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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That's lovely from your aunty red, I kind of like the idea of that too with a sequin skirt...

Phwooooar have you got a leather jacket? Check out the lovely EllaPaella on the 'What are you wearing today?' thread for some pics with a sequin skirt (different style admittedly).

Red I love that cardigan.

So I took another look at my close up pic of the gaulottes - early signs of fluffing already - and I hardened my heart. Returns form completed and I'm just about to print. I'm wavering over the black ones now, daring them to sell out. They would look very different from the sludge but I'm curious now. Internet shopping is infuriating - if they had a real shop round here I could have nipped in and sorted it out in an hour.

bo I missed your question about making my own. That would definitely be a stretch for me at the moment and I'd have to use a high end fabric so it wouldn't be a cheap option. Worth thinking about as a future project though and I should have probably traced the shape before I packed them away but it's too late now.... unless I send for the black ones I will concede I would have to make a toile first!

And faustina I also missed your question, yes the rinsed denim jeans. It's a while since I had jeans I've liked as much as these. I think I've worn them every day since I picked them up and they've never given me a moment of trouble.

Well done with the resolve Flo, I would stress the difference between the black and sludge fabric was minor, I think it would still have the same potential pilling issues.

I'm officially grumpy, we're getting an emergency press conference tonight, sigh, full strict lockdown imminent I can't even cheer myself up with thoughts of a new bag, what's the point when you'll barely be going out.

Bo sorry about the imminent lockdown , so depressing.
All I can say I hope it doesn’t last long and we can push through another winter .

Any more lockdowns and I shall get even grumpier. All well with me, now that I've been to the dermatologist... but no new clothes to report on though I did get as far as putting the white +J puffa into my Uniqlo bag, and I bought and returned some velvet cocktail trews.

Love the cardi @red, and I've been following the gaulottes saga. Very sorry to hear about imminent lockdowns wherever they are. It rather takes the shine off Christmas.

Well I've just gotten even grumpier while browsing the Zara app for the sale preview that starts tomorrow to see my Kassl coat will be available at 55% off If anyone still wants one I'd highly recommend getting the Zara app and chucking it in your cart already and check it out asap when the sale launches tomorrow (assuming the sale dates and times are the same over there) because it's a bargain. The coat has gotten loads of compliments, although that wasn't always a positive thing, a lot came from young people who have no concept of social distancing and a few skeevy men who thought it signified I was part of some fetish scene 😳 tbf though, the skeevy men turned properly apologetic and polite as soon as they caught on when they realised it wasn't the case.

I can't get too mad about buying it at full price as much as I'm annoyed now though. I wore it loads, well into November (as I'd hoped while justifying the inflated price tag for Zara) and cheered up those gloomy grey days. I might wear it in spring again but it'll still be quite a few months away.

Hope the itch is getting sorted Xing and hope no lockdowns for you all either although they did mention at the Dutch press conference that England/the UK were busy preparing to implement stricter measurements (most of the justification for the lockdown came from data discussed with counterparts in the UK/Denmark/Norway predominantly), which came across like a bit of a slip at the time but no newspaper has reported it as such so I think it's just been written off as general speculation 🤷

Anyhow, it's all a bit weird usually we're the ones trailing behind with strict implementations, only Sweden ever seems more hands off and now we're suddenly the strictest reasons and motivations are understandable though but it still feels very much like unchartered territory and I do hope they've not ruined everyone's Christmases for nothing.

I am glad I did have the Nostradamus foresight to go see an exhibition on Friday and also checked out the Zara ader error puffer coat in store but alas it's a sad drab colour in real life. Just need to scramble some semblance of a Christmas dinner together now, the theme of which is probably, fuck it, I'll take whatever takes my fancy from the extremely overpriced fancy delivery service that requires little active cooking time and spend a bomb. Although getting some special from a restaurant to support them might also be an option, not really a fan of set menus though.

A powerful topical corticosteroid isn't normally something to enthuse over... but it has done the trick! The derm took one look and decided it wasn't worth starting with anything mild. Bliss it is not to itch 24-7.

Everyone is on tenterhooks wondering when/if we shall be told to stay at home. We were supposed to visit the family, who all live near Oxford, so have nothing much to eat here as we're running the fridge down... which may necessitate an emergency food shop on Thursday or Friday.

Disappointing about the gualottes all right Flo. I really like the shape around the top, but can see the reservation on the fabric from the close up.

Bani – I like the ribbon blouse, very original

The way the orange dress is sitting makes it very jumpsuit adjacent botemp. If Guantanamo doesn’t work out there’ s a place in a Netflix series for you. What bags are you dithering over? I’m still mulling the Celine seau as I think it’d be really practical over the next year. I quite fancied the green, but they don’t have it in store locally.

Thanks for the heads up on the Zara sale. I might chance the coat, although maybe not if it attracts the em “alternative crowd”. I was keeping an eye out for the other Ader Error online too, as it looked interesting, but it doesn’t seem to have hit the EU websites yet?

I’m trying to think of a Christmas day starter – requirements: must be mostly an assembly job on the day as I’ll be bringing it though I’ve no issue with advanced prep and must be light. I think we’ll do a restaurant box for NYE. Now becoming widely available as we’re definitely heading back into heavier restrictions, 8pm close for restaurants and bars, urggggg.

I like all the the knit and sequin skirt ideas. The white t-shirt works well to make it more contemporary. A sweatshirt might work well too.

Glad the itch stopped xing ! I hope they let us have xmas 🎄

Thanks for the heads up Bo on the Zara coat, I am not on the mood for it. Otherwise I would consider it.
What I am on the mood for is a boiler suit… been looking at preloved options but I have not found anything decent. Then in my Facebook page came up with this … the thing is love the idea of one, but I am not actually sure if it will suit me … or is it like jumpsuits that till I got one they I really like them so now I have a couple (thanks Bo).

Any Scottish here? We are supposed to be going there (fort William area) on the 28th … I am not optimistic… any intel worth sharing? I am not expecting a crazy NYE party, we just have a socially distanced room in a hotel with another family,

Yes, as much as I'm grumbling at the moment by the time it's Christmas I'll have fully adjusted to the reality, it's preferable over being on tenterhooks until the day in some ways. Good to hear the itch is getting sorted Xing.

Well one positive of the lockdown, assuming my Guantanamo dress didn't sell before Sunday it'll probably be heavily marked down by the time the shops open again. Silver linings and all that.

Yeah, go for it Elle, I do think the skeevy men crowd are more of a local thing, I doubt they'd be so forward elsewhere in the world. Was it Bani who linked to a twitter feed on here about how lethal it is in Ireland to wear a bit out there clothes with all the creative insults from randoms on the street it ensued, I'd be more worried about that 🙈

Ader Error is online here, but I know there's major issues in Spain with postal workers (from what I understand all courier companies) being on strike so if Ireland is serviced by that warehouse maybe they've delayed launching it there.

Christmas Day starter, I'll have to look the recipe up (I just wing it myself these days) but you get scallops in the shell, clean them out and keep the coral. Very lightly sear scallops (just for colour, it needs to remain mostly raw) and then use that pan to make that a sauce with some prawn shells the coral, peeled (fresh) tomato flesh (no skin or core), cognac or pernod, bouquet garni, etc. Then layer some greenery (cooked spinach, samphire, or similar) in the cleaned out scallop shell, place seared scallop on top, add some prawns around it (I use tiny north sea Grey prawns so don't bother cooking those), then add sauce, salt, pepper. Then top with the flat side of the shell which will sit at an angle, the opening is then closed off with a strip of puff pastry. Then it all goes into the fridge, when ready to eat, preheat, oven egg wash (you can add black sesame seeds for a bit of festivity, if you do just the yolk and a splash of cream it'll be brilliantly shiny on its own) and it's just a matter of shoving it into the oven. It's like a fancy decorative version of fish en papillote and a bit of steamy drama when you open the lid. You'll need to think of something to sit it on though, can be more veg, coarse sea salt works too but it's a lot riskier.

Red, boiler suits are a difficult thing for me to find, they only work for me when they're too big and they're tailored to fit me. You may have better luck but probably best to try some on first, the ones I like best are the ones de toujours sell, which are less boiler suit and more golden era F1 pit crew. Not sure how adapted they are to Brexit though with VAT, etc.

Here's the Twitter thread btw, in case it wasn't shared on here previously.

Sorry, realise I haven't answered about dithering bags, I'm considering (well was, I'm all apathetic now) the Lemaire croissant bag in a green colour that goes perfectly with my new coat and the Acne distorted bag, but I'm not sold on the colour of that. There's white but it loses its graphic quality in that, in a smaller size it comes in metallic and cognac (which is more of a reddy brown tbh) but I'm not convinced on the size of it...

This is not like my recipe but the process is similar, and I know your DH likes his whiskey and it's a little bit more reliable with timings etc, than my scribbles recipe. I also spotted this presentation with seaweed, I know you have loads of that in Ireland and looks very festive to me and doesn't require more cooking effort. It's now got me going off on a tangent that a white miso based sauce might be a nice play on it...

bo you are a goddess.

Red I have no boiler suit expertise I'm afraid but did / does Xing have one or is my memory playing more tricks? Glad to hear the itching has subsided Xing.

I'm sorry about your lockdown bo. It seems bizarre given that the Netherlands (if I recall correctly) had applied less stringent restrictions in the previous waves? I've read the data so I get why, but if they'd told us a year ago we'd have rolled out a vaccination programme and still be in this situation, well..... it's probably just as well we didn't know. Someone needs to start an Xmas food pool where those who now have too much can help out those who were planning to be away and so hadn't shopped. We're likely to be in the first category but at least our son has made it back for which I'm very thankful.

I didn't order the black gaulottes - it was my third colour choice after all. I'm consoling myself on the Margaret Howell website and, when the sale starts, I'm planning to spend the price of the gaulottes plus the money I've saved through cancelled Christmas dos. (A couple of meals were already paid for but there's still the unbought drinks and unspent cab fares .) I suspect other people will have the same plan though so I'm braced for more wildness at the checkout.

botemp thanks as ever, fabulous idea. I went to get a coffee at local fancy food store this morning after you posted and asked about ordering scallops in the shell and wait for it… it’s illegal to sell them in the shell in Ireland www.irishtimes.com/life-and-style/food-and-drink/can-you-imagine-buying-an-oyster-out-of-its-shell-1.4014774 Bonkers! I think you can buy the shells separately but I’d say I’ve left it too late. My mum did have some as Coquilles st Jacques was height of sophistication in her noughties dinner party repertoire but they are since binned.

I love the green croissant bag! It would look super with the coat I bet.

Nice boiler suit too!

That twitter thread very definitely resonates.

Flo - good idea to point the Christmas do funds at the Margaret Howell sale. Have you your eye on anything in particular?

I haven't bought anything in the sales. I keep being drawn to completely unsuitable and out-of-character things - skimpy, sheer or sexy dresses are what I find myself clicking on. I think it's definitely a reaction to my current situation where between likely lockdown and a baby I'm hankering after the life where I might actually wear something like that.

That is proper sacrilegious, no scallops in the shell, the ones sold outside of them are usually rubber gummy balls that leak too much moisture in the pan that never crisp up properly 😱 How strange, is there a black market trade in the ports for them? Theoretically you could smuggle them in from Northern Ireland if they sell them there, I suppose. I have seen versions where the shell is made entirely out of puff pastry but I think it would cook for too long and ruin the scallops. Fish mongers always have the shells for sale here (just the bottom half though, I suppose you could do a hybrid of a bottom shell with a full pastry lid) as they use them for decorating the fish display. Alternative, but it's cold, and you'd have to get it started probably tonight, gravad lax, I made one with beets once that was a delight for the eyes and mouth. Less fancy but easy to make ahead, oeufs en cocotte topped with some salmon roe when it comes out of the oven.

In terms of your food supply and demand quandary Flo, the restaurants here all have ordered too much fresh stock in, hence my contemplating to support them. Last year a lot just sold the ingredients instead of dishes, or parts of dishes like stock or chocolate mousse as that made more financial sense to them, that was really nice as I could get my hands on things you don't easily find even in the fanciest food shops.

And, yes, we've definitely swung the other way, we're finally getting a new government in January (but all parties signed earlier this month) but it's a coalition of the same parties so I'm not sure it's just that. Division of power is slightly different now but I genuinely think it's got the scientists properly concerned and they've been fairly unruffled up to now. In all honesty as a nation we're just not very good at rules and lockdowns, everyone is always looking for loopholes and creative workarounds and we don't respond to authoritive rhetoric at all. I swear nudge theory must be our invention, we'll only do something if we think it's our own brilliant idea but otherwise we'll continually ask , but whyyyyy?

Red, is that the Finisterre jumpsuit? Lots of people down here love their stuff and it's local. Spry Workwear also have a nice looking version.

Well remembered Flo. Mine is ancient (from an odd company called Moloh, which is mostly very costume-y frockcoats and military inspired stuff, that's very popular with an aristo-vibe. If it suits and fits you, the sort of thing that looks perfect for everything from pantomine to weddings to racing to everyday. Their jumpsuits were designed more for the stables and garden. Beautifully made, very comfortable and no longer in the range. I do occasionally bleat about not being able to get a replacement to the owner, and she always tells me it may happen when hers wears out! The Margaret Howell sale sounds like a plan!

Elle, I had no idea you couldn't sell scallops in the shell... my fishmonger would have them but they are dredged locally, a practice to be deplored; dived scallops are prohibitively expensive.

And thank you all for your sympathy over the itching. Very relieved that it seems to be fixed. Scratching is deeply un-Parisienne.

bo come for the style chat, stay for the recipes.

Have followed flo’s gaulottes from afar, and agree that repurposing funds towards the MH sale is a much better idea. At least with her, the fabric quality is beyond reproach and you get what you pay for rather than ambitious Uniqlo j+ pricing.

xing glad to hear the itching is over. I always remember Roald Dahl (famous for his progressive views ) characterising Mrs Twit as an old hag by her itchy belly.

For boiler suits / jumpsuits (is there a difference, beyond the spelling?) I always find them a real challenge to get the fit right. I have a navy Toast one that is just the wrong side of oversized and I look like an off-duty mechanic no matter how I style it. It’s going on Vinted in the NY.

Of course it’s all compounded by online shopping - rare indeed is the brand that shows proper measurements, especially the extra ones needed up and down / around the torso. Didn’t we have a discussion a while back about being long- or short-bodied? Even if you know yourself and have the measurements, it’s not easy to get an idea of the overall (ha!) fit without buying and trying.

Haha, I always think people must think I'm one of those middle class twats whenever I chat food 🙊

I think the difficulty with boiler suits is that they're originally men's work clothes so it's the double difficulty of not made for women's body and in a very non fitted generic way at that, plus the difficulty of getting the jumpsuit issue with fit right top and bottom in a rather rigid fabric, hence my view of get one that's too large and get it tailored down to fit to your body, unless you're just lucky and you can carry it off without alterations. I don't know if A.P.C. are doing any at the moment but they usually had some good jumpsuits with a boiler suit aesthetic and a more forgiving fabric which resulted in a higher hit rate.

I've just been reading about a Chinese influencer who has been fined for a 185 million euros for not filing her taxes properly, any insight Shangpie on influencer culture from when you were living there? Exactly how much are they earning if that's what they're being fined? I remember seeing a documentary about all these live stream artists/influencers but it was a business of poorly paid employees/influencers being exploited and putting in horrendously along hours, it all came across a bit like webcam girls without the sex.

Yes xing they are the finisterre jumpsuits. You know what, I might order and try … nothing to loose.
I saw some nice APC, thank you Bo but from shops like mytheresa, so I would need to pay the Europe tax and returns might be a faff, but they look good.

Good food talk too!

I'm fairly confident Mytheresa delivers duties paid (DDP) to the UK so it wouldn't be a hassle with taxes or returns, you'd be paying what's on the screen. There might be some shipping delays due to the time of year though. But APC is definitely one to look out for secondhand, they were making them well before the boiler suit craze.

Question, Red, I spotted this wrap in the nap sale, never seen llama wool before, but are they just slapping their label on something that costs pennies there and you can buy in any farm shop or is it a genuine designed item with a special premium wool?

Totally out of the China loop now (very much by choice) bo. My immediate thought was that it must be either Viya or ‘lipstick king’ Austin Li, and a quick Google confirmed it was Viya.

The set up there has shifted in recent years towards livestream video-led sales on the major online platforms around the big shopping festivals. As a reluctant sm user, I think of it like an online QVC shopping channel.

The big name livestreamers can easily sell billions of dollars worth of items each year, and of course they take a cut per item as well as sales target incentives. There are all kinds of dodgy practices out there, like secretly buying a big % of the items themselves to hit their target and then reselling later on other platforms

As here, it looks like an easy way to make money from being online, but it takes a huge amount of effort and time to create a following. Camgirls without the sex is a great analogy. There are now influencer schools, agencies to match brands with partners, and it’s all getting a bit out of control. Ideologically Beijing like to ‘chase the tigers, not the flies’ so it’s not surprising to see them go for the big targets first. Might also expect to see some restrictions on the platforms coming as well - who knows?

Anyway, ted talk over. Back to the jumpsuits and scallops!

I think it’s unique to Ireland xing, for an island nation we have a very odd relationship with fish. Funnily enough beetroot cured salmon had been my initial thought, so I guess I’ll drift back to that. I think if I can start the cure tomorrow the timing should work. I’ glad to hear that the itching has subsided.

I enjoyed the livestreamers TED talk shangpie Where can I subscribe to more of your content 😉

Are the Kassl leather joggers going into the sale too botemp? I really liked those, but too short for me unfortunately.

Beetroot cured salmon is a good standby, it goes well with a salad with some green apple in IME. Horseradish sauce works well and you usually have enough left over to make some nice bagels using up the horseradish sauce, some capers and onions or chives. So get some good frozen bagels for the days after too

I didn't see the joggers for sale anymore Elle but all the Kassl things except the shoes are in the sale (has it not started yet there?). I ended up ordering some knit dresses, one in responsible cashmere (whatever that may mean) that was limited edition, I have some high hopes for that one as it looks a nice thickness and it was still pricey even in the sale.

And yes, thank you for the Ted talk Shangpie, I'd like to subscribe for more too. I just googled the lipstick king and I'm all over him selling $1.7 billion worth of product in 12 hours. I get they don't have Instagram and YouTube so these live streams just evolved as the dominant platform, I assume, but like you say it all looks a bit QVC and then I guess a bit like those Instagram stories rants that I never understand the appeal of either.

I started Red Roulette by Desmond Shun recently that I need to get back to. That's a fascinating insight into the inner workings of China too but I doubt he's going to give me a chapter on video streamers.