Fashion Voyeur

People will stare, make it worth their while.

Categories: Fashion, North East, Pixie, Uncategorized

What I Wore: To My Birthday Dinner

I turned 40 this weekend, a huge milestone in one’s life and apparently as older people will tell you, it’s the point that things begin to take a downward slide.  Totally not the case.  In my case it’s when things get a whole lot more fun, I’m taking more risks than ever with fashion, I have an even bigger “fuck it” attitude towards most things, and I’ve kicked more stressful shit aside than ever.  Being 40 is mint and don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.

My lovely husband Bo organised a surprise birthday dinner and gathered only the best members of our family to a venue that was shrouded in secrecy, I was told to dress however I wanted to and to keep warm as we’d have a little way to walk from the car.  I have a bit of a love / hate relationship with surprises and Bo knows this, I really, really love them.  But also really, really hate them, so knowing this, I was assured that this was one that I’d love and to just go with it.

So, the facts: a dinner, the best peeps, possibly some cold weather.  I hit my middle floor closet and pulled together an outfit I’d put in the “Cute” category.  A dress covered in space cats bought for me by Bo as a Christmas present (with pockets), opaque black tights, my M&S boots which I bought a few months ago now and have since sold out but I’ve literally never had them off my feet, and a custom made necklace given to me as a Christmas gift by Pop Up Studio in Low Fell which says “Fuck You All” – Yeah, they know me pretty well.  Also, debuting my new shorter hair forced upon me by a pre-Christmas fuck up in the hair salon.

A short car ride later and we were parked up on the Gateshead Quayside and walking in the direction of the old and now infamous Buffalo Joe’s and Baja Beach Club Sites.  As we crossed the road and entered the new By The River Brew Co. site I knew instantly where we were headed, I’d been talking about visiting ever since reading Jay Rayner’s glowing review in The Guardian calling this place a “must visit” and possibly “one of the best restaurant’s in the UK”.  As we entered Träkol (Swedish for Charcoal) the first thing that hit us was how dark and atmospheric the place is.  We visited on an uber cold Winter’s night with the wind whipping our heels on the way in.  The main source of light was a warm, low glow from a free standing Parkray fire in the middle of the main room.

As this is an outfit post rather than a birthday dinner review, I won’t go into extreme detail as I’ll go way over my word count but let me say this, Träkol exceeded expectation.  The whole thing, the ethos of nose to tail meant that the menu proposed dome difficult options but we needn’t have worried, everything we ordered was delicious.  Even Plankton, our twelve year old son was able to order something and finish every last scrap of what he was presented with, the food served is divine.  It’s prepared and presented with care and attention and every ounce of flavour can be tasted.  We weren’t there as press, or Bloggers, we were simply there as a family who paid for a birthday dinner together and we’d highly recommend that you check them out if you’re in the area.

Pixie

Categories: Fashion, North East, Pixie

What I Wore: To Channel Sabrina The Teenage Witch

Actually, that title maybe a little misleading as this is perhaps more of a Weird Sisters look, I like to think of myself as more of a Sabrina by nature but a Prudence or a Dorkus in the style stakes.  This is one of my favourite looks at the minute and it’s not too difficult to achieve right now as similar dresses are pretty easy to find on the highstreet.

It started as a microstyle on the runways maybe 18 months ago and as with everything in fashion, it takes time to trickle down and eventually hit the highstreet as what we know as a “trend”.   The highstreet is great at picking out the “fast” and easily identifiable top level trends, i.e. the ones that will sell and “convert” into highstreet mass sales, – the ones that the highstreet as a whole will latch on to and buy en masse from overseas producers.  Basically the ones that you’ll see in every shop window throughout Spring / Summer / Fall / Winter.  Because fashion works as a domino effect.

What they’re not so great at, is recognising underlying trends, those are the ones that can take much longer to hit the rails, and often stores have no idea why they’re selling them, or where those looks came from.  Because some buyer watched a show and took a risk on a look and bought up a cheaper production of it.  This is one of those.  It’s one you could very easily make, or customise too, I’ve done it to pretty great effect, all you need is a black shift dress and some heavy lace, you don’t even need to particularly skilled at stitching as it’s all hand stitching and it can all be hidden.

So, your best bet for finding this look on the cheap is Matalan.  Matalan have a couple of similar styles in black, forest green and midnight blue complete with white fluted sleeves however there’s one caveat, they’re only produced in the brand’s petite range which means they’s smaller in every dimension, not just the length.  If like me you’re tall, this option is out.

Elsewhere on the highstreet you’ll find similar (although poor quality) in New Look – currently in administration so be quick.

The dress I’m wearing here is a FW18 Zara dress which I bought myself online (no previous affiliation).  Normally I’d advise you to go into the store and try on because I’m an advocate for keeping our British highstreet alive and thriving, however in the case of Zara stores I’d strongly advise against it and suggest that you buy online at every opportunity.  Staff are rude, obnoxious, unhelpful, patronising, unfriendly – and it’s not store specific.  I’ve experienced this in every Zara store I’ve ever visited and a quick Twitter poll recently concluded that you Voyeurs feel exactly the same.  My advice here is vote with your feet, buy online and use your home as your changing room, return anything you don’t need.  Simples.  I’ve styled this with opaque black tights (everyone owns opaques), my current favourite M&S boots which I bought around September-ish last year (also in this post), and one of my favourite Chanel quilted handbags which I just don’t get enough use out of so I’ve decided to use more this year.

Now, where’s my spellbook…..?

Pixie

Categories: Fashion, Pixie, Uncategorized

What I Wore: As a Nod to Dior’s Prairie Girls

We’re in the midst of Winter and that means cosy sweaters, faux fur tippets and baker boy hats at every turn.  Sometimes though, you find the perfect dress that just encapsulates the season.  This Voyeurs, is that dress.

Blogger Pixie Tenenbaum wearing a Prairie Girl Style Dress

The best thing about this particular dress is that I spotted it and tried it on in Topshop during a Fashion Styling Challenge I was set by Intu Eldon Square.  I planned on buying it right away but as our event ran late, we were moved on to the next part of the challenge before I had the chance.  The next time I saw it it was in the Topshop sale and was reduced from £79.99 to £35.  That’s the very definition of the best sale bargain – if it’s something you planned on buying at full price, you know for sure that you’re not acting on impulse and that you’ll definitely wear it.

Now, don’t be fooled if you’re perusing the rails of Topshop, whilst this particular dress doesn’t look much at all on the hanger, it’s a doozie when it’s on and it’s toned to perfection for Fall / Winter.  Again, a sale buy that fits the current season and beyond is a good buy.  It’s a super lightweight dress so I’ve stuck on a pair of fishnet tights for warmth as these were all I could find in my drawer, however I think black opaques would probably look better.  I’ve dressed it with these flat studded boots from Marks and Spencer (my current favourites) to give it a nod to the Amish look that stormed the runways for next season.

As far as trends go, this is very much in line with the Western theme that emerged largely from the Dior Resort 2018 show so despite this particular dress having been moved to sale, you can expect to see a lot more of this style hitting the high street over the next few months as stores and high street designers pick out key runway themes to stock as translation trends.  If you want to really pay homage to Maria Grazia Chiuri’s cowgirls then pair a prairie girl dress with cowboy boots for a look that’s straight off the runway and actually, pretty classic in terms of trends.

I’ve since worn this dress with a fine knit black polo neck sweater underneath which works equally as well and gives the whole thing a more urban vibe.  Personally, if I find something I really love that fits my personality on some level then I know I’ll wear it to death – particularly if it’s a versatile piece, and this dress is definitely that.

Blogger Pixie Tenenbaum showcasing a prairie girl style dress with flat boots

One of the best things about finding a great dress is the simplicity of it.  With just one piece, I can easily update my look and twist it up by throwing a sweater underneath or a fifties style bra on top.  This one has hint of pale pink and gold in it as well as black lace-edged hoop hemming to give it structure, meaning that even when it’s windy, this clever detailing will prevent it from blowing up around your ears.  Winning.  Now where did I put that Stetson…..?

Pixie xo

Categories: Fashion, Pixie, Uncategorized

What I Wore: One Freezing Cold Day

We all know it’s easy to pull together a simple outfit in the Summer when it’s warm, but what about Winter when we need to think about staving off the inevitable chill?  I don’t know about you, but I’m either boiling or freezing and I’m only ever the perfect temperature when I’m out of the UK.  In Winter I favour a simple denim and sweater combo.  This time I’ve gone for a pair of super skinny Abbott Kinney style jeans from John Lewis’ inhouse denim brand AND/OR – if you haven’t tried them yet, you really must.  They’re designed by the same people as Levis and the fit is incredible, they’re on the more pricey side, but they’re better quality than any other high street offering out there and there are lots of different styles and cuts available (their relaxed fit Venice Beach jeans are also worth a punt).  This look also works with a denim pinafore or long button through skirt.

When I’m layering up in Winter, I usually opt for a loose breton tee if I’m wearing boyfriend style jeans, or a short sleeved mens fit tee with skinnies.  Under here I have my faithful Stranger Things tee from Topshop but the real showpiece is the sweater.  I love wearing a ginormous sweater in Winter, particularly one with extra long sleeves and this oversized Jaded London jumper (available in Topshop) ticks both boxes.  It’s indescribably cosy and always garners admiring glances from passers by, I love that it’s super bright and that it has a higher neck, without being scratchy.  I often end up cutting holes in the cuffs of my sweaters so I can wear the sleeves low over my hands in lieu of gloves.



HOW TO WEAR IT

The trick to the sweater / denim combo is to a) get the proportions right, and b) make sure it’s not boring.  First of all decide on your jean shape, if you opt for a skinny then you can max out on the size and colour of your sweater.  Go for a ripped up looser style jean and your sweater needs to be more reserved and smaller in proportion.  Think of it as the eyes vs lips rule applied to clothes.

When it comes to footwear if I’m running around during the day then I’m always in flats.  You know I have a penchant for a cowboy boot but Marks and Spencer are coming up trumps with boots this season and these flat black rider boots are a dead ringer for a waaaaay more expensive Louboutin counterpart at a fraction of the price.  On a budget?  Primark do a tri-season shoe drop meaning that you’ll be able to pick up a pair of fast, fashion forward boots for just the right side of £20 that fit the brief.

Topped off with my trusty Marks and Spencer tifler I ‘d say this is one of my cosiest and probably favourite simple city outfits.  Simples!

Pixie xo

Categories: Fashion, Models, Pixie, Uncategorized

What I Wore: For London Fashion Week SS18

The Spring / Summer 2018 season of London Fashion Week is over and it’s been a rollercoaster!  From abhorrent terrorist activity and resulting bomb scares and evacuations, to the ceiling of my room collapsing, it’s been a whirlwind five days and that’s before we even get to the awesome display of design talent.

I’ve had my busiest season to date, hence no full blog posts yet – although they are coming!  And I’ve completely neglected my social channels because preserving battery life is everything during Fashion Week.  So to whet your appetite Voyeurs, here’s a quick post on the outfits I chose to wear to the shows this season, with a disclaimer on why they were not my intended outfits.

I packed my case meticulously with ten outfits.  Nothing particularly trend led, just a mixture of things that I own and like, and things that designers and brands had sent to me in the hope that I’d wear them.  Amongst these things was a pair of brand new metallic boots which led to the utter demise of my planned LFW SS18 Wardrobe…..

DAY 1

I left on the 8.38 Virgin East Coast train, which was delayed due to what we now know was a home made explosive device on the Parson’s Green underground.  This understandably delayed the arrival of my train into London Kings Cross considerably meaning two things happened:

1. I missed the Pam Hogg show, which I later heard was awesome. Dr Hogg is known for her wonderfully quirky and imaginative runway shows and I was gutted to have missed this one, but you know, bigger things were happening in London at that time.  I also missed the Billie Jacobina show which was a real downer – Jacobina’s creations are amazing.  Think pink, negligee, teddy bears, fur, voile and throw it all together and that’s Billie Jacobina.  The kitsch designer was promoted from presentation to runway for SS18 which is a really big deal.  I did get to catch her static exhibit at Fashion Scout, so all was not entirely lost I guess.

2. I attended my first show of the day wearing my train outfit.  I landed in London, ran to my hotel, which luckily is a stones throw from the station, ditched my shiz and literally legged it out the door to catch the much hyped Ones To Watch runway show in Holborn.

So, this outfit is an eclectic mix of AND / OR jeans (which I love), with a sheer, black ballerina skirt layered over the top.  On top I’m wearing a Year One Collective spoof tee and my Starlover Clothing custom painted leather jacket.  Obviously I travelled on my own and had to cut a dash so didn’t have anyone to grab a picture but I featured in Donna Air’s Insta stories wearing this and she said it looked cool so, ’nuff said.

DAY 2

My most jam packed day and one where I knew I’d be cramming a good weeks worth of regular people activity into 24 hours and for that reason comfort came high up in my list of priorities.  I chose a Maison Margiela MM6 Denim shirt dress.  Simples.  The best bit?  Pockets.  Crammed with protein bars, my Oyster Card, hotel key card, San Pellegrino water & gum.

Remember those metallic boots I told you about?  Well they broke on Day 1 running across a road into the show venue and sadly died that evening, leaving me with one pair of metallic fuschia flat loafers to get me through the entire week.  I topped this off with bed hair and a tiffler from Marks and Spencer.

DAY 3

Another crazy schedule climaxing with the awesome Hellavagirl Couture show, and a link up with SHOW DRY London, the salon arm of SHOW Beauty who very kindly look after my hair during London Fashion Week.  After fixing me up with some super cute Dutch braids, I set off for my first show of the day wearing high shine PVC fetish store pants and a custom printed slogan tee made specially for me by Virgo Seven UK.  On my feet?  You guessed it, those feet murdering pink loafers with white fishnet socks.

DAY 4

Day 4 was wet, with intermittent downpours; I knew I wanted to be warm.  I also tried to keep the afternoon free to go buy Plankton a present in Hamleys and get myself out of the fashion bubble and take in some London architecture.  None of these things actually happened, I took on extra shows and headed out into the cold with yesterday’s braids, Topshop tweed shorts and a cosy Primark sweater.

Part way through the day after The Great Foot Massacre of London Fashion Week, I went back to my hotel to switch into jeans (Plankton’s) and socks which I bought that day, mid hissy fit.  I met a photographer friend for drinks that evening and he told me convincingly that I managed to style it out….

Front Row for Dumpty Studio SS18 LFW

DAY 5

With the finish line in sight, I let out my braids and whizzed the flat irons over my hair to give a soft curl and after waking up to a suitcase full of water and rubble, I was left without my intended outfit.  When your hotel ceiling collapses, sure it’s funny at first, until you find your Mark Fast sweater is soaking wet & your underwear is laced with plaster dust.

Luckily I was well equipped with a wipe clean PVC A-line skirt from Primark, some purple Wolford fishnets (never go cheap when it comes to fishnets) and I cut a dash to Monki to buy this Where’s Waldo-esque red & white striped tee.  I added one of my signature metallic tattoos, this time a diamond gifted with the Fenty Beauty press pack and a deco style necklace from M.I.Accessories.  Job done.

By this point my feet were destroyed and I’d adopted a penguin style walk that even I couldn’t style out.  Note to self, sneakers or sliders next season.

The next morning I shamefully put on yesterday’s outfit to head to the station and make my way back up North to a slower pace of life.  After experiencing the tornado that is London Fashion Week, and my busiest schedule to date, I’m ready to do this all over again in six months – albeit in better shoes.

Pixie xo

Send me your top tops for packing light and treating blisters for the chance to be featured in an upcoming post!

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