Since I started at Free People, I’ve been noticing many cool tattoos around the office. I’m personally a big fan of body art – I think it’s a creative way of self expression, just one’s personal style. For this week in office style I wanted to show you all some of the cool tats I’ve been seeing on the Free People ladies. It was really fun hearing everyone’s story and why they chose to get their certain tattoo.
This intricate piece depicts a vestal virgin, the solar system, the sun, and a tree. Vestal virgin were powerful holy female priests in the Roman Empire. Apparently, they were something like witches. The bottom half where the solar system is depicted shows each planet, and it’s actual placement in orbit relative to the other planets. So cool!
Her middle name is based off of the Hindi word “sattvic” which means purity and harmonious balance in the world. On her middle finger she also has a lotus flower which is also representative of life and purity. I love how peaceful this tattoo is.
She based her tattoo off of album artwork from Incubus – It was drawn by the drummer Jose Pasillas in the band. She changed the eye in the center by replacing it with her grandfather’s eye. The idea is that he’s always with her and watching over her.
A feather to represent her last name which means “to write” (the feather is supposed to be like a quill). After she got engaged and would be changing her last name she and her brother decided to go and get the same thing. (my brother and I both have matching tattoos too!)
All of her tattoos are drawings by a friend of hers who lives in Brooklyn. I love the idea of putting a piece of one of your friends on you.
This tree is based off of a necklace that she and her mother always wear. It’s “their little family tree.”
When back packing through Thailand with her friends, they would always draw mustaches on their fingers and take pictures. Afterward, they all decided to get tattoos so that they would always be, “mustache photo ready.” Each has a different style mustache.
This is a word that she made up which is a combination of the words “god” and “given.” She said that if she ever has her own line one day that’s what it will be called.
it’s no secret: we love the nightcap lace bell bottoms! there are so many ways to style them, and our store girls are pros- check out these lovely pics of them rocking our fave pants!
katie, mit at fp san jose, wears them with a strappy cami, ruffle hem cami and denim jacket and hat for a cute casual look.
here’s one of our denver sales associates, wearing them with the tape yarn beach sweater! love.
one of our customers, who dressed them up with a button-down crop top and hat!
from boston: sales associate stephanie is rocking the american flag scarf– she’s a hippie child and a dreamer! she looks super cute and casual, showing you don’t have to be over the top, and can totally pull them off everyday. and becka, the soon to be natick ASM, is wearing the grey in an adorable beach style with the pintuck lace square neck top!
i have an interesting twist for your thursday poll today! our videographer made this lovely video featuring model martha hunt demonstrating three great ways to wear the fp one smiles returning tube dress – check it out and then vote for your favorite of the three!
Actually, my name is Liz. I am a young designer, a recent graduate from Parsons The New School for Design, and a current associate at Free People in Soho, NY. I started crocheting these vests this past year and asked some of the Free People girls to rock them for me.
This past season I looked to craft and the charm in handmade objects for inspiration. I had just moved into my new loft in Brooklyn, NY and found my place was a collection of crafts. My most prized possession is a yellow chevron pattern crocheted blanket my mom made when I was young. I owe all of my talent to my mom, who taught me how to crochet. As for the vest itself, I focused on creating a piece that would complete every outfit in my closet. My style is that similar to that of the Free People girl. I look to Pamela Love and Erin Wasson for style inspiration, who both share that endearing, yet individualized free-spirited vibe. I feel like a vest is something you can wear year round: in the winter, I’m always looking for another layer and in the summer, it’s great with a tank and shorts or just over a bathing suit!
thank you so much for sharing liz!!! not only did you quote one of my favorite songs but the vests are amazing and i’m insanely jealous of your rooftop garden…xoxo
the makeup for call of the wild creates a look that is natural and sun-kissed, with an added glimmer of gold eyeshadow to catch the rays of the sun. Read More
in place of our usual wednes-diy, today i have something even better! tutorials showing you how to get the hair and makeup in our june e-catalog :) Read More
our e-catalog features some amazing new pieces from our beach collection! i’m a huge fan of beach – the majority of the fp items i own are from the collection – because they’re so easy to wear! they can be super casual and worn on the beach or you can dress them up for going out at night.
the crochet birkin romper and flume cardigan are made of the same laser-cut fabric that is amazing- it’s nice and light and let’s your warm summer skin breathe!
now hear more about the collection from the lovely designer herself – this video is adorable:
in just two days i’ll be in the car on my way down to tennessee for bonnaroo! it is my favorite festival and i’ve gone several times but i have a feeling this year will be my last. it is the festival’s tenth anniversary and they are going back to their roots, bringing in lots of jam bands and bonnaroo staples. i am particularly excited for my morning jacket, buffalo springfield, dr. john & the meters, superjam ft. dr, john and dan auerbach, widespread panic and arcade fire…but there are so many amazing bands playing! i am camping and won’t have access to a computer while i’m there but i’ll take tons of pictures to share with you when i get back :)
bonnaroo style is very laid back…it’s all about staying comfortable while getting hot, sweaty and dirty! simple, versatile items are key. here’s a look at my ideal bag for bonnaroo!
some of our home office ladies rocking looks from the june e-book for a live fashion show here at the home office!
update: a few behind the scenes pics!
the day is finally here! our first ever interactive e-catalog, call of the wild, launches today on freepeople.com! here is the behind the scenes video, shot by our videographer here at our home office in philadelphia’s navy yard. song is “haunting at 1300 mckinley” by the amazing black angels.
and i have a special announcement for you! tune in today at 3pm for a LIVE fashion show that will be taking place here at the home office – see our favorite looks from the e-catalog modeled by our very own fp girls :) we will be broadcasting on facebook, twitter and right here on the blog. don’t miss it!!
our featured artist for june happens to be a personal favorite of mine: heyoka leather. long before we worked with photographer alexandra velenti on our july catalog, i was following her work on tumblr, and through her work i discovered heyoka leather (she has shot their lookbooks).
heyoka leather started unofficially and quite by accident in venice beach CA by leslie crow when she began making dream catchers for friends. word spread and demand grew, and she branched out into accessories like hand-beaded medicine bags and purses, using traditional skills learned from her grandmother. leslie teamed up with her longtime friends rachel avraham and angela bruyere to create heyoka leather. using carefully sourced leather and the finest quality brass, silver and bone, heyoka’s accessories are modern-day american heirlooms that pay homage to the designers’ roots in traditional native american ceremony, hollywood nightlife mystique and outlaw biker culture.
always and forever 100% handmade, their mission statement is to leave no footprints behind their moccasins.
read on for an interview with the beautiful leslie crow and to see some of her personal photos and inspiration!
where did you draw inspiration for the particular pieces we are carrying?
the spotted eagle and the turquoise warrior necklaces were greatly influenced by my growing up going to powwows. watching the dancers, i always felt like the regalia and the spiritual energy acquired by donning it and entering the circle gave the dancer a feeling of graceful strength and beauty which i humbly attempt to translate, or alchemize into an everyday modern american talisman while paying respect to the traditional native roots.
i love the lookbooks you shoot with alexandra valenti, and we just worked with her on our july catalog shoot, how did that relationship come about?
i met alexandra and the sisters of the black moon through my boyfriend caleb. he’s from texas and kept telling me i was going to love his girlfriends from austin, and then i saw alexandra’s photography and i was blown away, so we started talking and planning a heyoka photoshoot. we met in LA and the rest is history! that was about a year ago. we’ve been dear friends ever since and work together every chance we get.
how would you describe your personal style?
“redneck desert chic”. i pretty much live in a vintage harley tank, wrangler cut-offs and cowboy boots, heyoka bag and mountains of turquoise jewelry. however when i dress up i love to go all 60’s bohemian gypsy and experiment with far out thrift store finds.
who are your style icons?
rita coolidge, anita pallenburg, and my good friend and longtime heyoka muse, joy bryant.
what do you like to do when you’re not working?
i love riding horses and motorcycles, hiking and camping…..goin’ out into the desert and shooting guns, traveling, going on roadtrips, practicing yoga, prowling through thrift stores and swap meets. lately i been trying to teach myself the banjo and learning how to silversmith. but i really love to work. i’m always coming up with new designs and inspirations and being creative is my biggest passion.
favorite city or place?
right now i’m living in tucson, arizona, and really loving the sonoran desert, but my all time favorite places to go are mexico, costa rica, northern ontario and anywhere back home in the blue ridge mountains.
what music are you listening to right now?
charlie daniels band, bill monroe, marshall tucker band, waylon jennings, the deserters and of course my boyfriend caleb coy and his band headdress.
favorite book?
hell’s angels by hunter s thompson, moonchild by alestair crowley, vintage easyrider magazines and louis l’amour westerns. i’m currently reading desert solitare by edward abbey.
when are you happiest?
i’m happiest when spending time with family and friends….having a backyard BBQ, sitting around the bonfire, listening to caleb play guitar and chillin’ with my dog, bluegrass.
what’s next for heyoka leather? anything you can tell us about what you’re currently working on?
there’s a lot of creative visions taking shape right now for heyoka leather. we’re currently working on some very exciting top secret collaborations with bandit brand and sisters of the black moon. we just recently finished our online store which should be up and running any day now and we have some really cool new designs in the works for our fall collection!
shop our heyoka leather pieces here, and check out the full june e-catalog in which they are featured online!
