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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Well even by my standards, the +J photos are shockers. The room with a full length mirror is also the one with the least daylight (which is why I normally take pics in changing rooms) and as half the stuff is navy there is literally nothing to see.

I'll talk you through some of it. The men's long sleeved T shirt was a hunch: I'm thinking about my impending retirement and how I'll need to reinvent some of my smarter work clothes and I thought - correctly - that the T might be good for dressing down tailored trousers, and it is. Why it does the job better than a women's T that actually fits properly I couldn't tell you -it just does.

The chinos are a bit baffling. I was underwhelmed at first but the longer I wear them, the more I like them. But they feel huge. They're not - they fit well in the waist - but they're cut with curved seems so they're really relaxed around the thigh then end up fitted around the ankle but with no obvious tapering. I think I like it - the pockets are great, really capacious and slouchy. But they also feel weird cos I'm used to narrow leg chinos feeling very fitted.

I've managed a couple of pics of the shirt - I'll come back and show them later.

Loads to catch up! And photos too
Loving Elle’s coat.
Disappointed at that mango red dress ...
The J+ dress look great Bo

So after seeing loads of you here going about the collection and trying stuff , this am I checked in and ordered two pieces a 3D ribbed dress in Dark brown , in medium (worried it will be too big ..)
And the off white cashmere turtle neck in off white in small.
So yes I have succumbed into the wave and got myself taken in with the rest .
Now I am looking forward to them and trying.
Looking forward to see photos of the others that bought stuff too

My Mango dress is coming tomorrow but my expectations are now low pmsl.

Flo, I'd love a photo of the chinos.

I'll try and take another pic later bani - the light's so poor all you can see is a dark blob. They're incredibly comfy though - like wearing air.

You don't have to praise them too much, seeing that they're sold out and all. ;)

Well they might get some returns if a lot of people are wavering like me, so I would keep watching the website!

Here's the shirt which is easier to see. I really like the contrasting stripes (see sideways view) and it's a good colour for me - a dark, rich blue but not navy. The cotton is soft but kind of crisp - and therein lies the problem: I like it but it feels like a work shirt. I'm going to try it with different things to see if I can neutralise the office effect. Again it's generously sized. The frontways photo is XS, the sideways view is the small. I can see that XS is a better fit but I might prefer the a roomier fit for more of a lounging vibe.

I'm just admiring your watch, Flo. It's a very first world lockdown problem, but though I have a couple of different watches, all the batteries have gone simultaneously. Thank heavens for Swatch batteries; I'd say they last forever, but that's a hex isn't it?

I like the shirt too!

It's from here Xing

https://www.obag.eu/gb/clocks-watches/o-clock.html?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIj4-54I-P7QIVkQDmCh0Wpg8AEAAYASAAEgKT9PD_BwE

I like the shirt too - I just don't want to feel like I'm about to do a a presentation!

I really like the shirt but I can see what you mean. Maybe unbutton it by an extra button and go for the sexy offduty project manager look :)

I don’t think I could get past that Flo but then I’m unimaginative that way. You might be standing oddly and contorting yourself ;) but the S looks very big.

I meant to feedback to Havanka too and say that it’s a shame the coat felt a little sub par. I think it’s disappointing if they skimp on the quality compared to the previous collections, that’s just cashing in on the fandom.

Off duty sexy project manager - brilliant. I also needs a mood board... and a Gantt chart and a steering committee...

Sexy does seem to be making a revival thanks to this pandemic. Thought we'd seen the end of it years ago but have seen numerous people mention now they'd like to feel sexy again (rather than stylish or put together) and there was a bit of a run on red lingerie when I was last in a department store that puzzled me. Maybe it's a reaction to all the loungewear?

I'm useless on the shirt conundrum as I tried it on as well but I think the collarless version and it made me look like the equivalent of a fake posh person looking to marry up tribe we have here (but they always end up with an equally fake posh person). Not sure what the UK equivalent of that is but I'm sure there's something... Anyhow I didn't like it on me so I'm biased against the thing regardless of size, I have a slight preference for the S but that's probably because the fitted XS is more fake posh person 🤦

I've actually been meaning to post an observation on a similar topic but maybe with a different conclusion - the bra market seems to have changed a lot. I'm getting a lot of ads/emails about loungewear bras, soft cup, unwired. Even from some places that have heavily leant towards wires and "support" now they center bralettes instead. Sales must really have plummeted in the underwire department, I kind of wonder if this will be a more permanent shift but they do seem to be claiming that bralettes are just as sexy as underwire pushups, honest guv!

Yes, I'd include the bralettes as loungewear and therefore wearing those all the time would potentially urge someone to buy the complete opposite (like lacy red stuff) in reaction to feel differently in underwear. So likely, both our observations are correct, the market appears to be moving in two extremes (and sometimes combines them, there definitely are bralettes that can make one feel sexy), both very much centred in a more personal sensorial experience as opposed to what has reigned mostly for the past few years, a more universal attitude of function and pragmatism (ie. sensible bras, comfort was definitely important but basic function was the main criteria and any sort of sexyness was somewhat frowned upon).

Yes to clarify I’m seeing a sort of shift where the bralettes and soft cups are also sexy, and they are also talking more about them being supportive as well, whereas before they were just for slackers albeit possibly “pretty”.

Welp I’m a little underwhelmed by the mango dress too. Attaching three excellent photos. Be aware I’m just wearing a sports bra today and also joggers underneath

I like the length even if it is a bit nunnish and the colour. But the dolman sleeves pull at my bust and make the buttons gape. I don’t feel particularly nice in it but otoh I don’t feel nice in anything at the moment because I’m feeling very Large. Not sure if I should give it a go - it’s always hard for me to find clothes after all - or send it back. Feels like I’d be adjusting it a lot. I also got two cotton scarves that I’m not amazed by 🙄

My funny hand placement is to show where the pocket ought to be haha

The dress is not great , it seems to have loads of fabric where doesn’t need it and the cut is not great. Not very flattering on you Bani, I have seen you in great photos in the past when the cut is right for you.

Btw , I live in bralettes too nowadays.

I just found my ancient jumper that I got when I was 18 on my first holiday, it is more than 2 decades old ... still intact and no holes.
What do you think? Yay or nay? Am I emotionally attached or is it time for it to see the light again?

Red, you are probably right. I'll try it on with a proper bra, but fear it's hopeless.

Stupid Mango. But mr Bani was happy with his shirt, so that's something.

The jumper is very now, isn't it? Looks good! The colours are brighter than the ones you can buy now but that just makes it look authentic ;)

Back it goes Bani, and the meh scarves too. Is there anyone who actually likes dolman sleeves

It's very you Red, go for it, just don't wear it the way you did the last time round.

Yes, how is the lazy bralette crowd feeling now that everything is being sexy-fied? Or have they just stopped bothering with bras altogether and just do not care? Meanwhile I've bought three bralettes over lockdown they never worked for me but I found some with a really wide elastic and then they suddenly work and are even mildly supportive (not that there's much to support but it's the thought that counts).

I'm still confused about my +J purchases, tried the dress on yesterday nigjt with something other than my boots so I had options but it was a bit of a horror show, it falls at the exact wrong spot (yes, I'm definitely too tall for the intended silhouette, never thought I'd see the day) and I look to have, as we say here, balloon calves

Meanwhile I saw the preview for the newest Marimekko collab at Uniqlo that's dropping Monday (or Friday, it's not very clear to me) and I'm now coveting that I want the merino culottes even though they're probably the complete wrong shape for me and will turn me into a stumpy garden gnome, but still, also like the wave print turtle neck. And there's flannel trousers with a circle pattern which honestly look like pj trousers but I still want them to wear out I'll resist from ordering, the house is full of packages that need to be returned which is always a good deterrent.

Did snap up my Mango boots this morning with 30% off so they were a bargain. So obviously I'm now thinking of spending €20 on some very fancy (French, obviously, also, world's tiniest tin) mirror shine wax to make them extra glossy.

I think you're being quite down on yourself bani. The shoulder/sleeve isn't flattering and I don't suppose it can be fixed, but I think the overall shape is good on you and I like the colour. I'm not suggesting you should keep it but I think you're on the right lines. It's annoying when something is half right.

Dammit Red I had a jumper like that too 20+ years ago, but it didn't survive a house move. I'm cross with myself now so please get out there and wear it! I'm always fascinated by the way something can go right out of fashion and then come round looking modern again.

The +J shirt's going back I think. I haven't packed it up yet so there's still time for a change of heart but I just can't be bothered right now with clothes that give me problems. A shame there wasn't one in something more casual like flannel or linen.

Shame about the dress - it looked so nice. I feel bad for encouraging buying now!

Fecking Mango and their useless photos and descriptions eh? Ah well thank you for being honest and helping not make excuses for it! Back it goes. More money for other stuff! As for who likes dolman sleeves - apparently a lot of people, as I found out when googling “how to alter dolman sleeves” and variations thereof. All I found was pattern alterations and people gushing over how stylish they were. They’re also a bit retro apparently so sometimes popular on the vintage dressing crowd. Makes sense, must be easier for home sewers. Sewists.

The Marimekko collaboration looks nice but it’s a bit too much of a Look for us Scandis. Nice muted colours though.

Good luck on the boots Bo. Out of completely idle curiosity, how many pairs of boots do you own? ;)

My two +J items arrived yesterday.
The cashmere polo in the off white. They run big, don’t they? This is a S and an Xs could probably fit me slightly better but I like a slouchy loose cashmere and I prefer it tucked in, the annoying thing is that I do not know if the Xs will still give me the room and fit better or not. I think I am keeping it, this is why I don’t do online shopping normally.
The dress is a disaster, the colour is wrong on me, this is an M which is way too big on me and makes me look completely shapeless in a bad way, I also don’t like the length either, the only good thing about it is the softness of the knit, it is bumpy on parts on the photo as very unforgiving with normal underwear plus I also have a top underneath. Anyhow this is going back as fast as it came. This is why I don’t normally do online shopping.