Les Parisiennes des Mamanset: A Sin of Pride

[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:

[[https://docs.google.com/document/d/1FdQbdNEUpGqOyH2oqBQZBVsKISieRgxW_F67mgRLSrw/edit?usp=sharing Consignment shops, Vintage, an
d Restaurants]]

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Previous thread

Bani - yes! I also can't be bothered with tucks - what, every time you go to the loo you need to spend time again tucking the jumper /shirt in a specific way? This is a kind of obligation I don't want to put on myself. [and yes, I am not a softly spoken person either; introverted doesn't mean shy or very polite ...]

[I am not criticising being inventive with clothes via tucks/rolls up/etc]

flo - interesting comment although disqualified by wankerism

Thanks for all the good wishes. I'm cracking out the Valentino for the funeral. As I said to my sister, I like a bit of drama with my mourning.

It's going to be a big international funeral, and she's getting his ashes shot into space.

I fucking love it! Let's have a party.

He bloody loved a party.

My sister phoned me to say she'd like to give a significant sum to our children from him and I said that DD would probably spend it on designer clothes, and we both agreed that he'd probably encourage that.

I quite like that, as a 15YO she'll have a fantastic shop, it's a real gift.

I have always found it odd when men assume some sort of 'secret' knowledge of our souls
And in my case, it certainly was many moons ago, as somehow age seems to have detered them from doing it. I find these kinds of conversations are often more suggestive of an insecurity on their part, perhaps trying to pull you closer in....and to make you second guess yourself. I hope it didn't work!

Also wanted to ask, what do you wear in winter with your flat shoes? I tend to always go with boots as the sock situation baffles me. I love the idea of a peeping sock, and in many situations they work well (tapered trousers and a lace up shoe, a dash or red sock peeping out of the top of my boots with navy or black cords), but would struggle to imagine ballet flats, for example, with socks.

Yeah it was a hook-up line, Agneatha, albeit quite a perceptive one. The sub text was very much, 'Let's go somewhere more private and talk about it'. No I didn't In fact it made me feel quite uncomfortable and I ended the conversation as quickly as I could. But if it happened now, I might say, 'Oh that's interesting, let's sit up at the bar, in full view of everyone, and you can tell me more.'

I like a flash of sock, especially a bit of colour or pattern with an otherwise sober outfit. But only the thinnest of slivers - I don't like a full calf length of it. I can do it with flat ankle boots and with shoes like brogues (or similar) and loafers which normally finish pretty high up the foot. I agree it would be harder to get that effect with ballet flats where there's more foot on show and I think I'd have to abandon the flash and try and make it look more deliberate.

What a send off Galiana - I want to be blasted into space now!

Flo, I think it was quite negging of him actually.

Galiana - blasted into space! :O Quite the send-off!

Micro - Oh I'm so terrible at it. That said I do try to tuck a little, because with my current uniform of shirt and trousers I look like a Maoist acolyte otherwise. About 15 years ago I had a phase of being inventive and doing things like belting cardigans, but currently I'm rebelling at the mere thought and feeling like it's so wanky. Which it really isn't!

A very quick note: the boots arrived; they are nice enough but too small. Back to square one.

Oh micro! What will you do? Order different ones? Or try the same but bigger?

Galiana, that sounds like it be quite an stylish event!

@AgneathaForest socks - I think you either show them off or try to hide them. If the attire does not allow for hiding you can always do stocking type socks … but if is really cold , then that is not great. I like my feet toasty than you.
In winter i like boots or substantial shoes (brogues, chunky trainers etc) , ballet flats here in the uk/northern Europe are useless in winter … of course unless you are chauffeured to and from!
The ballet flat look with socks (white socks) also reminds me when I was really young and I wore that (was it the 80s?) , or that very young Japanese girl type look … not sure of your demographic, and I might be wrong , but maybe not what you aspire to look like?

When you show them, I think you can either really go for it in a contrasting/complementary way (images) or just a sliver like Flo mentioned. I used to just try showing a sliver of them, but in the last year I have showed my socks a lot more (not sure how successfully) but I am very happy .

Sorry to hear about your BIL Galiana, look after each other, when it's so sudden it often doesn't feel real until it suddenly does

Shame about the boots micro, thankfully it's easy returns at Matches. I looked up just what my issue was with Ssense and it's a lack of free returns and to Canada that's easily €40 postage where I am. And you probably have to fill in custom forms properly as a return otherwise they'd probably refuse as they'd have to pay import fees/taxes. I'm sure there's other boots out there, if even Bani can find some, so can you.

I was in Antwerp today, well still am, waiting on my train back. I got a really nice jumpsuit at Dries van Noten and a very nice piece of virgin wool from Christian Wijnants that I probably paid far too little for, going by the inter personnel squabbles, anyhow. Otherwise it was very wet, saw lots of things but was already quite content with my initial purchases. Got some Christmas gifts and went a bit mad in the supermarkets as they get all sorts of interisting things we don't get (like whipped marscapone in a can, it's probably disgusting but I'm still intrigued if it didn't require refrigeration I might have found out if it's disgusting. I did find matcha filled Oreos from Japan, I'm somehow convinced they'll taste of toothpaste ) and there's also the Jewish supermarkets that get specific things that ours don't as there's a much larger community here, although, sadly, noticeably not visible atm.

Socks, eh, I think our winters/autumns are too wet and windy to be doing sock flashing or ballerina type shoes. I just transition straight into boots, but I really like boots and am not much of a shoe person.

I'm going to mull on wankman and his observations, I have thoughts but probably not best to tack on to an already long post and needing to get to my train soon.

Sounds like a wonderful trip, bo. Please show when you decide to / manage to sew from the fabric you bought. And would be great to see the jumpsuit if you are so inclined. Did you check out Ann Demeulemeester boots ir you were not going to?

galiana - sending hugs to you and your sister.

red, I suspect it'll be a big project to find boots for me (waves at bani). This is the largest size, so can't go up. 41 is variable from brand to brand and it is often the largest size brands do, so I need to know whose 41 fits me. Margaret Howell's does, but she hasn't done knee-high boots for a long while... Even with easy returns, it's too much of a pain to deal with buying online just to try things that are likely to be too small. I think I'll need to wait until my boots come to me, i.e. appear during some trip or pop up in front of me in some kind of archive sale? To be honest I most like buying things as a kind of unexpected discovery. With boots, it'll probably need to be this way, because I can't see anything that I like, that fits and that I can afford.

This is the jumpsuit except mine is the most gorgeous shade of green. Come to think of it, it's pretty much the same shade of green as that coat by Phoebe Philo, but it's obviously not as sharp as that and since I'm shorter than the model it definitely sits a little looser on me, dare I say louche? Relaxed, anyhow, but in an insouciant I left my coat open way, will wear a vest underneath although ideally I'd like to find a nude mesh type top for underneath.

I'll probably make shorts with the wool as it's not the longest piece, I've been wanting some winter ones anyhow and considering the spending spree I've been on these past few weeks I probably should just stick to sewing until the January sales.

I did go to Ann D, boots sadly sold out, apparently they went really quickly. There are still some online but agh the price and see previous spending spree, but obviously I've got FOMO now. Did see and tried on a potential candidate for holy grail black turtle neck, but a touch delicate that has me concerned for it's longevity vs price. Her boots do come up really big though, you usually need to size down at least one, so potentially they'd work for you but the problem is there's been quite a few fakes on the secondhand market so maybe though vestiaire with the authenticity process.

Bo, I look forward to a photo. Green soundslike a great colour for it!

That is a fantastic jumpsuit Bo, very envious.

While we wait for a pic of bo's jumpsuit (no pressure bo but it's Sunday and raining...), I forgot to tell you that the third part of my little spending spree was a hat.

After all those wonderful ideas from you all, I'm afraid it's nothing, outrageous, just a replacement for that long lost trilby but with a feather on the side. From the local market, wool, under £50.

If it doesn't cut it, I might branch out again in the sales. So maybe it's a transitional hat. Thanks again for all the links.

I have to say Flo, the photo makes it look a little bit walking stick and "here boy!" dog. I'm not making a value judgement mind of anything but your photography skills, possibly. 😉

First snowfall today, not enough to cool a hobbit's toes really, but enough to discover that Italian stompy boots don't do well in snow. Outrageous really, this is exactly the sort of snow they should be able to handle.

Oh my photography skills are shite, as anyone on this board will testify Doesn't help either that it's somehow ended up sideways.... But never mind that, what about your boots? Does it mean they're no good?

Oh the boots are lovely. I just discovered that they treat snow as ice. Not really below zero sort of boots clearly. I do have other footwear, it's just a pity I won't be able to wear these when it's snowed a bit. I'll see if I can fit my "broddar" on them but the heel will be a problem.

I hate to say I told you so Bani but did I not tell you something about Italians and Swedish winters... 🙈

You lot are an impatient bunch, I need to take in the jumpsuit and then wear it and remember to take a picture, so that'll be a while. Unless you just want a picture of the jumpsuit and I then have to figure out where I can hang it out in full, which will probably also take a while. I don't think I can get my mannequin in it. I'll see.

In other news, found the perfect nude underlayer for it, unfortunately it's The Row and even at 50% off in their private sale way more money than I'd find conscionable to spend on something like that. Argh.

Yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah. But BROWN.

Jesus don’t wrestle a fecking jumpsuit on to a mannequin Bo, life is too short. Lay it out on the floor and climb a ladder to take a photo 😎

Hello all. Commiserations to bani on the boots front!
And nice hat, flo!

May I also jump in with my boots woe. After having considered the beauty of Ann Demeulemeester boots, I had to admit that I am not ready to spend (even as a once ever very special event) on a pair I can't try - it seems - anywhere in London and of which I have no knowledge (is it too heavy? too stiff? does the sole bend? how well, really, is it made?) After having accumulated a whole wardrobe of shoes I can't wear for one or another reason, I feel miserable trying to think freely and creatively but basically facing the prospect of sinking a huge sum of money into a pair that can potentially just give me a lot of pain (physical and then financial regret).

So, my question to you, to satisfy my grungy itch, and even though these are not knee-high boots (I think I just may need to abandon that dream), what do you think of these Grensons. Apparently Grensons are goodyear welted and infinitely repairable?

Get on a ladder she says 😒 I gave the bathroom a new coat of paint the weekend before last, up and down a ladder all day and I'm bruised like I've been rolled off a rocky mountainside thanks to a ladder, they're only just starting to fade. I'll get on a ladder again when I've forgotten that that's what happens to my legs when I get on one...

Phoebe has dropped in my inbox again, second release of the A1 collection is November 28th. Not sure whether it's a restock or more items, or a combination thereof. I'm not anticipating on buying anything but curious as to what I'll buy inspired by it now and if this goes as quickly. I do really need a new winter hat though, beanie style, but I hate all the ones in the shop they're all like sticky up tongues, it looks great on other people but really weird on me, so maybe if she has a hat that doesn't equate the winter heating bill...

I thought you were only looking for knee highs micro? I think Red ordered some Grensons but they got returned can't remember why. I irrationally dislike them because they were so heavily pushed on social and traditional media. The few times I've seen any in the flesh they just sort of look okay, nothing bad to say about them but they don't particularly excite me either.

If you're not looking for knee high, I quite like the Eytys boots designs (I think it's pronounced like 80s), made to withstand a Swedish winter at least and when on offer fairly priced. You might like The Last Conspiracy boots too, they get priced down a fair bit at places like Yoox or their own sales. I think the Hereu knee highs are on sale at Matches atm btw.

A quickie to say that I have solved this winter's jeans. Arket Shore have delivered the perfect degree of slouch with a mid rise waistband. So very comfortable too. I could have sized down, and might for any future purchase.

Going to visit DM later this week, so I may go to Bicester to look at the AllSaints outlet or to Chipping Campden for the posh charity shops. Depends what DM prefers really.

I thought I'd solved the "casual trousers that aren't jeans" problem in the form of a pair of 50% cotton/50% hemp end on end weave in black and beige. Interesting fabric, with character, and the trousers fitted really well.

But after half a day's wear around the house I realised that the fabric was just too thin - they are not warm enough for winter wear, although this season's stock. Plus the fabric doesn't have enough heft, so looked like a rag. They should have spent just a bit more on better fabric. Such a shame, but back they go.

I haven't had anything from Poetry before but it may be one of those brands where you get not much better quality than Uniqlo or Arket but pay more. And by paying just a bit more than Poetry, you get much better quality. Attractive shop (Marylebone High Street) with helpful assistants though, and some nice ideas if you like basically classical clothes.

Don’t know, @Floisme - it looks like the sort of hat I might admire as part of a whimsical, fantasy London photo shoot - all scarlet telephone boxes and bearskin and … <dies of nostalgia>. Harder to imagine it in normal life. (Have set it upright, below.)

You linked to Trickers, rather than Grensons, @microbius - I’ve never worn the former (though have been eying them for years) and have a variable relationship with the latter. My brown lace up Harper boots attract ceaseless enthusiastic compliments - despite being unforgivingly stiff and not waterproof. The little sheepskin boots I bought for someone else a few years ago seem to work perfectly. (They do all seem to come up large, btw.) And my current wallpaper on this very device is a pair of their triple welt boots - for which I’m experiencing a desire as immoderate and unreasonable as my Big Brother season withdrawal.

I have a fantasy that I will wear trilbys and all other kinds of hats and I even got some and just never come around to wearing them. It seems that the hat (like many other things) has to be just right on your head and your face. Flo's hat is at least not black that is hard to wear in a hat.

I enjoyed reading about the jeans / trousers. My praise as always goes to MH whose heavy drill trousers I just bought at their outlet shop and they are fab. The fabric is so dense I think they can stand :)

Thank you so much for talking boots with me. I am like a rabbit in the lights throwing myself into all directions. That's right, I said Grensons (these are uncomfortable for me) but I meant Tricksters that are linked. Having gone down the rabbit hole exploring bo's links I can report that:

-the last conspiracy look lovely but I will need to pay taxes +vat on the shipment to the UK which is a non starter (would massively complicate returns). Couldn't find any eytys and I have lost all trust in the French brands, their 41 is actually a 40. BTW The last conspiracy sizing guide officially confirmed that men's 41 is a whole 1 cm longer than women's 41. How ridiculous is that. As if women are not human animals and have these imaginary dainty feet because they don't need to use them much. [Maybe I should just go for men's. They are too wide though. aargh]

-the last conspiracy look related to Guidi which is what comes up when I search for Ann Demeulemeester. Another rabbit hole

-I can't decide whether I need knee-high or just high-ish stumpy-ish boots

-I am most excited by Ann D high alec boots attached. I have to say I have had (and still have) a very similarly looking pair from a french brand Cop Copine which I bought in a shop on Upper street in Angel years ago, and wore them loads. They give me pain nowadays though.

-Crkd these Harper - I don't seem to find their website - are they related to AllSaints? Stiff and non waterproof is not ideal...

Sorry it's so long!

Hmm I didn't think the hat was particularly out there Maybe I took the pic at a funny angle. Anyway I used to wear a trilby years ago (then lost it) and no-one ever offered me a part in a Richard Curtis movie so I think I'm safe. There's a cold snap coming this weekend which is a good opportunity to see whether or not I've kept my hat mojo.

microbius I had it in my head that you were looking for something sleek, along the lines of knee high riding boots but from, your recent posts, I think I must have got the wrong end of the stick. I like the Tricky ones - they're just not what I thought you were after! So I'll go back and re-read before I try commenting.