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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Previous threads:

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Six

Oh I want everything in that Margaret Howell collage. If I start saving up now I might just have enough for that pink shirt in next year's January sales (if it doesn't sell out). Yes I am serious. Possibly.

I also noticed she had a couple of tank tops (sleeveless V neck jumpers) in her show for which I will always have a soft spot, even if they are a bit Gilbert O'sullivan.

Xing the most consistently close to Margaret Howell that I know of on the high street is Toast - not the dresses, which are too ditzy for my taste, but their trousers, jackets, knitwear etc are pretty good for that slouchy, mannish vibe. Otherwise it's very hit and miss but it's the usual suspects: bits of Cos, bits of Uniqlo - especially the U range. But I have regretfully concluded that you do have to spend to get anywhere near as so much of MH is the cut and fabric. Some menswear can work well if you have access to a tailor.

Margaret Howell tank top.

I was also googling for a Gilbert O'sullivan pic for those of you not of my vintage. Couldn't see one of him in a tank top (which is strange a that's how I remember him) but I did see a few that have left me wondering if he could be Margaret Howell's secret muse....

Speaking of Uniqlo (well, ish) the Inés de la Fressange preview is up.

Love the Ports 1961 red dress.

Yes the neon in VB:s show doesn't show up as well in the collage pics (too small), can see how they're jarring and unsatisfying. Like they're just there for shock value. If you really wanted to shock they'd all be wearing crocs tho.

Sympathies on the sick MILs.

Enjoy skiing Red I haven’t been since pre-kids, but even then I barely got out of ski gear.

Banivani sounds like you nailed the backwards cardi look; bralets are definitely the way to go.

I tend to suits quite vivid pink which are hard to pull off in real life. I see Garbriela Hearst had pink with burgundy which I quite like.

I like the top and skirt in VB image 3, but the leopard again feels superfluous.

bani I think Christoper Kane did Crocs!

On the Ines de la Fressange collection at Uniqlo.

In theory I like this pale pink linen dress, but something about it makes me feat that it will go full Italian grandmother on me. The pyjamas I would like to try though.

I’m badly stalling on the advent calendar. I did a rerun on the double jacket one yesterday and forgot to take a picture again. It’s getting warn here so my window to execute this is narrowing.

I’ve been retrained of late and just bought a pair of black block heeled suede pumps heavily discounted Gianvito Rossi at NAP for work.

Had to Google Christopher Kane and crocs and found this article which was amusing www.vogue.co.uk/gallery/crocs-sandals-christopher-kane-trend-test

Oh dear, Karl Lagerfeld has died

(Balenciaga also had a weird Crocs platform moment)

I came back to say same. Sad news. The 7 days out documentary on Netflix is on my watch list.

I don't know if I think I'm that sad exactly, I have no "relationship" to him as a designer. But nonetheless, end of an era.

I won't pretend I've ever been his greatest fan but definitely the end of an era, and a sharp reminder about mortality.
I've just been googling some of my heroes:
Mary Quant - 85
Barbara Hulanicki - 82
Vivienne Westwood - 77
Margaret Howell - 72

Time for reflection and chocolate.

Have just read that Karl Lagerfeld has died today. A huge figure, I think his creative and aesthetic influence will be much missed.

Ooh that first photo from the MH show...

I knew I should have refreshed the page....

MH could became my new favourite. Is there a sample sale soon?
So on the airport we had loads of time so while DH and DC were left in lounge I did a bit of window shopping and just chose two jackets from Reiss to play dress up. Basically anything that did not involve changing. I chose two with a pink hue, the second is a size small but just for the effect.
I am actually warming to the first one, and genuinely I would have never chose it to try it if I was intended on buying!

Hadley Freeman has retweeted an interview she did with Karl Lagerfield in 2005 which made me smile and warm towards him, not that he would have given a toss:
twitter.com/HadleyFreeman/status/1097836986830897152

I like those jackets Red, particularly the shape of the pink one if it was your size. (But don't tell Karl - 'Think pink but don't wear it' is one of his I think )

I've also found this in the Guardian about second hand shopping; www.theguardian.com/fashion/2019/feb/19/dont-feed-monster-the-people-who-have-stopped-buying-new-clothes

Mind you and at the risk of sounding selfish and shallow (which obviously I am) I am personally in no hurry for a second hand renaissance. It'll just mean prices will rocket, even for pieces of shit from Asos - as happened with vintage when Mossy discovered it.

bani the card looks greyish on my phone, but it does have a filter to make it gentler on your eyes, so maybe it's messing with the colours!

Lots of lovely photos, as always. I agree with flo about toast clothes having that aesthetic, and not wanting secondhand stuff to skyrocket in price either.

I've seen lots of nice spring like colours around the last few days, in the milder weather. One woman yesterday was wearing a soft lime green, leather trench with a toning scarf, she looked great, it was obviously her colour (it's not mine).

Ah, autocorrect *cardi

No worries Quirky, it's just funny coz I have this other cardigan that I walk around calling brown, and my family shouts GREY, and then I look down and it's grey, and then next time I look I think it's brown again so I'm going mad with it. Like the fecking dress all over again.

How do I think pink but not wear it? ponders

Perhaps you should wear pink and think you're not Bani

I like the pink jacket, Red. I'm obviously very pro pink and very much pro wearing it.

I'm with Lagerfeld on the sweatpants though.

Thanks for the articles Flo, will be keeping them for bedtime reading tonight.

You and me Xing...

Floisme if there are more clothes being released onto the second hand market at the same time that demand is increasing, the prices might not necessarily rise. Here’s to hoping!

Peregane as long as they're good quality!

I don't know, it's doubly problematic. A lot of second hand goes to the third world as aid relief, if increased demand means it all stays here instead it isn't great either. I think this is my main issue with the renewed interest in it, people resume their excessive pattern of buying lots for little elsewhere and feel less guilty about it but if you're cutting off part of the market that's more in need than you it becomes problematic. Also, how much of it is trend or permanent change. I personally think dead stock and other secondary avenues like outlets is likely the more sensible choice when you've got choice.

Speaking of outlets, Google maps informs me there's a Margaret Howell outlet on, aptly named, Margaret Street in Fitzrovia 🤩

And the second hand clothes going to the third world has murdered local fabric and clothes production in some cases ... complicated issues!

I remember reading Lucy Siegle's To Die For expecting a nice pull-out list of where it was ok and not ok to shop, and instead feeling my brain swelling to bursting point. My motivations are a tangled mess. There's a bit of altruism - misguided or not - in there somewhere, but quite honestly, the main reason is it's the only way I can afford to keep myself in the clothes I like.

Speaking of which (and I don't know London particularly well) Fitzrovia sounds like somewhere out of a Grace Kelly movie - hardly where I'd expect to find bargains!