Fashion Voyeur

People will stare, make it worth their while.

Categories: The Archives, The Fashion Closet

A Lesson in Fashion Pronunciation

With New York Fashion Week and the unveiling of next season’s collections a mere three weeks away, I’ve compiled a handy guide to get you though those Fashion Week chats, namely, how to pronounce those tricky designers names.

We’ve all got that one friend who gushes about “Moschino” pronouncing it “Machine-o” and we all turn a blind eye whilst secretly shuddering inside.  Well no more!  Here’s Fashion Voyeur’s guide to nailing Fashion Week chat:

1. Moschino Let’s just dive in and get this one over and done with.  it’s ‘Mos-key-no’ end of.  Move on.

2. Hermes Often pronounced as ‘Her-mez’ Stop it.  It’s ‘Er-mez’ knowing this will score you points at Fashion Week.

3. Givenchy Given that you’re reading this, I’m assuming you have an interest in fashion and therefore know that the G here is not pronounced, if you don’t already know this then shame on you.  Usually pronounced ‘Ji-von-sheee’ Nope.  it’s ‘zji-von-shey’ often followed with ‘bitches’ in fashion circles.

4. Ralph Lauren Should come with a slap warning.  If you’re in the ‘Ralph Lau-REN’camp of pronunciation then unfortunately you’re just not fashion darling. ‘Ralph Lauren’ like it’s spelled, like the girls name. yes Lauren.  Ralph Lauren.  Simple.  like the people in the latter camp.

5. Rodarte why is this so hard? It’s ‘Ro-dar-tay’ easy.

6. Balmain Total. Minefield.  It’s not ‘Bal-main’ or ‘Bal-mine’ or even ‘Bal-man’  it’s resolutely ‘Bahl-mahhn’ and it seems even H&M employees weren’t educated on this, cue eye-roll emoji.

7. Lanvin I kind of get it with this one but let’s iron this out once and for all.  Stop saying ‘Lan-vin’ it’s longer than that ‘Laan-vahn’ then pause for effect and admiration.

8. Loewe One of my bugbears is hearing supposed Fash Folk refer to Loewe as ‘Lo-wey’  Desist immediately.  It’s ‘Lo-wave-ey’ and it’s an essential in the Fashionista’s bible, do not expect praise for getting this right.

9. Sonia Rykiel Totally underrated designer but that’s not why we’re here, often mispronounced as either ‘Sonia Ry-keel’ or ‘Sonia Ry-kel’  Correct pronunciation is ‘Sonia Ry-key-el’ if you learn one thing today, let this be it, it’s somebody’s name goddamn it.

10. Saint Laurent If you’re not au fait with this one then shame on you, its Francais and pronounced ‘San Lau-ront’

11. Balenciaga I’m only including this because of horrific pronunciation overheard by staff in Cruise recently, it’s ‘Bal-en-see-agar’ you know, as it looks.

12. Christian Louboutin If you’re pronouncing this ‘Le-BOOT-in’ then leave this page immediately, we can no longer be friends and there is literally no hope for you.  It’s ‘LOU-buh-ton’ say it, learn it, remember it.

13. Proenza Schouler Hip brand, hipper name, if pronounced correctly. ‘Pro-enza Skool-a’ there’s no ‘sh’ in there, don’t be one of THOSE people.

14. Marchesa Absolutely not ‘March -essa’ or even ‘Mar-kessa’ why would it be?? it’s ‘Mar-kay-za’

15. Hervé Léger I won’t even go into the various mispronunciations of this, people be cray with some of their interpretations of what these two short words say.  If you own a signature Léger bandage dress and have been pronouncing this incorrectly, then promptly burn it, you are not fit to wear it.  The correct pronunciation is ‘Air-vay Lay-jah’

16. Vetements I’m pretty sure you all did basic bitch French in school so there’s no excuse for not knowing how to pronounce this correctly, hearing “Vetments” outside a show venue is enough to have you removed and barred for life.  The correct way to pronounce this fashion dictionary staple is ‘Vet-mohn’ dahling, and while we’re on this one, the current Creative Director Demna Gvasalia, is pronounced ‘Dem-na gva-sah-lee-ah’.  Not confident with that one?  Simply say ‘the current CD of Vet-mohn’.

And so concludes our lesson today, if you’ve learned something please share this article and your new found knowledge!

See you on the Frow….

Pixie x

Categories: The Archives, The Glorious North East, The Lifestyle Edit

Laneway & Co Newcastle

If you’re either from, or living in Newcastle, you’ll know it’s a city with an ever changing landscape.  Whether it’s new and top drawer student accommodation or amazing new stores on the high street, Newcastle is a city thats pace is lightening quick.

A short walk from the bustling shopping centre is High Bridge; an authentic cobbled street which once bustled with independent fashion and record stores and one of my favourites in the 90’s.  In recent times, High Bridge has seen many of these cool, urban type stores go out of business or move on, however today, the split street seems to be going through something of a revival.

One of the last remaining High Bridges originals, Henry’s Barbers, stands solid on the middle of the street, refusing to be threatened by recession or new businesses, in fact it’s barely changed since conception and has become one of those places that every Geordie knows of.  The recent addition of Motel One on High Bridge has seen an influx of new customers hit the street and with that comes new business.

Enter Laneway & Co.  We all know the power of a great coffee and we all know how elusive that can be.  Torn between forgoing an early morning cup of coffee to support local business which opens at 9am, or pouring cash into a national chain to get your fix?  Well Laneway & Co wants to change that.

High bridge is a short street that links the Bigg Market to Grey Street and there’s a lot of footfall during both rush hours as busy business people travel to and from work.  What does that mean?  It’s a location crying out for an aces independent coffee shop and now, that’s exactly what it has.  With it’s fresh, white and inviting interior, Laneway basks in it’s simplicity and lets the coffee do the talking.

A simple premise;  just two fun loving guys who spent some time in Australia appreciating the coffee shop boom and mentality and spinning it into something that could work in the UK.  These guys are smart.  Not just book smart, but savvy.  The shop is pet friendly and child friendly.  I note the absence of garish prints on the wall that other big chains have and mentally note that this is a completely safe place to bring my autistic son, not overstimulating at all.

The guys here are chilled and damn do they know their stuff.  They regale me with stories of how coffee should be given time to ‘de-gas’ in order to taste the flavours properly and how their machinery is cleaned at regular intervals throughout the day to ‘protect the integrity and taste of the coffee.’  It’s safe to say they’re passionate about what they do.

The big things to note here are that Laneway serve up a pretty damn awesome cup of coffee and that they’re open from 7.30am.  Yes, 7.30am, Hallelujah.  Once you’ve navigated the menu and chosen your blend, you’ll find that the coffee served here is akin to what you might buy in Spain or Italy and man, am I a fan.  With Mama Tenenbaum living in Menorca, I’ve gotten used to drinking awesome coffee when I go to visit and so coffee served in the UK never seems to cut it.  Laneway challenges that and comes pretty damn close so for that reason, it gets a massive thumbs up from me Voyeurs.

If you’re in or visiting Newcastle and need a fix, or just fancy a little time out from the hustle and bustle of the city without venturing too far, head to Laneway Coffee Co and I challenge you not to be impressed….

Pixie x

Laneway Coffee Co is at 17-19 High Bridge, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 1EW

Categories: The Archives

Tenenbaums On Tour: Vacay!

As you know Voyeurs, I just got back from an amazing vacation visiting Mama Tenenbaum in Menorca and this time, my (non twin) brother Horlicks and his wife Kate came along too.  I don’t usually write about this type of thing but Menorca is pretty special and I got some awesome pictures so thought I’d let them do the talking…

We got off to a great start at Newcastle Airport; travelling with an Autistic passenger with the added complication of a severe learning disability and a rare chromosomal abnormality can be tricky to say the least but Jet2 Ground Crew member Dean Johnson was amazing, organising a separate bus to take Plankton and his entourage to the plane and even escorting him to the plane door.  Snaps for Dean and Jet2, seriously guys, that’s a great thing you’ve got going on there.

We visited gorgeous Ciutadella on market day, if you haven’t been I’d highly recommend it.  From the beautiful police station to the smell of leather drifting around the market, it’s a veritable treat for the senses and there are tiny side streets to amble along and admire the architecture (and doors).  I couldn’t resist picking up a pair of Little Lord Fauntleroy style bloomers (yes, really) and some other pieces.

In the small hill top town of Alaior, the locals come together every Saturday night for live music and dancing in the square, it’s something not really known by visiting tourists and it’s rare to find another English speaking person there but it’s well worth a visit.  The sounds of Santana blast out during our visit and yes, Plankton and I dabbled…

Back in Son Bou I discovered a picture of yours truly on the Wall of Fame in the world famous Mai Tai Bar (which serves one of the best gin and tonics I’ve ever had, it’s an experience not to be missed).

I wore headwear, but no crowns….

And was woken up far too early on more than one occasion….

I wore ONE BIKINI on ONE DAY, the first time in 22 years in fact, and was trolled for it:

We visited beautiful Mahon, a wonderfully eclectic mix of all things new and old from the flagship Stradivarius store to the old castle walls.  There’s also awesome street art at every turn…

The reason for our visit, my mama’s husband’s 60th birthday, went on for a full seven days of eating out and drinking Mahon gin and far too many pictures of me smiling or looking drunk…

I had a Marilyn moment….

And we watched the most beautiful sunsets over Sant Tomas beach, famed for it’s gorgeous aspects…

The Tenenbaum Olympics took place, disappointingly, my brother and I were the only entrants and the proceedings were halted pretty quickly during the Lunge Race when this happened…

IMG_2888

We took the boardwalk to the beach, something I think of a lot when I’m in the UK, put simply, it’s a myriad of wooden walkways leading to different aspects of the beach and various beach and surf bars.  Doesn’t sound like much, I guess you had to be there…

We haven’t even started on the doors yet…. if you’re a fellow #archilover then the #DoorsOfMenorca are seriously good, yes, even with a #PhotoTerrorist.  Thanks Horlicks, you’re adoorable (see what I did there??).

I bought stuff.  Natch… (Let it be known that this little bottle of golden goodness {centre} is an absolute #HairHero, if you’re in Spain, stock up and then give it all to me)

I took a lot of pictures of my feet, in my defence I was road testing a new gel nail system from Essie, but I know what you’re thinking: weird.  Am I right?

…..and a few of my butt, but that was just for the #BikiniHaters and I gained a few tattoo hating trolls in the process…

As for the rest of the vacation, it truly was lush.  From the busy city to the fishing ports, the night markets to the cocktail bars, the place is visually gorgeous and the people are friendly.  There’s loads to keep kids entertained too, not my usual topic but there’s a gazillion play parks which are well equipped and clean all over Menorca.  Bo actually allowed me to photograph him once or twice too #Winning.

There’s not a lot more you can ask for from a family vacation is there?  Yes, Mama Tenenbaum cried on our arrival and our departure but you’d expect nothing less would you #Voyeurs?

So now I’m back in the UK there’s one thing that’s top of my priority list and that’s booking my next break.  Nice, I’m coming for you….

Pixie xo

Categories: The Beauty Cupboard, The Lifestyle Edit

Face Facts: Beasting Beauty

I like make-up, and I love working out, but let’s be clear; the two should never, ever meet.  Make-up in the gym, that’s a big no-no right?  And I’m not alone in that opinion…

In preparation for this article, knowing that it would get (some) peoples backs up I surveyed women of various ages and abilities about their opinions on wearing make-up in the gym and a staggering 88% cam back with a resounding “Hell no, that’s just cray” and I consider myself firmly in that camp.

First of all, it’s crazy bad for your skin, clogging pores and interfering with the body’s cooling system and it serves no purpose other than to make us look better than we do without it.  That’s nothing you didn’t already know, yet despite this, and the survey results, everywhere I look in the gym, there are women wearing make-up – and lots of it.

I work out a lot, in fact I’m a Boxer and when I’m in the gym I sweat, a lot.  I don’t look pretty and I get red faced, it’s just what happens when you work out and that’s ok, but to cover all that in make up?  Come on girls, aren’t we better than that?  The recent #ThisGirlCan national campaign certainly seems to think so, with a TV commercial celebrating women of all shapes, sizes and abilities working out and looking proud (and knackered) it’s a revelation – women don’t look great in the gym and why the hell should they?  After all if you’re not sweating and panting after a workout, you’re not doing it right.

What we need are more icons working up a sweat without make-up – the Kardashian’s recently endorsed a brand of make-up specifically for the gym, claiming to be sweat proof and are regularly pictured leaving Barry’s Bootcamp in Calabasas wearing more than a slick of lipgloss.  It’s things like this that make women feel like they need to, or that it’s ok to wear make up in the gym.  It’s like saying, women should look their best at all times, everywhere they are.  Fuck that, if I want to get my sweat on, I’ll get my sweat on properly and keep my face where it is instead of all over my towel.

So, You know it’s bad for your skin, experts say it can lead to *shock horror* acne due to penetrated pores and lets be honest, it looks gross after a workout but if you absolutely can’t give up face whilst you’re in the gym, at least switch to mineral make up, I don’t know if it’s actually any better for your skin in reality under gym conditions but it sounds like it is….

Make up in the gym: it’s a no from me, but hey, who am I?  I’m just a girl who likes to work out.  Without make up.

Pixie x

Published in NELove Magazine May 2016

 

 

Categories: The Archives

Sunderland Fashion Weekend

If you live in the North East, you’re probably already familiar with Newcastle Fashion Week, but 2016 brings us a new stylish younger sister in the form of Sunderland Fashion Weekend.  Making its debut at The bridges Shopping Centre, this weekend saw the north East Fash Pack flock to the shopping centre for fashion advice, runway shows and offers galore.

As a preview to what was in store for shoppers, I was invited to sit on the Frow at the VIP runway show hosted by Heart Radio’s Kellyanne Scott and featuring clothes which were all available to purchase at stores in the Bridges Shopping Centre, Sunderland.  I wore my trusty Warehouse shorts, Chanel boots and an Ivy Park tank and was greeted on arrival with a glass of Prosecco before being shown to my seat.

The show opened with local singer / songwriter and super gorgeous model Afnan Prince showcasing relaxed casual menswear and started as it meant to go on; dynamic, energetic and fun – an absolute must for a shopping centre runway show.  Models from local agency Tyne Tees Models danced, role-played and strutted to fun, upbeat songs and the fashion was current and relevant with SS16 clothing and accessory offerings from Topshop, Select Fashion, Debenhams and many more.

One of the real unique things about Sunderland Fashion Weekend is that throughout the whole event, each runway show showcased different looks, from different stores.  So if you hit the mall at 10.30 and were still there at 14.30, you’d have the opportunity to see three different shows, all short, sharp and to the point and all definitely on trend for SS16.  Sunderland Fashion Weekend was about so much more than just runway shows though, it was about supporting local business and opening up to new audiences.  By showcasing the current trends on the runway, shoppers were shown how to put key looks together for SS16 by making them completely accessible and wearable for Sunderland shoppers, nothing outlandish, nothing crazy, just real fashion, for real people.

Fusionz Hair and Beauty were on hand (literally) to provide bespoke henna tattoo designs for customers, admittedly a business I’d have never known about if it wasn’t for Sunderland Fashion Weekend and definitely one I’d use again.  My partner in crime, Joni and I stayed behind afterwards chatting to the Artist and business owner and looking at some one her amazing creations.

Joni deep in concentration
My partner in crime, Joni

There’s no doubt that Sunderland Fashion Weekend has been a real success for the city and as a debut, was put together spectacularly well with a focus on sustaining local business rather than fast fashion.

I can’t wait to see what 2017 brings for Sunderland, maybe a full fashion week?  After the success of Sunderland Fashion Weekend 2016 I certainly hope so….

Pixie x