Les Parisiennes de Mamansnet: Blue Stockings are Back in Fashion

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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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Ooph, lots to catch up on. I have a lot of laundry to do today so I'll try it in bits whilst contemplating what to pack for Paris.

I think I messed up a bit too yesterday. It was down to the coat, mostly, it was just one of those outfits (my camel wool theory skirt which is a touch vintage looking and in the wrong light can go a bit dowdy old fashioned) that needed a matching coat. Instead it just went a bit Jewish orthodox which wasn't helped by my hair which I had to blow dry due to lack of time to air dry which then has somewhat of a wig quality. Still on the lookout for a longer coat to avoid a repeat of yesterday but have only come across black ones so far. Anyhow, no one shrivelled up in horror, probably the only one that gave it any mind.

WRT Arket, I was there on Thursday (and bought stuff elsewhere, will report back later) and it always leaves me a little deflated aside from the home section. I went to see their new workout wear which is made of recycled fibres, which I rarely see for under £100 but it didn't pass the transparency test. Grabbed a bunch of other things but it's all just so lukewarm, I don't know if it's just me, I'm really not a good body match for their cut and for the presentation and price point I just want a bit more from them. Did contemplate a pair of high heeled sandals but was wearing tights and too lazy to take them off so that pretty much tells you how invested in them I was.

Love, LOVE, the trousers Flo, tempted to tell you to wash your mouth out for even voicing considering sending them back WRT dry cleaning, could you not do what I do with 100% denim and just spot clean when necessary, stick them in the freezer (in a ziplock bag) overnight every few wears and only send them to the dry cleaners when they really need it? Also 10/10 for matching the outfit with background, very impressive but where is the mask?

Also, suppose a new dimension for the Advent Calendar, I've been spotting it in action in the shops. Will try and see if I can manage some more when in Paris the upcoming week.

Pic 1 the jumper on jumper trend in Mango, it looked lovely and cosy from afar, unfortunately, shit material.

Scarf action at Weekday in pic 2, again shit material unfortunately.

Also at Weekday, Yves Klein blue definitely being pushed fuck off Pantone Colour of the year Coral, apparently

More Yves Klein blue at Cos and a jumper there was very Céline resort reminiscent. Unfortunately the cuff that isn't photographed is acid green and somewhat ruins the pared back graphic simplicity.

Klein blue seems to be a Cos staple, they often have that colour in.

I’d really like to see your failed outfits lassies. Being not very fashion savvy it’s helpful to work out why things don’t work, so I can preempt my own failures 😁

I like the not-quite-right outfits best, both on myself and others. It helps me in identifying what would make it right. I like it when I see someone who’s outfit is 90% there and I’m able to identify that’s it’s the coat length or boots or whatever holding it back from being amazing.

The main thing stopping me posting a pic (apart from that I didn’t take one) is that it was potentialy quite an identifying outfit, as several items were pretty distinctive - which is why they didn’t work together. But the next time I look a bugger you can all watch.

Loving all the photos here.

Bo this what you wrote “what I do with 100% denim and just spot clean when necessary, stick them in the freezer (in a ziplock bag) overnight every few wears and only send them to the dry cleaners when they really need it?...”
How does it actually work? I mean, the freezer bit, and do you send the 100 denim to dry cleaners?
I am curious, i assume is to preseve shape? Colour? Both?

The other day when in town (small market town where I live), I saw this lady wearing grey coat but the bit that stood out for me was the blue trousers and scarf.
I was actually just back from tailor, having got mine taken up and the colours looked so good on her, it was very cold but dry and not windy, which I supose helped with the looking chic in the winter. Honestly I wanted to stop her and ask her what was she wearing underneath and if I could take a picture of the full front —stopped myself, not to be cringe, stalker—, at the end I just caught the back to share.
Photo does not do justice, as had to zoom in and crop.

I have my blue joseph trousers at the right length. I have not worn them and currently I have ballooned and struggling with bloating, lower back pain after getting coil in last week. First time, is supposed to take a few days to settle in and I am hoping it works for me, but at the moment is not fun.

Yes thanks for that trousers in the freezer tip bo - I will remember!

And best wishes to everyone who's not feeling good.

No I don't send it to the dry cleaners, Red, but just added that in for Flo as it's probably a thinner material than denim so might benefit from an occasional refresh. Basically the freezer kills the germs and because the material is thick it doesn't really take up as much dirt as something thinner. It works for leather leggings too, denim aficionados swear by freezers as it helps retain shape and material integrity. Stops them from fading as well. I also stick (wet) tights in the freezer after washing. Forgot the science behind that but it has to do with preserving the elastic component, but you have to do it from new it doesn't have benefit for older tights. You don't end up with pantyhose icicles, I promise.

I'll try to remember to snap a pic if I'm ever walking around in a miss again. I do think it's helpful to evaluate 'mistakes'. Was discussing it the other day that personal style does owe a lot to making mistakes now and then which does perhaps require a healthy amount of bravado. Partially I also think it's changing the mindset of 'these clothes don't work with/for me' rather than self blaming that you're too fat/thin/whatever for the clothes. It's really not worth sparing the clothing's feelings at the cost of yourself but I know far too many who do have that deeply internalised.

Yeah I love S&B as you've probably noticed but I do think there's far too much fear of making mistakes. I've made zillions in my time and I'm still here and no-one, to the best of my knowledge, has died. Plus mistakes are funny. (Except for low waisted trousers - I won't be laughing when they come back.)

Hmm yes S&B does tend to waver back and forth between 'wear whatever you want, who cares' and 'anyone who wears ripped jeans over thirty looks desperate', desperate for what I always wonder.

Granted, I think we all, including myself, have a bit of this back and forth as we reject plenty for arbitrary reasons, mine tend to just be more tied up into the aesthetics rather than subliminal messaging only legible to a small subsection of society.

As Flo says, it's only S&B. No one is harmed by getting an outfit a bit wrong for a few hours.

I note Bo's comment about the back and forth, but our arbitrary choices of how we want to look/live are always interesting and informative. The ST Home section has a feature on kitchen design which says two-tone is the way to go. We are back pedalling on a major spend but planning to replace the base cabinets, worktops and range, but keep the basic layout, flooring. Instead of £30K, think £10K, because we shall need the money when we retire. But I feel that the right solution for us now will be what the mass market wants when we come to sell, so I don't want to play too safe and beige.

I'm no expert on the UK market Xing, but generally the rule of bathrooms and kitchens sell homes doesn't really hold up much anymore IME. They make a home more saleable but certainly over a certain price point most tend to gut and start anew unless it's turn key already. Unless all the homes around you have equally stunning views I'd assume that would be your main USP anyhow. Being sensible on the kitchen budget makes a lot of sense, I'd spend a bit on seemingly luxurious finishes that aren't necessarily expensive but prominent in view. Kitchen suppliers tend to overcharge massively for counter tops where a local stone supplier often offers nicer marble or stone for a fraction of the price. White goods substantially cheaper if sourced online, etc.

What will sell our house is the space, the location/view and then the house, and the rarity... there are three houses like ours, and none has changed hands for 15 years. The garden is hard work, the village is considered desirable, the schools are indifferent, and there's a decent rail link to our nearest major town. The bathrooms were refurbed about 8 years ago (and still look crisp and modern) so I would like to pull off the same enduring effect for the kitchen.

Thank you for the freezer tip Bo I had read it some time ago but not paid too much attention. I will definitely try that.

Also, curious about Arket recycled material for the active wear...

Ahh dressing “mistakes” some comments here made me chuckle from Bo and Flo.
I am guilty of sometimes verging on Jewish orthodox look, although I had not thought about it like that until Bo mentioned it and pictured myself with this 3/4 length wool skirt I have
A few years ago (10/15?), I was wearing a white blazer with a few light blue details, a skirt and plain top underneath. On my lunch break a lady starting chatting to me in the coffee shop (outside office) and said how well I looked... to which I started to smile and say thank you ... until she finished the sentence... you look very well in your Unifom, are you a senior nurse in the hospital?

I was not sure what to say to that, part of me was too embarrassed to admit that my stilish “uniform” was my attempt to dress well
So I nodded and left .🤣

The following day I took that blazer to the charity shop
I am pretty sure the local hospital took it to make up shortage in uniforms

Hahaaaaa your uniform! I have an accquaintance who told a similar story years ago - she was, she felt herself, rather snazzily and professionally dressed in a navy pencil skirt and blazer, with a white blouse and a little jaunty patterned scarf in matching colours tied around her neck. Was taking the train to work and someone mistook her for a conductor first thing. She ripped off the scarf, stowed the blazer and folded up her sleeves straight away

Never wear a white top and black trousers/skirt to a restaurant! Or don't leave your table without a very visible handbag; you will be recognised as waiting staff.

Haha, Xing at dressing like waiting staff .

We're all in recovery here from this nasty bug, so I've mostly been wearing jeans, warm jumpers and sheepskin slipper boots. Not very exciting!

I have uniform issues with suits too. All white and I look like either a wedding officiator or a lesbian bride, colourful skirt suits will have you thinking I'm here to sell you a time share holiday home and the colourful trousers suits just make me look like a child that's been rummaging in her mother's closet. I'm okay in darker traditional colours but nothing exciting either. I'd like a brighter blue one (more sky than Yves) but not really come across one in a good fabric.

Good to hear you're all on the mend quirky. Speaking of comfy jumpers, last week I bought another ribbed 100% wool jumper in off white. As if I've not already got any of those In my defense it's a cooler white which actually works well for me and it's a v-neck and it's really rare for a v-neck to work well for me these days (either too wide or weird on the shoulders). Was a bit miffed as it was 'only' 50% off where the rest of the Acne studios stuff was down to 70%. Saw later it's not a style that ever goes on sale, so in the end it was a pretty good deal.

All these duplicate buys have got me scrutinising the Essentiel jeans, I will probably return them. They're pretty identical to my 501s and not as comfortable, I don't think they're a worthy addition.

Bani, I need your expertise on the boots from Vagabond I picked up yesterday. I'll be in Stockholm for a day and then up north after (Åre). They were down 70% so a bargain and not my usual style but I could see me integrating them in my wardrobe. However, I'm wondering if I'm not better off getting something like Sorel boots (but not Sorel as they're unsuitable for my feet). The grippy soles tend to be terrible for snowy weather here as it's usually around freezing point so it just compacts and becomes icy but it's colder where you are, would grippy soles be fine or do I need proper snow boots?

Ooo Bo are you going skiing? 😀 My gut feeling is that the boots would be fine in Sthlm but meh in Åre. They’re fashion boots, not winter boots. Hard to say about the soles (as a matter of fact the Swedish consumer agency has opened some sort of stern dialogue with shoe manufacturers because they make winter shoes with shitty soles and This Must Change). Dr Martens for example have useless soles in the cold, very slippery, but an ignorant observer would look at them and think they looked sturdy and good.

Now the streets in Sthlm can be badly cleared of snow and just mountains of slush, but people in Stockholm would wear the vagabonds so you can too. You’d live. If I saw you in Åre I’d think you were a fashion victim. ;) I’d wear Sorels or similar. Warmer.

These are my winter boots, Rockport Hydroshield something. A good few years old but still grand. This is a case of function over form.

Thanks Bani. I don't really object to being a fashion victim, it's my go to look but those were my fears too. Might return the Vagabonds as I have other shoes that will do in Stockholm and they're a size up which is great for wearing many pairs of socks but that does limit their wear the rest of the time. I'll have a look online as I doubt I'll find good snow appropriate shoes in Paris and locally there isn't much beyond Sorel, UGGs and Timberlands(and Doc Martens but was already aware those are useless in an actual winter). Is Rockport a US brand as well? Most seem to be very wide but those look quite narrow.