby.