Les Parisiennes de Mamansnet: L'enfer c'est les Autres

[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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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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That's exactly what Mr Flo says bani. Are you long lost twins?

Argh lost my long post.

Shorter version of what I can remember. For last resort red wine stains I'm recalling hydrogen peroxide and dishwashing liquid (?). Should be okay for wool, HP is fine for wool carpets (diluted, and I'd try dabbing first, not soaking) but do it outside. I've saved a few silk shirts from unmovable sweat stains with HP, it's quite a miracle worker but it's not pleasant to use (and much higher risk with silk, only do it if you're prepared to lose it).

I really enjoyed this Jil Sander interview about the +J collection. I love how Bauhaus she is, but my design education was also Bauhaus based too so I'm biased. Her quality obsession should mean I need not worry about the material compositions. I also now think I need ALL THE SHIRTS, including the men's...

Not to be that critic that sucks the joy out of everything, but isn't posting daily outfits and asking second opinions on something what we always do on here when it's not a pandemic

Ha ha good point. I guess I was thinking of the purchases of shame - you know, the ones you never mentioned on here, never showed to your other half, the ones you took to the charity shop on the other side of town in case anyone remembered you bringing it in.

Or is that just me?

Thanks all for the tips. Is that the same stuff you bleach your hair with?

Yeah, teeth, hair, whatever, you want, dilution is everything. It seems to be a bit more standard in the US to use it as stain remover, it's in all sorts of cleaning products (it's not very environmentally friendly). We can only get tiny single bottles at the pharmacy, don't know if that's enough to go all punk and fry your hair to death with but you could try...

Ehm, no, purchases of shame for me usually mean, oh my god, I paid that much for that flimsy piece of cloth (although usually it's a leather thing) 🤷 Remember, I'm the person who regrets not having bought something because I had to be all pragmatic about it, you all get to hear about those from me all the time...

but isn't posting daily outfits and asking second opinions on something what we always do on here when it's not a pandemic
Yes! That is why I miss it and thought to do it , as otherwise I do not do much of that. Basically, why don’t we do a bit more of what we use to do?
Anyhow, I might try to make more of an effort myself

red, I think a silk scarf under a wetsuit qualifies as an effort!

Should I tell you all about the beautiful coat I have bought to wear to my mother-in-law's funeral? It's gorgeous, and will be my funeral coat for ever more. DMIL (I am very fond of her, and am not wishing her ill, but she is a shadow of the woman she was before dementia). If she lives many more years, the coat will no longer be warm enough for the very old woman I shall be -- unless she dies in June or July. It is a beautiful coat, just not a coat for the life I have.

Xing come back - I Need to Know about this coat.

It's absolutely plain black and unlined, just above the knee, single breasted, with narrow revere collars that either overlap at the collar in a tiny Nehru stand, or fold down worn open. It's fastened by three poppers. The fabric is cupro-cotton-modal and Lycra, so it has a sheen on the outside and a dull interior. It can be hand-washed. Sleeves roll up, if I want. Made by Annette Gortz... like most of my posh clothes (because it's the favourite brand of the frock shop's owner, who enjoys an edgy take on pure classics). The style is austere but sculptured yet easy and comfortable over jeans It absorbed a big chunk of a small lump sum that was part of a pension pot when I was 60, four years ago, and I have worn it once. I stroke it in the wardrobe, but it's not warm or waterproof. It was definitely a rash mistake.

Could you wear something underneath it for warmth on a cold but nice day Xing? It sounds too lovely to live in the wardrobe.

I have a lovely black coat with wide wool collar bought in TK Maxx about 10 years ago and can now fit back in to - it's not overly warm, but if I wear a close-fitting windcutter fleece under it it, it works well.

I like the idea of a "purchases of shame" calendar. :)

XingMing “austere but sculptured yet easy and comfortable over jeans” - sounds wonderful! Agree with Catherine, would wearing something warm underneath work?

Thanks for the link to the interview botemp! My wish list is growing, and the fear of everything selling out in seconds is kicking in

With thermals and a decent jumper... it would be good for the non-dog-walking parts of my day, outside a lock-down. You're all right, it deserves more outings!

That coat sounds wonderful xing!
I do not have a dog (yet) but people comment every time I wear my white maje coat during my lunchtime walk in my small town. I have noticed people seem to be making an effort and wearing nice things when out on their walks.

Hang on Xing - did you get it on purpose for her funeral, like, years in advance?! Sounds like a cool coat though and surely it could be worn a bit like a blazer those three days a year that call for just one extra thing?

I want some style advice for real. I was looking idly at the mango outlet and saw this dress. Now, if I was to wear this in the autumn/winter, what sort of shoes go? If I was to wear boots, what sort and how high can they go? What are the proportional pitfalls?

That's a nice dress, bani. That would be a tricky length for me, though, and I would probably end up taking it up a bit to just below the knee. Long boots? Trainers?

Possibly length is tricky ... on me a dress like that would fall a little lower, prob at least five cm. which might still be tricky but nonetheless both lengths are ones I feel mentally comfortable with since I can sit down and be covered. ;) so my skirts and dresses tend to be at least that long. Ideal proportions on my actual body might actually be a little higher. I’ve always said I like things to hit just under my knee but no one makes that ideal length so I’d have to tailor everything (although, isn’t that one of the takeaways of the thread, to take the time to do that).

I don’t own long boots, I find it so hard to find ones that are the right height. Could be in my head, I haven’t even looked at any for about ten years.

I'd only wear knee high heeled boots with that dress (and it would actually look great with my Chloe boots, Mango outlet, you say...), can't think of other footwear that would work for me as it would be a few cms away from maxi length on me (potentially I could get away with some ankle boots at that length but it'll be one very specific pair).

Mules like attached (but probably not black) would work but only indoors/really mild weather. If I were taller with slimmer reading legs I would probably try flats but tbh I always find that while it looks fine it always looks detached somehow, as it does on that model (but my deep dislike of American preppy shoes may be showing here).

Combat lace up knee high boots could work if you get the proportions right, but that part isn't going to be all that easy (though I suspect easier when you're taller than me).

Riding boots could work but you're going to end up looking heavy of calf, but it won't be that noticeable in the scheme of it but it will read overall as slightly sturdy.

I like that bani. I'm not wearing skirts/dresses much at the moment but, when I do, I'm back in flat, knee high boots. It's either them or no dresses till spring. Not that there are no flat shoes that would look good with it but the trouble is, once you go there, you then have to think, 'which tights'? and I just cannot be arsed with that rabbit hole.

I did smile at buying a funeral coat in advance Xing but I get it too. Normally at funerals I dress to blend in but, if it's someone close and who I think would have appreciated it, I like to pull out all the stops. It kind of feels like the last thing I'll ever do for them. And when it's someone close, you don't have the time or the inclination to go shopping just before the funeral. It sounds stunning.

Sadly Bo it was pretty much sold out, maybe just a L left which is why it turned up in my search. They’re doing a 40% off four items or more drive actually but there’s not much I like!

I like the colour but am being mindful of not getting things I know I can’t wear immediately. Also frankly I’d like to add pockets just so I have somewhere to put my phone when moving around the office building so that’s another job!

I own a pair of Dr Martens knee high black boots that I got second hand just for things like this. But I don’t like the look. Doesn’t feel like me. Flat nice boots are hard to find. I wouldn’t mind a very slight block heel but that is impossible to find, everything is either flat or sky high!

I hate a gap between skirt and tall boot. Is this a good instinct on my part? So I’d prefer the skirt to go down over the boot, rather than my kneecap sticking out iyswim.

That dress is such a lovely colour for winter.

How about some form of slightly more heeled loafer or brogue? Maybe dark chocolate brown rather than black. Or a really low cut ankle boot. M&S horridness alert - don't look at the Nobody's Child dresses - but they often do not-quite-flat shoes.

Yes, the colour was lovely, wasn’t it? It’s sold out now completely of course. I have such good taste.

It’s the dilemma of keeping feet reasonably warm too - I often wonder on the royal fashion thread how their feet aren’t freezing all the time in those thin tights and pumps, with max mara camel coats in their upper halves. Insane. I wear thin wool socks at least for warmth and if I wore tights I’d be wearing tights AND the socks. So how would that work in low boots or brogues? 🙃😩 I have brogues (ish) from Clark’s but I don’t somehow feel they go for me. I feel dissatisfied. Will have to take a photo for yiz to show some time.

Spent an hour looking at boots online. Another can of worms - black is safe but boring, and I really want a more autumn feel to my wardrobe with warmer colours ie more brown. But brown boots ... they have to be the right shade of brown! Am sure we discussed this at length on thread two or something 😂

Oh I forgot - have a look at this latest Facebook fashion company www.theknottyones.com/ Please look at the trousers. Please.

I'm scared to click Bani, the knotty ones sounds more like a bunions fetish site than a fashion brand 😬