Les Parisiennes des Mamansnet: Ce n'est pas bon de faire du lèche-vitrines avec de l'argent en poche

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Lovers of Parisian style and fashion with a conscious mindset and lots of chatter in between. Feel free to join in

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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

Neuf

Dix

Merch in celebration of our tenth (previous) thread:

Les Parisiennes de Mamansnet shop

Oh Johnson certainly has enemies - deservedly so some might say! Like I've said before, I think he's smart but I fear his brand of smart won't be enough to get us through this. I also think the Times and the Telegraph are the most effective opposition we have at the moment, and have been so for some time.

And thanks everyone for the crossed fingers. I'm close to the end of my career in any case and we have reasonably ok pensions - yeah I know, unlike most people coming up behind me! It's just a case of being careful till I know what's going to happen but, as I'm not a big fan of either online shopping or loungewear, it's no great struggle.

(I will admit I'm a bit miffed at not getting furloughed in the meantime - a few weeks off on full or 80% pay would sweeten the pain - but then I'm a bad, bad person.)

But for young people, yes thank you for the good wishes. I graduated myself at a time of mass unemployment and you just get on with it. But this is something else.

I don't know where all my the-sun-may-be-shining-but-don't-be-fooled clothes are hiding. Today I picked a tissue thin, down to my knees cashmere cardigan. It's too warm to wear properly but as soon as I take it off, I'm cold so it's now round my shoulders: fine for shouting at the laptop, aka working; not fine when I stand up.

I think you just need to go full superhero cape with it Flo, just tie the sleeves up 🦸

I'm poor at comprehension this morning, Bani, what exactly is it you're looking for? Granted, I'm just back from the shops and don't understand how I was away for two hours , so may just be me. I'm ridiculously pleased with finding some fresh yeast though

What about flour though? There's no flour to be had. know this to be a fact because I saw it on Twitter.

I found flour too, but I also had some already but that was running low. I usually have more than half a dozen different types of flours in the cupboards at any time

I never knew this, but apparently after the US we're the biggest exporters of food which seems quite a feat for such a small country. Eggs, flour, butter, milk, etc. it's all readily available for the most part probably because it isn't going elsewhere but fresh yeast is always difficult to get hold of, pandemic or no pandemic, the dry stuff just isn't the same.

And I completely forgot, I also found rhubarb which I was hankering after for weeks. Usually the season doesn't start until may here, the forced stuff goes straight to the UK. It's not well loved here, most sharp fruit isn't. I do a happy dance when I find some gooseberries.

I bought five kg of flour last time I was in the shops because those were the only bags left, bizarrely.

Bo, I just want a lighter spring-but-still-a-bit-chilly scarf. ;) Something that feels easy and unassuming to wear. Nothing too eye-catching I suppose. The mustard tube scarf is just wrapped two or three times around me and i'm good to go, no styling needed, iyswim?

Linen? H&M have some in a few colours for a good price. Otherwise I'd say woven silk scarf, attached is mine (bought in a shop somewhere was some great scheme empowering workers, etc. but I've either lost the tag or it was never there), it was pricey but it's really versatile as it's warm in winter (just not freezing temps) and not too warm in spring/autumn and also makes for a decent beach wrap.

I'm genuinely wondering what people are up to with flour. I go through it at least, but not even that quickly. Bread baking is not something that's easy from the get go and the flour they sell in the supermarket isn't any good for it either

I love the jumpsuit and shirt from quirky and bo.

I hope all the job worries work out at the end, I am positive in that sense , although I think it will take time and many might have tighten the belt.
My contract has just been renewed, which is positive but by no means I am out of danger. But my DH’s work is coming to an end in the next couple of months and normally all those people would be mobilised to another project but in these circumstances they all know the company is looking at who will be made redundant... we are not sure if DH will be affected or not. We are ok for a few months, but if that happens yes will affect our current way of spending.

I am able to get flour and other stuff, I get that from a local farm that also delivers deli type stuff, yes is more expensive than supermarket but while I can I am happy to support smaller shops, I have been getting and cooking organic in season vegetables from them for 10 years but now I have expanded to their other products so I only need the supermarket for 10% of my shop I would say.
But as I say is not the cheap option and I hope to be able to continue supporting them ...

Those linen scarf look really nice.
I am sitting 10 min in my hammock before going back to my “home office” which I have hanging from my Apple tree. I am wearing a sezane skirt with green polka dot and sitting I really like the contrast of colour with the strong fuscia/pink of the hammock.
It reminded me I wore this skirt with a similar colour cami last year and I received compliments, I think is the colour combo what makes it.
Speaking of colour was just seeing the marimeko preview in uniqlo website. Although I am still unsure about the pieces, I quite like the colours.

Well don't you get lovely colours in H&M NL. I saw that scarf but only in two colours and I like neither. Your silk scarf looks very nice though, I'd like something like that but am unwilling to pay any amount because stingy.

Red that all sounds ridiculously idyllic. I agree with you on the Marimekko - it doesn't get me going at all but sure, colours are nice.

Bo, regarding the image of dyes you posted a couple of days ago, may I ask which company's range it is? The choice of colours is much better than Dylon, which is all we seem to get here in UK...

This one is quite similar, I think I paid €120 for mine, although mine is 100% silk. I also like the look of this one that's slightly cheaper and I'm just linking this one because the male model looks like a painfully constipated prince Harry 🙈

Xing, it's H. Dupont Classique for wool and silk but I guess the brand may do some other versions for other fabrics.

I have to agree that Dylon colours are a bit basic, I think Rit has more which is American, not sure how easily available it is. Dylon definitely less faff to use though.

I've never come across Rit but it looks like they do synthetic dyes too which is interesting, and they seem to ship internationally. But I often mix 2 or 3 Dylons to get a more subtle colour - just empty into a jar with a secure lid, shake it all about and voila. I never remember quantities though so each time I do it is unique.

Dylon is okay for refreshing faded black stuff -- which is all I want to do this time, but the colours of both the Dupont and RIT are better. Thanks bo; bookmarked them!

I have just discovered this fred! Where has it been all my life? And there were previous freds. 👗

Bani, jus let re read it and yes sounds ridiculously idyllic... trust me, couldn’t be further from true I could bore you with the other mundane details on my life but trust me I don’t think you want to hear

We've been here for several years, and haven't hidden, but welcome Wauden.

@@XingMing. Thank you!

Symbol fail.

It would be fun, if tricky, to make our own dyes from plants, bark, moss and other natural things.

Hi Wauden! well we did talk about natural dyes too, I think we agreed sounds a dream but reality might be another matter, Elle was tempted by avocado pits (gives pink) and me with carrot greens (yellow).
In practice it would take an awful lot of raw material we decided ... I might still try if we continue in lockdown and I run out of ideas .

However I am finding myself with full days, yes I have more time for certain things: cooking, gardening and doing homework and playing with ds, but I still need to work ...clean etc etc so reality is I am not sure if I will get to natural dyes territory or will stay as a daydream.

Oh I forgot to say about my tea-dyeing - no, everything did not smell of tea and the colour has lasted just great thankyouverymuch. But I knew it would because I've never ever managed to remove a tea stain ever. It was a quick fix because I wanted a toned-down colour and not bright white. I'd do it again though, very easy and since I'm pale it's a very good shade for me! Subtly dirty, I'd call it.

I'd forgotten about the Jyoti shop, thank you for reminder. I like collecting shops like that even though I never buy anything because I prefer brick-and-mortar in the end.

Recent facebook recommendation: Rosamen Bado. It's like "take Gudrun Sjödén but make it Paris", isn't it a bit?

Oh and Red, of course I want your mundane details. I am on Mumsnet after all. Have you parked anything recently?

Welcome Wauden

Rosamen Brado... ehm.... I'm dubbing it an odd orgy of a French nana, Marimekko and Alexa Chung in a milliner's supply shop for women who want to be perceived as deep but are really just a bit simple so everything sounds deep to them if you switch around your grammar enough (the Yoda effect). Just add aesthetically pleasing nerdy glasses.

That's really mean, isn't it? Sorry I've woken up feeling rather combative today, I should probably just head over to AIBU and start a thread called 'I have a bog brush and know how to use it'

If you go to projectcece they collect all those little fair trade shops like Jyoti for you, Bani and link through, more expansive than just a standard directory. It's quite useful.

Forgot to add, the milliner's supply shop is obviously in Harajuku. I'll stop being mean now.

Have you parked anything recently?
Sorry I am not sure I understand the meaning Bani , I know is not the same if you have to explain all ...
might be obvious, or might be one of those English phrases with other meaning ...
Lost in translation... still happens sometimes