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

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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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It's worse than I thought, they addressed me with "Hey babe" 😱😱😱😱 🤢🤢🤢🤢 I think I would have preferred ginger looking toes...

Speaking of overpriced knitwear brands, has anyone ever shopped with & Daughter, the midriffs look a little too roomy but I like the look of their knit dresses.

Absolutely ridiculous wasn’t it? I feel sympathy for the values part but it didn’t look great did it...

No experience of &daughter (unsurprisingly) although have heard of the brand. Their things are lovely.

Pity about the dress banivani it looked like a good one. Great colour.

Footwear is always the issue. And they always seem to put models in those hideous black shoes like the Queen wears with all her outfits or barefoot so you are left to wonder what footwear does a normal person wear?

I'm on my now 4th ?? Year of looking for winter boots... knee high, flat, poss low heel, not riding style, very slim leg without a gaping zip or possibly pull on so at least a semblance that I meant for the gap to be there, leather, not too oval toe, not too square toe, no stupid elastic panel, no hardware....moon on a stick

And it appears you dedicated followers of fashion all have the same issue so I'm probably stuck :)

There's a slight possibility from la redoute but I'm unsure. I don't like to buy boots without trying them on and I've haven't bought anything from la redoute in years so unsure of the quality. Also do they look slightly like wellies? And would that change if I bought them in chestnut? But then my "outfits for black long boots" would still be up in the air .....

Love the dress Bani I would be all over it. Totally my type of dress shape and colour is great. I second catherine and I would go for brogues/loafers in a brownish, but I hear you ... rabbit hole with not having warm feet etc etc.
Those trousers in that site

Oh duvet ... boots ... I am unsure of the ones you linked, only because you mentioned winter boots ... for me , winter boots in general need to have better ‘chunkiness’ in the sole area, they can still be thin looking if you do not like the chunky look, but I feel that something more sturdy for the feet in winter is needed? Or is that my mistake here ... trying to give you my opinion on a need not looks ... reading back .. you mentioned specifically flat low heeled ...
Of course if you live in a city , no muddy paths , on the warmer side of the uk , that might not be an issue?
Regarding their quality I am not sure, I got ancient stuff from la redoute .

They do look a bit like wellies, Duvet.* But only because they're a bit roomy around the ankle there. Possibly though they just look like Finnish "all weather boots". But you're right, moon on a stick. I spent another good while looking myself and nothing is right. Also I don't trust my instincts either haha, so for example when you and Bo write "riding boots" I'm not sure what marks boots as "riding boots". I know a fair few equestrians like and I will not be wearing footwear marking me as a rider wannabee when I've only sat on a horse once in my live for ten minutes, 7 of which the horse spent peeing.

You are all very complimentary about the dress. I'm sure I've looked at it on and off for the past five months so I clearly should have checked with you before and just gotten it. Ah well!

*(I am reminded of my youngest who at the age of four wanted to wear cool outfits. We were in H&M one day and he fell in love with a pleather biker jacket, and in a fit of spontaneity I bought it for him and he wore it all.the.time. With such a cool jacket, he reasoned, one would have to wear cool footwear. What is cool? Boots are cool. What boots did he have? Wellies. So that's what he wore every day. Wellies and his biker jacket. A richer mother might have bought him little cowboy boots or something but I drew the bloody line at that. Underneath he'd often wear a polo shirt with the collar up. "Why the collar up, sweetheart?" "Because then you look like a MAN!" Pause. "OR A WIZARD!")

He sounds adorable Bani, I too spend many a year in wellies (like most Dutch children since they're easy to get on and kick off, didn't stop my mother from dragging me to Antwerp every few months for new Pom D'Api shoes that barely got worn). I tended to wear mine with a gaudy princess dress that took much whining to get and was only supposed to be for dress up. And always with Oilily leggings, the ones with hot dogs were my favourite (probably a passive aggressive dig at my parents for their decision to raise us meat free 🙈). And it took an awful lot of convincing not to wear the builder's hat out. My accessory of choice was a telescope. I was dead cool, me (My mother did try with the cowboy boots but I somehow despised them, so you did well there).

Attached are riding boots, in my book, vaguely equestrian but the regular riding boots not the show boots for events (which are a different level of lovely leather). Quite plain and unexciting with some hardware, not far off wellies in shape. Don't really age well.

Duvet, Jonak is a French shoe brand that's been around for forever. The brand's a bit meh and nothing special and used to be very overpriced for that but I don't think they've inflated the prices much over the years so they're about what you pay for them now. Personally, I think they're probably a that'll do purchase that always are a bit of a disappointment in my book but my endless searches are also rather joyless so it's a bit of a toss up...

I think something is definitely off with boot designs these days. They're all too tall in the calf for me despite having smaller feet these days, it shouldn't be this hard. Far too much room in the ankles that makes the zip bag out or if no zip make the entire thing a slouchy sad thing. I'm thinking they made the average calf larger at the top (and higher) to accommodate more shapes and a very slim ankle looks odd proportionally to that so they just made that bigger too. I don't think I'll ever be able to buy boots at a high street or even entry level designer price point again.

Not sure your price range duvet but these seem suitable if you have slim legs? Pretty classic? You probably have seen them already as they are in every high street?

For me it's the glossiness as much as the shape that makes them look a bit welly, duvet. If they're pull-one then presumably you need that looseness at the ankle but are the chestnut ones any less shiny?

I guess I've got lucky as I've had my knee boots at least 15 years and all I've done is pull them out of the cupboard and blow off the dust. They were from John Lewis, which is no help at all. They might qualify as riding boots as they're flat and dark brown but they don't have any of those little straps like in bo's pics, at least I don't think they do - I clearly know them well.

That's a great story bani My son wasn't in the least bothered about clothes as a child which was a dream for me, as it meant I could send him out in any old shit and save the money for myself. But now he's grown up he's getting interested. He's even been looking at Jil Sander for Uniqlo but I can't see him getting up in time for 7am on Thursday (that's the time of the UK launch I see). Like bo I've told him I'm not stopping to shop for anyone else. I've got my eye on far too many things as it is.

Yes you have all said aloud the criticism I had going on in my head.
Red those boots seem too "normal" how they are less "normal" than the boots I posted I don't know...the others reminded me of a pair I once had that I wore until they fell off my feet that I should have taken better care off and resolved or polished but I was young and went to a lot of dive bars at the time

My calf is 11.5" and my ankle around 7" so boots just gape. I remember wearing 3 pairs of knee high wool socks under my knee high boots discos when they were all the rage at 17 and it was social suicide not to own a pair.
My upper arms are bigger than my lower legs. Extreme inverted triangle.

I'm in N.Ireland but city more than country and have stompy boots for those type of days.

My nephew also had a pleather h&m jacket. It was his pride and joy. When he finally grew out of it he passed it down here for my son. I sometimes get late night phone calls from him (he's 10) to remind me not to throw it out, but to wrap it carefully away. He is saving it for his son to wear.

Your nephew sounds like he's got his priorities absolutely right, duvet. Much with the impressed here. Have you looked at Spanish riding boots by any chance, they often have a lot of unnecessary decoration but when they're plain they can be just the thing.

Can't believe it's almost Jil Sander Thursday already. I've decided to try and get what I absolutely want online in the morning (strangely an hour earlier here too, I suspect they're expecting a lot of traffic 😱) and the things I'm more curious about like the silk shirt and coat I'll try to see in store. Trying to decide whether the men's shirts (for me) are an essential online buy or maybe see it in store, I suspect those won't go quickly in the shop but probably will online.

I've been looking at the men's shirts too, partly because some of them look really cool and partly because I'm guessing (maybe wrongly) that there might be less of a scrum for menswear. But then the fit and the sizing will be even less predictable.
Which reminds me, the sizing seems to mostly range from xxs to xxl - does anyone have any clue how that might translate? I won't hold you to it! I just don't think there will be time to stop and study measurements or buy in multiple sizes - and my credit card isn't keen either.

I love your nephew Duvet

Oh pressed too soon. Bo, I love your story of what you wore as a child, I can just picture it. One of my girls used to put on floral tights, skirt, top, cardigan - the works. All different florals and it looked a mess but she said it matched because it was all flowers. Logic! She was so happy!

I am keen on seeing what materials are in the J+ collection. But I don't think I'm getting anything - maybe I'll order the wool trousers to try on? If I get to!

These children stories, reminded me Bo did an advent section once about children and the real cool stuff they wore? Was it an advent? It was great.

I am supper busy , really, but you duvet have sent me googling for boots ... I am not intending I’m buying any but I am window shopping for you .
Bo mentioned Spanish boots so I went into El Corte Inglés website. These are not riding boots, but adding something to look at. I think the second ones a bit cowboy-ish would be tempting for me, the third type are quite wide at the top, now I am wondering... I never tried that style myself, I am curious... I might try at some point (when they let us, might be soon as the vaccine is round the corner according to some optimistic reports)

Btw, in my other quest for trousers I popped onto the Sézane page and the Martin trousers are quite nice. Not pure wool or even majority wool, mind, but nice. The vieux rose colour is very pretty.
The Arthurs seem an easier fit, but of course can only be found in boring black basically. The atrocious print is - of course - almost pure wool. Such is life.

They seem to do "free" returns so maybe I should take the plunge?

Could I join you duvet? I am curious about these, both from Uterque. First pair is square toed, cowboyish stretch boots (pic 1 and 2). Second pair is simpler but has gold harware. I need a low shaft height, and both of these could work for me (36 cm and 34 cm). Like the looks of the ones Red found too!

Flo I find Uniqlo's collab sizing quite erratic. For me the JW Anderson Spring/Summer collection has been the most consistent in sizing and also the most true to size. Sizing of the Ines de la Fressange collection has become quite generous in the recent seasons; previously it was on the small side. Based on the modelling pics I am guessing that +J will be on the generous side. I am usually a XS or S in places like COS, depending on fit, and I'll probably take the same for +J. Not sure about men's sizing, though.

Ah Corte Inglès! I'd forgotten about them. I had a long weekend in Madrid once. It rained constantly, Real Madrid won the Euros, and the streets were jammed. We did the only thing possible and were either in Corte Inglès a few doors down from our hotel or a very cheap tapas bar two door the other way. Many wine fulled purchases were made. No rainwear...

But Yes! I shall investigate. Thank you

Good luck to all for the morning!
I have decided that as we don't have Uniqlo here, and I am unsure of sizing I am going to sit on my hands...but looking forward to hearing if it meets with expectations (fingers crossed)

Uniqlo sizing is erratic imo, just like al sizing. Tired of retailers moaning about losing revenue when they can’t provide their online shops with the information needed to make online shopping practical, ie measurements.

I don’t trust brands that make shoes as an aside. The exception is exercise wear + runners. For the rest - I’ve never tried on a truly comfortable pair.

Thanks both, you're right, it's erratic and there's probably not much more to be said. I suppose I was mainly wondering whether the sizing on collabs was normally controlled by the designer or by Uniqlo, e.g. I find the mainstream label on the small side whereas the U brand tends to run large. But even if we knew, it wouldn't get us very far when it's 11 years since the last JS collab. I'll have to either choose multiple sizes and hope it doesn't slow me down too much, or take a punt on one size and cross my fingers.

I've been contemplating sizing too. My track record with Uniqlo is all over the place. But Jil Sander is pretty predictable in that it is always roomy, not necessarily a vanity size thing, it's supposed to fit away from the body and allow for ease of movement or it's made of material that can stretch with the body and will be fairly fitted. On your average person it means your usual size will probably be fine but for some it might mean sizing down, or just looking crap in it. The J.W. Anderson stuff always came up big for me, but I think that was height as opposed to size related, and U is extra roomy except in the tailored pieces, don't know if I ever tried the Ines de la Fressange things.

I quite like the first Vagabond pair from Red's selection, they look good from above which I'm particularly concerned with when it comes to boots (and how it looks face frontal around the knees, some designs can make you look twice as wide), but Vagabond being Scandi I suspect they'll be too tall. The Western boots like the second photo are particularly popular with a certain group of mothers here so I have odd associations with them...

I'm usually with you Bani about clothing brands doing footwear badly but I really rate the leather boots at Zara as an exception, Uterque is of the same family so they're potentially not that bad (just more expensive).

I've been looking at Strategia boots lately, Italian, so the shafts are still on the thin side but I fear they're too tall for me which seems uncharacteristic for the Italians

Yes but Bo you have iron feet and don't worry about comfort. ;)

I have a pair of (second hand, rashly purchased) brown tall boots with a heel. Nice soft leather so I thought I could use them. But I just don't understand how (which is why I never have and I keep forgetting I own them). I walked to the bus today - first a bit of tarmac, then a long uneven gravelled bit, then a muddy lawn (ok fair enough, I could walk around the lawn but I elephant path-ed it), then tarmac again. I'd be so unstable in those hard heels, stepping down on little rocks and toppling over. And it's not a high heel!

And then I get to work - how am I supposed to stand at my desk in shoes like that? (the solution is of course to switch to standard Swedish office footwear ie birkenstocks)

I need something with a rugged sole with a heel with a bit of bounce to it.

Iron feet! I wish, my feet are ridiculous divas that scream ow at everything (thankfully the rest of me has a very high pain tolerance and tells them to shut it). It's why I tend to pay out more for shoes, I only have to go through the painful breaking in process once and they'll last me for quite some time.

I think you probably need to change tactics and find a really good squidgy insole that makes any shoe almost trainer like and then buy shoes a size up. Doesn't work for actual high heels as you need the comfort under the ball of the foot and there's no space for that in a boot but with low heels and flats it works.

Standing desk, is another issue, they're not even as healthy as they claim, it's just cheaper for employers than an actual good chair (not one that just meets the base standard).

Say that about standing desks in Sweden and they'll burn you at the stake. That said, we get good chairs too. ;)

No I think the outsole has to be rubbery too otherwise you just slip and glide on uneven gravelly terrain? If you have clip clop outersoles?

The Mango dress is back in stock in all sizes. This does not bode well. Also you have to pay for returns. I am very very undecided.

“ particularly popular with a certain group of mothers here so I have odd associations with them...”
Oh I was unaware... I hope I do not / or I hope I fall into that category Bo?