Fashion Voyeur

People will stare, make it worth their while.

Categories: Lifestyle, North East, Pixie, Uncategorized

Newcastle in the Sky 2017

Back in March I told you about Newcastle in the Sky, a dining event brought to you by Events in the Sky and the same company behind The Experimental Diner.  Newcastle in the Sky is something you can’t effectively explain without experiencing first. When I was booked for the event, it felt so far away in the future that I didn’t really think about it until the day rolled around

Newcastle in the Sky is back on the Gateshead Quays for its second year.  After a sellout residence in Performance Square in 2016, round two is bigger and better with more award winning chefs from across the region on board to make the experience unforgettable.  The concept is this: a purpose built dining table suspended 100ft in the air whilst you’re served your choice of meal.  Simples.

I was invited on to the press table to experience the inaugural flight and the culinary delights of REDS True Barbeque, translation: All The Meats.  I arrived early for my flight – guests are asked to check in 45 minutes before their flight – and was greeted with a champagne reception in the Sky Lounge.  All guests are given a full safety briefing prior to flying, there’s a free cloakroom available to store bags, coats and whatever other loose items you might have, and there are toilets on site for that all important emergency wee.

After I soak up two double espressos and a glass of fizz, we’re walked over to the table for our safety briefing and I manage to convince myself that it’s not as high as I maybe first thought….

The seats swivel out and have a super sturdy 5 point belt system to make sure that you’re strapped in tight.  once we’re all fastened in and have our feet firmly on our A4 sized foot plates, we’re hoisted (pretty quickly) up into the air.  My first feeling is one of absolute terror, I’m overwhelmed by how quickly we get into the air, and by the fact that the whole contraption moves in the wind.  However once I’m up there, within a minute I’m completely relaxed.

Me & Ashleigh Money Saver

The location of Newcastle in the Sky offers amazing views up and down the Tyne and over the famous curved architecture of The Sage.  The weather conditions dictate the height at which you’re able to safely dine; as the weather is on our side, we’re up at the full 100ft with spectacular views of our awesome city.  There’s a perspex roof over the table in case of rain, but we’re in luck, we’ve got low wind and cloudy skies but very warm weather.  We’re served a selection of typical BBQ meats including pulled pork and slow cooked ribs, with coleslaw, side salad and a rum cocktail to wash it down.  Usually at food events everyone digs in straight away but this time people are more interested in the views on offer from this awesome height.

To give you some perspective, we’re way higher up than the Tyne Bridge and we’re able to look down on The Baltic and The Sage; Newcastle in the Sky is way higher than you’ve probably imagined.  Half way through our 30 minute flight our table is turned 180 degrees to give us the alternative angle and I notice the network of railway lines that run out of Newcastle and towards London, something I’ve never been able to see until now.  Being up so high allows you to see things in your city that you’ve never noticed before, things you’ll likely never see again.

Image by Chris Ord
Image by Chris Ord
Image by Chris Ord
Image by Chris Ord

The food we’re served is good quality American diner style food.  It’s served in airline style strays (for obvious reasons) and it’s laced with REDS famous BBQ sauce which has a delicious tang.  If you like meat then the Afternoon BBQ flight is a feast but this is more about the experience and the views than anything else.  If like me you’re nervous about the thought of being suspended from a crane 100ft up in the air with a bunch of strangers then don’t be.  The nerves vanish once you’re up there and you’ll make friends with the person next to you in the first 30 seconds, in fact they’ll become your best friend for the duration of your flight.  The chefs talk you through the food you’re served on a microphone and the whole atmosphere is very informal, so much so that it’s completely suitable for single diners who also feel nervous.

Image by Chris Ord
Image by Chris Ord
Image by Chris Ord
Image by Chris Ord

The whole Newcastle in the Sky experience from start to finish is just that, an experience.  It’s only around for six days and I’d urge you to try it Voyeurs.  I was nervous – so nervous in fact that last year I cancelled at the last minute – and this year I’d jump at the chance to do it again.  The selfie potential is epic, the views over the Tyne are unrivalled and you’ll talk about it fondly for ages after.  Yes it’s pricey (tickets range from £50 to £150 each) but it’s worth it for the experience alone, if you’re on the fence about it just do it.  I guarantee you won’t be disappointed, it’s literally been one of the most fun experiences I’ve ever had.

Pixie xo

FANCY TRYING OUT NEWCASTLE IN THE SKY?

Select the sitting you fancy, click here to make your booking, you’ll have to be fast though as several dates are already sold out…

Breakfast sittings – start your day with a healthy four course breakfast from up high.

Lunch sittings – sit back, relax and enjoy a stunning three course lunch and two glasses of sommelier selected wines.

Afternoon sittings – enjoy a sumptuous treat with champagne high tea whilst relaxing in the summer sun, alternatively enjoy the American-style BBQ dishes from REDS for meat lovers.

Dinner sittings – enjoy sunset views with a spectacular four course dinner and two glasses of sommelier selected wine.

Night sittings – see the Newcastle nightscape from a different view whilst sipping on cocktails in the sky.

DATES

24th – 29th August 2017

VENUE

Performance Square, Sage Gateshead, NE8 2JR

DAILY SCHEDULE

Sitting Price Times
Breakfast in the Sky £50.00 pp 08h30 – 09h00 & 09h30 – 10h00
Lunch in the Sky £125.00 pp 12h30 – 13h15 & 14h00 – 14h45
Champagne High Tea £65.00 pp 15h30 – 16h00 & 16h30 – 17h00
BBQ in the Sky £65.00 pp 15h30 – 16h00 & 16h30 – 17h00
Dinner in the Sky £150.00 pp 18h30 – 19h30 & 20h15 – 21h15
Cocktails in the Sky £75.00 pp 21h45 – 22h15
Categories: Beauty, Fashion, North East, Pixie, Uncategorized

Boilerhouse Hair Ouseburn

If you live in the North East and more specifically Newcastle, then you’ve probably heard of Boilerhouse Hair.  Their flagship salon stands proud at its Jesmond site and its industrial, steampunk styling is synonymous with the brand.  Well they’ve since opened up a second salon over in the uber trendy Ouseburn end of town just around the corner from Ernest.

When Felix, the owner of Boilershop Ouseburn contacted me about a collaboration, I told him all about my hair disasters (you guys are well versed in my traumas by now but if you want to catch up then head here for the skinny) and he was very reassuring telling me that customer satisfaction is at the top of their agenda.  Felix booked me in and I’ll admit, despite feeling worried, I kind of felt that I was in safe hands.

The salon itself is gorgeous, it’s everything you’d expect from the Boilerhouse brand and more, the signature industrial styling shines through but the Ouseburn salon has a distinct rustic vibe to it.  With exposed wood and plants on show in a variety of glass bottles and planters, and a 50’s style pink SMEG fridge, it has some serious Instagram credentials.  On the day of my appointment I had Plankton with me which could have been a complete disaster but the staff there are fantastic and there was one apprentice there who spent all day making sure he was happy.  Kudos guys.

I was teamed up with Saskia who is the Technical Colourist and responsible for training all new Boilerhouse apprentices, for a full head of highlights and a very reluctant trim.  Now if you follow me on social media, particularly Twitter, you’ll know that I’m participating in an Influencer project with Nature’s Bounty on hair growth and that I’m super precious about my hair given that it stopped growing completely for 16 months.  You’ll also know that I’m held to ransom with my hair a little given my work with L’Oreal during Fashion Month and the fact that the Nature’s Bounty project limits how much I’m allowed to cut during the active project time frame – as part of the project it’s measured every three weeks.

Saskia gets to work mixing up a blonde for my highlights using Fibreplex bond builder to minimise bleach damage (it’s similar to Olaplex and Smartbond but made by Schwarzkopf).  Saskia is a fast worker and before long I have a full head of foils and I’m chilling out with the perfect Americano and the latest copy of Vogue, but I’m a little thrown when she tells me that due to me not having had a patch test in advance, she won’t be able to tone my hair when the pre-lightener is washed off.  Eek.  I’ve seen my hair pre-toner and it’s not a pretty sight; also I was never asked to come in for a patch test prior to the appointment.

I’m taken through to the backwash area to have the foils removed; it’s a cute little room with a gorgeous wooden wall and in the time it takes to remove the foils, wash my hair and apply a conditioning treatment, three customers have asked where the wood came from, it’s that cool.  Once my treatment is washed off and my hair feels silky soft, I’m taken back through to my section for a cut.  Now I hate having my hair cut.  I don’t even need to tell you this.  it’s my worst thing, I have nightmares about it, my palms get sweaty, my face gets hot and I feel like panic is taking over my body. I just, HATE IT.

I’ve spent the last hour showing Saskia pictures of my hair disasters, some of them funny, some of them damn right shocking, all of them traumatic.  For me anyway.  She combs my hair and tells me that to get a good straight line and a nice blunt finish she would recommend taking off two inches and shows me in the mirror how that looks in terms of length.  I almost faint, literally and before I’ve processed it I’ve already said the words “No way”.  She laughs and asks what I’d be comfortable with and I tell her “an inch, at the most.”  We agree on an inch off the length and nothing off anywhere else as my goal is to grow it all down to one length.  Currently I’m sporting some fugazi layers which are completely unintentional and only there due to breakage from previous, long ago colouring trauma.

After cutting the length for what seems like ages, Saskia tells me that it would greatly strengthen my hair if we trim the shape around the front and I reluctantly agree, not wanting to at all but agreeing that she is absolutely right.  After the cut is finished, she shows me the back of my still wet hair in the mirror and internally I’m freaking out, to me, it looks like I’ve had around five inches cut off and I can’t verify as the hair on the floor has already been swept away.  It definitely looks a lot shorter and I’ve certainly lost more than an inch.  That bastard Hairdressers Metric System has got me again.

AFTER
AFTER

I opt for my usual beachy waves to finish and when it’s dry I can’t help but notice that there’s a distinct yellow band around the top section where my root regrowth has been touched up and that the colour isn’t as close to the root as I’d like.  It’s a real shame about the toner and when I see the final style I make a mental note to go buy toner asap.  I’m not so keen on the blowdry but that’s no reflection on the salon, I’m that unusual breed of girl who hates having her hair blowdried and much prefer it when I’ve done it myself, slept on it for 3 days and it’s just the perfect amount of messy/dirty.

When you’re reading this Voyeurs, remember that I’ve been tainted when it comes to my hair.  Too many bad experiences have left me treating it like spun gold and with kid gloves, nursing it with treatments and supplements in an attempt to restore it to its former glory.  A particularly bad experience left me with very little hair and it’s taken me around two years to get it back to this stage so I’m more damaged than you can imagine when it comes to hair, and way more dramatic than someone else might be.  Saying that, the salon knew this in advance of my appointment.

So, the bit you’ve been waiting for, would I recommend Boilerhouse Ouseburn?  Well that depends, if you’re someone who likes to be directed by the expertise of your Stylist and you’re not averse to a cut then yes, definitely.  The quality of the cut is good, it’s not what I asked for or what we agreed on but I can’t deny Saskia’s skill as a Hair Stylist and she’s got good bants.  If on the other hand you’re similar to me in that when you say an inch you mean an inch and no more, then probably not.  Boilerhouse is a cool, urban salon in the heart of Ouseburn and it brings with it a youthful team of Stylists and new business to this thriving area.  If you’re looking to update your current style and want to act on advice from a Stylist rather than having something specific in mind, then it’s worth booking in for a consultation at Boilerhouse Ouseburn.

Pixie xo

Categories: Fashion, Pixie, Uncategorized

Primark’s Bee-autiful Transition Shoe

Stop everything Voyeurs, I’ve found the perfect shoe to get you through the transition between seasons, and it’s not a heel!  You know by now that I love heels, in fact I have a collection to rival Imelda Marcos and maybe even put her to shame.  I have boxes and boxes of shoes in the attic and garage and six shoe closets.  I know, pretty cool/crazy right?!  I bloody love a statement heel, anything a little out of the ordinary, you’ll never catch me in a plain old court shoe, even a Pigalle or a So Kate is too boring for me (soz Louboutin, still friends ok? – call me….)

I’m a big fan of a sneaker too, my sneaker collection is one that I’m proud of, I’ve built it up over the years and it’s made up of everything from Reebok classic high tops and essential Stan Smiths, to more obtuse pieces like Batman and Joker opposition Chuck Taylors and Chanel quilted high tops, I have some pretty amazing bespoke pieces that Nike crafted for me from their archive too.  It’s a pretty awesome collection if I do say so myself.  Anyway, we’re not here to talk about heels or sneakers….

So, the transition between Summer and fall is often a tricky one when it comes to footwear.  If you’re in the UK you’ve probably confined your sandals to the closet and looked longingly at them on occasion wondering if the rain will hold off long enough for you to showcase your new pedicure.  It probably didn’t.  But on the other hand, it’s way too soon for boots and tights. The shops are starting to look to FW17 and eek in the new trends as the last remnants of SS17 sit on the shelves contemplating their uber short life span.  What do you do when you’re at that in between stage?  A ballet flat? A sneaker? A loafer?  Any of these work, (if you said flip flop then log out, take your device back to the store and tell them you’re not fit to own it or have access to the internet.)  But there’s something way better out there, and it’s available right now!

I’ve found you the perfect transitional shoe that works with jeans, cigarette pants, dresses and skirts.  they come in two colours, teal green and boring black, they’re velvet AND they have embroidery.  With this many trends in just two shoes you’re expecting a hefty pricetag right?  Well get this Voyeurs, these little beauties are £8 from good old Primark who are coming up trumps with their Luxe range and new team of trend designers (more on that next time).  Check out these gems….

Bee-autiful right?!  These Bee-auties are on shelves in selected Primark stores right now and at £8 they won’t ‘sting’ you either!  Ok I’ll stop with the bee jokes now…  Seriously though, these shoes get a tick in the box for being on trend, they’re flat and so completely manageable, glam enough to wear for a night out and above all else, they’re actually comfortable.  One thing, as with all Primark flats, when you get them home from the store and you’ve checked they fit and you’re definitely keeping them, rub the front section of the soles with some Wet and Dry sand paper.  Primark flats are notoriously slippy and this helps to give them a little grip, you don’t have to go hell for leather with it, just rough them up a bit to take off the shiny coating.

Now, all that’s left to do is get to Primark, get these in your basket, then get them on your feet and wait for the admiring glances.  You’re welcome Voyeurs…

Pixie xo

 

Categories: Beauty, Fashion, Models, North East, Pixie, Uncategorized

M.I.A SS17 Campaign Shoot

I’ve been a fan of North East accessories brand Mirror Image Accessories since I discovered it around two years ago, the distinctive llaser cut, Art Deco shapes had me hooked at first sight.  I’ve bought a few Gatsby style pieces from M.I.A and have been lucky enough to have been gifted some too, all of them are vacation staples for me because of the awesome way they reflect light.

Each style is designed in house by owner and designer Ellie and sold via her Etsy store before being packed up and shipped.   Each style is produced in small numbers meaning that whilst you’re pretty unlikely to bump into someone wearing the same item, but also that if you see something and fall in love with it, you’ll need to act fast.  These pieces are a good shout at a family wedding and an M.I.A accessory is always a conversation starter.

Loving the brand as much as I do, I was ecstatic to be asked to front the M.I.A SS17 accessories campaign.  Ecstatic, and super surprised to find out that Ellie is a fan of Fashion Voyeur, if that isn’t the perfect fit then I don’t know what is.

We set about creating campaign inspiration boards and ideas of how we’d create the perfect look to fit the theme of the latest collection.  With an 80’s glam vibe in mind, Ellie pulled together an awesome all female team to shoot the cocktail inspired collection in a Gatsby-esque waterfront cocktail bar in South Shields.

Styling on the shoot was a real homage to the 80’s with huuuuuuuge hair and super colourful paintbox style makeup, think Elizabeth Shue in Adventures in Babysitting crossed with Young Jenna in 13 Going on 30, and you’re on the right track.  We even worked in some experimental lip stripes to to give the first part of the shoot a modern twist.

With fun pin badges, hibiscus chokers & cute mismatched wooden studs, the SS17 collection is kitsch and adds another dimension to the brand, expanding on M.I.A’s usual 20’s style pieces.  The Flamingo choker is a vacation essential and the smaller pin badges are a dream on oversized denim.  My favourite piece though, is a laser cut deco style necklace that Ellie tells me was born out of an experiment.  Needless to say it came home with me to compliment the other pieces in my M.I.A collection.

The full collection launches in the M.I.A Etsy store very soon but for now you’ll have to make do with my behind the scenes shots from the set.  With a distinct Summer vibe, the SS17 M.I.A collection is full of vacation must-haves, I’ll be wearing the pin badges on a denim pinafore and the mismatched wooden earrings with braids while I’m sunning myself on Sant Tomas beach.

Keep your eyes peeled for the full campaign Voyeurs, it’s due to drop any time!

Pixie xo

Categories: Beauty, Fashion, Models, North East, Pixie, Uncategorized

Mastering The Essentials, A Makeup Masterclass with Amanda Bell

Remember a little while back I told you about an event I went to to celebrate the launch of Amanda Bell Elite Makeup Studio?  Well, it’s been a few weeks since the grand opening of this insta-perfect makeup studio and I was invited back in to take part in The Essentials group masterclass with Amanda Bell herself.  The class promises to deliver the basic essential makeup techniques to get the best out of your complexion, eyes and lips, with a focus on achieving a naturally enhanced look.  Sounds promising.

I was asked to bring along my makeup, brushes and skincare, that’s right voyeurs, you use your own kit for this class so that you can master YOUR essentials, techniques and tricks that will work for you every time you come to apply your makeup.  I arrived with bags and bags of makeup, the associated paraphernalia and a bare face ready to hit the ground running.  You’ll remember from my previous post that the studio itself is on the attic floor of a building located on the super pretty high street in Norton, Teesside and it has some serious insta style credentials, from the silver and white decor to the illuminated mirrors, the scope for pictures to inspire envy in your followers is endless.

Back to class, we’re greeted by Amanda and her trademark laid back style, we’re allocated a dresser each with our own illuminated mirror and small pots of things like q-tips, cotton pads and spoolie brushes, it’s very well thought out, not surprising given Amanda’s 20 years in the industry.

Amanda takes us through some skin prep before we begin, we double cleanse, tone and moisturise before we talk primer.  After looking over our products and talking about the benefits of different types of primer, we get to work creating a flawless base for our makeup to sit on.  Once we’re clean and prepped we begin….

Foundation: we learn about the different types of coverage and what skin types they match with, I’m not a fan of anything heavy and usually stick with a light tinted moisturiser or BB cream.  My current favourite is one by Creme de la Mer and it blends seamlessly with my skin, Amanda tells me it’s a perfect match for my skin and I mentally assign myself one star.  The great thing about this class is that nobody is left behind, I’m pretty confident in applying my makeup but for anyone just starting out or looking to really hone their skills and increase their confidence, it’s a safe environment and you’re hand held through each stage.  At each change of product, Amanda uses one of us as a model and applies the product to half of the face whilst talking through why she adopts a particular technique, before we try it ourselves and the model matches the other side.  Amanda checks over everybody regularly offering tips and advice depending on your choice of product and chirps up with a “gorge” as her seal of approval.

Foundation
Brows
Contouring
Highlight

She talks about concealer and how she prefers to skip foundation over the eyelids and uses concealer instead as the perfect eye base.  Although I buy it, I never use concealer so I’m particularly interested in this part and luckily for me, I’m selected as the model.  Amanda blends an Armani concealer around my nose, under eyes and eyelids and when I look in the mirror it’s completely invisible but one side of my face looks fresher, where the other reflects my true tired state but I manage to match it up pretty well.

When we move on to contouring, she tells us that it’s a trick that can be used to create pretty much any visual effect as long as you go easy.  The rest of the class use a variety of powder contouring palettes whereas I favour the Tom Ford Shade & Illuminate kit and that’s the beauty of this class; there are no products dictated, nobody tries to sell you anything, but if you’re not entirely happy with your own products, then Amanda is happy to make suggestions to help you achieve the best finish.

We’re guided through every aspect of creating the every day face, one step at a time and when we cover eyes everyone had a slightly different preference.  Amanda maintains that the principles are the same; colour should be used sparingly and built up rather than slicked on in one heavy stroke and we’re reminded to always tap excess powder off our brushes before applying anything with colour to avoid a potential strobing disaster.  With the class at two and a half hours long, Amanda factors in time to work with everyone on an individual basis and offers advice on the shades that best suit a certain eye colour, it’s a completely relaxed environment and the class is made up of women of differing ages and backgrounds, there’s no one set person type that the class is aimed at.

The idea of mastering The Essentials is that you take away new techniques to add to your arsenal, new ways of using your products to get the best out of them for your skin type or tone.  It’s as perfect  for teenagers looking to learn how to get to grips with makeup as it is for someone of my age and beyond, there’s something that everyone can take away from this class and use time and time again.  I’ve used the concealer trick since I took the class and I’ve even worn mascara a few times, something I don’t usually do due to my insanely long eyelashes and the mess it creates on my eyelids.

If you feel you’ve got The Essentials down then there’s a full suite of classes available, from beginners to advanced and there are also bespoke packages for those who have a particular look they’d like to recreate.  With the studio also available for private hire, you have the potential to score some serious brownie points in the way of birthday and bachelorette parties, I have two younger sisters who would crawl over each other to host an insta-worthy makeup party here with their squad and they’d be the talk of their class the next day.  It’s well worth checking out Amanda Bell Elite Makeup Studio and Amanda’s credentials are extensive so you know you’re in good hands.

Pixie xo

To book a place on any of the group Masterclasses which start at £75 per person, or to book a party or private session with Amanda Bell, email amanda@amanda-bell.co.uk