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

Red’ agree about the Madrilenos - I was struck by how stylish they were when I visited Madrid a few years ago. Any tips / observations of how they dress on holiday? Do say and have fun people/clothes/style watching!

Glad to be of help ShangPie. That beginners' knitting course sounds perfect.

It is also so much easier to learn new techniques now, because of so many excellent videos on t'internet. So when you're flying solo, it's still so much better than it was. And there are so many beautiful yarns around, now.

Yes, I think croquettes were probably a way to use up kitchen leftovers. The name would suggest they're French and I think they might be an Escoffier original, but IME in France a croquette is usually a plain potato one with no roux involved. Pomme Dauphine -not dauphinois, they're different dishes- are far superior though, why they bother with the bland potato croquettes are beyond me.

Spanish croqetas are a species of their own, I feel. I've never come across them in South America Red (I was always far too preoccupied with empanadas, I suspect, I'm actually famous for mine but they're Caribbean style, which are different again), are the South American croqetas like the Spanish ones?

Yes, mm, my GM was busy for quite some time as the meat ones require a sort of stew to be made to get the filling, stock and I think the skimmed fat is collected to make the roux with. Definitely took her some hours divided over several days and it's a bit more challenging in warmer climates but in general it's one of those recipes that's best to do in large batches considering the effort involved. Actual active time isn't that bad though. I've just never managed to make any as good as the Holtkamp ones so I just buy those 🤷

I keep getting YouTube recommendations for people who buy knits at charity shops (nice quality wool but usually dated fits) and then pull them apart to knit into a different jumper. Is this a current knitting trend? I thought it was quite nice, at the very least you know you'll have enough material as a beginner and it probably works out cheaper.

Bo it's a nice idea in theory but it's a heck of a lot of work doing the unpicking, because you don't know where the ends are and how they're woven in, so you may cut more than you need. Particularly difficult in dark colours, then you have to put it into hanks and get the kinks out of the yarn - then roll into balls: that bit's not hard but it's more work.

I have to pluck up courage to pull out the bottom of a jumper I knitted. It is wearable and looks lovely when I'm on a teams call because it fits on the top. It's below my arms where it balloons out, and looks like a dress. I know once I've done all the prep on the yarn that it won't take long to re-knit, but it's the finding the ends and pulling out I'm not looking forward to.

This is it:

www.ravelry.com/projects/Poppyseedbagel/circle-around-pullover

It's in lovely Mrs Moon Plump, which is 80% merino, 20% alpaca, so very warm and very soft. And light.

I can't see your jumper MmePoppy as I think you have to be a Ravelry member. I love the sound of something knitted with Mrs Moon Plump, what a name and the fibre mix sounds gorgeous. Is nice wool still very expensive? My mum is a great knitter, but does say that when you use merino or similar that it gets expensive.

I've always wondered about making the Spanish croquetas, do you make the béchamel thicker and then put it in the fridge? When I imagine the process it sounds like a sticky mess.

I must have a look at that Wham documentary - thanks for the recommendation flo

mm47 I love the belt and while I know it was inspired by BV it does have a different feel in all leather, a little cooler.

Alas there is no rainbow between the UK and Ireland (and no pot of gold marked - "for Phoebe Philo's new collection" either). The weather is atrocious. The wettest July since records began.

It has been kind of warm though so I've found it tricky to dress for. Take this outfit which I wore the other day. Both are silk so kind of flowy, but I needed something to go on top. I ended up going with a hip-length blazer, but it just turned it into a version of that Self Portrait dress beloved by the Princess of Wales which is not the look I want. I tried a cardigan and that wasn't right either. I think I need a short jacket maybe edge to edge. I have a quilted Etoile by IM one, but it's patterned so there was too much going on.

Pic

ShangPie there are a some really helpful posts about knitting from Sooverthemill on the previous thread, including a long one she wrote to me when I said I was thinking of having a go. (I still haven't but I'm still intending to!) They're dated from around mid-March 2023

It's as I suspected then, Poppy, entertainment for people like me who like the idea of knitting more than actually doing it.

Ah, your top is reminding me of Dries' newest a/w collection Elle. I was stalking the site in hopes of finding a super expensive skirt I adore but I've yet to find in my perfect harmony of size, preferred colour, and incredible discount. Anyhow, they have these new styles with his prints with a layer of coloured silk organza mounted over it. It's a really nice effect, maybe it could work in this weird weather? What are office AC's like these days, shops seems to pretend they don't have them anymore...

I've seen a few organza tops around, seems to be bit of a microtrend among the €€€ designer brands. I've always loved this sleeveless one by The Row but weatherwise tricky as it's quite transparent in RL. They've got [[
https://www.mytheresa.com/fr/en/women/the-row-alastor-silk-organza-blouse-black-p00742336 in the sale featuring the insane sleeves again, but in organza it's even more impractical. It's got a sort of ghostly gothic vibe that's intriguing though.

Really like your outfit Elle I agree that a very short edge to edge jacket so you don’t lose your waist definition could look really nice. I came across this M&S jacket somewhere - possibly MN - recently and if it fitted properly on you it’s the sort of thing I have in mind - it’s more the idea than this particular jacket although if it fitted and it suited you what a result that would be!

I can definitely see a link between your top and *bo”’s stalking objects (that polo neck organza top is amazing).

poppy I joined Ravelry (as an armchair knitter) just to see your jumper - very impressed by what you’ve made and I really like the specific jumper you mentioned. I like very much the pattern across the yoke.

I’m not so slim so I find Icelandic tank tops (rather than jumpers) suit me better and I also have a Icelandic collar (capelet?) - I wear this over a black polo neck and it’s super flattering.

ToElle, yes good wool is generally expensive - you do generally get what you pay for. The yarn for the smallest size in Plump, say, would be £120-£135, but that would give you a very big thick and very warm jumper. And a choice of really lovely colours. But there are other brands around that can be almost as nice and cost much less.

There is a brand called Drops which is Danish that sells mostly natural fibre yarns. When I was making a crocheted blanket, with lots of granny squares, I sent off for a selection in the right sort of colours, because the were wool and cheap, and was really surprised at how nice the yarns actually were for the price and how good the colours often were.

For example, this yarn - www.woolwarehouse.co.uk/yarn/drops-snow-all-colours

Someone on Ravelry I chose at random had knitted a nice jumper with it using 14 balls, so £28. It wouldn't be as nice as Plump obviously, but it would be a good place to start. Drops also do free patterns, like this one:

www.garnstudio.com/pattern.php?id=11131&cid=19

Which is good as patterns can be expensive and sometimes you have to buy a whole book to get one pattern. I used a DROPS pattern for a jumper for my husband and it was well written and clear.

Thanks MM.

Sorry Elle I missed your outfit. Agree about something edge-to-edge. Or have you got a 50s/60s style jacket - short, swingy and 3/4 length slightly wide sleeves? I think that might work too, at least in my head.

I do have a 60s opera coat, it's floral but is black, white and green. I hadn't thought of that.

I love the idea of an organza jacket, but haven't see such a thing. I love that Dries skirt, I can't see a top version of it, but would love if there was one. I'm not buying skirts as I don't get enough wear out of them. My top is Dries (2011 I think) so unsurprising that they are similar.

mm47 that's exactly the sort of thing I was picturing. I have https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/134552964742?mkevt=1&mkcid=1&mkrid=710-53481-19255-0&campid=5338365712&toolid=20006&customid=EB144395825&_trkparms=ispr%3D1&amdata=enc%3A18Oad5p42TZ2BoMgizGBZIQ38&_trkparms=ispr%3D1 this one, but it's navy unfortunately.

Thanks for all the wool information Mmepoppy good to know if I ever give it a bash and want to avoid an expensive mistake.

Ok, we've got some Brexit style weather here now too, but surely it's not time to crack out the double face wool jackets and Icelandic wool yet 😱

Is the Dries blazer you got in the sample sale in Antwerp no good for this weather, Elle? Not sure how it would go with this outfit but I remember it being transitional weather useful.

Mm the above skirt with organza is the new collection, I'm stalking this one instead (between my stalking and your 'special' relationship with leather it's becoming quite the den of iniquity here ), it's a lot more everyday wearable than it looks in that picture.

bo that’s a great skirt. Add stalking (discounts) to the mix and we really are setting up a thread of iniquity! (Rolls up sleeves…)

Echoing the skirt love. I think we've had this conversation before but there do seem to be more interesting things happening in the world of skirts than there are with trousers at the moment. I think I'll be reviving some of mine as soon as it's cold enough for boots - which might be today if the forecasts are correct.

This is the most badly styled jacket I've seen in a long time but it works wonderfully over full skirted dresses and skirts. It manages to be boxy and fitted at the same time. It sits at waist length.

The other site shows it better and the other colours too. The black version is a cotton jacquard.

Baum und Pferdgarten jacket

Baum und Pferdgarten jacket black

Other colour to show shape

The Baum und Pferdgarten jacket flares out at the back and isn't as neat and fitted as the Self Portrait dress and jacket combo.

Yes that shape! I've always liked it - I think the swing makes all the difference when it's with something very fitted.

The opera coat sounds great too Elle although not so practical I guess!

I have it in black and navy. The sleeves are quite deep set (?? is that what I mean? bat wing/ kimono)which also tones down the "neatness" and makes it very easy to wear over anything which has a full sleeve.

It's a jacket which had to be seen in a shop. I was specifically looking for a jacket which ticked all the boxes. I saw it on the website of a local shop but it needed to be seen in real life. As it's Danish I've gone down 2 sizes !

I have a swing back jacket that's part of a trouser suit. I've had it for ages and wear it quite a lot. I agree - it is such a useful shape and idea.

There's a neat cropped black jacket in Sandro, with a bit of a flare at the back:

https://uk.sandro-paris.com/en/woman/blazers-et-jackets/cropped-boucle-wool-jacket/SFPVE00896.html?dwvarSFPVE008966_color=20#start=1

I meant to add that I do like the Baum & Pferdgarten jacket in black. It's also the sort of garment you'd wear for years with all sorts of other clothes, formal and informal.

Yes it works as well with jeans as with a dress-up outfit. And, as far as I can remember - and apart from a moment in the noughties - it seems to be one of those styles that's managed for the most part to stay off the fashion radar since the 60s, so it always looks interesting to me. I'd almost say it was timeless except I'd never live it down if I did

My head right now is not thinking about jackets at all as the temperatures where I am are as far away from jackets as it can get.

But I can always appreciate a good jacket, don’t we all here 😀
And I love the examples above, and that Sandro one (more within my reach) is the type of thing suits me very well and thinking about it I need a replacement of a similar one from M&S I had and worn till is no longer something you want to wear to work.

A type of jacket that sunny weathers makes me think of is this one from Maria de la Orden, for the days when the heat has not climbed past 25 degrees yet and the skies are blue.

I see a lot of more mature women (50 plus) with shift dresses or shirt sleeves dresses, very well put together, nice chunky jewellery (in gold, some silver too). I put a white example of Byniumaal; They dress after clearly having enjoyed the day in the pool or seaside and then go back to get ready for the ‘merienda’ afternoon tea (which happens 7 pm ish) , or for gathering and walking with friends before dinner at 10 pm onwards. Simple prints (not so many florals) and colours more muted. But also less risky design, more old classics I would say.
The young girls I see with a lot of dresses similar to the Reformation aesthetic or tops with this vibe from Par & Escala.

Here links to shops mentioned which are all Spanish.

https://mariadelaorden.com/collections/jackets

https://byniumaalshop.com/en/69-dresses-jumpsuits

https://paryescala.com/collections/atelier-par-y-escala

Ps: croquettes I’m Argentina are very different from the ones here, just the egg to keep them together really, unless we do Spanish croquettes which are almost a copy. Yes I am also an empanada master Bo, and in my hometown we claim we make the best ones, but you are right they are different from the ones in Central America and Caribbean or even to the ones they make in Buenos Aires.

Love that turquoise jacket Red and also the trousers with the white taped pockets on the MDLO website.

Elle just found another jacket- it’s actually a cropped over shirt but it might work:Cos wool cropped over shirt