our creative director rocking some patriotic new jeffrey campbell shoes. amazing! happy friday :)
fancy feet
Month: May 2011
guest blog post: the gold coast
australia’s gold coast is located in south east queensland, on the country’s eastern shore. with 35 miles of coastline that includes some of the most popular surf breaks in australia and the world, the area has been a huge draw for both tourists and surfers all over the world. it was also inspiration for a special shop launching today on our website that is our nod to surfer girls everywhere – denim shorts in bright colors, easy knits, bathing suits, summery shoes and pops of neon, its a collection that screams summer fun and adventure.
for her second guest post for us, mandy of the amazing blog oracle fox went down to the gold coast and took some beautiful photos to capture the atmosphere there. i am thinking a trip to australia is definitely in order!
all images by oracle fox – thank you so much mandy!
and here’s a little collection i made inspired by the gold coast. click on the image to go see more details, and check out our gold coast shop here.
Be bold with colour blocks
Our office went crazy this week with bold colours a new trend we’re all loving, it brought a smile to everyone’s face – worn with simple tops and finished off with a touch of ethnic in accessories.
This Colour Block fashion is one of the hottest new trends for the season. It combines the use of two or more blocks of colour in an ensemble. This could be for a top, bottom, tunic, a dress and even a handbag or shoes. Simply it means – creating an outfit by putting areas or blocks of solid color next to each other. It can include monotone, bright colours, muted colors, contrasting and complimentary colors creating an impact outfit for the summer.
We’re also pretty excited about one of our new hires, Dylana – I’m sure you all know her blog Colour Me Nana. She started Monday as our new assistant stylist!!!
I asked her to pull together a colour block outfit for us and she did it perfectly. The ocean green and peach work well together don’t you think?
Here’s her take on colour blocking;
“I love mixing and matching brightly hued pieces together into one look. It is a lot of fun, but if not done correctly, the result can be disastrous. Try to stick to just two really strong colors at one time (like electric blue and shocking pink), and only three at the most (in this case, the colors must complement each other and have similar undertones . . . think orange, pink, and yellow . . . these are my favorite colors to color block with, especially in peachy, almost pastel tones). Don’t try to get too experimental . . . it takes away from the overall effect that the color blocking trend sets out to make. You want to be statement-making, not an eyesore. Just pick your favorite color and pair it with something that meshes well, and just go for it. Keep your accessories simple, and leave behind strong patterns and prints when going for this trend. Simplicity is key when you want color to be the subject of attention in your outfit”
may catalog behind the scenes, pt.2
more behind the scenes from our may catalog, shot in hawaii by frédéric lagrange featuring tallulah morton and elsa hosk. i want to dance on the beach barefoot so badly right now!
all behind the scenes photos by thomas northcut.
shop the may catalog online here!
Stone Cold Fox is here
We’re very exciting to be launching the much anticipated Stone Cold Fox Margarita shorts – everyone is bouncing in the office about these beautiful “perfect” summer short made from vintage Mexican blankets.
I like them with a basic tee and biker boot, topped of with a hat, because of their heavy quality they will look great moving into fall also with tights. We are hooked!
Here’s a little bit about the brand.
Stone Cold Fox grew from the creative minds of 24 year old Cydney Morris and Dallas Wand, two childhood friends who combined their knowledge of fashion trends and great silhouettes to create Stone Cold Fox, a clothing, accessory and home ware label that has fashion bloggers and stylish celebrities buzzing with excitement, girls are desperate to own pieces from this exclusive collection.
The beauties are based in California, the brand ethos is quality over quantity and each item is hand made to order. Their vintage boho garments are made from the most luxurious fabrics and attention to detail is their highest priority. We believe you’ll be hearing lots more about the girls and their gorgeous label in the near future… Here’s a little introduction for those of you who haven’t seen already…
We’re addicted, are you?
Margarita shorts beach day scoop neck Anna boot lorimer straw hat
How did you start out?
It started after we both graduated from college. Cydney had Foreign Cinema, our first collection, as her senior project. When we both moved back home, we joined forces. With Cydney’s design skills and Dallas’s marketing tools, it became a great combo for a small company.
What’s your latest collection inspired by?
Our latest collection, Lovely Days, pretty much explains itself. We wanted it to be clothes that you wear on lovely days, or make you think of lovely days. Summer time, hot nights, margaritas, the whole summer in the 70’s vibe. It is just what you want to wear all summer, but it transitions really well into all seasons.
Influences…
We are really influenced by the fabrics we see, places we have traveled and an easy living lifestyle. We want every piece to be easy, comfortable and able to wear in any situation. Whether you’re hanging at home, at lunch or even at an event out.
When you aren’t working what do you enjoy?
We really enjoy the beach, long lunches, playing with our baby pug, Olive. Drinking lots of wine and hitting the flea markets.
What are you currently obsessed with?
Currently, were obsessed with home decorating and furniture. We love decorating our new work space that we moved into about 2 months ago, and finding special pieces to go in it. We are also obsessed with good vintage finds, printed bell bottoms, photography and sangria.
Last movie you watched….
Cyd – a documentary on Rocky Erickson
Dall – Secret Diary of a Call Girl episodes back to back.
My wardrobe consists of….
Cyd- 90% vintage clothes, NO jeans, lots of flowy long dresses and Mexican gear.
Dall- Ripped jean shorts, flowy SCF tanks, printed long skirts and peach blazers.
What are your thoughts on the free people girl?
I think she is just like a Stone Cold Fox girl. Loves to have fun, play with what she wears, a little bit of a hippie chick, and isnt afraid to take risks.
thursday poll – edition 134
i am in love with all of our new patterned and colorful shoes for summer! how could you not be happy with any of these on your feet? i’ve already decided which pair i want :) which ones are your favorite?
the cayman fabric sandal:
handwashed women’s boat shoes:
the teri esp slip on:
or the papi embroidered sandal:
and here are your results from last week’s poll – the majority of you picked the “lou” girl! that one was my fave too :)
office space
spring days at the navy yard :)
DIY Dog Leash
In response to popular demand, I messed around with some scrap fabric this weekend, and came up with this extremely easy to make dog leash!
Cut scrap fabric into about 2.5 inch-wide strips. They should be at least a foot long.
Taking three strands, make a knot about 2 inches from the end.
Make another knot about 10 inches from your first knot
Fold the section between your two knots in half and begin braiding. You’ll want to add the tails left from your first knot into the braid at the beginning so that they don’t stick out.
Add in new strips of fabric as strands are running out. Don’t worry if they stick out a little, it gives the leash a nice hand-made look. If you don’t like the way it looks, you can always trim them down afterward.
Once the leash is your desired length, tie off the end with a hair tie – leaving about 10 inches of excess unbraided fabric at the end. Feed the unbraided strips through the end of a Swivel Eye Bolt Snap Hook (you can get this type of snap anywhere, but I got mine from the home depot)
Tie off the end by making several knots around the hair elastic. You shouldn’t be able to see it once you’re done.
Trim excess fabric
And you’re done!
My dog Abigail definitely approves ;)
and the caravan is on its way…
i’m a huge fan of our vintage loves collection and always love the items our buyer finds…but every once in a while she comes back with a batch that completely blows me away and gypsy caravan is one of them. the items in this collection are so special and amazing i had to share some of my favorites…
this yves saint laurent peasant skirt was pulled from his 1976 “rich peasant collection” – one of his most loved and influential collections that was the first to re-introduce peasant skirts and blouses into the modern fashion world. a huge inspiration for today’s bohemian fashion, it is only fitting for us to have it in our vintage loves collection. the mix of prints in this skirt is gorgeous!
yves saint laurent rich peasant collection
the first thing that caught my eye from this collection were the amazing denim jackets. the hand embroidery and detailing is exquisite – these are definitely the kind of item you purchase and treasure forever!
this one has an exclusive hand-painted floral tapestry motif done by an artist in upstate new york just for our vintage loves collection:
and the fabric sleeves and detailing on this one are so gorgeous! i think its my favorite:
finally, i had to mention these amazing jeans…the fabric at the bottom is, as our buyer says, far out!
now i just need my caravan and i’ll be all set…
floral headpiece how-to
Fashionable Fringe
Fringe has been everywhere lately – it’s definitely a trend we’ve fallen for here at free people. I love how the look can be interpreted differently depending on the garment or material. Sometimes it takes on a light and airy ethereal look, while other times it looks tough and edgy. No matter how it’s used, fringe gives off a great bohemian vibe that I just can’t get enough of.
Here are some of my favorite examples of fringe I’ve collected…
photo by alexandra valenti
photo by alexandra valenti
At Free People we’ve always loved fringe & our collection contains some really great pieces. I’ve had my eye on a few that I want to pick up for spring. Here are three of my favorites:
What do you guys think about fringe? How would you wear it?
All inspiration & magazine photos taken from mariediena (tumblr)
with love in her eyes and flowers in her hair
when i first saw our may catalog photos, my eyes were immediately drawn to the amazing floral headpieces on the models. this type of lei is called a haku lei, and they typically have a base of braided leaves into which other plants and flowers are woven, and are worn on the head or around the wrist or ankle. Read More