Les Parisiennes des Mamansnet: It's French charm, you know, beheaded people, red wine and blood all over the place - it's romantic, it's normal.

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Lovers of Parisian style and fashion with a conscious mindset and lots of chatter in between.

Previous Thread

Well the use of the word posh is new, or new again, I suppose. The model in that outfit doesn't look it to me though, granted I'm not a Brit so my idea of British posh is coloured anyhow.

In the (to my mind rather tedious) threads about how much more stylish French/ Italian/ Spanish women are compared to British women I have occasionally commented that if I'm judging women's styles based on ethnicity the women who catch my eye are frequently Korean or Japanese (or inasmuch as it's possible to be accurate that part of the world). As is the model in The Guardian who looks as if she may be Korean. They do tend to look expensively dressed and stylish

It's been so long, I thought I'd lost the thread. Anyways I did enjoy The Gentlewoman - some interesting interviews, many of them with women my age and wearing cool outfits. (I did notice one was with the daughter of a celeb - can't remember who now - but I'll overlook it this time.) I was slightly disappointed with the fashion shoots - the clothes looked lovely but I missed some of the Vogue bonkerishness. I'll definitely look out for the next edition.

I'm afraid I didn't think too deeply about Carey Mulligan for Prada bo other than my standard snippy 'Don't they pay them enough in Hollywood'?, which is both hypocritical - if Prada asked me to model for them I'd bite their hand off - and unfair as I believe she lives in Devon. What did you make of it?

Ok I could probably manage to make a long straight skirt, although not with jetted pockets. I'll need a pattern though. I think the Makers Atelier do one that might work.

I've only skimmed that Guardian article so far but didn't they do a similar one only a few weeks ago only with all the clothes from Tesco? Or was that someone else?

Joan Didion's featuring in arts programmes again. I've never read her. "Effortlessly stylish" is often the ultimate ambition on here (although what's described as "effortlessy stylish" usually sounds like hard work to look, well, a bit dull)

But I think Didion is "effortlessly stylish"

More Joan Didion.

Yes, alas, Flo, no bonkers fashion shoots but then those do tend to cost a bomb. It's my one niggle with The Gentlewoman, the earnestness if that word captures it entirely? I like my fashion serious but equally silly. The first quarter earnings that have been published this past week seem to have everyone in a tizzy with the drastic drop in sales so there probably won't be much silly available for a while...

WRT Carey Mulligan, I was very confused why they went to such lengths to disguise her to make her look as little like herself as possible that they even hat to spell it out was her (granted that's usually credited somewhere with celebs as models but rarely so prominently). I mean, I think that was the whole concept of acting out the brand as personas but it made the clothes so irrelevant to the whole thing, costume, basically. I was mostly distracted by bad wigs and confused by the makeup used to change some of her features but that only made her look like she had a lot of work done with claggy stage makeup on top when she's (last I remember) fairly au naturel. I spent more time looking at it than other ads though, and has me talking about it here so perhaps it is successful in a way.

Jetted pockets are indeed a pain. I do them by hand, well the tricky bit of them, have never managed a satisfying result with the machine. Yours doesn't need those, only mentioned them because mine has them and I do like the way they look. I think I may have seen a French pattern company with a pattern similar to yours but I've forgotten the name. Will post it if it comes to me, Antwerp sample sales are soon as well, looks to be some interesting new to me brands participating, will link some later.

I missed the MH sample sale. I wasn’t really planning to go but I could have been tempted if I had a bit of time.

is there a date for the Antwerp sale bo?

Week of 12th of May Red, although I think the Dries van Noten tickets are all sold out now. Here's a link with all the participants with links to their sites to have a browse on. There's been a trend of German designers joining in, it's a few more every time.

https://weekend.knack.be/lifestyle/mode/deze-belgische-ontwerpers-doen-mee-met-de-antwerp-designer-sales/article-normal-1522831.html 

For whatever reason the link doesn't work properly for me within MN, but if you copy an paste it, you should get there.

Phoebe Philo is the guest editor for tomorrow's FT HTSI magazine... just in case anyone is interested!

No fashion or style news from me for ages. No purchases, and only a very short wish list (a lightweight Pret Pour Partir waterproof via Vinted or EBay, and perfect summer shoes in a mushroom to milk chocolate colour).

I've been occupied with booking and unbooking and rebooking a holiday. MrPapyro has been prescribed a new drug for his cardiac therapy, and a primary side effect is drastically reduced sun tolerance. We didn't notice in the mid-winter gloom but when the sun emerged at the end of March, it was devastating. Ten minutes to tingling. So the planned trip to the Caribbean is off, and we're heading NW in the UK and Scotland instead, with rather different wardrobe requirements!

Thanks for the heads up Papyro, I usually pick up the FT on the weekend but I'll be extra early in getting one tomorrow just in case the other Philophiles get there before me.

That is an annoying unexpected side effect and having to change holiday destinations as well. If you're ever in need of further low sun destination inspiration, I can recommend the Faroe Islands. Barely saw the sun while there but it was still magnificently beautiful to behold. And puffins! Cutest things ever.

I'm debating a Raey t-shirt dress on Vinted, it's not my size though, I normally prefer a dress like that extra roomy but Raey was always oversized to begin with so I worry it'll be an actual tent... Cheap though, so that's the thing allowing me not to disqualify it entirely.

Scotland is one of my absolute favorite destinations. If you can go the Isle of Sky, I highly recommend.
i have not been to the Isle of Harris, but would love to.
if you want to go the famous train over the Glenfinnan viaduct, you need to book in advance. I cannot remember, but worth planning if you want a window sit to the left at the back going out so you can see the viaduct and the train in front … (or is it the right , worth checking if is your thing)

Dammit I didn’t see your post in time @Papyrophile- how did Phoebe do? Sorry to hear about your holiday although Scotland is lovely too.

I’ve just picked up an Oska linen shirt which is a label I’ve been stalking for a while. The photo doesn’t do the colour justice - it’s far more subtle in real life and it’s even inspired me to set up a search for more like it on EBay.

I’ve also recently lost more hours than I care to admit pouring over ruffled Chloe-esque blouses on sites like & Other Stories. Not normally my thing at all so I don’t know what’s going on but I can’t stop looking.

It was a solidly decent guest edit slot. I enjoyed the Q&A with Koyo Kouoh and the article about mending clothes as social bonding in SF, and her pick of clothes care and haberdashery (5 stars for this, so important). I always rate Deyan Sudjic so good to hear his ideas now; we are of a similar age and we are considering moving to the NW. The fashion pages are magnificently bonkers, as ever. They never show an outfit a real person could wear; it's possibly my favourite thing about the FT.

Weirdly the HTSI content is the stuff FT gives away for free on their site, overview for much of the PP issue here. Although it's always worth asking at the news agent's, sometimes they still have some copies laying around after the weekend and are quite happy to sell you one.

I love Deyan Sudjic's writing too, Papyro, The Edifice Complex was one of my most favourite books from my student days and one I often recommend as it's very accessible reading. Wish he'd write more about architecture but he got a bit sidetracked during his design museum directorship.

That's a nice linen shirt find Flo, it looks like the quality sort. Any idea where Oska sources the linen (iirc linen is their thing, more or less?)?

On the Chloe ruffles, even though I'm personally not vibing much with them I do like to see it for some reason. I think, mostly, because the restrained minimal aloofness that everyone seems to aspire to atm feels so manufactured at this point that it reads hollow. The ruffles at least feel like they've got some vitality to them, clothes to have actual fun in.

Talking of the FT, the Saturday edition of which I really enjoy because its articles are fresh and cover more out of the ordinary subjects than most newspapers and magazines, in today’s HTSI there is this article about shoes and shoemakers:

Sensible shoes never looked so chic
^^
https://www.ft.com/content/ae23ec0d-3293-4bd5-ab88-bfdc6671b967

Yes it's a really nice linen, bo, quite a fine weave and very soft, almost like a cotton lawn. The label says it's made in the Czech republic and the website says something about sourcing their linen in Europe but nothing more precise.

I've also just found an ankle length, bias cut, linen mix skirt in an M&S outlet store that I'm feeling quite smug about. It looks this season but I can't see it on their mainstream website. (There's one described as bias cut but it has a deep slit up the side so that's out.) I'm going to trace a pattern before it loses its shape. I've not checked it too closely yet but it literally looks like 2 pieces of fabric with an elasticated waist, no darts or fastenings, so not much to go wrong unless I mess up the diagonal cut, which of course is the one thing I can't unpick and do again...

Thanks for that article Poppy, will read over my next coffee.

Hmm, lovely shoes but must admit my idea of sensible is more than just no high heel.

If it's made in Czechia then I assume the linen might be Baltic linen, Flo? I just bought the most glorious linen apron from Tekla, it specially mentions it's French linen and really heavy with an immaculate weave, I'm a bit miffed I can't wear it as a dress...

Bias cuts are tricky, not sure how useful it will be to trace the pattern as the fabric stretches during the making and hanging of the garment. You'll probably need to adjust it a bit so everything has right angles again.

Came across an interesting brand in the local department store recently, Copenhagen Muse. It's one of those Scandi brands that sits at the upper end of the high street but it stood out to me as it had a few Cecile Bahnsen type pieces but a bit more wearable for the less adventurous. Their website also has a lot Bottega Veneta and Rodebejer like pieces, seems to be a mixed bag of 'inspiration'. It's mostly made in China, not the low quality stuff but not the super high quality stuff like Rohe either, what you'd expect more or less for upper end of the high street. The embroidery and applique style pieces seem good value for money comparatively though, they're well made.

This morning the collab of Roksanda and Other Stories popped up in my inbox, it's a pre-access before official launch tomorrow so hope the link works. I was quite surprised how in contrast to the above it's not been made more wearable for the less adventurous. I'll have a look in the shop tomorrow, I'm certainly intrigued though doubt I have any need for any of it. Didn't she somewhat recently have a collab with Jigsaw as well and someone on here put in an order or am I misremembering?

Ooh more ruffles! (Roksanda) Again they're not normally my thing and yet I really like them, especially that yellow, two tier midi skirt.

And here's another thing: not only am I liking ruffles, I think I might be going off funny trousers - I mean curve / balloon / barrel / whatever they're called this week. I don't mean I'm actively disliking them but they just don't look interesting any more. I put some on this morning and I've already swapped them for straight leg jeans. So what's going on?

And thanks for the bias cut warning bo. I'll probably have a go anyway, if only out of curiosity, but I won't use any of my best fabric just yet!

Going back to Roksanda, yes I think you're right bo that she did a collab with Jigsaw - did someone order some brocade trousers? I might be misremembering too.

I think the brocade trousers were another &Other Stories collab, think it was Poppy who ordered the trousers (but ultimately returned them?).

I know what you mean about the trousers, especially the pronounced barrel shaped ones in a stiffer fabric worn with an oversized fluid shirt and a Sassoon type haircut seem to be a staple for a certain type of woman. Not to disparage those, but it's just one of those things where all the novelty is smacked out of it when it becomes a uniform. I'm not ready to commit to non-wide leg trousers though, I was leaning into the tailored flares as an in between but seasonally that doesn't feel right atm but in autumn/winter they're a bit of a hazard...

With the summer-like weather we've been experiencing here I've had a lot of people watching opportunity and it seems to be all about shorts, encouraging to see on legs of all sorts and not just the usual assortment of gangly teens. The more niche hipsters all seem to wear black bermudas with knee high boots of wellie proportions (also black) with white knee socks peeping through or mesh ballerina style shoes (a little more top of the foot cover than a ballerina) and black nylon knee high pop socks. More mainstream seem to be cycling shorts with new balance/aesics style runners with white athletic socks, massive hoodie on top and topped with very coiffed hair. Also mini skirts and western knee high boots which I think were predicted as separate trends for last summer but didn't really lift off. Short hemlines but not a full leg display anyhow. Do get the sense that showing off bums and tight clothes that showcase it are returning to mainstream fashion. Maybe thighs too but I'm generational-ly too disconnected to understand thighs these days.

Yes it was me with the brocade trousers - they were beautifully-made, but the style was just a bit too wide in the leg, unfortunately. My son laughed at that, too, but that wouldn’t have put me off if I’d really loved them.

I saw a well-dressed woman yesterday in mesh ballerinas yesterday - I could see all of her bare foot trapped in a net. Like they were underwater.

Yeah, personally I'm not a fan of the net/mesh shoes. I'm not a sweaty feet person but I become one by just looking at them. The elastic mesh ones are probably okay but there's some where the material just looks like a portable sauna, never understood that transparent pvc shoe trend either. With the pop socks, especially the shorter mid calf ones it does improve the look of the mesh ones to me, no naked foot anymore and it looks more like a bootie but visually you're not losing any shape of the leg.

I went into the city centre yesterday, got distracted and never made it to &Other Stories to check out the Roksanda collab. May attempt it again today.

flo and ruffles, not something I would have expected to hear !
I am also leaning into straight legs and for work I am back into straight legs ankle grazers. I was not anticipating that.

I love Bermudas, I have not worn them yet this year. Must get them out.

i will have a peak at those collabs mentioned above

You too Red? Interesting. I'm still loving wide legs and I'm wearing flares today, it's really that extreme barrel shape that bo describes that I've fallen out with. And I'm really liking the unpretentious simplicity of straight leg jeans, although only if they're loose on the thigh, I'm in no hurry to contemplate skinnies again.
And as for ruffles, well what can I say....

It's disconcerting enough to put me off making any big purchases for the time being. A few weeks ago, I was on the verge of treating myself to some trousers and matching jacket from Toast but the trousers leave me cold now. Plus I've lost a couple of pounds - which is almost certainly temporary - and I don't want to buy something in a delusional size.

Oh, I am the same Flo, I still like wide legged trousers, pleats and still have my original whistles barrels. But I found needing to ‘update’ my look and now I am consistently 2-3 days in the office so I was a bit bored and needed more options again and slim straight leg trousers provided that for me.
But similarly to you the slim leg , means still room between the skin and the fabric (plenty of room to move), not skinnies!

Next week we are attending a funeral, a friend that we haven’t seen in a while. He was only a few years older than me, it is going to be a very sad event but probably people will also want to mark it remembering the good times. They have asked no black to be worn. I have not thought what to wear but as we knew him but we were not very close to him I want something appropriate and too attention grabbing. I have plenty of things, I also don’t want to end up playing it too safe and be dressed looking like I work in a semi formal office.
I feel slightly guilty thinking about what I will wear for this occasion.

No need to feel guilty Red, the last funeral I went to was 'wear something colourful' and I found it hard, partly because it was mid-winter and partly because most of my more colourful clothes are also quite informal. Maybe as a starting point think about what you'd wear if he were actually going to be there? That sometimes works for me.

(I've edited this twice - it's a tricky question! Usually for funerals I just wear something sober and fairly anonymous.))

Maybe not the best attitude to have but unless it's a funeral for a very young person the non traditional dress codes for funerals are really a bit of a nuisance imo. I think most attendees end up feeling not quite confident in their choice as a result. There was one which I felt was a good alternative, no black, please, come as you are (and if that's in black, that's fine).

I don't know, it always feels a bit like the idea is to avoid it being a sad solemn overly formal occasion and I'm sure clothes contribute to that but it's not the sum of it.

My solution is usually to wear something along the lines of Flo's sober and anonymous in a dark colour and add some sort of accessory, interesting jewelry or colourful scarf/shoes.

Not sure how to pivot from the above, so just blunt I guess. Anyone familiar with Elena Dawson? I came across her work in Antwerp and it seems to be one of those designers that might have popped up on one of those threads on here about Toast/Cabbage & Roses adjacent designers that makes half the board recoil in horror. Doesn't seem to have an official site just an instagram and a few articles.