Les Parisiennes de Mamansnet: Blue Stockings are Back in Fashion

[botemp]

Lovers of Parisian style and fashion with a conscious mindset to our wardrobes. Occasionally we pretend this is a proper Salon of the non-beauty kind.

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Recommended Second Hand Shops in Paris

Outlets in Central Paris

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Previous threads:

Un

Deux

Trois

Quatre

Cinq

Six

DAY 11 - DAY 11 - DAY 11 - DAY 11

A Take on the White Skinny Jean: Bleached Denim

Excerpt from botemp

I assume we’ve finally established that no matter how great a bit of white denim can look in the midst of winter, they really are a touch impractical. However, no need to remorse, replacements are here.

There’s nothing new about bleached denim but it is usually reserved for weather with sunshine on the horizon. Also, I believe we've successfully washed the worst 80s and 90s memories of it from our minds with, appropriately, bleach. Much like white denim, it can be quite instrumental to embed an outfit with a bright component when the sky has gone dull and dreary.

In terms of versatility, it’s also easy to see how bleached denim is rising in popularity as it can be expressed in different styles and even carry a touch of embellishment or vintage feel. One of bleached denim's greater qualities is that it allows you to showcase your choice of footwear.

My attempt

Straight off the bat I think it’s clear that these are not bleached denim. They’re more of a mid-blue. I’m not sure that the full-on bleached denim is for me, but I’m definitely keen to try on a pair now. I did try to use the opportunity to pair the lighter jean with a darker boot and you’re right bo that it does showcase (shoecase?) footwear very nicely. It’s funny that I hadn’t really tried this simple mix up before! I pretty much always wear these jeans with trainers and use dark jeans with dark boots, but this simple switch makes a difference. It’s not the world most exciting outfit, but I feel really good in it and can see it becoming a go to for smart-casual.

Just rushing in to say bo if you want a very high end charity shop then the Red Cross shop just off the Kings Rd is supposed to be the place to go (or at least it was the last time I was in London). Loads of labels although a lot of it wasn't really my taste. Not cheap. I would imagine any charity shop along Kings Rd would be promising.

For old school, early 20th century vintage, I think there are still a few places left in and around Camden Passage in Islington. They're well out of my league now and from what I've read, the original shops are being priced out by high rents. I think 'Annie's' is still going - years ago I used to get the coach to London for the day just to shop there. But I guess it may be a different owner now. Definitely not a place for bargains but some of it's lovely to look at even if you can't afford it.

Re timed tickets - purely anecdotal but we once turned up over an hour late (not the V&A, I think it was the Tate) and they let us in without any fuss. But I had the impression that, if they'd turned us away, we wouldn't have had a leg to stand on.

Red, I forgot to comment yesterday when you mentioned it, but very thrilled you liked the Sensai base!

Is there still that nice vintage shop on Clarendon Road? Was called Virginia's Attic or something similar? Many years ago when I worked in Notting Hill area, there were some good shops around Clarendon Cross (near Julie's Wine Bar, then a favourite haunt for faces I never recognised but knew were familiar, and a good place for lunch. In the days before it was frowned upon to have a glass of wine.)

Bonsoir tout le monde and happy continuation as we say here in Sweden after the new year ... I’ve been unable to focus on Being Online so have been away from thread. Have been home yesterday and today with a bad case of some sort of plague (I was so bad yesterday - just rolling out of a bed (kept switching beds as they grew uncomfortable) to go to the toilet and drink water now and then and then rolling back in but am almost a human today) so used the time to catch up on this thread and last one. Because I’ve missed it! Loved the advent calendar, excellent as usual. Had several things that ticked my boxes this year like navy, Katherine Hepburn (my style icon, not that you’d know it to look at me), WIDE TROUSERS we’ll get back to those in a moment - but oddly I was most excited by camel and grey! Now, I prob won’t wear it, but I love that they go, when in my head they don’t go. But sure why wouldn’t they go? They’re nature colours and they do tend to go. Ha. Loved that. Loved your interpretation too Elle!

I’m going to recap things I feel you need my opinion on, sorry not sorry.

“Thermals” - wool or silk, or wool/silk blend. Advantage of silk is that you don’t overheat when you go inside. My daughter who works at a preschool and spends two to four hours outside each day borrows my silk long johns and says they’re great and worked even down to -10. I don’t agree, I feel the cold a bit and prefer wool. 😬

I love Ursula Le Guin. I’m so sad she’s dead.

Kitchens - a walk in pantry, pref cold storage one, is all I’d really worry about if I were to build a kitchen. (This is a lie. There is more. But oh to have decent food storage.)

All this draping of scarves is all very well but Cold and Wind. I don’t understand it. I tuck my scarves in so the elements can’t reach me. All my clothes have to be weather appropriate.

I will no longer buy coats with less than 80% wool. Bimba and Lola are taking the piss with that 50% polyester grey one for £150-ish in the sale.

I love wide trousers. This is basically all I want to wear. Wide trousers with slimmer tops. Have spent about a month trawling the webs for wool wide leg trousers. The closest I came were these red ones from Massimo Dutti that didn’t quite fit the bill as too short and I like them long (no it’s not practical in winter but neither are cold ankles) and while I dithered since I know massimo dutti prob won’t fit my fat self they sold out. Picture from Google’s cache.

Have come to the conclusion I’m going to have to sew trousers. I want that shape in different fabrics. Easier to buy fecking fabric online than clothes. I bought these silk twill trousers from Arket in what is meant to be my size (44) and they were MASSIVE. www.arket.com/en_sek/women/trousers/product.silk-twill-trousers-beige.0645538001.html online shopping sucks.

Flo you are right is a British Red Cross not oxfam shop off Kings Road. I went there last June and had a good selection of high end pieces. no need to rummage a lot as it was all carfully presented.

Xing you are welcome, I figured that if I normally spend that sort of money in make up base and I am not entirely satisfied then I should try something different. Thank you.

I will book now the 1.30 pm ticket for V&A!!

*carefully

banivani hello! And exactly re Bimba and Lola! I thought the same when looked at the detail and decided not to even try it. I will not pay that for 50% polyester , specially if I want warmth.

Exactly Red ça ne vaut pas la peine. My current coat is from Cos and 100 % wool and even then not warm enough without layers because wind goes through it. (Am still holding out for same coat in navy to go on sale though)

Ok so when I come back I come back with a vengeance. Has anyone ever tried this website www.sumissura.com/en/ that offers "custom made" clothes? Like, for example, wide-legged trousers ...

Hello again Bani Genuinely curious, how are you managing wide legs in the Scandi winter? Pick at artfully draped scarves all you like so long as you explain the practicality of wide legs in the slush...

Thanks all for the charity shop recommendations, I'll be keeping a list. Any more always welcome

Love the look again Elle, but are those the pair of Sartore boots I saw in Paris last year that were not to be found in my size and not available online either or do they just look really similar?

Definitely give a bleached jean a go. Speaking of I ended up buying the Essentiel jeans with Alexander Wang shirt. Though I've since discovered they're actually men's jeans which explains why the fit felt a bit different and sizing as well. Went for the smaller size as I'd deflated enough for them to fit comfortably and the size up was definitely too roomy.

Esprit coats heft left me in a dilemma, the pink is as insipid as it is on the model so that's a definite no. The blue is a very nice royal blue, much nicer than anticipated, but I don't think I'd ever have looked at it in that colour without seeing the camel one first and I still prefer that one. I don't need another camel coat, my current one is very old but doesn't look like it and doubt that will suddenly happen overnight. Head over heart decisions... argh.

Thank you so much bo for the education on ovens. Ours is only from 2011 but indeed German (sadly not a high end/solid brand). Sounds like we’ll need to switch out the whole shebang then - yet more landfill. Incidentally, my DM was cooking in it today and forgot about it, so it boiled over and short-circuited the house... DH took it apart to dry and DM scrubbed it clean before I had a chance to tell her not to, so we’ll have to persevere a bit longer with it to honour all that effort.... My DM is lovely.

Good to see you back here bani, I always enjoy your posts :)

I am very prone to feeling cold so even wool doesn’t keep me comfortable in properly low temperatures. I inherited a sheepskin coat from my grandmother but it finally gave up its ghost, the leather has just started to disintegrate. I looked on eBay for a replacement but ended up adopting another old number that my (male) cousin used to wear :)

Thank you guys 😘

Wide legs in the slush are indeed absolutely useless (I’m nothing if not inconsistent about practicality) but you don’t notice until you - crucial! - remove your boots and the wet fabric sogs soggily against your leg. Even then it is easier if fabric is wool because wool warms you even when wet bla bla. ;) however it is so cold at the moment that we don’t have slush ha! So I’d be gorgeous in wool trousers. Also did not you notice that the MD ones were cropped and thus exempt. 😉

I think draping scarves is really one of the most Parisienne things you can do, and it does make the look. But here I’ll settle for at the most Copenhagen Cycle Chic draping ❄️

Peregrane, sheepskin is wool though. Wool+ so to speak. 😉 really is super in the cold. One forgets about the legs though. Can’t well wear sheepskin chaps.

I'm short cropped means fuck all to me, Bani

There may not be sheepskin chaps but there are thigh high UGGs now. Ahem, if one ever needed a visual for foreskin boots I think this it....

The fate of the landfill is annoying peregrane and less than ten years is pretty quick for an appliance but unless you know you'll be spending a significantly long time in your home I totally understand why people tend to scrimp on appliance cost.

Haha omg foreskin boots!

Oh forgot to say about the esprit coats - it doesn’t sound like you love it enough to go for it tbh. Also ask yourself if it conflicts with your FF ethics #helpful #helpful? I like the blue colour though! :) but like I said I’ve told myself (we’ve established how consistent I am right?) never to get coats with less than 80% wool so prob solved for me 😎

The coat is a bargain but an unnecessary one at that so I do suspect it's all going back. I also feel the window for another coat is up soon as well, it's very very cold here at the moment so I have to wander about like a poor Jon Snow impersonator in my Parka for the next two weeks at least and then it's just February maybe a bit of March if we're unlucky. Seems a waste to buy a coat for now, especially a duplicate one at that. I think I'm best off holding out for the proper fun statement coat I've been wanting since last year. Also no split at the back on the Esprit ones so I'm terrified of taking it on a bike. Never really considered Esprit as fast fashion though, suppose they are somewhat.

No maybe they’re not that fast fashion - possibly because not that fashun ;) but I’ve always lumped them in with that. You’re right, cycling with no split is lethal. Ask me how I know this 🙄

Ah but my old sheepskin coat reached my knees, thus obviating the need for a foreskin boot. On my grandmother, who was short, it must have been skimming the ground. Making it even less practical than wide leg trousers in the slush.

I have also inherited a /whisper/ real fur (as in some precious fur, not sheep) coat from DH’s family, from the pre-enlightenment days. I have yet to wear it as 1) its original owner was so short that her feet dangled off chairs while I am 5’10, so the intended full sleeves are 3/4 length on me, and 2) fur is not hugely practical when shepherding small children at a playground. Not to mention we don’t live in an area where people wear furs. You’ll have to find me an occasion for it! :)

One thing about these coats though, it’s hard to add a scarf drape à la Parisienne !

A scarf drape atop a fur coat is undoubtedly a different sort of silhouette...

Welcome back, banivani. The scarf drape is also tricky with dcs in tow, as it doesn't generally stay and you need a spare hand to flick it over your shoulder. It's been so cold here, I've either been wearing my tartan blanket scarf (merino) wrapped round and tucked in or a la Elle (sorry, that's appalling french) over my coat and tucked into its belt or a very warm, oversized alpaca scarf wound twice around my neck and then tucked into the coat belt/crossbody strap. It's the closest to the drape I can get.

Pmsl at those foreskin Ugg boots, really horrible, though I'm sure very warm. Peregrane I have some fur lined, leather gloves that are most definitely vintage from my mum, but they are very warm for someone whose hands go numb in the freezing cold, even thermal gloves don't do it for me.

Jeez Louise what a week. Just written a post and seem to have lost it too.

Anyway here’s a promised pic. No time to tidy up (or iron the trousers) so please excuse the extreme cropping, including - I hope - my head. I’ve decided they’re a fraction long on me if I want to avoid 80s flashbacks. Plus I like my ankles so I’ve turned them over at the cuff but haven’t made it permanent yet.

I was going for the Day 10 look that Elle reposted on the previous page. Not really managed it but I could’t carry off oversized jacket as well as trews.

Agree with you Elle that I stand and walk differently in more masculine clothes. The appeal for me isn’t just to do with how they look but also how they make me feel.

I may be able to help the chilly hands mob... Possum merino fingerless gloves warm hands to the knuckles. Stick mittens over them for outdoor wear if you are nearly tropical reptiles.

Will book my Dior ticket... for 1.30? it should be easy from Paddington as it's onluy a few stops south on the Circle line.

Oh and I'm hopelessly behind but before I forget forever, I really liked those Bobbies that Ferret(? I think) linked a few pages ago. The cognac looked a great colour and I like an ankle boot that does what it says and finishes on your ankle.

Loved, loved those barrel jeans Thisname. Did you keep them?

And the Barbara Hulanicki book sounds really interesting Red. I never made it to Biba but, like many teenage girls, I had the poster. The revived label looks nothing like - wish they'd left it alone.

Gosh Flo, that is chic!

Love the look Flo - so masculine, your stance completely changes with it.