recycled material bags – we love!

with earth day literally just around the corner, i felt that the timing was perfect to tell you guys about some special bags we’re carrying right now that are made out of recycled materials.  not only are these bags gorgeous, but you can take comfort in knowing that they are crafted out of repurposed items like vintage military bags, vintage fabrics and old leather jackets.

the gorgeous belmont backpack by ashley watson is my favorite.  the vancouver based designer draws her inspiration from leather jackets she finds in thrift stores, and each bag is crafted from recycled leather jackets, incorporating features like pockets and seams to make them unique and special. the leather is perfectly worn and soft, carrying with it a history all its own.

ashley watson belmont backpack

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i fell in love with both of these bags by foley and corinna when i saw them on sasha pivovarova in our april catalog, but i love them even more now that i know they are made from recycled and vintage materials.  dana foley and anna corinna met when they both had booths at the chelsea art and antique market in 1998 – dana sold her original creations and anna sold vintage clothing.  they joined together and started designing pieces that were both original and incorporated vintage elements.  the musette satchel is made of vintage military bags with delicate, hand-crocheted fringe, and the bora hobo is made of varying, colorful found fabrics so they are each one-of-a-kind.

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foley and corinna musette satchel; bora hobo

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this fanny pack is another favorite, by artists and revolutionaries – an organic and eco-friendly label based in brooklyn.  their philosophy is “to create unique handcrafted items, using eco-friendly materials and processes.” like the designers above, they use repurposed and up-cycled materials in addition to hemp and organic cottons.  the fanny pack is made of repurposed vintage leather and has unique details like buttons and pockets, and a braided belt buckle strap.

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artists and revolutionaries fanny pack

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happy earth day!

guest post: martha in paris!

by now you guys have seen the lovely martha hunt on our website and in our catalogs, but did you ever wonder what her real life is like? martha was kind enough to put together a post about a recent trip she took to paris for our blog!

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I had the lucky task of jetting to Paris for a couple of weeks to schmooze with clients. The City of Lights has a lot to offer, so I try to fit in as much as possible in between castings!

I checked out the Montparnasse Cemetery on the left bank.  It is a hauntingly beautiful cemetery jam-packed with tombstones of many famous names, including the legendary Serge Gainsbourg and philosopher Jean Paul Sartre.  Rest in peace!

Donned a black bob – I loved my Mia Wallace moment. Elderflower juice takes me to my happy place– you just can’t find it in the states!

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Luckily I bumped into one of Free People’s very own, the lovely, Lauren. I hung out with her and her friend, and one of my favorite photographers, David Bellemere. Tres chic!

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Je ne sais pas?

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The American explorer in me values a good road trip. My boyfriend and I drove to a town called Cambremer, two hours northwest of Paris. We visited Chateua Les Bruyeres, which happened to be the perfect spot to rock my new Free People skirt! We rode bikes, tried local cuisine, checked out a few Normandy towns, but mostly enjoyed the country view. Not too shabby! One hard lesson learned: tripe is a delicacy that consists of intestines, not fish.

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“Je moooooo fous!”

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Never miss a photo op…

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…never leave a field un-frolicked.

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Back in town, stolling through the Place des Vosges.

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I can’t leave Paris without having grilled-over-an-open-fire-steak at my favorite restaurant, Robert et Louise! It’s located in the heart of the Marais district.

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Model or C.I.A. agent? I’m a woman of many faces, er well— hair do’s.

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I shot at Hotel Le Meurice with famed photographer Guy Aroch. Just another hard day at the office!

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Not a bad view. The Eiffel Tower in the distance fades away. Until next time, Par-eeeeeh! Bisous! X

wednes-diy

i didn’t have a chance to do a diy for this week since i’ve been traveling, so i thought i’d share some inspiration that i have saved with you guys…all projects i want to – and hopefully will – try soon!

left – these little pouches remind me of our leona beaded fringe belt! i’m thinking a combination of the two would be amazing. right – love these colorful rope necklaces by rachel rice.

one of our readers told me about these moroccan lanterns and i love them! via design sponge.

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left – a lovely fabric wreath for spring, via blue moss and right – awesome embroidered cuff via windyriver.

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a couple of our readers tried the tie-dye cupcakes we posted a couple weeks back and the results are beautiful! these would be great for easter or a spring party :)

fp fashion at coachella!

even though we didn’t get to go to coachella this year, we were still there in spirit, and in the form of these lovely ladies rocking free people at the festival!

i am in love with this look! our eyelet crop top looks amazing with a printed skirt, and bare feet are a bonus :)

left – our runaway lace kaftan is perfect for the beach or festivals; right – head to toe fp in the directions in lace maxi skirt and fp-1 bralette from our holiday book.

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lovely lace! the dress on the left is a january item that’s currently unavailable but we will be getting more in june! the maxi on the right is a may catalog item – it has arrived in some of our stores and should be online soon :)

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cute skirts and dresses look awesome paired with converse kicks.

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this is one of my fave fp tops ever – i wore it all last summer! love how it looks with the polka dot shorts.

images via harper’s bazaar, refinery 29 and elle.

The new shoe of the season

The platform has taken a quirky new direction. A new sole has appeared on the fashion front and we’re diggin it.
The flatform was a key statement throughout the spring/ Summer runaway shows – Derek Lam, Prada, and Vena Cava
All made their silhouette that much more interesting by adding this elevated shoe.

They have the comfort of wearing flats but give you that attractive 5 inch lift without the cripple factor.
We here at the office love them and find them the perfect way to add quirkiness to any outfit.

Flatforms, are you digging the shoe of this season?

See our selection here Flatforms

cream spinach soup & cornbread

today’s recipe comes from our new intern naomi! i haven’t had a chance to “formally” introduce you guys to her yet but i will soon :)

These random days of gorgeous spring weather we’ve been experiencing, have me thinking one thing – SUMMER. My friends and I have already jumped the gun and pulled out the vinyl records and grill for summer-like evenings outside. My mind is on warm weather and night time meals, so I wanted to share a simple soup recipe paired with some delicious cornbread. I especially love this cornbread recipe because it is made with yogurt instead of butter. The meal is simple, light, and perfect to eat at the picnic table in the backyard with friends!

Both recipes come from my Moosewood (an organic and vegetarian restaurant based in Ithaca NY) cookbook which has proven to be a favorite of mine.

Cream Spinach Soup

Ingredients:
1 Large Onion
2 Medium Potatoes, peeled & chopped
3 Cups of Water
2 Tsp Salt
1lb. Spinach, cleaned & stemmed
5 Med Garlic Cloves, peeled only
1.5 Cups Milk (can be low fat, I like 2%)
White Pepper and Nutmeg to taste

Instructions:

  1. Place onions, potatoes, and water in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil and then cover and simmer until potatoes are fully cooked.
  2. Remove from heat, add spinach and garlic, cover and set aside.
  3. Heat up milk in a large skillet.
  4. Puree spinach and potato mixture.
  5. Once pureed, stir in heated milk, white pepper, and nutmeg.

Squash Cornbread:

Ingredients:

2 Tbsp Brown Sugar
2 Egg Whites
¾ Cup Greek Yogurt (can be nonfat)
1 Cup Cornmeal
1 Cup Unbleached White Flour
½ Tsp Salt
1 Tbsp Baking Powder

Instructions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350˚F
  2. Grease an 8”
  3. In a large bowl, beat together the brown sugar, yogurt, and eggs until frothy.
  4. In a smaller bowl, mix together cornmeal, flour, salt, and baking powder.
  5. Gently fold the dry ingredients into the wet until just mixed together.
  6. Pour batter into pan and bake for 20-25 minutes.

Enjoy!

austin day two

after getting settled in at the house on thursday night, we walked to a nearby restaurant called z tejas for a delicious dinner outside under tree-strung lights…

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the guacamole was amazing.

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i woke up friday morning to the soft strumming of guitar and came downstairs to find our hair and makeup artists dennis and deanna, who got in late the night before.  not a bad way to wake up!

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coffee on the front porch as the sun comes up…i could do this every day.

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models ashley smith and anastasia khodkina arrive for the first day of shooting!

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while waiting for shooting to get started ashley picked up one of the guitars at the house and started playing…it was such a beautiful moment.

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we’re working with austin-based photographer alexandra valenti – i am such a huge fan of her work, so it was really exciting to meet her. she has amazing style, too!

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we went to this rad venue called mohawk, located on red river street.

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anastasia gets touched up before shooting.

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two members of local band the happen-ins, who are friends with alexandra valenti. i can’t get over that california raisins tank!

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the band introduced us to the michelada, a concoction of tecate beer, bloody mary mix and lime – apparently you can’t come to austin and not try one! it’s interesting, that’s for sure :)

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that’s all for now! today i am breaking away from the crew to go exploring…stay tuned!