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Les Parisiennes des Mamansnet: "You gotta have style. It helps you get down the stairs." - Diana Vreeland

994 replies

botemp · 14/12/2020 05:09

Lovers of Parisian style and fashion with a conscious mindset and lots of chatter in between.


Favoured Parisian addresses:

Second Hand Shops

Outlets

Favoured London addresses:

Charity Shops, Dress Agencies, and Outlets

Favoured NYC addresses:

Consignment shops, Vintage, and Restaurants


Previous threads:

Un

Deux

Trois

Quatre

Cinq

Six

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Huit Neuf Dix

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Merch created in honour of our ten thread anniversary:

Les Parisiennes de Mamansnet shop

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Thread gallery
200
missmoon · 20/01/2021 10:51

I'm sorry if this is slightly off-topic (I'm a long-term lurker!), but I wondered if anyone had ordered from COS recently for delivery to the UK, and did you have to pay VAT / any other costs on arrival?

I've sent them a FB DM to ask, but the answer was really vague. It's also not clear if there are duties to pay if the amount is over £135.

Thank you!!

XingMing · 20/01/2021 12:09

Sorry, no idea @MissMoon. I sometimes get stuff from the US or NZ and the threshold for duty is about £32 from there.

@Flo, it's probably impossible to gauge what the mood will be when 'normal' resumes. The Pantone colour predictions for 2021 were grey and a bright acid yellow, so the colour consultants seem to be hedging their bets too. A lot is likely to depend on how fast the economy and employment recovers.

botemp · 20/01/2021 12:47

MissMoon, they're not exactly clear on their website but it does say prices are incl. local VAT and you're purchasing from Cos registered in the UK. When you send return packages is it within the UK or not? I think you probably wouldn't pay import duties but I would get it confirmed from them that they send it DDP (Delivered Duties Paid), as returns are still free I assume it is but best to check. Probably not as useful with Cos but if it's manufactured in the UK or EU you don't need to pay import duties (just VAT, which you pay to Cos in this case).

Going by trends here (pre Covid) offices were already becoming more transient spaces with fewer fixed working spots where most people would work from home some days and some in the office depending on schedule. I assume that will increase and dress codes do become more casual in those spaces but they also tend to be companies that have a fairly relaxed corporate culture anyhow.

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luggageandbags · 20/01/2021 13:23

@missmoon delurking too to say I'm curious about this as well. IIRC returns to both COS and Arket go back to The Netherlands, and my Arket parcel ordered between Christmas and New Year was seriously delayed due to Brexit so their things at least are shipped from Europe. I want to make more orders from both places and can't work out regarding the tax duties, I really don't want to be stung by high charges. I've been reading horror stories with people ordering from Sezane and being charged £80+ in taxes, which Sezane promised to refund, but have been very very slow doing it.

Floisme · 20/01/2021 13:30

I've not ordered anything since before Brexit but was there a thread about this - mainly from the perspective of orders between Ireland and the UK?

botemp · 20/01/2021 13:47

Yes, but no Cos into UK was mentioned on there. I do know you can order Arket on Zalando and they deliver without vat/import duties headaches.

I'd be really surprised if the H&M group didn't have their act together but their FAQ is very sparse on Brexit.

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missmoon · 20/01/2021 13:52

Many thanks everyone! Yes, they ship from the Netherlands, but the return address on the label is in the UK, maybe they send them on to the Netherlands afterwards?

I guess we’ll just have to try and see what happens. I will report back!

banivani · 20/01/2021 14:24

Does anybody have their act together over Brexit? Hmm will pop in to comment on other posts later Wink

botemp · 20/01/2021 16:52

Well I do, but my business does no business with the UK so that would explain that Grin

Ok, ok, I know it's bad form to be discussing the fashion choices of women whose job has nothing to do with their appearance, (and I'll also disclaim, I'm very glad to see the back of the orange one, and I don't think there's anything wrong with the outfits either) but am I the only looking at the inauguration and thinking the matching gloves and masks in the two most popular scrub colours looks more like one of those scenes in a campy end of the world flick where the US president (because who else Confused) meets the aliens 🙈

Les Parisiennes des Mamansnet: "You gotta have style. It helps you get down the stairs." - Diana Vreeland
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banivani · 21/01/2021 08:07

The monochrome outfits were interesting on the whole. Was reminded of the Enid blyton book about the little french girl Claudine st the English boarding school (spoiler: the English are superior) and the description of “sports day” - all the girls in their frocks like colourful flowers on the lawns.

Also everyone is very close don’t you think? A lot of hugging etc. Are masks that magical? Numbers suggest otherwise #grumpy

Quite a haul Bo, look forward to reviews when it arrives, esp the blouse. Are you very rich or do you just have such low living costs that your budget can be 75% on clothes? Not snarkily meant! Re: scarves as coats I would’ve thought that they’d be a bit flimsy? I’ve seen people use blankets I mean (even entertained the idea myself as a Project). Look forward to hear how you get on.

Missmoon I’m a bit late but wanted to say that the question merits a thread of its own I think!

Also wanted to say to Red that Monki are very erratic aren’t they. Prime example of why we want to go into shops!!!

In my news I went and got the Turnover trousers in the charity shop. After watching a bunch of videos and reading a bunch of blogs I’m not sure I can fix the poofy front so fuck it. Trousers were both cheap and hideously expensive since my buscard fell out of my pocket somewhere on the way. 🙄 They’re warm anyway.

Floisme · 21/01/2021 08:38

Oh bani Sad Hope the trousers make up for it. Are they pouffing cos of pleats? I've never quite managed to work out why some do and some don't.

banivani · 21/01/2021 09:09

No, just a little puffy around the fly, too much fabric somehow. Ie a bad fit. They are a flat front, which is ideally what I like best (and which isn't in fashion now so hell to find). I think the bus card is just karma, we get on the buses through the back doors because of Covid (so the drivers don't get infected) and thus we don't show our passes at the front, so I must have forgotten to pay a million times last year and this is just making up for it. Hopefully somebody poor has found and stolen it so it makes somebody with a genuine need happy anyway.

botemp · 21/01/2021 09:44

Oh, yes, I'm fully prepared to have some sort of temporary phobia of large crowds once we're able to mingle safely again because the inauguration made me all squeemish with how close they sat together. Masks are political there though and it's detrimental on both sides, one side believes a little too strongly in their protective powers and vice versa.

No one actually goes around saying they're very rich do they? If my clothing budget represented 75% of my spending I'd be rather miserable so make that of it what you will.

I'm definitely not Kamala Harris' stepdaughter rich, or maybe that's just cultural, but I'd never wear a $5000 coat (with adult baby collar 🙊), never mind to an event when I was still a student and representing the we care for the poor side, not even if it was borrowed (which I assume it was).

Re: scarves, I kind of need it to be flimsy, but have substance as I want it as inner and outer fabric (this was my issue with finding a practice fabric, the cheaper ones are either flimsy without substance or have substance but are then stiff). I thought of blankets too but secondhand shops are closed, and they can be very heavy and new blankets tend to be very loosely woven.

Re: crotch, can you take a picture, I'm struggling to imagine what the issue is, is it a crotch depth thing?

Boo to the buscard, don't they have your name on them? I always send them in when I find one and they get magically returned to their owners 🤞

Ooh, speaking of Monki, didn't Red order from there after Jan 1st? That's part of the H&M group too. Or do they not ship from abroad to the UK?

Flo, I only recently found this out but I think it goes some way to explaining pleats behaviour, I think. Some pleats are darts pretending to be pleats, I don't know which ones are the flattering sort though, still need to figure that out. I just know that I look best in a single deep fold or if they're angled out smaller multiple ones.

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Redandblue11 · 21/01/2021 10:16

Quickly response, yes I ordered after Jan 1st from Monki free return and I did not pay any import tax or anything else.
Back to work ... boring ...

botemp · 21/01/2021 11:06

Details Red, did you spend over £135 and did the package come from the EU?

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prettybird · 21/01/2021 11:15

I've been lurking on these threads but saw this today and thought of you all Sad

Brexit: 'I was asked to pay an extra £82 for my £200 coat' https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-55734277

banivani · 21/01/2021 11:59

Ah yes Bo, that was a rather personal question, sorry! And I agree completely on the 5000 dollarinos coat. That is SO MUCH MONEY. She could prob have bought the very best fabric on the market and had it custom made for less. Branding branding branding.

The Ann Ringstrand sewing book had a coat made out of blankets in it, so I think it was fresh in my mind. Interesting to see how scarves work out, a lining might help of course. Could also be interesting to tack two scarves together (or sew together à la quilting) to make fabric thicker but you need a shit tonne of scarves!

Will see if I can take a photo of my groin for you. Not at all suspiscious. Fabric is dark grey so difficult to see I think!

Buscard might have my phone no scribbled on it, don't remember (it's in a cover so haven't looked at it for ages). You used to be able to register them and then block them if lost, but that little function was shut off because reasons and never reinstated. Angry Karma!

I think front pleats in trousers are too mean with the fabric, so they strain outwards too easily, combined with trouser fronts not cut for stomachs, so too easy for stomach to strain pleat. I think they need a bit of finesse that the pattern might not have.

botemp · 21/01/2021 12:44

Yeah, I don't begrudge anyone wearing something amazing when they're the thing being honoured and it's their event (eg €30,000 wedding dresses are mind boggling to me but it's your wedding so whatever) but it's a bit weird to me to be wearing your wealth like that in the current economic climate in the US (no furlough schemes etc.) there's a lot of people, who voted for this presidency, and not, for whom life has just happening to them with no sense of agency where that kind of money would mean sink or swim. But, this might just be a cultural thing, although I remember there was a lot of hoo-ha with Melania that no one would dress her for the inauguration in protest and Tom Ford was one of the few who was against that simplistic line of thinking but he also stressed MT shouldn't be wearing Tom Ford either because it was a price point that would be considered far too elitist for a first lady who is supposed to represent all people so I feel there is some precedent to dress with the idea that you work for the people in mind (bit like royalty, we'll pretend you're special but don't you dare act like it).

I ordered 8 scarves, I think that's one or two too many but we'll see 😬 I will interline it with something, I'll see what works best but I think the toile might end up acting as the interlining.

Yes, I think with darts you can make deeper folds as it doesn't add bulk (as you cut it out) so that could be the thing that makes the difference. So annoying though, men's trousers are made with the faintest possibility that they have monster sized cocks but women's trousers assume all women have flat stomachs at all sizes, as if hormones don't exist Hmm

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botemp · 21/01/2021 13:00

Sorry, meant to say hi to Pretty, I remember you from the early days of this thread, weren't you up in Scotland with cold rugby spectator clothes needed, think you knit too?

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prettybird · 21/01/2021 14:12

That's me Smile All of the above are correct.

....and I still wear my Dior 999 lipstick Grin

botemp · 21/01/2021 15:28

Ah yes, I remember your excitement when you bought it, I think you went to the counter and everything and got the royal treatment there Smile

Sigh, I miss going round the counters and trying out all the red lippies in case there's one with a slight shade variance I don't have yet...

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quirkychick · 21/01/2021 15:54

"Biden and Harris dress to reassure that normal service is restored | Fashion | The Guardian" amp.theguardian.com/fashion/2021/jan/20/biden-and-harris-dress-to-reassure-that-normal-service-is-restored this article talks about the designers used and colour schemes. I don't think they mention scrub colours though Grin.

quirkychick · 21/01/2021 15:54

Ugh, sorry about the long link, my phone has updated and is now doing links differently Hmm.

botemp · 21/01/2021 16:25

Ah, somewhere I thought scrub colours was a nice bit of solidarity with the emergency workers. But all I saw was camp alien disaster movie (my issue, not their choices). They also look a bit more vibrant in colour and a little less scrubby in the Guardian pics.

Female Democrats often wear white or purple to honour the suffragettes (which I always find a bit odd considering traditionally the Republican party was much more instrumental in the women's rights movement than the Democrats). I think there's also a 'rule' about not wearing white after (American) labour day, so Purple was to be expected.

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banivani · 21/01/2021 19:45

Well I am as always annoyed by warm wool coats and pumps so am enjoying the Bernie Sanders memes.

Nice to see you again @prettybird! Smile

Took a photo of my trouserfront but it’s not good. Looks more like I’m swallowing them up my privates but can assure you that’s not the case Grin the fold of fabric beside the fly is the excess that no matter how I adjust them either puffs (pouffs?) or folds. Please enjoy today’s colour combination. And my top that has gone all skewways.