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

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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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Oh yeah, Facebook keeps recommending clothes and shoes now, the latest is karigar.nl that make some sort of cape thing that you can wear different ways if your bohemian fancy takes you that way.

“...it has a rather "young" feel. “
What are you implying? 😂

It was me who was eyeing the dress Red I agree that it looks really nice on you and I’m pleased to hear the quality is good. I have two dresses from Finery, one cotton one held up beautifully until I accidentally burned it (sob), I’m still looking to replace it but it hasn’t yet come up on EBay. The other dress I have is made of thin polyester, it was perfect for the occasion I needed it for but it wasn’t made as well.

Enjoy the Dior exhibition all. I heard that they extended it until Sep so I may now have the chance to see it as my last attempt in Feb failed.

Oh goooood have I put my foot in it now .... 😂 reminder that small pictures can be misleading 🤭

I am eyeing the dress now, I do love the colour and seeing the pics it looks great! I don’t know whether things will fit these days though.
I cant tell those trousers are pink at all. I believe you, but it’s hard to think of tops for them in terms of going with blush. I don’t love the second blouse either but it might be me- I think I can err on the side of too girly (would like a better word as I’m clearly using it in a negative way) so am wary of details like pan collars and bows.

Reassuring updates re dressing and children all! I have about 15 years till my hypothetical youngest is 12 so do think I can aim to have the wardrobe together by then! I’ve been trying things on this morning and my wardrobe is such a mush mash, not to mention the large pile of doesn’t quite fit again yet.
I’d love suggestions for this jacket, which I do like (needs an iron badly) but rarely wear. Perhaps in summer it will be easier but suggestions might help me get it into more rotation.

Today's Times (it being Wednesday and fashion page) and Natalie Hammond has clearly been reading along with the Advent calendar. Sweaters draped artfully, top to toe tonal colours, rolled trouser hems, double coats, plus.... trousers tucked into ankle/cowboy boots (no, me neither/except wellies ), double bags/side packs, and high slung bags.

The other stories have a focus on everyday and accessible... NRBY Clothing, wearable casual stuff, was new to me and has a pop up shop in Elizabeth St for any Londoners. I could see wearing this. And a sensibly searchable website, but not a huge range.

Then Kitri, which the Times fashion team like and feature often. If it weren't for the self-imposed no new clothing, the navy merino hoodie would have had my card out, and it's now sold out. Happily, they don't often repeat stuff. Prices for both are similar to the top end of the High Street or Toast rather than full-on designer-diffusion.

time I see you are doing a French flag there in the pic
I love a white blazer. Obviously with navy is a safe option, I think it can be combined with red but with caution (I certainly could not pull that off).
If I wanted more wear out of it I think I would see how to do casual wear. Jeans, kaki, black or navy trousers with plain tops work great IMO.

After all you do not need to worry about mucky hands just yet? so wear white blazers while you can I say!

Or here for a more fun outfit, a pop of colour with the white blazer. Or an all white one (a fav of mine)

Btw- the finery dress is also on 12 on eBay a new one for £22? If you tempted enough

Sorry for ignoring all the other posts but this one is all about me. I made it to a Cos today and was seriously impressed, if puzzled - how can clothes look so shite onlline and so good in real life? Anyway it's just as well we don't have a local store as I'd be in the poor house. However I made the rookie error of not ringing first to see if they had that jumpsuit in stock. They didn't. but mostly at myself.

Still I went away, poured caffeine and sugar down my neck till I felt more chipper then called into & Other Stories where I tried on this jumpsuit but felt like and endangered species. This one ( although I'm sure it was dark blue, not purple) was better but the fit was all wrong.

Then returned to Cos and spent a good couple of hours trying other things on. Quickly remembered why I'd abandoned dresses and given jumpsuits the side eye for so long: They never, ever fit. But several lovely tops and interesting skirts and some epic trousers. Very nearly bought these mauve trews. Ignore the Stasi guard pic - in real life they trpd that line between dressy and relaxed very cleverly, worked well with the pink 60s jacket, would provide a welcome bit of colour and were really nicely fluid and drapey. But you could see the outline of the pockets through the fabric which irritated me enough to risk walking away and losing them forever. Too much caffeine? Possibly, I may still order online, and maybe Xing's jumpsuit too although I'm no longer hopeful of that sadly.

Annoyingly, of all the things I tried there, that was the only issue I had with quality. Otherwise it pretty much blows away everywhere else I know on the high street. Tried a few other shops but so much tat I walked straight out again. Special mention though to Zara. Yes You. I was very taken with these wrap effect trousers (not the top). Hideous or just the ticket? I'll never know cos I couldn't find a single pair to try that didn't have puckered seams or loose threads. #Sort it out.

Wow I hadn't realised how long that post was Think I may still be over caffeined. No sleep for me tonight.

Did you bring the jacket then Flo? Were the trousers really that nice irl considering they’re polyester? You have such/more refined tastes now with your Howell and all LOL at endangered species jumpsuit - I can see it. Other stories not as good for quality as Cos. The dark one is nice but oh so casual compared to the one that got away. Quite like the Zara one in a hypothetical way, love a mad print after all. Possibly that’s the most weddingy of the lot?A typing in car thus brevity because it’s jumping around

Yes I'd remembered to take the jacket (but not to ring them first about the jumpsuit!). Those trousers - I know, they were probably the only polyester in the shop but it gave them a really nice, fluid line. And such an interesting colour.

In some ways those mad Zara trews were the business plus they were half the price of the Cos ones. I caught myself thinking, does it matter if they fall apart in the wash if they're right for the occasion? But then I got so cross at how shoddily made they were that I walked away without even trying them on. I'm now back home, feeling calmer and a bit silly!

Having principles is tough isn’t it? they dont feel as much “you” as the cos jumpsuit though.

I think the Zara ones were worth a punt for £40? However, if it cheers you up at all, I bought a wrap over pair of trousers from Zara last summer and I think I’ve already given to charity. They were a nice design but the trousers tapered in towards the end (I have thick calves and dislike thapeted legs immensely) and the colour I bought did not suit me. I have a Cos dress in the style of the jumpsuit you have your eye on. It looks like it pretty much is the jumpsuit but with legs instead of the skirt part. It is certainly a nice dress but..... I always feel it is too smart and too hot for warm days and too much like work attire for a party. For me it hangs in no man’s land in my wardrobe....

COS is better than the website, IMO. In store, everything is racked to make links and outfits and their styling cues work really well. But when you want to buy something specific, for an occasion, you can't rely on pictures of stick thin models to decide.

The mauve trews might work with a shocking pink JKO jacket... It's a colour combination I've been thinking about in my kitchen, but based on a terracotta equivalent if you see what I mean.

I think COS cuts for real bodies, but displays them on stick insects for the website. It's the only website I know where the clothes look better on people than the models. Even my mum was taken with some of their stuff, at 84.

"Even my mum" sounds as if I think she is not interested! My ma has a very lively interest in S&B, but is cross that she doesn't have the same body she once had, and can't carry off what she likes to her own (high) standard.

Ha! I'm already like that and I'm 20-odd years behind your mum!

Sadly I very much doubt the jumpsuit is going to fit. I'd forgotten this - one pieces hardly ever fit me well well unless they're in a stretchy fabric.

The mauve trousers looked good with the pink jacket - it just worked. I don't mind them too much being polyester as long as they feel and hang nicely (which they did). But I think I do mind being able to see the pocket outline through the fabric of a £70 pair of trousers - it's not a good sign.

I think the best solution would be if I could find Slipper's Zara trousers in the charity shop.

I do love those trousers flo! I am planning on heading to cos in the next few weeks for some trying on. Could you get a jumpsuit tailored? I have a sass and bide jumpsuit which I couldn’t resist years ago but ... never got around to getting adjusted, sigh. They are made for 10 foot tall goddesses.
I love those Zara trousers, but while I wish i had more panache think I’d feel conspicuous in them rather than comfortable. I think it would be great seeing that wrap element cross over to menswear as well though.

Jumpsuits can be strange. I'm a petite short size 10. I recently tried some jumpsuits and a) my bum is absolutely gigantic in them b) the body part is too short. The overall look is really unflattering. Cos will be made to a higher spec though. I've noticed recently that I am now a size 8 in Cos. I lost a few pounds but not enough to go from size 10/12 to size 8 so they seem to have made their clothes even more generous.

What do you think of this OS one Floisme ? I really like it.

www.stories.com/en_eur/clothing/whats-new/product.belted-pinstripe-jumpsuit-blue-pinstripe.0706254001.html

• I just remembered you were looking for something for a wedding. Please ignore the OS suggestion!

I like the mauve trousers Flo, but visible pockets are an annoyance I never want to deal with either. I saw those Zara pants recently as well, I didn't even bother fingering them for the material, they were all rather shoddily made. Thought it was a just me, I get rather overly harsh about Zara when I haven't been inside one for a while but my opinion seems to remain that it's ridiculously overpriced for the quality bar the occasional gem.

I'm all packed for London, went with the trench and thanks to lightning's helpful input I can now blame someone other than myself for walking around with teeth chattering. Although I've just seen it's St Patrick's Day Sunday, should probably pack something green otherwise Elle will have full permission to pinch me all day or is that just an Irish American thing?

Time, I struggle a bit with white blazers as they can be quite solid when reflecting the harsh light of S/S. I'd say go texturally rather than focus too hard on colour, whatever you wear it will sit somewhat detached from it, so think materials that don't have this solid quality like threadbare t-shirts, that woven linen, etc. Distressed denim can work but you have to be careful as it can go into Rich Bitch territory.

Yeah I saw that one in & Other Stories Slipper - you're right the fit would be better as there's some stretch, but it looked a bit too casual for a wedding plus it's got short sleeves which can actually look worse on me than sleeveless and I find they're harder to cover up.

I may still get the Zara trousers while I think about them as I'd have 30 days to return. I was really very taken with the look of them and if I don't buy them now they'll be gone soon - I'm already giving them far too much free publicity. But it sticks in the craw plus they're not my favourite company anyway.

bo I'm not in London but it's been pissing it down here for days and windy too so an umbrella could well be useless.

Maybe check Uterque if they have anything similar Flo, quality tends to be better than Zara.

Yes, leaving the umbrella at home, it looks to be dry-ish on the weekend and if I absolutely need one the hotel will provide one, I'm sure. Can't find the travel plug with the UK bit though, which is annoying, hotel should have one as well but I may just go out an buy one today.