Les Parisiennes des Mamansnet: For the Love of Well Dressed Women in Repose

[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

Treize

Nice find Auld, I did contemplate looking there but usually their tailoring is on the classic/stiff side.

Ah the power muscle shirts, they started somewhat before the pandemic. The Frankie shop sold them and then they went a bit mad on insta during the lockdowns, I think they were a rare organic viral thing. I think they're officially a bit over now that they're everywhere (in the sale). I haven't spotted many in the flesh and they would be the type of thing that would otherwise be embraced here which somewhat confirmed my idea that not every body shape would look good as a linebacker. I think they're part of many microtrends we're seeing at the moment that's shifting emphasis from the waist in a silhouette to the extremities, so in that same vein we have the puffy sleeves, balloon and barrel leg trousers, maxi skirts (at a push but it's definitely all leading to longer stretchy silhouettes and less focus on the middle), etc.

I've been working on trousers instead of facing my cutting anxiety Dries fabric dress. The toile is coming along nicely but I keep changing things and they're slowly descending into gorpcore...

I'm also trying to figure out what shoes to wear when it's raining and warm in Paris (per current weather predictions), contemplating those Birkenstock evas which are all foam (or something) but I suspect they're just for moving about a pool or beach only.

Oh and on Klarna and their sustainability shpiel, they can bore off. I have no idea what they're basing their CO2 emmision calculations on, I doubt it's accurate and it's fairly useless information when you've already bought the things, it feels like needless guilt tripping post purchase. By the time I make my next purchase I'll promptly have forgotten and it just puts me off using Klarna tbh. Unless it's trying to encourage me to keep everything to save on further CO2 emmisions, but that's pretty dumb for other sustainability reasons. Or alternatively, they're just laying the groundwork and soon you'll be able to buy off those guilt inducing CO2 emmisions through some dodgy foundation of theirs with a low enough price to make it guilt alleviating while not costing you much.

flo I also want a linen blazer!!! I have been thinking about it for weeks … I am obsessed now … for me it needs to be second hand though. Still doing pretty well in my absolute minimum new clothes buying.

I saw this jigsaw second hand online, but is a 12 and I am a 10. I am happy to be oversized, but this risks being just plain big on my shoulders … or is it a risk worth taking if it is inexpensive?

I'm obsessed too Red That Jigsaw one looks nice - the shoulders are so hard to predict, sometimes I don't mind if they don't fit and then other times (e.g. the Uniqlo men's one) they look awful. Which is no help at all.

I also can't decide how much I'm prepared to spend. The summers here are shortish and damp so realistically, it wouldn't get masses of wear unless it had good trans seasonal / indoor potential which makes me reluctant to invest.

I think when they're a darker colour (as opposed to that very natural undyed linen colour of the Jigsaw one) they can sort of hybrid their way into early autumn, but the lighter colour is useful early in spring already. The colour of that Jigsaw one does feel a bit neat and tidy to me even though I have an oversized linen blazer in that colour but it's not that classic female cut, not double breasted, so I suppose that saves it (for me, anyhow).

Exciting news of Phoebe Philo to wake up to this morning apart from the wait until January part...

Ahahaha so that's what she's been up to. Yes very exciting, not because I will be able to afford so much as a pair of cotton socks from her collection but because where Phoebe leads, the high street may follow.

I'm pausing for more reflection on the linen blazer - see already I'm being more Phoebe I've realised I need to think through what colour I want and how much I'll wear it and and whether it needs 'transitional' qualities (I already have a couple in tweed / wool so possibly not) and therefore how much I'm willing to spend. And if summer's almost over by the time I've worked it all out, well then it won't have been that important after all, or maybe I'll get something extra bargainous in the sales that will having staying power into next year.

I'm also still thinking about the Haremere jacket as I already have a large piece of linen that's quite sturdy in both weight and colour (mid-dark brown) that I picked up at least 2 years ago thinking it would be 'really useful' and it's still here. So I might. Probably just the shell though, no lining. Which isn't very Phoebe but a) I mostly want to see how it looks made up so that, if I'm pleased with it, I can get some fabric I really like and b) I'm too lazy.

So I never even saw those power shirt things and now they've gone?

They were these Flo, very easy thing to replicate, went well with a high waisted trouser, now in all the bargain bins.

Focusing on a wanted item is a nice distraction though. Considering your summers are never that warm it's probably worth uhming and ahing endlessly on. I'll be curious to see what comes of the Haremere jacket.

My thoughts have turned to trainers with this so far meh weather. I don't really wear them a lot so they last forever but now the ones I do have don't feel right anymore and a pair would be handy now. Problem is I just can't get too excited about them so I'll have to see what I come across in the sales, or preferably, for the weather to be better and allow me to forget all about them.

Oh you know what, I quite like those tops! I don't do sleeveless but if I did, I'm wondering if that shape would distract from all the arm flapping. I might see if there's a bargain bin I can wander by....

Flo, love the Haremere blazer. What about paying a seamstress to make it as you already have fabric and pattern? If you know one, of course. That would give you a better chance of wearing it this year......... I have an old Zara linen blazer (bought for second teaching practice 15 years ago) in emerald green, which is useful spring, summer and early autumn that's had a few outings this chilly spring.

I keep searching for new trainers to replace some Japanese ones from the Jigsaw sale which are looking distinctly shabby after a lot of wear. Nothing yet, bo.

Now you have introduced more doubts in my mind … colour of the linen blazer … I hear about the implications of being neat or feminine cut, etc. For me I find that jackets suits me better in ‘neat’ cuts , still I want it to be roomy.

I quite like that power top.

And the other day I was reading, researching about some female Argentinean writers and saw some photos that reminded me of the well dressed women in repose. I leave a photo of two sisters Victoria and Silvina Ocampo . The first one is Silvina and I love that she is not that young in that photo and can pull off those shorts.

What sort of trainers are you after xing ?

Yeah, I can see a neater feminine cut working better for your shape but those tend to just look too big as opposed to oversized unless they're really designed from the off to be feminine and oversized. It's a tricky balance to source.

For the record, I have nothing against the power tops btw, or care that they're 'over'. But it's just one of those things that Instagram swallowed up and now has spat out due to ubiquity which usually means the more interesting people get to wearing them. I quite like the idea of someone a bit frail like Joan Dion wearing one with some very in your face sunglasses.

Ooh the Argentinian sisters are excellent additions to the women in repose collection.

*Joan Didion, effing autocorrect, she isn't suddenly sister to Celine Dion

Now that, Xing is a very good idea, although I may tweak it a bit and first make a simplified (unlined) version with the linen I've got already. That way I can see first how the pattern looks made up and also, as per bo's point, get a better idea of what kind of fabric might work best. I'm a bit reluctant to pay a professional to use this current fabric - it's fine and, like I've said, feels quite sturdy but it doesn't make my heart race. It'll mean I probably won't get to wear either version this summer but I'm beginning think that ship has already sailed - it's pissing down again today. I'm also assuming this is one of those longer term trends so should be around for a few years yet.

I'm kind of cross to be in this situation at all because I can remember at least 3 summery blazers from my previous lives that would have fitted the bill perfectly and been much better made than anything I'm likely to find today (and also probably still fitted me as they were 1980s proportioned). I was convinced I must have kept at least one of them but I've been all through my cupboards and nope. I moved house too many times back then.

I like the Argentinian sisters Red plus the guy with the woman in the shorts is wearing just the kind of blazer I'm after! Don't let my dithering put you off - are you going for the Jigsaw one?

I also love the idea of Joan and Celine being long lost sisters!

Of course you'd focus on the man's blazer 🤣 it's a very nice jacket though and it's reminding me that when dapper men of a certain age have linen blazers it's often made of herringbone linen. Tends to be a bit more insulating so quite useful into winter. Still comfy crumply aesthetic but not wrinkly.

To be fair, Celine is also quite frail looking so could pull the power top off too. I'm now imaging Joan and Celine fighting over it while a cute little dog runs off with their breakfast sausages in a Gray Gardens type setup...

Actually the linen is more like this one, I just grabbed the first link because it showed off the pattern better but it tends to be more subtle.

Yes men seem to have been so well dressed then, it's probably just as well I wasn't around as I'd have been too busy admiring their clothes to get anything else done. I imagine though that, as camera ownership was still pretty rare then, a lot of pics from that era will have been special occasions with a hired photographer so people will have dressed up. That's certainly true of my old family photos.

Thanks for the links. I recognise herringbone linen but didn't realise that was the name for it. I've had some shirting fabric from the Cloth House sale that was pretty good so, if I do go for a seamstress, I'll bear them in mind.

I'll need to find someone first though as, although I do use a seamstress, I think she only does alterations.

Ah Flo, you need to work on your conjuring skills, look what just showed up on my Vinted feed. If you desperately want it I can forward it to you and post more pics of it. It's a size I which is about an 8, I think. The seller seems to wear an 8/10 usually. They've also got a bargain €25 black velvet Margaret Howell blazer but it's showing a bit of age.

Oh. My. Word. Is this The One?

I'm not even on Vinted. And now I have to go into a meeting. Help me someone.

I don't think the UK vinted has the same market access as the EU one. So am happy to act as postal intermediary, don't worry it'll still be here when you get back from your meeting (I hope, MH stuff doesn't move that fast on there).

You're very good to me! Back later

Ooh, loving all the blazer and Phoebe Philo talk. I know exactly what you mean about slouchy blazers, a few of mine are quite fitted and don't feel right atm. However, my ancient Guess, leather blazer has come out of retirement (though, not in the warm weather).

I think bo is right and Vinted UK is UK sellers, so probably a different market.

Further pics