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

Not a fashion icon, but very saddened by Sinead’s death. RIP

Yes it is sad. I'm listening to Troy.

It's very sad. Nothing compares 2 U is just perfection as a song. From a fashion point of view I loved her uncompromising rejection of the male gaze and always respected her standing up to the catholic church. It's hard to overstate the degree to which she was swimming against the tide doing that in Ireland at that time.

Perfect words Elle.

She was a true original, a defiant one at that.

I thought she had changed her name when converting to Islam though, am I confusing her with someone else on that?

Well, last night I found myself wielding a borrowed Barbie ruler (ha!) in an effort to recoup some of the ridiculous shipping costs by tracing over the pattern of the Sacai skirt. I brought some handsewing kit but didn't anticipate drafting any patterns. I have some fabrics back home earmarked for a mini skirt, I can probably make one of them work, don't think adjusting the pattern for a bum and bit of extra length should be too hard. Didn't dare use pink coloured pencils in fear of getting it on the skirt but it would have been fitting. And hurrah, I seem to be all better again today.

Oh yes, what Elle said. So young, not much older than me. Yes, bo, Sinéad O'Connor had converted to Islam, but apparently was still using it as a stage/public name.

Glad to hear you are back on form bo.

Sinead O’Connor was the reason I had a crew cut - seriously not a good move as I looked like a marine whereas she looked like a goddess!

Early stress … I have registered on the Phoebe Philo website. (Thanks to W Magazine, because I almost never remember Instagram exists now.) But no confirmatory email has appeared in my inbox. Have had to remind myself I’m a grown up and not start hyperventilating. Even though in all honesty it’s likely the entire online store will be stripped bare of everything, including sunglasses and key rings, while I’m still counting out my pennies. Still, it should add to the jollity of September.

Hard, but also not, to believe Sinéad O’Connor is gone.

Your Barbie pink Luella bag is darling, @ToEllewithIt - I’m so envious that you’ve kept it.

And I’m intrigued and envious of anyone who can translate an existing item of clothing into a pattern. Sacai clothes are always such a treat to look at - I’ll be interested to see how you reinterpret the skirt.

Thanks Crkd, I've just registered too (link for anyone else interested). I suspect it'll all be more money than I want to pay for it too but we'll see. My confirming email was in my spam/junk box btw, and then when I clicked it, it opened my French public transport app . Finally managed to get it confirmed though by force opening it through a browser.

The market for secondhand old Céline seems to have very much cooled down now though, so I'm not sure how popular it will be. Popular for sure, but I'm not convinced it'll be Taylor Swift concert tickets madness either.

Eh reinterpret the Sacai skirt, yeah I should probably reinterpret it a bit .

Thanks for the heads up and the link, although I'm confident I won't even be buying a key ring!

So impressed by your sewing skills bo. All I have to report on that score is that I found two pieces of Liberty fabric the other day in a far away charity shop, and pounced. Maybe I'll get a couple of shirts out of them in time for next summer.

I don't recommend books very often as it's such an individual thing - there are more fights in my reading group than on AIBU - but I've just finished Claire Wilcox's 'Patchwork' for the second time and I'm going to make an exception if you don't know it already. (It came out a couple of years ago.) She's a curator at the V&A and it's a memoir consisting of very short anecdotes - many under 2 pages - of life, loss, and some of the clothes she's worn and worked with. There's an account of meeting Vivienne Westwood where she doesn't use her name but it's unmistakably her. It's not chronological and feels quite haphazard at first, but the way it all stitches together is exquisite. When I got to the end I went straight back to the beginning. More here

Thanks Flo, I just finished Hadley Freeman's Good Girls (would recommend, but written quite close to the bone so not an easy summer read by the pool kind of recommendation) and had Patchwork on my long list of books to get to, I'll make a start on it.

What kind of pattern does the Liberty fabric have? Patterned fabric, I've concluded makes me unnecessarily stressed out to design with but I think the Liberty stuff is a bit more easy to use.

Oh goodness - I remember reading that Guardian article at the time, @Floisme - and intending to buy her book straight away. It seemed such an interesting premise, and a clever title. Don’t know what happened … But the sample is on my phone kindle now. Thank you for reminding me of it.

Have you had a confirming email? I’ve registered twice now and been roundly ignored. Definitely not in my spam, either. Pretty sure the AI administrating the Philo website has not been burrowing into my bank account and falling about in hysterical laughter, so I guess it’s some technical miscommunication.

I got a confirm your registration email with a link inside and when I clicked the link to confirm I think the website said something something confirmed your subscription/interest whatever.

I'll post a couple of photos of the fabric later bo. I hadn't really thought about the pattern matching side of things, I just went 'Ooh Liberty, I'll have them!' One of the prints isn't even my thing really But they're both very pretty and there has to be a place for them somewhere in my life.

You can always russle up some pillows, little bags, or something, Flo. Stick some lavender in and you've got a gift.

Yeah or I might use pieces for patch pockets or contrast panels or something!

Actually I could be wrong about Patchwork not being chronological. It might be, it's more that, aside from the fragments where she's clearly a child or very young and just starting out in the world, there are no real indicators of time that I spotted. It gives it this dreamlike quality.

I bought some Liberty fabric in the sale and also can’t think of what to do with it. I might use it to re-line my mac as the existing lining has fallen apart.

Just read the Guardian article on Clare Wilcox on the back of your book recommendation Flo, she sounds a very interesting person. I second the idea of using the tana lawn pattern you’re not so keen on to line something, especially coat sleeves - it will feel so nice!

Gosh. I've just been in Max Mara Weekend in Marylebone High Street and the service was amazing. Charming assistants, one of whom whisked away my huge shopping bag to put it behind the counter and, and they brought in lots of things. I know that's their job but there were enough of them, to make it seamless. I ended up buying a silk/cotton top that I hadn't originally picked out. Nice big changing room, though no mirror to show your back view.

It's reminded me much nicer it can be shopping in person. I'd also popped into Claudine Pierlot but their changing room was tiny so though the assistant was helpful so it wasn't anything like as good an experience.

Maxmara would be my go-to for basics (and more) if I won the lottery. Sounds like the staff gave proper good old fashioned service to you Poppy. Do share a photo!

It's this MM, in light blue, which is really more sky blue. I've had a John Smedley 100% cotton version for years but it's a much paler blue, and I've twigged that it washes me out. The deeper blue gives me some colour.

at.weekendmaxmara.com/p-we5361023706013-zibetto-light-blue

They had a lovely pale blue wool blazer, which fitted me perfectly and cost £350, which I thought was good considering you pay that in me&em for something that's almost 50% polyester. But if I wear a jacket to work, I take it off when I arrive and never put it on until I go home, so it's pointless buying any more!

anyone here who knows me, knows that most shades of blue are my colour. I absolutely adore the tee poppy, and that jacket and now that you mentioned a blazer …
I am enjoying a sunny holiday right now 🏝

I love blue too and have a lot of blue clothes.

Green is my favourite colour though - I have managed to buy a couple of green coats now that it's back in fashion, and have a green handbag and ancient green Le Pliage for travel to work. If I wore all blue, I'm sure no one would blink but I do sometimes think people reckon I'm a crazy lady, wearing all one colour.

That's a lovely colour Poppy, not sure if it would work for me or not - I'm very fussy about blue. (Don't get me started on finding the right shade of navy.) I always try and get to Marylebone High Street when I'm in London - a good real shop is an absolute joy.

Thanks all for the Liberty fabric suggestions. I particularly like the lining idea from Voltefarce and mm47 - I've got a very utilitarian looking 'chore' jacket in a heavy cotton twill and I think a pretty lining would be a good counterpoint and work well. Not that I've ever lined anything in my life but hey...

I've been following the Barbie talk and I'm always up for a reason to dress up but so far I've passed up on the movie, which might be a mistake but it just sounds like too many levels of irony for my poor little pink brain.

Poppy that is a lovely t shirt, gorgeous colour! And I completely sympathise about the sad realisation of not needing or justifying that blazer.

This is the belt I had made, it’s the first she’s ever done with a crupper but I’m now on the lookout for a small black crupper to have a black version made. Using Renapur (gorgeous smelling leather food) to soften it up so it becomes flexible as quickly as possible (not an ad but definitely an obsession - I would use it on my face if I could 🤡)