behind the scenes – natalie’s shoot

here are some more photos from behind the scenes of natalie suarez’s day of shooting! as mentioned, she was photographed by her sister dylana at the home of our creative director.  and if the location looks familiar, that’s because we featured it in our second episode of home sweet home back in april – if you missed it, check it out here – it’s pretty amazing.

these photos were taken by thomas northcut and i think they capture the atmosphere on this day of shooting beautifully :)

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view the catalog online here.

meet lily!

as you guys know we have lots of dogs running around our office, but no cats! they are not allowed, because having cats here would also involve kitty litter.  but we had a special visitor today who was being photographed for something coming up – she belongs to our operations coordinator who sits right next to me so i took the chance to ask her some questions. say hello to lily!


Where are you from?

I was born in Villanova, Pennsylvania.  My dad came and adopted me as a present for my mom when she graduated from college.  Now i live in Philadelphia with my mom and dad!

What are your favorite hobbies?

I really like to chase feathers and play hide and seek, and I like to kick things that roll, but sometimes I get in big trouble when my mom is cooking eggs.  Eggs roll really well until they fall off of the counter. I also like to sleep – I take an afternoon siesta every day.  Also, I have a squirrel boyfriend who I like to look at.  I sit on the window sill and stare at him, and he stares back at me.  We have a forbidden romance.

What is your biggest fear?

I am afraid of dogs.  They are bigger than me.  I don’t even like when they bark on TV, it makes me nervous.

Favorite foods?

Tuna is my favorite, but I’ve been eating a lot of chicken flavored Iams lately.  It’s pretty delicious.  Oh! And I love to chew on plants, like my dad’s bonsai tree.

Favorite color?

I like orange because I am orange and orange is the best!

What’s your favorite place in the world?

I have a special pillow called the Princess Pillow that is my favorite – it’s one of my mom’s old throw pillows that is covered with a super soft blanket.  I like to sit there and get brushed every day.

How would you describe your personal style?

I am a natural beauty, so I don’t have to try to look fancy.  I know I’m gorgeous.  If I were a free people girl, I’d be a Ginger. If you got it, flaunt it.

Does it bother you that you’re not allowed to come to our office every day like the dogs?

A little bit, I don’t think it’s fair.  Dogs are much louder and smellier than I am.  I am so cute and little! But I also don’t really like to be in a car or my pink carrier case, so I am OK with staying home.

How was your experience working with free people today?

I had a good time.  At first I was nervous, but once I realized what I had to do, it was a pretty sweet deal. I got to wear a pretty necklace and sit on a pile of scarves and be fed treats.  It was like the best day ever.

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enjoying the view outside our window.

thursday poll – edition 113

good morning! you guys have to see our new lookbook for october – it. is. gorgeous. our team has really outdone themselves with this one! and model martha hunt looks killer. check out the outfits and let me know which one you like best…

outfit one:

outfit two:

outfit three:
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outfit four:
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outfit five:
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outfit six:
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outfit seven:
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click on each image to go to the website and see all the items in the outfit. now vote!


the winner of last week’s backpack poll was the leather and canvas backpack with 32%.

blogger picks for october!

want to know which items from the october book jemma and i love most? well here you go…

julia’s picks:

as the weather gets colder all i want to do is be comfortable…wrapping myself in soft layers and flowy fabrics, toughened up with boots, denim and that amazing we the free jacket.

jemma’s picks:

a mixture of tans, worn denim and sweaters teamed with over the knee socks, hiking boots and heavy knitted scarfs. makes me ready for the cold air…

click on our collections to go to the website and see more info on the items!

wednes-diy

as promised, the lovely ladies of free people austin lamar have provided step by step instructions on how to put in these rad feather hair extensions! i’m so bummed i didn’t know how to do this all summer long!

step 1: pick anywhere from 3-5 feathers. you can buy the feathers at some hair salons, or order them from etsy.

step 2: pick a small piece of hair- we suggest either under a layer of hair on top, or a small piece of hair underneath, right by the ear.

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Step 3: if you don’t have a fancy tool, you can just take a piece of fishing line and loop it! then place the hair extension bead through both ends. you can find these beads at any beauty supply store that carries hair extensions.

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step 4: pull the small piece of hair that you selected through the loop.

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step 5: move the bead up the fishing line and onto the piece of hair.

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step 6: pull the hair through the bead completely, and make sure it stays about an inch from the scalp.

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step 7: take your cluster of feathers, and make sure every feather makes it into the bead!

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Step 8: once you make sure all of the feathers are in, you can trim any of the excess that is sticking out of the top of the bead.

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step 9: take pliers and squeeze the bead until it is completely closed.

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VOILA!!! you have beautiful feathers in your hair!!

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now if you want to take it a step further, put some feathers on both sides of your head and put your hair into a french braid:

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peace of cake ;)

*update*

to remove the feathers you can just pinch the bead with pliers in the other direction to open it and they slide right out. or after a week or two they might slide out on their own.

the feather can get wet, washed, brushed, blown dry and straightened! you can pretty much just treat them like your own hair.

all about natalie

get to know the first of our three october catalog models, natalie suarez!

What is your theme song?

I’m in love with all Bob Dylan songs. He explains things about life so clearly in his music. My two favorites are “Don’t think twice, it’s all right” and “Like a rolling stone.”

If you could go anywhere in the world, free of cost, where would you go?

I would go to Europe! It would be a dream trip for me.

If you were stranded on an island, what three things would you want with you?

If I were stranded on an island, I would want to have food, shelter, and possibly a computer, though there probably wouldn’t be wifi. Maybe even a guitar just to keep me occupied!

with her sister dylana outside the free people home office.

How would you describe your personal style? What are your favorite items from free people right now?

My personal style is really a mix of everything. I don’t just stick to one particular look. I wear a lot of vintage pieces that I mix in with designer finds and basics. I like to wear things that are unique so that I stand out from a crowd. My favorite items from Free People right now would have to be the gorgeous BodyCon dresses and the fitted lace blouses. I love how you can layer anything with Free People and it looks totally cool and beautiful. I love Free People’s soft fabrics and vintage inspired prints.

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What is your biggest fear?

Hmm, my biggest fear would probably be to lose someone I really love. I need my family and friends to keep me grounded.

Winter, spring, summer or fall?

That’s hard to pick. I love Spring and Fall. Both such beautiful seasons.

What color are you?

I would say my color is Green. I don’t know, I’ve always had this thing for dark olive or forest green shades.

What is your motto?

Just go with the flow. Try not to take everything so seriously. Things always happen for a reason.

What is your favorite hobby?

My favorite hobby would be singing and playing my guitar. It’s such a great way to release my energy and just let go. It gets me to really feel my emotions. And it’s really something so personal to me.

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If you could spend a day with anyone – dead or alive – who would it be?

I would spend the day with Jane Birkin. She seems like such a beautiful soul with so much talent. I would love to hear her story. She was an icon, but has so much mystery.

What’s the last album you bought? What else is on your ipod right now?

I recently got all the Rilo Kiley music. I’m obsessed with them. All their songs are great for driving in the car or just sitting in the subway. I also really love M.I.A, Vampire Weekend, Sun-kil Moon, Led Zeppelin, Paolo Nutini, and of course Bob Dylan. I really like all kinds of music.

If you weren’t a model what would you do?

If I weren’t a model, I would probably be focusing on music more. Also, I have always loved the whole college atmosphere. It seems like so much fun and I do enjoy learning and doing normal things like attending class. I plan on finishing college in the future. But for now, I’ve been really lucky with modeling and I love that I get to constantly meet new people and see new places.

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What inspired you to start a blog?

My sister, Dylana of the fashion blog, “Nana in Wonderland” first had a blog. She introduced me to the whole blogging community and I was fascinated. The photography and styling was so inspiring. I started blogging a bit on her blog, then decided to start my own. I’m so happy I did start blogging. It has brought me so many amazing opportunities.

What influences your style?

So many things influence my style. Editorials, street style photos, and music influence my style. Some days I’ll feel like dressing down if I’m having a mellow day and others I’ll throw on some heels and some really amazing vintage. The blogs influence my style as well. People are constantly updating with the latest images and you can’t help but take note of what looks amazing in the photographs and embracing that into your own personal style.

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What designers are you inspired by?

I’m inspired by Alexander Wang, Dries Van Noten, and Miu Miu. Those are just a few of my favorites.

What’s your most memorable experience whilst blogging?

My most memorable experience while blogging was getting contacted by Free People to appear in the October catalog. It was such a dream come true. I couldn’t believe it when I got the message. I feel so lucky and am so happy! I’ve been collecting Free People catalogs for years. I find them so inspiring. The styling and photography are so beautiful every single time. I’m a huge fan.

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How was your free people experience?

It was truly amazing. Everyone at Free People was so inviting and just so much fun to work with. We had a lot of laughs! The Free People clothes are also so so beautiful. I loved every piece I put on and they all work so well together, mixed and matched. It was amazing to be shot by my sister, Dylana, as well. I feel we really captured my personal style and the Free People vibe. We all worked together really well and nailed the shoot! I loved working with everyone at the team in Philadelphia and I hope to work with Free People again in the future. The whole experience was just something I will never forget.

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be sure to check out natalie’s blog, natalie off duty! the october catalog can be viewed in full right here.

the unbearable lightness of being – part one

some quotes i’ve uderlined in the book so far, with some imagery that they brought to mind.

“we can never know what to want, because, living only one life, we can neither compare it with our previous lives nor perfect it in our lives to come.”

“she loved to walk down the street with a book under her arm. it had the same significance for her as an elegant cane for the dandy a century ago. it differentiated her from others.”

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“she knew that she had become a burden to him: she took things too seriously, turning everything into a tragedy, and failed to grasp the lightness and amusing insignificance of physical love. how she wished she could learn lightness!”

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“she wanted to see the vltava. she wanted to stand on its banks and look long and hard into its waters, because the sight of the flow was soothing and healing. the river flowed from century to century, and human affairs play themselves out on its banks. play themselves out to be forgotten the next day, while the river flows on.”

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“chance and chance alone has a message for us. everything that occurs out of necessity, everything expected, repeated day in and day out, is mute. only chance can speak to us. we read its message much as gypsies read the images made by coffee grounds at the bottom of a cup.”


love that last quote so much. click on images for sources.

Abbey Lee again in Free People

I’m sorry for the constant update lately on Abbey Lee wearing Free People but I cant help but gloat.

How often to you get a profound Fashion model wearing a brand non stop at the worlds biggest fashion event ‘Fashion week’?!

Here she’s a eclectic beauty, mixing our leaves of memory skirt with a jersey top and velvet jacket… kinda like the one that’s coming to us for Holiday :)