Les Parisiennes des Mamansnet: See life in pink, but do not wear it!

[botemp]

Lovers of Parisian style and fashion with a conscious mindset and lots of chatter in between.

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Favoured Parisian addresses for reference:

Second Hand Shops

Outlets

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Previous threads:

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Sept

Acne studios jeans, I was a bit tired from the day to give it a proper view but I'm inclined to go back for them as it's rare that a bleached denim jean doesn't make me look wider than I am. But I also saw a really nice pair at Ami yesterday (no pics of that) so I've got options coming everywhere.

Last of Monday, will share Tuesday's things later.

I'm loving all the wide trousers, bo. The last picture (Victoria Beckham?) the orange top and skirt look lovely.

Not at all the same, but I did a charity shop run, yesterday and bought a dark grey, cotton cashmere sleeveless cardi, if that's the right word, from Soft Grey. I recognise the brand from La Redoute years ago, it was one of those things that you put on and is instantly flattering, the v-neck is far too low to wear without something underneath, but at £4:75 I'll take very flattering in a useful colour!

Ah lovely trousers to wake up to! I've been dicking about so don't have time to look properly now but regarding The Chloe trousers, whenever I've bought a cheaper version of something I've really loved, I've always felt slightly annoyed and cheated whenever I've worn it. And I don't suppose See by Chloe are going to be cheap either. The Cos trousers look great.

I remember Soft Grey too quirky - La Redoute was pretty good in those days. (To be fair they still may be but I gave up looking when they stopped the catalogue.

flo, I used to buy a lot of my work clothes from La Redoute in the catalogue days. My ancient linen wraparound trousers are La Redoute, so they must have been well made, they're nearly 20yrs old .

On the trouser front, I've just ordered these from anthropologie. Not white, sadly, as that's quite a risk with dd2 . I tried to order them yesterday, but the website kept crashing, it seems alright now though.

I feel very nostalgic about Soft Grey - the woman I worked as an au pair for had lots of stuff from there. 😍

Bo, pretty much all that is great. I love the silk Chloe trousers but I agree that the colour is hard (sort of pale mauve?). It’s not uncommon here in Scandinavia but it’s the kiss of death for most people except a few very Nordic types I think 🙄 so if the colour isn’t right you’ll never use them.

I don’t understand the Jaquemus dresses. Apologies, but I think “melting into the floor” is an accurate description - I may be overly critical since I’m squinting at them in these little pics but frankly the shapes remind me of those pictures where people have ordered cheap structured dresses from China and get a polyester mess. I’m sure they’re miles better in reality but I’m agreeing with you that the shapes aren’t great. Maybe they have bought stock in tit tape.

I’m very keen on that one shoulder top. It’s a shape I’ve always been attracted to and never dared wear but when I lose my kilos then I bloody will. (Maybe.)

I’m panicking slightly over our upcoming trip because we’ll be doing a lot of walking and my feet have been acting up. So I’m dithering over whether I should buy some super shoes, but I don’t want to look like an American tourist, and it might still be stupidly hot ... I go in and try on Birkenstocks but I’m not loving them. Just amn’t. Also my sunglasses are super ugly. I’ll never be chic and all the Paris ladies will laugh at me.

Oooh I love a Bo shopping trip special. BUY THE CHLOE SILK TROUSERS. They are wonderful and you’ll always yearn after them.

quirky that cardigan sounds like a great find for less than a fiver.

I’m enjoying the shopping by proxy botemp

Acne jeans are great. White Cos trousers are a really good buy, they look much more expensive

I actually like the beige version of the yellow dress, though I’m less keen on the other two dresses. That’s a really interesting observation about the sleeves on the pink dress. I couldn’t put my finger on what was going on, but you’re right that the sleeves do make it just slightly matronly

Is the white shirt with the white skirt also Jacquemus? It’s very nice

Isa Arfen dress is very classy. Buythelemairetopbuythelemairetop [\subliminal messaging]

Today’s dress, second hand find. Lovely and cool silk. Not sure about the horizontal stripes, but don’t think that they’re too unflattering.

Lovely dress, elle, I think the graduated stripes give it a slightly ombre look.

I like the look of those trousers and what a bargain that cardigan quirky!

The trousers bo look fab. Lol at the tit tape . Yes, the dresses are like trying too hard imo.

I like the dress Elle, not unflattering at all.

Bani, get yourself some comfy shoes already and well worn in. I've never been convinced by Birkenstocks but whatever works for you. More people will look at you oddly if you're exhibiting pain from your feet than anything else. I see plenty of comfort shoes around, the most you'll get is a bit of indifference and besides after the 14th July everyone escapes to more pleasant climates and the whole month of August there isn't really anyone here anyhow.

You bunch are terrible enablers [santa] Luckily I found something else to steal my heart away but I'll still keep my eyes on the Chloe trousers from afar in faint hope it'll reduce a bit more. I'll have a look at the Lemaire top again today and the jeans. Not that I have space in my bag left

So Tuesday was mostly vintage/depot ventes and they were a bit disappointing. Had stumbled across a NYT article a while back with a list of them that I wasn't familiar with, had looked to expensive (couture/Hermes bags etc.) or had disregarded on account of Google reviews. The French are brutal when it comes to Google reviews but they turned out to be right, overpriced, some I was convinced were charging more than new and two were an absolute tip where you had to ask for the price of everything. I did actually stumble across a few new ones by accident yesterday just south of Monmatre (an area I usually avoid like the plague) that were funnily enough all run by Japanese women. Not major labels, though there were some, but affordable vintage type things that felt very Parisian. I'll have to remember to update the Parisian shopping doc when I get back.

Anyhow, did take some pics at Sezane, sadly the Demain store was closed, it's only open at the end of the month but usually they open it up for the sales period too, but not this time. I was struggling to put my finger on what's been putting me off buying Sezane lately as it was all nice enough, the dress was an interesting surprise that I tried on a whim as it's not my usual thing at all but I liked the straight cut of it. So back to my hesitance, it's all nice enough but it all feels somewhat overpriced now, the shorts were €90 and I wouldn't want to pay more than €65 for them, the fabric wasn't especially thick nor was the cut that different to your standard high street fare. The t-shirt was just very basic with a low scooped back to make a difference but not worth €55 to me, a Cos t-shirt is better material and quality and they never cost anywhere near that and the dress also felt a little overpriced at €160, not as much as the other stuff but it all felt like it was just missing the right price zone for me to just go ahead and purchase. Probably just applies to me as it's plenty busy there.

So against my better judgement I did actually end up going to the last shop on my NYT list at the end of the day with little expectation. It's Valois Vintage which sits in a very expensive area and the website was all Chanel and Hermes, but I'm glad I went ahead anyway as I found a really beautiful vintage Christian Dior skirt (though I suspect it's 'vintage') which arguably is a bit of a dressed up piece, so unlikely to be worn to death soon, but it's some sort of wool mix (no care label) so will get a good bit of wear in A/W and I actually wear it now if it's nearer 25° rather than 30°.

It's kind of hard to capture it properly from the front as it sort of reads wide and longer than it is, have attempted to capture different angles. It's a sort of anthracite grey and it looks even more amazing with heels underneath even if they were the most garish Louis Vuitton heels I've ever had on my feet which made it feel very Dior Bar suit.

(Pictures taken at Cos, Valois had a rickety screen for a dressing room )

Winter skirts were an identified gap from my wardrobe last year so it somewhat feels like a sensible buy. Enough to splurge anyhow, it was surprisingly reasonable though, especially compared to all the other places I'd been to that day.

Last pic, apologies for run on sentences above, I just really like my new skirt

the skirt

Sezane felt overpriced to me too Bo, my buys were from the Demain store next door so the prices a lot more reasonable approx €85 for my dress.
I remember trying those shorts too and feeling unimpressed and looking at the t-shirt and leaving it behind the minute I saw the price.
And a week later U bought myself a couple of plain tees from Cos in white and a second in blue .

Weather is proper sunny here but not overly hot and working from home, so I am wearing a cotton dress I had for probably 8 years. One of my to go casual summer dresses.

Lovely skirt, a gorgeous shape and colour .

Quite hot and humid here, yesterday, but that maybe because I was out and about a bit. I wore my navy linen farhi dress and greek leather gladiators perfect for the hot weather.

Love that skirt bo - such a good shape. I like that Sezane dress on you too - it's not the kind of outfit I associate with you but I think it works. Agree about Cos T shirts - I have a couple and they're spot on - but unfortunately they all seem to be high necked this season.

In more La Redoute nostalgia I'm wearing an ankle length denim skirt today that I bought from them probably 20 years ago. It's A-line with a single deep, knife pleat up the back and has nearly gone to the charity shop so many times. But now it looks modern again (and still fits - probably because it was a post pregnancy buy!). Fashion is weird.

I used to like La Redoute, before the online shopping, because they're cuts were different from a lot of other clothes available. flo, fashion definitely goes around, I have an Eileen Fisher grey linen jumper (charity shop) that seems too big and loose, but looked great with skinnies. I will probably store it until it looks "right" again, as it's good quality.

My anthropologie trousers have arrived. They look both longer and wider than the photo, in a nice heavy cotton. I'll try them with some different tops before I make a final decision.

The Sezane dress was definitely a kick myself out of the comfort zone try on. Not usually my thing but it's good to shake up the notions a bit that these things can work for me if the cut is right.

Yesterday, I ended up buying the Ami jeans (will have to look them up online later) a pair of re/done jeans as the Acne ones had sold but I actually like the re/done a lot more, and it was an absolute bargain at €35. I have a crappy pic of it somewhere but can't seem to find it Also ended up getting the forest green Lemaire top.

Today in Antwerp (attending a family thing this weekend) and have snuck off to go to one of my favourite stores in the world for their 2nd client sale (clients of the shop can sell their used clothes for a commissions free gift certificate to be used in store, I wish more stores would do this). I managed to come away with these fab yellow linen trousers from a Brit designer Alexander Lewis (I think, never heard of him). Beautiful linen and made in the UK and it's cut beautifully. Another bargain at €45, well I think, for all I know Alexander Lewis is a cheapy high street brand.

Don't know if it can be properly seen but there was a lovely Haider Ackerman jacket that was cut away from the body, it fit beautifully and gave a really nice silhouette but it did feel a bit too circus director.
Also tried on a Dries Van Noten skirt with I think the same pattern Elle has as a top but the shape felt a bit dowdy and I didn't like where the pattern matched up in the middle looked like I had a wee.

Chambray blaser from Acne I wanted to like as I've been on the hunt for something like this but something about the cut felt too masculine/androgynous, or perhaps just to sharp to feel properly casual. Couldn't really put my finger on it, wanted to like it but it just didn't feel right.

There was a lovely Mansur Gavriel saddle bag as well but I hesitated too long and lost out. Anyhow, I think that's me done shopping for a bit.

Better pic of the Acne jacket

Lovely trousers! I haven't heard of Alexander Lewis, either. I love the Haider Ackerman jacket, quite dramatic, but gorgeous. I know what you mean about the chambray jacket, nice but looks quite formal menswear.

flo talking about La Redoute, I've just remembered a pair of thick, khaki linen trousers in almost the same style as the anthropologie ones that have just arrived. I think they were late '90s or early noughties, so those silhouettes are definitely repeating. Someone I used to work with with no style used to tell me they looked too short .

Hi again. I was on earlier threads under a slightly different name (where I lusted after Rick Owens jackets etc). Then life threw a massive curve ball and am dealing with health issues, don't recognise my own face or body and not sure what future holds. So I've lurked.

I had a habit of buying only three or four choice items of clothing a year at all, but now those carefully saved for pieces don't fit. I'm hoping to gently distract myself with fashion and get back into it. I need some summer hats as my hair has thinned, but otherwise will get some good Emmanuelle Alt inspired basics. I do have shoes. Just rediscovered some Marant Otway boots I may try to wear in winter if I can handle even the low heel. I bought them secondhand ages ago and then felt too shy to wear them.
I love your nude handbag bo. Where is it from?

Welcome back, bloomed . I hope we manage to distract you from your health issues. I have an ancient was-grey-now-faded-to-bleached-grey/beige straw fedora style hat from New Look that has lasted very well and always gets compliments. It folds up in a bag too. Eve wornout was rocking a lovely black and straw one from Other Stories on her blog. If those are any help.

So sorry to hear that Bloomed. Life can be such a bastard sometimes

Depending on your budget, I used to have a classic Panama that I loved but did not treat well. I didn't have the funds to replace it so I've 'made do' for the last couple of years with a straw trilby from John Lewis, which I do like but which doesn't really have a big enough brim to keep the sun properly off my face.

Thank you! It's taken me ages to talk about things even on an anonymous forum and really need to rekindle contact with friends irl too.
I have a few felt hats but they're too warm so I'll look for a couple of wide brimmed and narrow brimmed straw hats. Other stories, new look and john Lewis are now on my list.
I was thinking about revisiting uniqlo for some cotton and linen basics but can't see much online. Do they have more in store I wonder (though it would be a trek).

Welcome back Bloomed adds another bouquet .

Hats, I have a few but no favourite summer hat since I wear glasses all the time. And most of them were chosen with boating in mind rather than wafting. Winter hats are uniformly woolly and/or waterproof! So no help from me.

Gardening attire here, and not the flowing elegant garments suited to carrying a few flowers in a wicker trug. Think grubbing up invasive ivy and brambles, before going to the tip, again. Boilersuit.