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.

[botemp]

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

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I will probably do something sober but in light colours, something like tan trousers and a simple blouse/shirt.

I just saw Elena Dawson on insta. Only very few pics and a lot going on and not the type of thing that is hitting any of my notes .

Just popping in to say I have marked the Almost Reckless podcast from Tibi founder, it sure if any good but I am curious.

The one I am enjoying is Fashion Neurosis, that Bo recommended.

No, Elena Dawson is not my style corner either Red, I was just curious as she's apparently been around for a long while, it costs megabucks but there's little to find about it online. As I came across it in Antwerp and it was in Dover Street Market I'm wondering if a soft launch is happening where before it may have just been a very small circle of per appointment clientele some investor has come along to really launch it as a brand. If a couple of months from now there's a thread on here bemoaning it for how hideous and expensive it is, and how silly all the models look I'll have confirmation of my conspiracy theory

I looked into the Tibi founder at some point, she's very good at social media communication but it gave some girl boss vibes. Not sure how fair a characterisation that is, I'm just a bit allergic to that American entrepreneurial talk and going by the guests on that pod it looks to be more of that. I might try one but I'm a bit wary because everyone is jumping on the podcast medium atm and it requires more than people being a bit chatty and hanging around. Fashion Neurosis has continued to draw me, she's got some great guests and it feels very calming for whatever reason.

Fashion musical chairs news, Pierpaolo Piccioli (formerly Valentino) has been appointed at Balenciaga. Which feels like a bold move as I assume it would be a return to heritage Balenciaga of the innovative Haute Couture halcyon days and away from the current streetwear that has made it very financially successful. Considering the turbulent economic climate I really wasn't expecting them to go for prestige over wallets with this pick. Or perhaps it is very much a sign of the economic times to come where some brands have prioritised the small percentage of very high spenders over the mass market? Anyhow, I'll be very curious to see what comes of it, there were some great Valentino couture collections in past seasons, especially when it came to colour and Balenciaga has been pretty much all black and hard edges for far too long (for my liking).

I lost track some time ago of the designer appointments merry-go-round but I’ll keep an eye out for Piccioli as I love old school Balenciaga - in photos, I’ve never been anywhere near it in real life.

I have a new obsession: 1970s shirts. Slim fitting, long pointy collars, bonus if it’s a garish print. Worn with flares of course. Anyone else? I assume I’m subconsciously tapping into some zeitgeist or other?

I think I saw some of those shirts around last spring/summer, with interesting (quirky) buttons, a bit Chloe under Lagerfeld vibe (I think he was there in the 70s). I can't wear the damn things though, too wide in the ribs. I read somewhere once but no idea if there's any truth to it, that body shapes in the 60s and 70s were underdeveloped due to malnutrition from the war and pollution thereafter, ergo ribs not as wide as the lungs never reached capacity. Doesn't really explain the slim hips though...

The hush cut (also appears to be around since last year) seems set to be the haircut, Korean in origin, I think, but it's very 70s in vibe,especially in Caucasian hair, feathery floofy layers, etc. It feels a bit soon to be back into the 70s again...

I've been to the Balenciaga museum in the tiny fishing village he's originally from. Well worth the detour if in the area although programming does seem to vary. I've only really seen old school Balenciaga in museums and always desperately want to examine it up close. Never allowed to, alas. Definitely the type of clothes you need to turn inside out to grasp the technical understanding of it (for this amateur anyhow, I assume a skilled pattern cutter has a better idea without needing to tear it apart).

The internet stalking me magically delivered something good for a change. Red mentioned a piece of wax cloth she had (did you ever end up making something with it, Red?) and I mentioned the artist Yinka Shonibare for inspiration and now Youtube at 'random' suggested a documentary about him. Enjoyable watch for anyone who is interested.

We were certainly thinner then as vintage dress sizes will testify. If sizing had remained constant, I'd be a 14-16 now but, as it is, I'm still a 10 and sometimes an 8. We did eat less then but I'd put that largely down to food (at least in the UK) being less tempting, plus fewer restaurants so more meals cooked at home etc. I'm sceptical about being under nourished though, in fact I'm sure I've read that the standard British diet improved as a result of rationing but I can't remember where I saw that or whether it was a reliable source.

Under nourished during the war years (and a period thereafter), for those who were young at the time therefore impacting growth, I've always assumed. I think people have also just gotten taller, whenever I see historical costumes in a museum it's noticeable they have tiny waists but also that they're close to a head shorter than I am and I'm not very tall. Though I have seen it said that clothes of very young well to do women tend to be the only ones to survive as they grow out of them and therefore weren't worn for long but had to be made to show they were no longer children, so it makes sense they look like they're meant for a 13yo, some of them probably were.

I've seen that about diet too, I think because war rations meant a diet low on sugar and saturated fats but tbh it sounds like the same rationalisation as people jumping on caveman and paleo diets today. Not sure how evidence based it is as I've also seen many food historians claim this is when people unlearned home cooking as women worked and the door to poorer diets started. I doubt many dieticians would describe it a healthy diet considering it was mostly carbs with very little fruit and veg.Things were better in the UK though, it was a full on famine here, my grandmother would talk about it sometimes.

Yes I still have the piece of wax cloth Bo. I haven’t decided what to do with it yet…

Interesting chat about sizes and changes during the periods. In South America the sizes have gone up in the lower classes but the middle to higher seem to be slim and taller, this is my crude observation.

70s shirts, I always loved the look on others but is definitely not something I can pull off. I also have wide ribcage comparatively to the rest of me, and also with strong angular edges it gives me a very weird look (not feminine enough for my liking) mind you I don’t dress very feminine as such and I quite like a boyish look sometimes, but I seem
to like a soft look perhaps?

In South America I always sort of assumed those who were short and a bit stocky had indigenous heritage and the thin and tall were more likely of European descent, probably more or less aligns along class lines too which keeps the similar body types marrying each other and so forth. I think there's been several studies showing that the radical diet shift due to colonialism has caused lots of weight gain and associated health issues, like with the Inuit where blubber was a major factor of the diet but they've only really gotten morbidly obese on the North American high processed diet. Similar to how diabetes is rampant in certain ethnic groups.

Acne Studios has a collab with Moomin (the cartoon) and for whatever reason it's the first thing in a while that has me itching with want. I guess it's all down to nostalgia, the prices are ridiculous though. Still doesn't stop me wanting a t-shirt of Little My.

Oh! Moomins. Yes, I am quite drawn to nostalgia in t shirts. I am big fan of snoopy so a snoopy t-shirt is one of my favorite items.
I don’t have anything with My Melody in it, but I would be all over if it came out …

i hears a few minutes of the Tibi podcast and yes I got bored and did not catch my attention.
I also agree that Bella Freud is a great host and creates this really calming ambience in her podcast. IFlo if is something you haven’t heard it yet is something you will enjoy I believe.

Yes I keep meaning to look up Bella’s podcast, thanks for reminding me Red.

I can’t explain my 70s shirt fixation. For decades they’ve looked really cheesy and yet suddenly a switch turns on in my head and they look fabulous. Likewise flares. It’s all I’m wearing at the moment.

I've not been round these parts for a while and am on another name change.

Hello!

We've been trying to decide where to live.

We were going to downsize, we've ended up upsizing, and moving to my home city of Sheffield. It feels so good.

I'm so pleased. I know there are some Sheffield women on here Alicia Kite and Pollyanna...

We got the keys last weekend, we can't move until the son finishes his A levels, I want to go now.

YES!

I put on a pair of flares today. Really simple outfit with a long crew-neck Raey top.

It's a bit chilly so I rifled through my jackets and a Saint Laurent tweed with exaggerated shoulders and a sculptured waist felt good.

Pair of suede Marant cowboy boots and big Gucci frameless shades felt good and right.

And 'New House' has a dressing room.

And that's why I upsized.

And for the Sheffield peeps, it's at the top of Sharrowvale. You know it's the best area of Sheff.

Bonjour mes amies! I've missed the fashion talk, even though nothing - NOTHING - about my wardrobe says fashion these days. At best you can say "well, she irons things".

I have no energy to go back and read, so if something fabulous has happened fill me in. Did see just above me that someone has got a dressing room. V jealous - although in theory I could do something similar in my new life as a single woman. Have never had more space in my life. What a pity it's impossible to organise.

Like a good guest I come bringing a gift, namely a fun Youtube channel. A South African woman https://www.youtube.com/@Khensani Khensani Mohlatlole "cosplaying as a fashion historian". Really fun perspectives on African fashion.

I couldn’t possibly comment @Whorl but welcome back Glad I’m not alone in my flares love.

I’ve still not made it to the Bella Freud podcast but I did find an archive sale if anyone’s interested:
https://bellafreud.com/collections/archive?srsltid=AfmBOopHKxzWl_d6qUWTCZofc7EaT6ys7VJrQlChlw6YjmIJsbUodZiT

Wait wait! And now Bani too!
What A Day!
And now I will read your post. Hope all is well.

All is well, but there are no clothes to buy for someone who regained weight and then some, and keeps getting sick when she tries to start exercising. 🙄I know I know, sewing is the only option. I have the space now for it anyway so ought to just get on with it.

Well you might actually find the Style and Beauty board quite congenial at the moment bani as any talk of Fashion will probably end in posters flying in from God-knows-where to tell you off. It’s the new F-word. I’m glad to hear you’re still ironing though.

If you do take up sewing let us know and I might be shamed into joining in.

Also I didn’t say and now it’s too late to edit my post but I hope life is settling down for you bani after all the upheaval

For new beginnings Bani!
great to see you here as always.

To be honest I don’t think you have missed much …
if you have any time the Bella Freud podcast Fashion Neurosis is well worth a listen/watch. Bo suggested it and I am hooked. Great guests, I heard the Rick owen, Julianne Moore, Marina Abramovich and now listening to Bobbie Gillespie.

from a fashion pov I think are back liking flares or slim (not too tight) trousers, Flo and I independently seemed to be back on that shape.

I will not get rid of my barrel trousers, I am sure after a while I will go back to them.

People seem to be going back more to the office, and i observe a group that are enjoying dressing with work clothes again, I am in that group too, although I am still trying to find a balance of not making it too formal for my environment.
Are you going to the office?
I actually thought of you as I watched the Scandinavian series from Simon Reeves. Being Simon he showed the best and worst.
But I really want to explore more that region. I have been briefly to Denmark and Norway but I would like to do a longer trip there at some point.

And hello (again? Not sure who you used to be) Whorl 👋

Podcast added to appropriate app, Red! Have added a few random episodes for starters.

Have noticed trouser shape change from barrell just as I had found two pairs of jeans that fit. Very annoyed.

I go to the office but I work at a council in Sweden so we don't have dress codes. 😉I wear jeans and a linen shirt pretty much every day now. I have gained a lot of weight on my stomach, classically menopausal weight gain, and I'm finding dressing very very difficult. My favourite shape has always been wide trousers and a fitted top, but fitted top is so hard now ... Am floundering! And there is NOTHING in the shops to play around with.

What is this Simon Reeves series? I'll have to google a bit.

Bani!!!! Good to see you on here in seemingly good spirits (I hope you're not just putting those on for our sakes). As ever, you seem to be ironing more than I do I've been slacking on the sewing too, but I've been dabbling with bits of leather so not completely feckless yet.

Red, I'm sure you'll recognise Whorl soon enough, otherwise she'll post a picture to remind you. Congrats on the new home Whorl, thought you were in the mids of renovating the previous one, must have missed the downsizing chat. Dressing room sounds nice but for whatever reason I always imagine a frilly horse in one of those , the American walk in closet speaks to my imagination better. I really must make it to the North of England sometime, it used to be where my parents were constantly off to pre-children (Sheffield especially) so I only really know it through their nostalgic recountings (bar a business trip to the Teeside area which didn't quite match up to those).

Flo, what's happening on the board with the F-word? I've been good and staying off the rest of MN as it slowly seems to sink in on itself but now I'm out on all the good scraps.

I wore some flared jeans yesterday, consider me a sheep who suddenly remembered how great they look on, they were a bit too warm though. Might try making some but still stuck on fabric that would work in spring/summer.

Designer musical chair news, Maria Grazia Chiuri is out at Dior women's so that ends my JW Anderson to just Dior men's confusion. He'll be doing both and I'm now left wondering if they staggered the news like that to avoid social media outrage at another female designer at a big house being ousted by a man.

I think I remember now who Whorl is

actually, since we are talking flares, does anyone care to send a link of the type
of flares you are wearing?

I have not done flares (yet) only the slim silhouette.