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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Love, love, love those yellow trousers bo.

Thanks, I adore them too.

Top is finished (bar hem) but I'm already thinking of taking it apart again to rework the back entirely 🙈 which is just asking for frustration but I'm worried I won't wear it enough otherwise. I'm happy with the front (I obviously need to keep it simple) but the back just feels too much like the top half of an evening gown (excuse odd angle pic but it's the best I could do and fit as it does, although the right is contorted due to the weird arm pose) and it looks weird tucked into trousers. There's a lot of extra fabric at the bottom as I ended up moving it down as it was too cramped but I don't think that was a good move either. Sigh.

I've been pouring through some of couturier Madeleine Vionnet's work (coincidentally but totally irrelevant I wanted to be named Madeleine when I was younger, until I discovered it was also a pastry anyhow young me was obsessed with the children's books Madeleine). I'll post pics after this, she was called the queen of the bias and an architect of fashion, so of course I would like her. She was a contemporary of Chanel and Schiaparelli, I think there was really something special about female designers from that era, I've been researching a bit about the tailoring that goes into a Chanel jacket and it's so interesting how that was all designed for comfort and broke with tailoring tradition for ease of wearing and there's so much thought in it.

I'm looking at the third pic as inspiration to alter my piece, I think that may be a bit much again and overly complex nbut something in that direction. I have enough offcuts which are all triangle pieces so it's definitely something to consider.

Next time my overly ambitious side starts popping up again I'll tell her to take a hike...

And some closer up shots of the garment.

I don't sew so feel free to ignore this but could you narrow the fall over your bum to use the bias a bit harder? Your top has a fold above your bottom that I think a couture cut would drape more smoothly into the "skirt". I guess I am asking if there's slightly too much fabric there, but I really don't pretend to understand the technicalities of draping shape.

No, narrowing it would make it drop deeper and be fairly indecent and would require more fabric. Removing fabric from the sides pulls it up and removes most of the drape. I folded it out slightly (see pic,the crossover is matte and the front and back pieces are shiny except for the fold out which connects to the crossover piece) to get the shiny and matte counterparts to sit more harmoniously together (the harsh contrast doesn't really show up in the pic) but I think it was just one detail too many.

Anyhow, I'm sticking it in a closet for a bit to give me some mental space from it and I'll return to it when I have a better idea because I think I'll still have a matte/shiny issue with anything that isn't a very basic shape.

Oh Lord I'm out of my depth here. I just about understand how bias cut works and I think anyone who can sew it is very clever and um... that's it.

What I do think is that there might be too much going on with the back? You've got all the draping and fluidity of the fabric, which is lovely, and then you've also got the bare back, which is stunning but does one distract from the other?

Yeah, that's been my conclusion too, Flo, I've just done too much to the back and should have just kept it simple with a fabric like this that has the most impact with its colour and material quality. In the toile of plain cotton it works well and I didn't question it. Sewing is definitely a case of learning from your mistakes.

I will soon be a world authority then

I have mostly bought pants, socks, bralettes and shampoo (thanks to the haircare thread). Not terribly exciting. I need to replace my birks, as after 9yrs and lots of lockdown walking, they are finally coming apart.

No advice for the sewing, I'm afraid, completely out of my depth on that one, too. Gorgeous fabric, though.

I've been a bit spendier than some of you. Off the top of my head: Toast trousers and boots (albeit in the sale), books, fabric, sewing patterns. I desperately need some new bras and may have to order online and forego a fitting. I'm also due for an eye test and probably new specs, but one bonus of lockdown is I'll have saved enough to pay for them without needing the credit card.

flo, I went for bralettes as I couldn't get a fitting and felt they're stretchy enough that it wouldn't matter too much. Also, they kind of fit a casual summer/lockdown vibe . Toast trousers and boots sound great. I've had a quick look at the solovair boots, aren't they the original doc marten factory when it was made in the UK rather than China?

I did buy my leather flip-flops and a few pieces of Etsy jewellery. I am slowly replacing some of my pieces.

Hmm I think my bralette days are probably behind me quirky

As far as I know (so this may not be 100% accurate) Dr Martens and Solovair were separate neighbouring companies who collaborated to produce what became the famous Dr Marten boot. However that distinctive welded sole was innovated by Solovair (or NPS Shoes as they were called then).
They both still have factories in Northampton but Solovair make all their shoes there - and always have done, whereas Dr Martens now only produce the Made in England range here. I stand corrected if I've got any of that wrong!

Soz you asked a short question and got a mini lecture last night!
Anyway suffice to say I think Dr Martens are corporate phoneys but Solovair are still the real deal.

Bo, shame your top didn’t work out the way you wanted. I remember once looking at a pattern for a top with a twist detail and thinking to myself god, is never have been able to just work out that I needed those pieces. It’s trickier than you think. I don’t know if I think it was too much going on though.

I must be missing travel more than j think, because I had a dream the other night that I was close to a land border with Finland and just happened to stray over when on a walk and the town was lovely.

I’ve been gaining weight again and am feeling dissatisfied with this - clothes aren’t sitting the same way even though it’s just two kilos. Have to check myself.

I was in a shoe shop a while ago and on a whim tried the attached sandals on. The great thing was they had a bit of elastic in the back so they stayed on really well. But with the suede finish they feel like those kind of athleisure elevated slippers with fur that were trendy some years ago and I wasn’t feeling it. The colour isn’t lovely in suede but would be fine in leather.

Also attaching photo of a deer I spotted eating all the produce on the allotments close to were I live. Barely bothered by me walking by, cheeky thing.

Last photo is something I saw on Swedish eBay, a Swedish designer made this “zero waste” pattern for a little jacket printed directly on the fabric. I googled the jacket sewn up and it wasn’t fun enough for me too buy the fabric haha.

Actually, flo, that was really helpful. I will keep an eye out for solovair, I know a lot of people lament doc martens being made in China and not the same quality.

Love the deer, bani. Dd1 and I saw a muntjac deer walking down then crossing the main road and turning into a driveway at the beginning of lockdown. It was so sunny that with the shade of the trees we initially thought someone's dog had got loose then realised it wasn't a dog after all. The wildlife has got quite wild here. The seagulls are menaces, they repeatedly dive bomb the dogs as they go to the park.

Yeah I looked at some Dr Martens a few years ago when I was considering re-buying and the leather was thinner and the insole felt like plastic. To be fair, I don't hold it against them that they moved production overseas. They didn't choose the economic conditions and most companies did the same. I do hold it against them that they're still trying to market themselves as alternative and radical. They're about as alternative as Disneyland.

And that is my final word on the matter I promise.

I didn't really leave it long to sit in a cupboard. I blame a barometric headache and a period from hell

Anyhow, this is the new approach with a scrap piece at the top and existing back. I messed around with the pattern lines for a while so it at least somewhat made sense for it to be two pieces instead of the cock up that it is. I have to wait for my fabric order to arrive (tomorrow) which has organza in as I was reading another Haute Couture book last night and something similar cropped up and it suggests reinforcing that corner with a bit of organza underneath which should help stabilise it. I still have another larger scrap left if this doesn't work out and I can do plan B (pic 2, it's weird on one side as I had to untwist the back piece while still attached everywhere) which uses the original racer back but I'm not really feeling that at all, I'm hopeful about this simpler approach though 🤞

I like the deer but I like the colour of the deer even more. I'd love a coat or some knee high boots in that colour... I should probably namechange to Cruella Deville 😬 I've been loving the wild animals take over in lockdown areas though. There were some penguins (I think in South Africa) having the time of their lives, it was adorable (although they probably left a stinky mess behind).

I cannot tell you anymore what I've bought lately, I've been sending out for a lot of brown linen samples and none feel right, I fear that dress is going to cost more in sourcing the fabric than the fabric 🤦 things seem to come in at random times due to delays and time seems to be a bit of an odd concept anyhow. Anyhow, suffice to say, I'm spending as usual, just not in the shops all that much.

altermative as Disneyland . I know on those New York Street styles that KarenBritChick does, nearly everyone has dms. Mind you, lots of things that were once alternative are now very much mainstream.

I finally got round to hemming the black dress and wore it out today. The hem is actually level, just me faffing about with a bag at the side is pulling it up hated the dress while making it but quite happy with it in the end and it's brilliant in this weather. Surprised at the responses it got out in public, as it feels pretty basic to me but got quite a few admiring compliments and a few seedy men I could have done without 🤮 thank goodness for social distancing.

My fabrics arrived, the silk is so lovely (the sun is blowing them all out a bit in the picture, the silk is jet black and I did not buy Barbie pink and the metallic organza monstrosity is for underlining only, little sample is possible silk lining). I really want to turn them into lovely trousers ASAP and desperately want to play around with the pretty orchid wool but we're at the start of a heatwave and I'm not sure how much sewing I'll get done (where all my sewing stuff is, is the hottest room of the house and it gets really hot)

Also still waiting on linen samples, halfway tempted to just ignore those that still need to come in and pick from what I have (none are just right) now because if they take that long to send a sample, no idea how long it'll take if I put in an order and summer is nearly over and breezy linen dress is very much welcome in the current weather and it's a quick dress to rustle up.

Wow Bo, the black dress looks great. Well done! Why don't you come to Sweden where I am currently freezing and then maybe you'll get your wool sewing mojo back? ;) I've lost the will to sew since I started working, the putting up and down of the sewing machine is too much when I come home from work and there's dinner and clearing away and I need to go out and get some exercise etc. I need a sewing corner in the flat to keep this up and someplace to store my stuff.

As alternative as Disney

I'm feeling like I only want to wear very simple clothes, very clean shapes and no prints. Therefore I have no clothes. Too many prints and all my trousers are pleated or patterned etc.

Thanks Bani, freezing sounds very nice. And it would help me avoid having to buy fake tan as I'm not feeling the pale right now but my fake tan is from last year and it's the last of it so I'm probably going to get a leg and a half out of it and it was already acting funny but there's like seven nice days left of summer so I'm really trying not to buy another bottle that's going to be acting funny next year again. If I was a nice pale (like I am the rest of the year) I wouldn't care but at this time of year it's not a nice pale, I just look ill, and it'll help disguise the pudgyness that is lockdown weight gain (I've managed to shift it from my legs but the arms are being stubborn bastards for some reason ).

Anyhow, if you weren't all so intent on being special and different up there with your covid approach I may have considered it just to avoid a fake tan headache (which is sold out locally and I'm just procrastinating because I don't want to pay €12 in express delivery charges to get it here).

Ahem, the heat is clearly getting to me, excuse the rambles and rantings. Yes having a sewing dumping ground space is definitely useful, I really need to buy some organising things though. I wasn't all that convinced I'd persevere with this all but it is becoming a bit of an organised mess that needs order. Is that the state of your home ATM? Not accusing (or judging) but when that happens, I tend to be in the 'let's turn my wardrobe into some minimal art installation' headspace so I don't have to tackle the house and magically from my zen wardrobe vibes it'll transform the other chaos...

It’s just a mess chez Bani ;) well if I’m charitable it’s organised. I lack space for everything!

Covid-wise ... it’s stable and low and seems to be holding. Let’s see if there can be a proper look into the failure to protect the elderly now. Biggest issue now is young people who aren’t distancing and clusters are therefore popping up in that demographic. But if you say drove your own car so you didn’t have to snuggle on public transport,rented a small cottage in a less attractive spot and didn’t party with the kidz you’d be absolutely fine.

I like your dress, bo. Sorry about the creepy men, it must be something about the heat and lockdown. Dd(14) and a friend (12) went into town and said there were lots of creepy learing . So grin.

I have one long, maxi dress in an abstract leopardish print that I find I've been drawn to. It's not practical for taking dc's to the park, beach etc. but perfect for changing into and wafting about the cooler than outside house

*grim (autocorrect driving me mad, I'm choosing the correct spelling and it's still coreecting it)