Les Parisiennes des Mamansnet: Always Have a Ball Gown at the Ready in Celebration of Your Enemy's Demise

[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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Update us on how the Rit dye works out - as far as I make out there’s two kinds, one for synthetic/blends and one for natural fabrics and I can’t see that the synthetic one will do a great job on natural with synthetic thread like.

Am so intrigued by Saudi French lady’s wardrobe. And that you remember it after so long!!!

Well I picked up the dress today and the colour is perfect for me so need to dye anything. It does seem to be without an underdress though so I guess that was the €400 difference 🤷 anyhow should be easy to find something in my own wardrobe or I can dye some fabric yellow after all for an underdress.

Dries van Noten has some gorgeous things in the sale too, there's an ikat bright purple/multicoloured pant suit, some dresses that can be worn over trousers which could maybe be a modern interpretation of black tie? You sort of get the full length impact but with a newer silhouette. I was pondering though, if it's a black tie wedding, do people then forego the hats and fascinators, I find it kind of hard to marry that very British aspect of UK weddings with a black tie dress code. Anyhow, before I went off tangent, any of the dress rentals stock Dries van Noten as I think it's a brand like Erdem that sort of does dressy in an original way without it being prissy. Otherwise browsing through their website may be of inspiration. Incidentally bought a Dries top today, it'll go perfectly with my bright orchid trousers.

If someone ever does a word cloud of my posts it's just going to be a massive 'Anyhow' 😑

<Sigh>

If they do one of mine it’ll be “like” ;)

I’m going to peek at the DvN sale now and get annoyed about being too fat (for designer clothes).

How very valley girl of you, Bani, for your loved ones sake I hope you don't have the vocal fry to go with it.

Forgot to mention, the Nina Ricci dress flappy thing sits perfectly on my side so doesn't look like a frostbitten penis stray attachment, just looks like an asymmetric hem on both sides. I've always wondered if the lack of bias cut clothes is down to more than just the additional cost and a lot of it has to do with models not really bringing it to life with their generally straighter bodies.

Well I can’t do assymetrical hems as I believe I’ve harped on about more than once because it drives me cracked that something is brushing my leg in a different place than the rest (it’s like (sic) spiders crawling on me).

but you can still get that flippy hem thing with bias and the model’s shape doesn’t really matter there wait there’s a thought waiting to process here that isn’t finished…

Frostbitten 🍆 Harold is the gift that keeps on giving… he’s got a lot to #spare etcetc …

nothing to add on clothes front except glad to hear the dress works bo and bani love your reason for disliking asymmetrical clothing, I’m not keen on 🕷️(or asymmetrical hemlines) so this seems a very sound explanation

I think I might be starting to feel sorry for the royal family

Ah yes the spider willie's hems, I remember Bani 🕷️

Me too, Flo, me too, I'm rather concerned they're going to die of cringe from this all.

I’m annoyed at how the Spare threads are cluttering up mumsnet. I only really look at actives and there’s no room for mad parking threads at all atm.

I don’t even mind spiders! But I don’t like creepy crawlies on my legs at all.

Thanks everyone for suggestions! I would rent a dress but what happens if you don't like it when it arrives or it doesn't fit right? Anyway I have some new ideas and lots of time to think so I'm sure something will come together. :)

Would be quite happy for the UK to be a republic. A few years ago - I think when Kate and William got married - the Guardian set up an anti-monarchy version of their website, where you could "switch" to it and not see any royal wedding articles. Wish all websites would do the same.

To be honest, royal family gossip has brightened my life so much over the years that I have to say I'd miss them if they weren't here. But I was raised on a higher standard of gossip than this: Princess Margaret and Roddy llewellyn, whispers about Prince Philip, and then of course the gold standard that was Charles and Diana. Fighting with your brother isn't interesting, in fact when he's the only other person in the world who really knows what a weird, fucked up childhood you had then it's just a bit sad.

I was raised in a republican household but am generally in the ambivalent camp, so long as they make sense economically (the Dutch royal family are a real boon on trade missions) I'm ok with them (I'm less okay with the whole kids raised with that amount of exposure in this day and age though).

The Guardian (and other media) are much more reliant on click bait these days so I don't think that they can afford to do an anti monarchy version anymore.

I know Flo, the stuff coming out now is all a bit Adrian Mole aged 13 3/4, and Sue Townsend was a far more entertaining writer. But it's still entertainment of sorts, there's a twitter thread about a battle at a Homebase somewhere in London that's brilliant.

I'm also beginning to think Meghan has been massively misjudged and that the woman must be a saint for putting up with him every day.

Catherine My Wardrobe HQ has a returns / refund policy here I don't know if it's typical. It sounds like you have to contact them immediately if it's not right, which makes sense but doesn't give you much thinking time.

Yes, meant to say My Wardrobe HQ had a return allowance. My strategy would be to head to London for a day try on a few in the rental concessions at the department stores and put in a reservation for one (or maybe two or three if they allow for returns, so you've got your bases covered for the weather). I think the whole getting the dresses in just before the event would be stressful of an idea for me.

Agree Flo, despite Harry saying they'd never have more than two kids for the environmen's sake, clearly Meghan has three. Poor woman.

alas, royals have slipped here as well! I struggle to imagine they are living people as, for me, the royals is something that belongs to folktales and literature about the things long past... I don't mind as long as they don't REALLY exist, which at the moment they do very annoyingly and loudly

For all the sewers and pattern/tailoring appreciators amongst you, I have officially given up on trying to lengthen tapered and what turned out to be a complex (or just complex for me?) Studio Nicholson trousers. There is a lot online on shortening tapered trousers, but nothing on lengthening them, - perhaps for a reason😱

I now appreciate what pattern cutting is! Basically, I was trying to taper the length of the trouser that I was trying to 'let out' (it has a lot of fabric folded over!). I need to taper to avoid the bell shape I'd get if I just undo the hem and let the fabric out, but I realised that:
1.the front and back seem to be completely different width and shape and
2.the bell shape somehow appeared at the back! (where there is no seam) I just think she did something weird and wonderful with the shape of the pattern which I cannot understand and unless I recut the trousers which is silly, I can't alter them. So I am going to go with the shorter length they were and think it is trendy 😥

I also let out some Margaret Howell trousers and they also have this thing that the width of front and back is not equal but at least I can make them sooo long that it is impossible to see the weirdness I created at the bottom. I can now see why I historically had so few trousers. It is so hard to get the right ones! Possibly a nightmare to sew?

I don’t feel sorry for any of the two. I am fed up of them so in my little world I will pretend they do not exist.

I wish I could give words of wisdom regarding altering and sewing.

Has anyone tried Alohas shoes? Any opinions? On both quality and green credentials they boast about?
there is another brand of shoes that keeps popping up, anonymous Copenhagen, I like the visual look of them and I think they sell some models in anthropology and Harvey and Nics. I am clearly on a shoe mode at the moment for some reason.

I'm in Paris and I can tell you even here the Royals slip in. In the metro there was a large poster advertising the book and two women stopped, shared a look and startled cackling. One of them giggled, "Comme un étalon!" at which they descended into laughter again alongside a bunch of passerby's joining in with guffaws.

Also, I couldn't help but see a frostbitten penis (where the frozen tip is about to fall off) in Le Bon Marche's highbrow art installation.

I'm not much help with alterations in the lengthening direction. I tend to send alterations to my tailor as much I can anyhow because I don't enjoy doing them so they just sit there waiting to be done. That's kind of a waste as well as it's not in your mental wardrobe so you run the risk of buying similar things thinking you don't have anything like it already.

WRT Alohas, Red, my local department store sells them. They're not exceptional (had a closer look at Roseanna today, some ankle boots, those are actually really nicely made, tacked in and the sole stitched in, not something you see at that price point, didn't examine the loafers though. In the opposite direction, what the hell happened to Church's they look like they've been specced for Zara, awful) but they're not cheap tat either. Just sort of okay but about right for the money, touch on the overpriced side but not massively so.

I'm not convinced by their green spiel though, it just seems to boil down to having a few vegan options and offering a discount when you buy in advance which streamlines their production process and reduces waste (according to them), which is true to an extent but obviously it's much more a business efficiency strategy than a tree hugging one. They're also happy to flood the insta economy with freebies, they don't seem all that concerned with the inevitable waste there...

Saw the Schiaparelli exhibit which was very interesting. From pictures it always looked a little rough but in the flesh it was impeccable. Completely changed my view of it as I always sort of parked it in highly conceptual but not technically innovative corner, turns out it's both. They did have some of the runway pieces from the recent revival of the house, those were shockingly shoddy though, but not in pictures. They did have a few pieces worn by celebrities (Beyonce is much shorter and wider than I thought, Carrie Mulligan is a teeny tiny pixie) and those were finished to much higher standards.

In other news, I've fallen in love with a Globe Trotter suitcase for which I have no use and no way am I willing to drop two grand for a heavy canvas covered suitcase. Oh, but it's so pretty, I wouldn't even dare travel with it, I'd just have it on display somewhere and stroke it. Sigh.

I'm afraid I've never lengthened trousers in my life microbius which I guess is one of the perks of being 5'3. But yeah the front and back pieces are often asymmetrical with curved seams. If I'm shortening, I always do it by eye rather than trying to measure, and I know if you're making them, it's better to alter the length at the cutting out stage rather than trying to hem them afterwards. And that's about all I know I'm afraid.

I hadn't heard about the Schiaparelli exhibition but I've always had a soft spot for her and I'd try and go if it came to the UK. Speaking of exhibitions, I went to a free one at Manchester Art Gallery on Dandy Style It's small and not nearly as ambitious as that V&A menswear effort, but I actually enjoyed it more, partly because my expectations weren't as high but also because it was more focused. I wouldn't suggest making a special trip but definitely worth it if you're near or visiting.

It's a style desert here locally now the posh frock shop is no more, so I haven't even been tempted to overspend. A new clothes shop is fitting out in her old space, so watching progress with interest. DH gave me a voucher for Christmas for another shop in town, which has the odd thing, but the only item I actively seek is a grey poloneck... and I've sent for one that has brightly striped sleeves, so will report back. From Chinti & Parker's sale, which has good prices, if you see what you want or need.

Loving bo's account of Parisian eavesdropping and wicked display wit!

Hi Ingrid

Totally agree re Church’s. I looked at them for loafers as their standard loader was reduced to 50% on Cettire. They have a rubber sole which might have been a more practical choice for our wet climes, but they weren’t Goodyear welted meaning you could get water seeping in through the stitching. It seemed like a bizarre combination as you’d usually use a leather sole in a high-end loader unless specifically going for a more practical construction. Annoyingly the mens shoes which are virtually identical are properly constructed. It’s the same thing you see with womens watches where there is an assumption that women only care about appearance and can be fobbed off with less desirable construction. On a point of principle they won’t get my money.

That exhibition looks nicely put together Flo.

I think the suggesting of unpicking and getting help to pin the trousers when on is the best way to go microbius.

The whole Royal Family drama is just so unedifying for all concerned. It does also make me think that the palace has better PR people than I thought. I had fully bought into the image of Harry as nice-but-dim slightly cheeky chap who would at least be a laugh to have a drink with. He seems a lot more damaged in reality. For once though, it’s not completely off topic as I do see that the book covers the alterations to the bridesmaids dresses. They seem to have had a similar issue with wonky hems. It’s shocking to me that Givenchy allowed the dresses to go out like that.

There's a whole thread about Ajay the Tailor's refinishing the bridesmaids' dresses if you're interested Elle. But yes, the Palace PR machine seems to have poured oil on a storm, on repeat. I just can't believe that H&M could have misjudged quite so appallingly badly.

Ignore my cheery "hi Ingrid". The perils of using the notes function to draft my correspondence and posts!

I don't think I have the stomach to wade through that thread as I care less about the ins and outs of who texted said what, and more about how the dresses ended up in that state in the first place. There has to be another story there surely. Maybe a last minute design change? How could a couture house send those out? Why weren't Givenchy seamstresses doing the fitting?

Well, that's the big question isn't it. Why didn't Givenchy send a seamstress for final fittings and hemming with the dresses? It can't have been the budget.

I quite like Ingrid, having shamelessly misrepresented as Chinese for two years! Xing became a bit recognisable, which is both good and bad.

<Intrigued> who is Ingrid? Is she the Givenchy leak?

Ha, sure keep the gossip going on the vague tangent of bridesmaids' hems 😂 I kind of knew about the impressiveness of the Palace PR team, only from vague connections, but they certainly covered up a lot of Harry's wilder days antics.

That poor tailor, having your name sullied over something so petty but I'm kind of surprised they'd speak out. I get trying to defend your reputation but I'd assume the RF would prefer the people that work for them to go along with the never complain never explain motto.

My personal tin foil hat bridesmaid dresses theory is just that Givenchy isn't really all that specialised in children's wear. I think they sell some rtw children's clothes but it's just flashy labelled normal clothes. Tbh Meghan's dress wasn't fitting as I'd expect couture to fit either. It is weird there wasn't a large Givenchy team there, they get sent all over the world for far less important people, why was a somewhat unknown tailor fixing things badly when this was a huge PR moment for the brand.

I'm in a conundrum, I've been on the lookout for a red jumper for ages and I found a near perfect one at Loulou studio. It's only near perfect because it's a size up and I tried it on in the right size in another colour and just prefer that fit. Can't find it anywhere online, I'll check a department store that may have it tomorrow but I'm not holding out hope. But I'm rather convinced if I never tried the right size I'd be none the wiser and been fine with the size, probably, but now worry if I do take the size up I'll always think, 'what if' as Dame Vivienne W warned... Argh. I did manage to be decisive elsewhere though, on first day of the sales I bought a silk wrap skirt from Dries van Noten from the scanned drapery collection that you might remember I loved so much but found nothing that worked for me at the sample sale. Also got a Rick Owens drapey shirt.