Les Parisiennes des Mamansnet: Do not ask the kock about les préservatifs in the food.

[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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I haven't tried these ones yet Xing, but they're a similar concept of no pressure very stretchy 'one size fits almost all' material. They're made of modal instead of synthetic which intrigued me and the shape is also a little more exciting IMO.

I might give those a shot bo, but I ordered a couple from Uniqlo which should arrive tomorrow or Friday. I can get the other Chantelle ones locally but they're often out of stock, because they are popular. I need a skin colour ideally.

Xing, I think my dd1 wears a similar sloggi bra, as they're very comfortable and she's still growing. Have you tried John Lewis? My friend, who's had a mastectomy, recommends them, as they will fit you etc. post op.

Hi, can I join? I was on this thread about three years ago under a different name, but I'm absolutely useless at maintaining my presence on long-running threads, I will try better though!

I just find myself in need of a bit of thoughtful fash chat as no-one in real life shares my bordering on obsession thoughts about what to wear.

It was Flo and Bo and Xing that brought me back here, I always enjoy your ruminations on all things clothes and I think I need a bit of that in my life.

I did want to ask you @botemp, re the Ginzas, which colour do you have? I bought some dupes this year in every colour and they've had so much wear I'm going to take the plunge with the real ones, I can't make a colour choice though. I'd get all three, but 2k+ on flip-flops feels profligate, even for me, I'm drawn to the white, even though my tan dupes probably got the most wear. If fact, the tan are bottom of my list, it's either black or white I think.

We had a chat about knee-high boots in my former name @botemp, I think Saint Laurent were the looking promising for us both, I ended up going with Chloè as I see you did too!

PS I never realised you were Dutch @botemp, my husband has four Dutch half-siblings and a wonderful Dutch stepmother due to his late father's second marriage.

I can attest to the disappointment of Dutch weddings!

I remember you Shrike, I think your exH was an architect and you have a long-standing love affair with Joseph gabardine leggings? Apologies on behalf of us all for having to endure a Dutch wedding...

I have the all leather Ginzas in black with contrast stitching (I think it's somewhat off white/linen colour stitching), so not the ones with the cushiony suede outer. I saw a couple of those on Vestiaire Collective that had barely been worn and the suede damaged so easily and apparently they're very uncomfortable on the toe post where the stitched leather ones have a proper toe post.

Elle got them in tan and also has some dupes in black but I think the tan were worn more. The all leather ones are heavier though, the ones with the suede outer are more lightweight like a traditional flipflop almost. I find the black ones go with everything and lifted a lot of meh outfits to something else but I have contemplated maybe getting the "athletic" versions in navy for next year, they're a smidge cheaper and I'd feel less bad about thrashing those on long holiday walks. I'm not sure they're making those anymore though.

The white ones get very dirty very quickly so would put me off for that reason, they make more sense as a dupe buy in that colour to me. My favourite colour way (ignoring the suede element objections I've made previously) are the ones attached in black and burgundy but they're usually not easy to source but they are currently available here in size 40 and 41. I think they have a 15% off code at the moment going as well, I'd have to dig through my inbox.

Yes! Well remembered Bo, I am that woman (this is why I like your posts, you are a thoughtful type). I've not worn Joseph leggings for a while now though, I'm tending to a much looser silhouette of late.

WHY did you show me those Ginzas? Black and burgundy is my absolute colour-way. I did wonder about the suede, much as I'm always drawn to its inky depths, I always curse myself for falling for it as it gets trashed so easily.

What are your thoughts on Gabriela Hearst? Her designs are often just what I'm looking for but it's a similar price-point to The Row and I've not seen any of it 'in the flesh', she talks a good talk though, I'm quite tempted, do you have any ideas about quality?

Sorry for all the questions!!

I've ordered the burgundy and black you linked to Bo (I'm a 40 luckily), I shall report back!

I got a 10% discount as a new user. So thanks for the link!

I'm off to Portugal on the 1st of November so hopefully will be able to wear them then in warmish weather.

Which leads me on to my next question, (sorry my floodgates have opened), has anyone been to Belcanto in Lisbon? We were meant to be going in April 2020 and have only just managed to re-book.

I'm an habitué of swanky restaurants all over but even their website says that 'people like to use this as a occasion to dress up' and even Condè Nast says 'this is one of the few occasions in Lisbon you'll have the opportunity to dress up for, so take it'.

I can only infer that it's a bit dressy, I'm assuming casual glamour.

Just FYI I sized up quite a bit on the Ginzas but I have high arches which means I always need a size up on anything that's tight over that area and I also dislike how my heels sort of hang over an edge (aesthetically) at the back in open shoes and with that suede edge that's also a bit more noticeable as you kind of want the same distance as it has on the sides. It might be worth ordering the size up too?

Gabriela Hearst, I've seen enough of it to somewhat be underwhelmed by it and I also own a pair of flip flops that I'm happy enough with but I wouldn't pay more for them than I did in the sale at 70% off with an additional 10% on top of that. It feels overpriced and then some (but so is The Row) but she talks a decent sustainable talk that sort of justifies it to a point. Materials are good and the tailoring is sharp but they don't make me that grabby iykwim. My main issue with it currently is that despite her claims it's all very timeless, to me it feels very out of sync with our times. Maybe less so for her target audience of 'women who have done well but can't be seen to be caring too much about their appearance' but to me it all feels a little too buttoned up, bordering on demure, as you mention looser silhouettes feel more of the moment and there's been something constrained about the line for some time now.

She's now head designer for Chloé as well. I haven't seen any of that in the flesh yet, it does look a bit Isabel Marant but higher quality. Looser silhouettes and South American boho with a fat bank account. I like some of it but as a whole it's not resonating very strongly with me, but tbh even though I've never really considered myself a 'Chloé girl' throughout the various designers at the helm I always end up buying quite a bit from it

Hmm, it's been quite some time since I was there. It was a mixed bag then, it's one of those places where someone very glam can be sitting next to someone just wandering in from the beach. You can push the boat out if you want but casual glamour sounds fine.

Despite my 'looser' proclamation, I am quite buttoned up stylistically @botemp. I don't do louche well really.

Today's outfit, less 'strait' than I was formerly, but still angular. I can't do relaxed, I think it's my wide shoulders.

Excuse the bedroom carpet, we moved last year and are currently looking for a decent architect to realise our dream!

Maybe we have different interpretations of buttoned up, but I can see what attracts you to the Gabriela Hearst pieces as they often have a sharpness to it that has a sort of fierce feminine quality that you would carry off well. I often find her collections a mixed bag though, she has more of a stylist than designer's eye so as a whole it can feel quite subdued but it means individual pieces can be great within an actual wardrobe. It's the overtly classic pieces that fall flat for me, personally, but they have an audience in high profile female politicians and royals.

ShrikeAttack I think the structural coat looks great on you, you carry it off well. I like to have a mixture of looser, drapy styles with some structure or interesting (for want of a better word) shape, it's just finding your personal balance, I guess.

How are you and DD doing quirky?

I definitely agree everyone has their own balance, I start from being quite feminine in appearance so don't really seek that out too much but overly masculine leaning also feels off.

Good to see you back on here ShrikeAttack and thank you I know nothing about Belcanto but I've been to Lisbon a couple of times and really like it and found the style pretty relaxed everywhere - but you probably know that much already! It sounds like an amazing place to eat, please report back both on the food and the outfits!

I'd say I lean towards a sharper look these days but I like my sharpness slightly bashed up if that makes any sense at all.

I think we were talking about Gabriela Hearst on a previous thread but, being terminally fond of gossip, the main thing I remember is that she's part of The Hearst family, although I'm not sure of her connection to Patti.

Well weird connections I do remember back when we all loved normal lives we were all ridiculously envious when Shrike went to see another Patti (Smith) in New York.

I think there was a how to spend it article or similar in the Financial Times with Gabriela Hearst shared on here at some point. I remember we were going on and on about her wearing actual prehistoric earrings and her eagerness to disclose the pricing of everything (although I think that was part of the point of the article, but Euro sensibilities about displays of wealth and all that). I think she married into the Hearst family but she's South American originally (Uruguay or Paraguay, one one of the guay's in my memory anyhow), but she's very much old established money there.

*Lived normal lives, not loved, but it's a rather apt Freudian slip.

Stopping briefly to say to ShrikeAttack, that I was in Lisbon in belcanto in 208/19? And agree with Bo it is a mix bag, although the ‘casual’ clientele are wearing their nicer casual clothes, if that makes sense. But if you are going in the evening and at this time of the year where there are no people leaving the beach type thing … then you might find more casual glamour than you would at midday. Wear what you like normally to a nice restaurant I would say.
Also useful if you have insta, can maybe search there and see what people are wearing there?
And good to hear that you have a dress Elle yes best to save and buy some great outfits after baby .

ShrikeAattack I really like that coat on you. I’m not sure how tall you are, but it reads like you’ve the height to make it work. Enjoy Belcanto. I haven’t eaten there, but we did eat in two starred restaurants in Lisbon and the surrounding area and I would say in was a little dressier than in London for dinner. I wore a dress and heels and certainly didn’t feel overdressed, but there were groups in nice palazzo pants, flat sandlas and tops.

Interesting observations about Gabriella Hearst. I’ve never seen it in the flesh, I don’t think anyone here stocks it. I read an article with the stylist from Sucession and I think she mentioned it as one of the go-to designers for Siobhan Roy which makes perfect sense. I have to say I think she’s done a great job on that show in terms of the clothes hitting the mark. There aren’t many outfits that I’d desire to own, they are slightly dated deliberately, but she manages to hit that “rich people who don’t care that much about fashion” vibe really well.

I love the burgundy Ginzas. My tan ones are holding up well and much better than the Stories dupes. I’ll pop some pictures below.

I was going to post a comparison pic of how the Ginzas and the dupes have worn (spoiler - the dupes quite badly on the insole and the real deal surprisingly well in spite of the light sticking). Sadly the dupes are under my desk at work so you'll have to wait for that thrilling photo.
Have a picture of them in use instead with a Ciatan dress that botemp kindly alerted me to being sold second hand

Also my cobbled together wedding outfit. I added a shawl for the church so the priest wasn't scandalized. Like I said I'd have preferred it to be not black, but given it was pulled together from stuff I already own I think it turned out okay.

How embarrassing, I forgot most of what I get other people to buy I do always wonder if Mumsnet keeps track of which users generate sales through their affiliate program.

You look great in both pics Elle, hope it was a nice wedding that lasted longer than twenty minutes and good craic was had

Succession is a sore spot right now as I have to wait for OH to get home and finally get to watch the new season. It's like the one rare day he actually had to go in. Urgh. Anyhow, I love love love the show but do not understand the adulation of Shiv's wardrobe outside of the show, IMO it's purposefully not that great but looks the part on the surface, fits can be a little off, often looks like other people put it together, etc. It's in line with her character that she doesn't care that much about clothes and presenting herself in a stereotypical way all other female characters in the organisation do.

I agree the costuming department have done a great job although everything is too new on some people IMO, on some characters it would just be really good clothes (that someone else bought for them) worn really well, that's their level of not caring about fashion and clothes.

Lovely photos, Elle.

I'm feeling a bit better, thanks bo, but I've had a rough couple of days with a cough and ended up on steroids, which are kicking in now.