Les Parisiennes de Mamansnet: Orangutans in Paris make for poor gondoliers

[botemp]

The sunshine might be fading from our passion fruit punch but we're looking forward to what autumn will bring.

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Sorry posted to soon, meant to add that peony your cardi looks great and plenty French to me so maybe it's some cardigans not others! Or maybe my colleague is overly judgemental

Xiao are the french just supposed to freeze then with no cardi? Northern France is pretty similar climate to the UK, surely. I'm wearing a long, faux mohair black cardigan today, that is actually french. Grey, faux snakeskin heels sound gorgeous, btw.

The Sezane top and jumper look nice Elle - interested to know how you found the length of the jumper? Is your height in your legs or torso or both?
Really like the navy shirt and grey pinstripe trousers combo Xiao

I love that Sezane blouse Elle I wish I could wear the jewellery it's styled up with but I have a huge problem with jewellery, I don't even wear a wedding ring. I own one cocktail ring but it makes me feel claustrophobic!

I just always feel a bit wrong when I try any on.

A good psychiatrist could probably sort it out for me...

Also like the navy and pinstripe Xiao. It's a great look for you.

On a darker note I seem to have triggered some mailing list horror. I got a catalogue from Sam Cam's Cefinn and one from a company called Fold. Someone somewhere clearly thinks I'm in the market for upscale workwear...

I got one from Fold too, Hairy . Is someone trying to tell us something?

didn't Peregrane get a coat from there have you sold us out so cheaply?

Quirky autocorrect has been plaguing my grammar too. It's really annoying as it will correct a sentence without you noticing, as it just changes the words earlier in the sentence whilst you're further along. I recently posted here about Xing having a lovely turn of phrase which it changed to tone I've had to stop post correcting myself in seperate post as it's just annoying, autocorrect really needs to stick to spelling only, it's making me look like an idiot.

Rosie, that's exciting news, I think the exhibition did go traveling so it may well be the same. I wouldn't mind seeing it again, hmm they did just open up a high speed train connection between Amsterdam and London.

Elle, I have a picture of when I tried on the Barry somewhere. I'll try and dig it up, it was a size medium but it was a bit too large, dropping on the shoulder but I did like the oversized look of it so maybe it's better in a size up? The lace blouse looks lovely, would come in handy come holiday season. Would be lovely in navy too, I'm assuming it's only in black?

Xiao, I think my attempt would be worse as I'd have translated layering as feuillete I think your colleague is probably a bit judgemental by Brit standards. Whenever they refuse to translate a word, IME it's always a touch derisive. And at the risk of sounding like one too, do you use a lip pencil? May just be the odd lighting but I think it would enhance the red lip a touch. Lovely IdlF pieces, how have they been washing?

My ninety percent order just came in, need to try it on but I'm not enthused so far. Quality and material looks lovely but off white is looking more lilac than anything else. Utterly confused, it's definitely off white in the pictures

I’m quite interested in The Fold! Not at the moment, obvs, but thought it might be worth a look for a few interesting pencil skirts etc?

I'd happily get a Fold one in place of the endless bothering from some bloke called Johnnie Boden.

I didn't mean there was anything wrong with the Fold, just was it some weird coincidence I had suddenly got a catalogue too. I am on quite a few mailing lists tbh.

bo glad it's not just me with the autocorrect, we're/were is particularly driving me mad, as is LL instead of ll as in we'LL, just why?

@botemp they have a masterclass weekend in March. Its beyond my level of interest, although I'd love to see the embroidery in action:

www.vam.ac.uk/event/GEWDmq8B/dior-top-to-toe-march-2019

A little off subject, but a blogger I enjoy reading attended an embroidery class at Ecole Lesage in Paris. The skill that goes into Haute Couture does justify the price.

jetsetsewing.com/2017/07/03/haute-couture-embroidery-school-in-paris-balenciaga-and-eek-i-dropped-my-needle-again/

Thanks Rosie, I'm balking at the price of that. Those type of things are usually free here or a nominal fee but I suspect it's probably a bit more involved.

Quirky, yes contractions and autocorrect are an issue. It's and its is my main bugbear, let's and lets a close second. It's annoying, it's where I as a non-native am supposed to have the edge over native speakers

The Uniqlo U collection launched in the US today so it's a good opportunity to check all the fabric info instead of doing it on the European launch day and losing out on precious items in the process. Happy to note all the knitwear is 100% wool. So I'll be putting in an order for a couple of those. Wool trousers are only 45% wool so think I'll pass on those as the rest is polyester. Might get the jeans, thought I liked the khaki colour but not so much now. I like the red but I don't think I have a lot of shoe options to go with that.

US link:

www.uniqlo.com/us/en/women/uniqlo-u

EU launch is the 20th IIRC.

Sent the ninety percent jumper back today. It was ill fitting as well as an odd colour, it looked almost off white in different light but it still had a pastel lilac hue about it. I did wonder if they'd overdone it with an optical brightening finish or something. I do think I prefer a roll neck though, with the oversized feel it works better on me proportionally I think, less of a cherry pit head poking out.

Thanks for the US of U link bo. I’m slightly disappointed in the women’s collection but really like several of the menswear pieces and much prefer the colour options - so may take a punt on one or 2 in XS.

I really enjoyed that post on the embroidery school Rosie although it did bring back a long buried memory of a teacher holding up some of my cross stitching for the class to laugh at. The Balenciaga photos are fab, thanks.

I’ll have you know I paid for that coat in pound sterling! For Mamansnet mailing addresses I definitely would have demandied a few of their dresses as well. I still regret missing their Hampton dress in sage. If anyone is tempted to follow up on their catalogue, I adore the Bowery silk blouse (attaching the catalogue photo) which is the only other item I have from them. By contrast, I found the Marais suit to be of an oddly shoddy quality (at least the way the fabric hangs).

I am now calming down after the discovery of so many lovely brands and especially shapes and styling education here, and back to reflecting harder in whether pieces I appreciate also feel “like me”. Problem is, if I let the inner perfectionist kick in, I’ll never buy anything and will continue defaulting to my ragtag wardrobe of yesteryear, stuffed with what I could afford or was gifted as a student, just because it’s already there.

On that note, I’ve ordered a pair of Massimo Dutti trousers for DS and threw in a pair for myself, but expecting the latter to go back. If they don’t button up over my postpartum belly (note to self, time to wean myself off those biscuits) I can use a bellyband for the time being, but they’ll probably be too short as well.

Reflecting on - speaking of autocorrect...

Breaking radio silence to say that I am toute occupée avec Maman chez nous, but that the (last season) bargainous Andia Fora high top basketball sneakers arrived on Tuesday, and are definitely keepers. Now I keep popping back to look at a pair of rather cute boots.... but I am resisting valiantly.

Good morning, it has taken me about an hour in bed to catch up with a coffee in bed. You may remember my youngest DS recently acquired a life changing disability and so have had very little time to myself. Returning to this thread is a tonic!

Elle- that cream coat is a slice of heaven.

Xia- I loved the cream shirt and wool trousers, did you say where they were from (Sorry if you did and I missed it)?

Bo- loved the cream silk skirt you had on in the changing room photos and the huge wooly jumper; knitwear like that scares me as I fear I would toast/itch once I got indoors.

I haven't really made any purchases lately other than a stunning pair of Russell and Bromley shoes which I will try to photo later, another ebay bargain.

This morning, due to the crisp air here in the north of England, I'm going to have a seasonal wardrobe sort and pack away the summer dresses etc and get out the suede skirts etc. Think I will need to try most of it on a feel as though I have been eating my tierdness the past few months and my softer/more sluggish new frame may not fit into some things.

Lovely to catch up with you all.

Lovely to hear from you again, Methen, had been wondering how you and your family were getting on with all the changes. And how was the San Fran/LA trip?

I did a small wardrobe swap last weekend, as I really wanted some light knitwear but I'm regretting it now as it looks like I'll be dragging all the summer bits out again for the upcoming week as it'll be 24-26° and I need to go down to the Belgian border area again where it'll be 28-30° I was just getting my head round the weird not warm/warmish weather, now I'll have to get back into warm/very warm mode again.

Peregrane, I sympathise, perfectionist tendencies can paralyse, it's an annoying trap and I'm wondering if I'm falling into one lately as well as I keep holding off on making any purchases. I used to get so annoyed with my mother wanting to see EVERYTHING in the shops, then to circle back and do it all over again.

@Floisme I've never understood why people like that teach, such a cruel and unnecessary thing to do.

The Balenciaga photos are fabulous. I'd love to be able to get close enough to look at the construction of those dresses.

Hello again, Methen, I hope you and your family are all well. My dd2 is disabled, she has ds, so I remember well lots of appointments etc. It's not so bad now, but it has been all consuming in the past.

The weather here is chilly first thing and then warm/hot later. So lots of layers. I currently have a pile of full on summer clothes awaiting putting away: maxi dress, vest tops, denim shorts, so I can fish them out if I need to, but will be put in vacuum bags when the weather starts to change. I've got out a few autumn bits: tweed jacket, a few long, coatigans (?), felt fedora, ankle boots that I am mixing with my in between clothes.

Quirky, excuse my innocence, but what is ds?

I sorted through my wardrobe- took longer than expected but was enlightening as always. I decided to take photos of items I was unsure of, but quickly realised that there were some I didn't want to post, immediately showing me I didn't feel comfortable in them. Excuse the chunk of images to follow, but would appreciate your thoughts on the following...

What would you wear with this suede skirt? I thought a fitted top but was unsure of colour/What to wear on bottom half. It sits just above my knee (should probably sit just below but it's a 10 and love handles don't let it sit any lower).

What would you wear this jumper? It is a beautiful Jaeger cashmere but has shrunk so is now quite short. I would wear it with high waisted trousers but it would I fear the pockets would then be half covered and it would look odd?

Bought this Michael Kors top from ebay, colour is stunning in the flesh but fit is unusual, a sort of stitched in wing.

I had thought possibly with a skinny jean but think that would look dated?

Bought this silk blouse but now is huge and heavy, which causes it to hang low at the front. I am wearing it here with a non-padded maroon bra, is it too much for a mum of four just under 40? Obviously for a night out, not for the school run!

I had toyed with getting a seamstress to cut a chunk off the bow to reduce the weight so that it would not hang so low?