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

[botemp]

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:

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Cinq

Six

Sept

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Dix

Merch in celebration of our tenth (previous) thread:

Les Parisiennes de Mamansnet shop

Bonjour a tous !

Sorry if this is the wrong place to post (though I have very much enjoyed reading this thread and thinking back to my days living in France!) but I was just wondering if there are any native French speakers on here? If there are I would be ever so grateful if you could take a look at my post about bringing up French/English bilingual children in the UK: www.mumsnet.com/Talk/parenting/3913925-Are-there-any-French-native-speakers-here

Bises !

Hiya French, sorry we're mostly just faux moustache donning imitations and we don't all live in the UK. There was an interesting discussion on the multicultural families board recently, asking for the opposite experience but the responses were broader and had a few French natives living in the UK posting.

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/multicultural_families/3903488-British-mums-in-France-tell-me-about-parenting-and-raising-children-in-France

quirky, yes and I think the order for me then goes, red currants, blueberries (they'd rank higher if they all tasted like the nice ones, I hate the Russian roulette aspect of getting a mealy one), and then blackberries (they don't set my world on fire usually but I do like them cooked with apple as part of a dessert/pastry). I did collect some blackberries from the wild once and those tasted far nicer.

But what about peaches vs nectarines? I can't make up my mind about those as a good and perfectly ripe yellow nectarine is usually more easily achievable here but when in Italy or South of France it's a white succulent peaches all the way. Over here they're just a sad reminder of what they could be. The flat wild ones tend to be nice though, but so small in comparison.

I'm gardening this afternoon (not working this week) and the strawberries are arriving soon-ish. I also have to thin out my courgette plants, I always feel a terrible person for condemning them to die for not being as good as the other one. Poor things, much prefer it when the other seed just doesn't germinate.

@botemp thanks so much!

Here feels to hot today for gardening. I decided to wear an ancient dress I normally do for a beach exotic destination ... very boho feel.
It doesn’t have an obvious Chelsea flower show vibe but it has flowers.

I don’t think I can decide on which berry I prefer ... and I know what you mean Bo about peaches in Italy , gosh I wish I could be there now eating one!

That looks very cheery Red, I'm going to get out my Dries van Noten floral yellow dress for tomorrow on honour of your Chelsea flower show hommage. It's going to be downright tropical🍍 let's hope I still fit the dress

How can you not decide on a berry, clearly raspberry is better than all others. I've decided to amend my peach preferences. I want a white peach in Italy and a yellow one in the South of France.

Strawberries are all planted keeping fingers crossed for a glut of strawberries in 8 weeks. Otherwise these were the most expensive organic strawberries ever and I once foolishly bought a box in Japan once without a price tag 😬

In other news, the pan from Bani's fantastic house find is haunting me all over the internet

And back to sewing/fashion my fabric is finally arriving Friday after 5+ weeks and I also discovered this video from the Dior couture atelier, bit of a long slog and the narrator is quite grating but to see the process from start to finish in such depth and seeing it go to all the different specialty ateliers is really fascinating.

I remember your Dries dress Bo, in fact I thought of it when I decided to wear mine

Raspberries are obviously best but they're only in season for two minutes round here and the imported ones don't compare.

I'm wearing one of my favourite shirts today. Sorry about shit pic but it's in an old-school heavy linen that creases but doesn't go droopy (though maybe I should still have ironed it before taking the photo). Love the shape which the pic doesn't show but it's slightly cropped and boxy and works really well with high waisted trews. Don't know the brand as name label has annoyingly been cut out but care instructions say 'made in England' and I imagine Marks and Spencer's from their glory pre 90s days. I'd like to make one like it (cos I'm delusional) but so far all the patterns I've seen have either been too fitted or PDF only which is a faff too far for me at the moment.

Sorry I can barely speak French any more but hope you join in still.

Have you looked at the maker's atelier Flo? Their boxy shirt is an 'eased' fit. I don't know why those patterns are so expensive though, especially when the images to sell them with are made with inexpensive material it looks good here as pyjamas in vintage silk.

Otherwise just trace your own shirt if you can deal with that faff.

I did but it's out of stock and has been for a few weeks. But thank you!
Yes why are they so much more ££ than other patterns - do they come with an on-call seamstress?

Merchant and Mills have one too but it's a henley style neckline whereas I really want a collar (and don't have a pattern piece I could substitute), also PDF only.

Trace my own pattern..... I think you may be confusing me with someone who knows what they're doing.

I'm not sure which patterns are in the book but it does come with a pattern pack of 8 items, it's quite decent value for money considering the price of their patterns and made with beginners in mind.

www.bookdepository.com/The-Makers-Atelier-The-Essential-Collection-Frances-Tobin/9781849499040?redirected=true&utm_medium=Google&utm_campaign=Base1&utm_source=NL&utm_content=The-Makers-Atelier-The-Essential-Collection&selectCurrency=EUR&w=AF74AU9639F7DCA8VC18&pdg=pla-293946777986:cmp-9475117111:adg-98851935729:crv-420349298101:pos-:dev-m&gclid=Cj0KCQjwzZj2BRDVARIsABs3l9IVscDAosxryYNxSukL8Ucn-s9efFUQzrFY29in9R8CPnC1F7ou6osaAsyFEALw_wcB

Oh thank you bo I shall take a look at that over my (totally deserved) coffee break. I've also just remembered I never watched that video about Chanel couture (bani?) I could be some time....

Making shirts is not easy though. Sleeves, buttonholes ... Plackets. Collar stands.

Am liking the distanced Chelsea flower theme keep it up. That blouse is lovely. Have we not seen the Zara coat before? I either remember it off this thread or from the shops when it was new 🤔 V nice anyway. I have a friend with a coat for every occasion, wouldn’t surprise me if she owns one like that for her Chelsea moments!

Loved the Dior video, haven’t watched the whole thing yet but love it already.

While googling idly for brands that make bigger bust clothes (after reading the sewing thread) I came across one new to me, that also makes v insouciante silk trousers velvetarchitect.com/product/stretch-satin-palazzo/?attribute_pa_color=navy&attribute_pa_size=s and sure they’re only a hundred pounds now so am tempted 😬

Currants are only good in cordials. Blueberries are best from the forest, hand picked by grannies.

Oh I shall totally bugger it up bani but I couldn't afford a shirt of that quality new, and the chances of ever finding another one in a charity shop are diminishing all the time.

There's a Dior video up too? I can see I've been slacking on here lately.

Flo, they sell it themselves to and at least specify which patterns it comes with (not the boxy shirt). The new edition only has seven patterns but that probably means the 8th one wasn't very good and the book depository is owned by Amazon so buying direct seems a better option in the supporting independents effort.

themakersatelier.com/book/book

I don't remember if I posted the coat here before but perhaps I have at some point. I'm personally not a fan of shiny silk on my bottom half as it enlarges curves ergo makes me looker wider and shorter. Not really a fan of stripes down the side either on everything but that may help somewhat make it look less curvaceous below?

The blueberries in Sweden are different than elsewhere. If you've got a granny spare she's welcome to go pick me some. All wild varieties tend to be much nicer IME, strawberries, blackberries, blueberries, etc. but perhaps part of it is the reward of all the work.

Quickly before my next meeting ... are you wearing the dress Bo? Photo please.
I am wearing a cotton day dress, I will send a snap later.

I really like that linen shirt Flo. But isn’t it too warm? Yesterday I wouldn’t have been able to wear that where I am.

No it's not Red, in fact I find it really good for keeping cool in hot weather. The fabric's heavy enough to keep off the sun but it doesn't weigh down, if that makes any sense at all? Admittedly I'm talking about hot by UK standards.

I forgot to say, I also much prefer to cover up when it's hot. I cannot stand the feel of limbs baking in the sun.

No, sorry Red, it's too warm (it's lined) and it was fitting a little tight on the bust, so not conducive to comfort. I'm wearing the bright blue silk Christian Wijnants instead.

That makes sense Flo.
The sound of that blue silk dress ... mmm wouldn’t mind a peak.
Here is my dress today, when you see me here is because I am finishing my work day in the office and before confronting the home chores and childcare I remember to take a snap for you all
But a long weekend is ahead of me as I am not working for 5 days!

Quick question - what’s the name of those I want to say Italian summer shoes that have sort of braided leather uppers? You know, that are sort of granny-ish but have had a trend comeback?

You mean this sort of thing Bani, I don't know a specific name, but possibly look for woven leather rather than braided, if that is what you're looking for.

I had already taken my dress off and tossed it with the delicates washing pile, Red, so crap picture where it's all crumpled from the balcony that needs a good clean as that's the only place with decent light.

Thanks Bo - no I’m thinking of ones that are closed toe normally and the leather is more of a net or punched holes? Might be lace ups or ballerina style but I was thinking I’d seen more sandal style too. My daughter is looking for the ideal sandals and I wanted to see if these matched what she has in her head.

I think I know what you mean, Italian granny goes to church in the summer shoes, no scandalising the pope with our toes

I don't know the name but I think it's called an open leather weave? Does Bata still exist? I think they always sold them.