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

[botemp]

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

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Favoured Parisian addresses:

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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Previous threads:

Un

Deux

Trois

Quatre

Cinq

Six

Sept

Huit Neuf Dix

Onze

Douze

Merch created in honour of our ten thread anniversary:

Les Parisiennes de Mamansnet shop

-3 here this morning 🥶 it'll warm up to +3 soon enough, hopefully.

Have your Arket dresses come in yet, Bani?

I was puzzling over the greater ease of going to the toilet too, I came up with you don't need to zip up your jumpsuit all the way up as the jumper covers it, so the zipper can already be halfway down and that saves a lot of scrambling when you really need to go 🤷

The Anny Nord goal digger boots came back in stock so have ordered those too. I figure the height of the shaft issue could potentially be solved by my heel lift inserts.

But the sleeves?

The Arket dresses are delayed. They said they’d be delivered on Friday but same day they changed to first delayed then Monday. So tomorrow maybe.

However I bought two metres of decent navy wool blend fabric on Tradera so I am now researching Sewing Trousers a bit. A summer project maybe, so I can do it without stress.

You keep the jumper round your neck at all times then put your arms back into the jumper as you unpeel yourself from the rest of the jumpsuit. Then reverse.
So its not quite as shocking.

Its been wet and really windy here for a few days but today looks more promising, could be a day for a promenade!:)

Oh I see! But I don’t see that that keeps you much warmer? But makes sense. I’d be annoyed at putting arms in and out of sleeves nonetheless.

-12 now so I’m off for a walk soon. :)

Couple of shirt pics. They're taken at different times of day so interesting how the light, and probly the dark background, affect the colour, which is a kind of blue-ish purple in real life.

I had to take it in by a couple of inches all over, and then couldn't get the sleeves back in as neatly, which was annoying as I'd made a decent job of it the first time. I also botched the cuffs and placket, which I don't think I'd ever made before (previous shirt pattern didn't have them). But that's no big deal as I always push shirt sleeves up.

I really like the fabric - a cotton with a decent weight but also soft so it doesn't feel too work shirt-ish, unlike that Uniqlo J one which I sent back but still think of sometimes.
I also have the same fabric in a dark blue so think for my next project I'll use it with the boxy shirt pattern so I can compare the two properly.

Well I can't see any of the faults, Flo, it looks really well done, fabric is lovely too. Looks really good on too. Do you just get your fabric in a local shop? Do they sell online?

I'm nearly done with reworking my dress but I've lost the plot a bit, the simple rework has become slightly more complex. The back is practically a precisely custom fitting basque now and I decided to line the top half with silk organza. Just need to do the front and then get it all fitted together, probably a day's work or a few evenings, I'll see how I get on but I'm hoping it'll be done by this time next week.

Thank you that's very kind - as was the lighting when I took the pics Unfortunately I got the fabric about a year ago when life was still normal, from a market stall, not local and, as far as I know with no website. I don't even know their name and didn't fully realise how good it was until I started sewing. I just hope they survive till I can visit again.

Flo that looks amazing. As do you. Really like that fit, good call to go to the trouble of taking it in.

Flo I'm so impressed. It looks great both on the hanger and on you. There's a talented bunch on this thread.

I'm just trying to remember, was this from the scarily expensive pattern shop, Flo? If so, I might have to grumble and say their asking price is probably worth it. Although, I'm pretty convinced the nice cotton is doing a lot of the heavy lifting. Hope you find your stall again and that they sell online.

Flo, wow! The shirt looks wonderful. As bo asks: was it a Makers Atelier pattern? I am envious.

Yes it's this pattern bo. They're printed on pretty sturdy paper so I reckon even someone as messy as me can get a few shirts out of the one pattern if I want to. I found some of the instructions a bit opaque but I've never found a pattern that wasn't like that. It would probably probably bury you though - I'll be sizing down to a (UK) 4 next time and I'm considerably bigger than that in the real world - although I guess you could redraft it. I think it's a UK company so, on top of the scary price, I guess you might get stung for extra charges now to ship to the EU?

I agree the fabric's doing a lot of the work and it's been interesting to see what a difference that makes. It's why I want to do the box shirt again - I just used a cheapy cotton roll end last time - you could even say it was effectively a toile

Brexit is a actually working in my favour as I can get the digital version and it's below VAT threshold so I don't have to pay that so they're suddenly a lot more affordable. I also get a heavily discounted price on large scale printing as I get floorplans etc. printed for work all the time. I'll keep the sizing in mind but don't you worry that you won't be able to fit a size 4 sleeve?

I'm thinking these trousers are probably a good one for Bani and her new bolt of fabric. I like them too in the stretchy waist version with the shirt as pyjamas.

The sleeves were huge too and needed taking in. They're in two parts, upper and 'under' sleeve, which is where a lot of the volume comes from. Even now there's still a bit of excess fabric under the arms which I cunningly disguised for the photo!

Yeah I saw those and thought of Bani too. I'm eyeing up this pattern for a future project.
Or these from merchant and mills which I'm thinking might get me close to those Uniqlo U ones I'm always banging on about, although no side pockets by the looks of it, which would be a bummer. Plus I have been known to cry when trying to do zips, and I'm not exactly short of trousers, so I'm not rushing into it.

Sorry I've missed some posts - thank you everyone for the compliments. I'm not a natural sewer e.g. I don't see things in 3D very easily and I'm impatient, so it's been encouraging to see what I can do when I put my mind to it. I probably have lockdown to thank as well - fewer distractions!

Just delurking to join in the congratulations to @Floisme, beautiful shirt.

I have got back into sewing for the first time since my teenage years when I only wore clothes I made. This time round I'm determined to do it properly, with pinning and ironing etc and paying attention to neatening the insides. It's a painful and slow process sometimes and reminded me why I used to just barge in with the stitching, inside fraying be damned.

Do I remember correctly that the Uniqlo U trousers were barrel shaped? I have been thinking about making myself a pair and this pattern looks promising, lots of people of Internet seem to have made it and are raving about it www.minerva.com/mp/1237950/style-arc-sewing-pattern-bob-pant&variant=1237919

Oooh thanks luggage I hadn't seen that pattern before and I'll definitely check it out. If you make them first, please let me know how you get on. Yes the Uniqlo U's were barrel shaped - they've repeated the style but not (as far as I know) the fabric which was a heavy-ish cotton twill. The Whistles barrel leg jeans come close but they don't have the same roomy pockets.

I also was a very careless sewer when I was young and still don't pay enough attention to the inside, which is why I'll be pushing up the sleeves of that shirt rather than rolling them up! But I do at least neaten the seams now, plus I've spent a lot of time on the laying out stage, making sure the fabric and the grain lines are properly straight, which I think has made a big difference.

Going back to those Merchant and Mills Eve trousers, I've noticed you can make them with a pleat or a dart at the front - which I think we were talking about somewhere upthread?

flo the shirt is fantastic 👏
I really love the collar. It looks great on and is a testament to your hard work.

My Mum is a fantastic seamstress, about 8 years ago we went halves on a sewing machine with the intention she was to give me lessons. Turns out she can sew fantastically but can't transfer that knowledge to another person. Its easily done, I can often be like that too. I keep meaning to bring the sewing machine to my house and see if I can self learn through YouTube a bit.

In other news.....
The boots arrived!!!!
I ended up paying only slightly over £25 so I will keep them. Also I dont know if I could send them back even if I wanted to.

The legs are only one layer of suede with no backing, a bit flimsy and are a bit too slouchy and don't droop at the same level. But they are too big round the calf. Though I was expecting this as all boots are too big there.

I might see if a cobbler could insert a rod or something into the leg to give a better shape.
However I like the shape and colour and I think they will look more structured over jeans.

I also tried out this shirt under this woolen dress which I think works? The dress is two sizes too big ad gapes a lot at the neck but I think the shirt solves the problem. I love the dress so I am looking for ways I can still wear it.
(Its not as boxy in real life I just can't do selfies)

@70sduvet ha I had a similar situation when a friend offered to train me on a super duper Bernina that MIL passed on - I don't blame it on her teaching but my learning, watching her do it then doing it once and trying to remember it months later doesn't make it sink in. I have made last few garments studying the Bernina guide followed by youtube videos, and I am feeling much more confident (and this is also why a pair of pyjama bottoms takes me two weekends to complete). I have perfected the French seam and flat felled seam now :).

@Floisme, I have fixed a pair of Toast trousers with the dart, it actually works really well. They were quite heavy cotton and wide and the legs stuck out weirdly, the darts sorted them into a nice barrel shape.

I love your pattern suggestions but I might be starting with practising on this free pattern peppermintmag.com/sewing-school/wide-leg-pants/ I have some fabric to toile on before using the wool. It’s the fly I’m most worried about so I’m setting this project firmly in the future. There’s also a video on YouTube by a woman who drafts a pair of tight fitting trousers (I would adapt) I’m looking at, sadly she lost me somewhere along the crotch curve but I still have her saved. I don’t think I have it in me to pay loads for patterns and I am feel bleurgh at thought of printing and taping. If I worked in the planning office I too could sponge off a big printer ;)

My Arket dresses arrived today and I’ll try to get a photo tomorrow. I got the attached dress in both that colour and the navy. Tried them on but not sure, I like the heavy swish of the fabric but I am not five years old and this can not be only consideration. Got the 42 which is tight on the aul boobies. The 44 would be big everywhere. Story of my life. Love the length though, suits the imaginary boots.

Wait now I remember the important bit - wait til I tell yiz how these dresses were shipped. Flung into a paper mailing bag, no plastic bags or nothing around them, paper bag flap barely stuck down on one side only. Either the warehouse has 14-year-olds working there or Arket is folding or something. Mind now, I don’t mind less waste, but given the weather it’s always risky with non water resistant shipping materials.

Delurking to say what a nice shirt! If only I had paid attention in home ec classes at school... thankfully I’m fortunate to live somewhere with access to cheap tailors so I don’t have to inflict crimes on innocent fabric

Given the attention to detail and joy in vicarious shopping that you all seem to have, would the Parisiennes cast an eye at my thread about finding the perfect handbag? My wish list is ridiculous to the point that I wonder if it’s deliberate self-sabotage. Any tips from you very stylish lot would be much appreciated

I'm very envious of your Bernina luggage wish someone could be pass one of those on to me. My current cheapo machine does work fine but when it does die on me eventually I definitely want a Bernina, either one as old as me secondhand or possibly a new one but I think secondhand is the way to go.

While I initially thought my mother's attempts at teaching me to sew were useless, I'm finding them quite useful now, but YouTube and books are far superior teachers. Her approach just didn't work with standard patterns (without being aware of it, she seems to have been taught couture sewing techniques which would explain why all the clothes turned out several cms too big as she was insisting we had to add seam allowance, a 2.5cm seam allowance at that). Not being an inpatient teen is also helping, it's rather confronting what a complete scatterbrain I was then with the whole lack of patience thing and I thought I was an especially mature teen🤦.

Arket dress looks promising Bani, any pics yet

Shangpie, I've had a look at your rather long list of requirements, it seems difficult to achieve so finding a local leather craftsman (or woman) seems like the most sensible option, though not sure what they'd charge. I'm struggling to envisage what you'd like visually though, not completely ticking boxes but something like this?

I'd also point out from experience that carrying laptops in a messenger bag that isn't a laptop bag is really shit for your back.

Or more like this ShangPie, which meets more of your functional needs but definitely not budget (although it's on sale here all the time) but is very functional in design.

Thanks for the suggestions! I think the problem is that I really want this one but it’s just too small for my laptop. Sigh.
Interesting to hear that carrying laptops cross-body is bad for you - I’d have thought it was better than humping it onto one shoulder?