Les Parisiennes des Mamansnet: Too much good taste can be very boring. Independent style, on the other hand, can be very inspiring.

[botemp]

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

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Favoured Parisian addresses:

Second Hand Shops

Outlets

Favoured London addresses:

Charity Shops, Dress Agencies, and Outlets

Favoured NYC addresses:

Consignment shops, Vintage, and Restaurants

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Previous threads:

Un

Deux

Trois

Quatre

Cinq

Six

Sept

Huit

My post on Sara Danius has disappeared too, MN has been a bit weird lately. I said something along the lines of, it's often the case that those who dare to defy convention, can accelerate and inspire change, unfortunately, often have limited time to do it in, but it means their impact is all the greater in memory.

I'm giving up on raincoats for the moment as well. Tallying up the DIY project is coming in higher than I'd like as it'll probably end up a disaster, or more likely, forever unfinished. At most it will be two more weeks of rain, the cape is holding up well as it's weirdly mild temperatures and I should really starting thinking about knee length boots and a fun coat again.

I'm still weirdly not buying anything and am rather worried with what's wrong with me Did the rounds at the consignment agencies today and did come across a Jil Sander down coat, it was quite intriguing as it was two lightweight down coats that slipped into each other, one with a hood, the other collarless and a wool panel down the centre. Came down very low and was really really warm and because of the layers it wasn't ridiculously puffy Michelin man. But I'm worried it's too warm, if I was living next door to Bani it would make all the sense in the world and theoretically I could wear the two coats seperately but I dislike all things collarless and the hooded bit isn't that exciting, so it would be a step up from my current parka which I loathe but I'm not bowled over by it. It probably is worth the hefty €400 price tag as it's pretty much new but I just don't feel like paying it, not sure if it's do with my general apathetic feelings towards clothes shopping at the moment or just this coat specifically. Didn't take pictures at the time, sort of found the two coats seperately but you have to imagine the hooded over the other.

Red most shades of pink are pretty hard to pull off this time of year because of the light, cool toned creamy skinned people can get away with it but the rest of it, it just looks off unless it's a bit of a dusky pink. Have you tried a long white shirt under a jumper to break it up a bit, can often bridge the formal/casual line when paired with trainers.

I like the bag with your IJ coat quirky, like the coat too. I do think green is a good versatile colour for shit weather coats.

I need to plan my next Paris trip, OH is being annoying, might end up going solo. Dare I suggest a Paris meetup without mentioning the B-word?

Thanks, bo, the bag is a John Lewis weekend one from a few years ago. Pretty rain resistant too in black leather.

One of the supplements had an article with wearing pink trousers, red, but I can't find it. I have very cool-toned skin that suits pink, but it just doesn't feel very me.

I meant to add that green has been my main colour of choice this autumn, probably as I've lived in a green raincoat. Sunny now, but there was a deluge this morning which I narrowly missed.

Thank you all for recommendations for those trousers, I will try to get a couple of photos of them with stuff I have at home and you can give me honest opinions not that you ever do otherwise!

I am well up for a Paris meet up in spring. B or not B.

I like the blouse bani. Do try tonal with the blush trousers red and report back! It sounds like they might not have enough pink to do steel grey? But could do navy or forest.
My hair is just twisted into a knot and caught with a band (old phone cord style band, I’d really like to know what we are supposed to call them) , and knot has drooped red, nothing fancy going on there
quirky more bias cut tartan skirts please. I’d love to carry that off but darent even try.

time, just for you, some tartan skirt photos. I think the Milan fashion week one is going to be the most wearable with chunky boots and leather jacket. Those are things I wear normally anyway and it's a similar colourway to what I've got. I've "inherited" this tartan skirt and I think it's hardly ever been worn, I'm just striving not to look very classic in it with riding boots and polo neck, as that's just not me at all. I wouldn't mind the castle in the first picture , I don't have anything like that jacket and belt, but like the idea of toughening it up a bit, the second is McQueen, very ott but with a leather jacket again.

I started with a tartan scarf last year, now I have 2 and a skirt. I also have a couple of tartan blankets at home now as well...

I've seen a lot of tartan in the shops and the latest JW Anderson for Uniqlo collection is full of it. But I think it's the bias cut shape that still has a heavy early noughties vibe. Yeah I'd try it with chunky lace up boots and leather but, if that still doesn't work, I'd just hang on to it a little longer quirky - its time will surely come.

Pfft I've been banging on about tartan since advent calendar number one It does seem to be having a bit of a moment, which thankfully means, a novel take on it here and there so it doesn't feel as country frumpy.

Have seen two scarves so far but material has let it down. Really like the red which has a reverse pattern on half of it on both sides, the other is a silk scarf with padding and a loop through.

The red one is from Maje but contains a bit of acrylic, really don't want any of that static near my hair come winter. Real shame as I'm quite enamoured with it and it wasn't stupidly expensive.

The other is a Dutch brand and I like the fact it's silk and feels a bit modern with the colour choice and patterns but the padded filling is that cheap synthetic stuff, it made me think of sitting on a landfill for the rest of its days not decomposing when I was trying it on although they'd probably just burn it and release all those lovely chemicals in the atmosphere

Red, I'm planning for end of Jan/early Feb not quite spring 🌨️☃️

I know, I'm late to the tartan party . I have worn tweed for years, so it's not such a leap, really. I love that first scarf, bo, but I agree about the acrylic. A proper wool scarf is so much lovelier and warmer.

I always liked those bias cut skirts, though, flo. They suited me and gave me an illusion of waist and hips. But yes, I just want to avoid country frumpy and mix it up a bit.

I am adding to the tartan chat, i have been looking at photos of japan fashion week and on the street style there have been a couple of examples of use of tartan. I suppose not that surprising since if it is not country style is quite edgy/punk and the Japanese do their own ‘version’ of this.
(I know i will get shot as this is probably, most surely not punk and I really do not know the different tribes/sub cultures, etc etc)
But anyhow, I like these two examples as source of inspiration.
The first one I like the soft tones and the second is the mix, that nod to tartan without being full on big tartan skirt.

Here you can see loads of photos
what are they wearing tokyo

With regards to cuts, I also saw this on the above link. The blazer cut at the waist ... I have noticed that some blazers look frumpy of me as a result of were they sit on the hip ... in general smarter jackets are better on me on the waist (think channel style) i think is because it gives me a waist.
I am tempted to keep this on my mind and if i come across any cheap second hand blazer to try it (i might even have an old one to try this on... question is, will i be able to pull it off/look like a derailed woman)

Paris- let me have a look as in feb ❄️ we are going skiing, but if there are cheap eurostar tickets for a random weekend, i might go.

I meant this

Just had a lovely couple of days catching up, sorry I went a bit M.I.A.

Quirky, sorry to hear about the death of your mother in law but glad the service was nice. How is the house sorting going?

Bo, the red Zara top arrived and as much as I wanted to love it, it was really unflattering. The main issue I think was that the top seam was elasticated. I still have it in a bag of stuff to ebay so will try to take a photo if I remember.

Not much exciting to report here, like several of you, I have packed away all my warm weather clothes. I have been more severe than I would normally be, in the past I kept out lots of bits (e.g. white embroidery anglaise sleeveless too) I could layer/ wear for meals out etc. This time though I deliberately put them away, as I remember how lovely it was last spring to feel like I had a whole new wardrobe. I think it was referred to earlier (apologies, can't recall who said it), but I think it stops me over shopping too.

I've purchased very little but did go to a clothes swish/swap where I got a few really lovely pieces that I'm thrilled with.

Now that all DC are school age, I'm still looking for a simple leather bag to use each day. I do have some that are fine, but all are either long past their best (in a grubby, scruffy way, rather than lovely vintage way) or I don't really like the style anymore. I did purchase one just before the summer that I really like, but it's not really big enough to carry all of the stuff I carry on me (in particular, a water bottle and normally a book and a notepad).

I also still need a few nice leather belts, keep hoping I'll find something in a charity shop, but no such luck.

As ever, been loving photos of you all.

I like a cropped, boxy blazer but I also like one that's long enough to bypass my hips altogether.

I wore a lot of bias cut skirts when I was considerably thinner and straight up and down in shape. So maybe my real problem with it is that it reminds me how much my arse has grown.

Sorry Methen cross posted

No tartan here other than a huge blanket scarf, it's originally from Laura Ashley but I bought it from a shop/agency that sells on preloved clothes (the same place I picked up the Margaret Howell shirt that I've still yet to wear ). It's brown with orange/yellow lines so goes well with camel coat I wear and I tend to get lots of compliments when I wear it. I've had it out the past month or so, but have found that instead of using it as a scarf, I'm wrapping it fully round my top half, almost as though an extra layer. Typing that reminds me to try it round my neck but tucked straight down into a belt (on coat or leather over cardigan/jumper) as I like that look too.

Had a quick look on pintrest and as well as the usual '5.3 million ways to tie a blanket scarf', I thought these two looked quite fresh but not too contrived.

Ah, flo I am quite straight up and down. I find full skirts very unflattering as they hide what little waist I have and add bulk to my hips and legs, which are quite slim. Hence, going for bias cut, a line or asymmetric styles, really.

methen the house sorting is going slowly, though we've done a lot. Not helped by lots of boxes of things which came from the old family home never having been unpacked and stashed in the loft or garage. Both of which have had leaks, both now and in the past. I think it's a generation that never threw anything away.

I like shorter and longer blazers . I think it depends on the cut of the blazer and the whole outfit. I have a denim blazer that's hip length and can be worn open and loose or done up, I also have a charcoal wool blazer that's shorter and more fitted that looks better done up.

I’m often not sure about the fit of blazers on me although I wear them for work all the time and do think they are one of the ultimate outfit finishers.
Thanks bo! I like the red one - I don’t love the padded or the mustard/camel section on the other one? Padded just seems difficult to work with? Silk sounds nice though...
I have bought a much smaller scarf a week ago- our flat in Pitigliano was opposite a weavers shop and studio and I couldn’t resist. It’s quite simple, no big trends but this beautiful silk cashmere woven scarf in ivory and dark blue... I could have sat there half the day watching her weaving.
I’d like to see those belted scarves on ordinary people to see if they turn them into a lump- there are a lot of elegant pictures around but they must add volume.
I didn’t respond to a comment some time ago about why antipodeans describe Australia as a fashion wasteland... partly because it’s true with fashion there remains a cultural cringe factor. It’s hard to tell as at the moment I feel like I’m leaving a lot behind, once I settle it will be better. Also I’m used to visiting in jan and you do get a beachwear vibe from our jan sales! A Country road (a big high street store) email last week had a poplin puff sleeve dress very similar to a Zara one making the rounds (& presumably inspired by a designer?) so that felt pretty derivative. I do like Saba and I love the emerging trends such as aboriginal designs I’ve shared.

red, in the interests of this thread, I saw someone today in blush pink jeans, paired with burgundy top and tan boots. It looked like a good colour combo and reasonably autumnal too.

I have some salmon coloured velour type jeggings, they were from Uniqlo and suggested by a kind soul on here when I was looking for trousers I could nap in during the day. I find them really easy to match, very comfy and people often say I look nice when I wear them (I think because they make tonal dressing easy) BUT I did see a photo of myself in them and they looked god awful. They created the effect of two fat lumpy sausages hanging out of my coat. Not a good look.

Heading to Manchester in half term and thinking I will have a couple of hours to hit the shops, I want to either go for boutiques, second hand stores or shops they don't have further up north where I live (thinking so far Selfridges and Uniqlo). Any suggestions?

Methen The Northern Quarter in Manchester is street after street of second hand. Back in the day I used to make the trip just for Afflecks Palace but the last time I went... I dunno, I just found it exhausting and all the shops were so samey I began to wonder if they were more corporate than they were letting on.
If I go again I'll research first so I can target individual shops rather than wandering round aimlessly. Or I might head for Stockport instead which is much smaller than M/C and quite run down but had a good, large vintage store by the market - called 20th century something or other. Or maybe the charity shops of Wilmslow for some bling

Flo, I think street after street sounds like heaven, but the reality is I'll probably have 2 hours (tops) so think I need a bit of a strategy.

Has anyone come across Charles & Keith bags? They look lovely and are very reasonably priced, but even at those prices I'm a bit about faux leather. I have one bag I got in the French Connection sale a few years ago, it wasn't a convincing faux leather but I didn't mind as it was more of a 'fun' style. Now though, it just looks a bit sad/scruffed/past its best. I only paid £40 but wouldn't have been impressed if it was full price as you can buy real leather bags for that.

Also, discovered The Real Real but was gutted when I saw it was £45 to Europe, before any sort of import costs. Are there any good UK/ European equivalents with less eye watering delivery?

Yeah you'd probably need more than a couple of hours for all that

I heard they were getting a Cos in Manchester but I don't know if it's open yet.