I am one of those people who never throws things away, I always find some sort of sentimental reason to keep them around. But lately my place has been feeling really cluttered and I find myself craving simplicity… bare wood floors and clean walls, crisp white sheets and minimal clutter. Read More
There’s no question, we love the feather hair clip trend. It’s a great way to add a unique touch to a simple outfit and they are perfect accessories for summer festivals (like Outside Lands this weekend!). Read More
Yesterday I showed you some festival styling ideas that I’m thinking about rocking at Outside Lands 2011, and today it’s time for the ladies who work for our Norcal stores who I’m attending the festival with! Read More
I can’t believe it has already been a year since we launched our Vintage Loves line! But what a year it has been…here’s a look back at some Vintage Loves highlights from its first year at Free People, culminating in a very special birthday celebration :)
And believe me when I say… you ain’t seen nothin’ yet…we have some new vintage items coming in for holiday that will completely blow your mind – I promise!
visit our vintage loves shop.
I am so excited for Outside Lands in San Francisco this weekend!
Festival fashion at Outside Lands differs a little bit from the other summer festivals because of its location. Read More
Jitterbug Perfume: the two key ingredients for making the most intoxicating and powerful perfume in the world are jasmine and beets. I love the way that Tom Robbins describes these two plants in the book as if they have personalities… he has such a magical way with words.
“A few other flowers may be as sweet, but jasmine is sweet without sentiment, sweet without effeteness, sweet without compromise; it is aggressively sweet…Expansive, yet never cloying, romantic, yet seldom melancholy, jasmine has the poise of a wild creature, some elusive self-sufficient thing that croons like an organic saxophone in the tropical night.”
“The beet is the most intense of vegetables. The radish, admittedly, is more feverish, but the fire of the radish is a cold fire, the fire of discontent not of passion. Tomatoes are lusty enough, yet there runs through tomatoes an undercurrent of frivolity. Beets are deadly serious.”
“The beet is the ancient ancestor of the autumn moon, bearded, buried, all but fossilized; the dark green sails of the grounded moon-boat stitched with veins of primordial plasma; the kite string that once connected the moon to the Earth now a muddy whisker drilling desperately for rubies.”
“Although the contention that matter can transcend, at will, its material character would have had Descartes spinning in one or the other of his graves, a person who can believe in physical immorality is merely a step away from believing in dematerialization.”
Let me know how far along in the book you guys are and what you think so far!
click on images for sources.
This recipe idea came to me one day when I was out for drinks with a couple friends sipping on sangria. The restaurant we were at made a carbonated sangria. Sipping it down, I had a stroke of genius right then and there. I wondered what it would be like to use Kombucha instead of whatever club soda/sprite type thing they used (Kombucha is a fermented drink said to bolster immunity and be good for one’s health). So a week later I tried it out. It still had that fruity flavor with a kick of bubbles like the one at the restaurant, and the Kombucha served as a nice contribution to keep it from getting too sweet. It was also extremely easy to make. Needless to say, it’s delicious, and I stand by my statement that the idea was truly a stroke of genius. Let me know if you agree =)
Ingredients:
3 Cups Fruit Juice (I used cranberry/rassberry)
6oz Pineapple Juice
16oz Kombucha
2 Cups red wine or non alcoholic wine
2 Cups Sliced Strawberries
2 Cups Sliced Pineapple
Directions:
Pour it all into a pitcher, mix, and chill!
I am always on the look-out for artists and photographers to post about on the blog, and it was by pure coincidence that I found this one about a week before our August Catalog dropped. Robert Crum is a fine art photographer, and his images of Venice blew me away. They almost look like paintings – I expected the rich color and scenery to be idealized on a canvas, but no…they are photographs, and these are typical scenes that you can expect to see in Venice. Stunning.
See more on his etsy site.
Meet this week’s style file girl – the visual merchandising assistant at the Free People home offices. She is one of the sweetest most humble people, and when you visit her desk you’re sure to get licked up and down by her friendly (canine) partner in crime, Dill. I was drawn to her style because of the perfect blend of classic elements and rocker edge that she seems to have mastered. You can almost bet she’ll have on at least one piece that you want to rip off of her for yourself – namely, the abundance of statement necklaces, hair pieces, and perfect tees that she has collected over the years. Another thing I love about her style is the hair. She has mastered the art of hair pinning for awesome intricate up-dos, and has tons of neat head bands, scarves, turbans, and hats that she works in. Maybe it’s her easy personality that makes it all look so effortless, but she sure knows how to top off a look achieving great results.
Her styling skills don’t just keep her looking like perfection each day, but they also keep our stores looking like perfection. In her job as a visual merchandiser, she styles mannequins with outfit ideas and comes up with merchandising concepts and color stories for our stores. Another cool part of her job involves selecting all of the music to be played in Free People stores. Every other Friday she and the visual team go through their new selections and choose their favorites. After all the ideas have been developed she maintains communication with store contacts, so they are well aware of the big ideas and everything going on.
Our talented producer has put together a beautiful Guide to Venice to share with you all, with tips on where to eat, where to stay and things to do while in Venice – with some Free People fun thrown in for good measure :) Read on for Part One of Free People’s Guide to Venice!
~*~
The Free People team has just returned from a trip to Italy, Venice to be exact, and what an amazing trip it was! It was my 3rd time to the beautiful country known for its pasta, wine and enthusiastic, fun-loving people and the 3rd time was certainly a charm.
Venice. Despite the fact that I was there for work and our hours were long, I feel like I really got to see the best of the best. We ate the most amazing food, found some magical local drinking spots, and spent many late nights lost in Venice’s streets – as every good traveler should.
Here are some of my favorites … some places and things that I hope everyone can enjoy at some point in their lives.
It’s never a quick exit for our catalog team when embarking on a new shoot. There are months of prep that go into one catalog at a time and since we shoot 12 catalogs every year there are often 3 to 5 shoots in the making at one time! We never stop emailing, calling and texting about work until we are finally on the plane! Here is a quick peek at our morning before a flight … packing samples, making last minute calls, and finally at the airport and checked in we take a seat and talk about the week to come. Here is our art director, stylist and me on our way to Venice!
striped shirt, two tees, two tanks, leopard print scarf, maxi skirt, high waisted jeans, blouse, leather jacket, flats, hats, high waisted shorts, wayfarer sunglasses.
Venice appears to have hotels on every canal corner, but finding one that is reasonably priced, with large rooms is far less obvious. We found exactly what we were looking for at Ca Pisani. With a friendly staff, large clean rooms, and an amazing full breakfast included we couldn’t have asked for anything more. Located in the Dorsoduro section of the island, we were close to the Grand Canal, the Academia Art Gallery and at a perfect distance from the bustle of Piazza Margarita, The Rialto and the heart of Venice.
Oh… and they leave the best candies on your pillow at night!
The Hotel Danieli is known to be one of the most decadent hotels in the world. Its guest book includes a plethora of royalty and Hollywood icons from the past and present, and it has graced many films such as “The Tourist” and the classic James Bond film “Moonraker”.
On our scout day we were lucky enough to peek inside. They even gave us a tour of the Master Suite! … What I would give to be able to call that home for the night.
Dating back to the 14th century, the interior is breathtaking and intriguing … it tells a story of the decadent golden years of the floating city, of doges and Italian royalty. simply standing in its hallways made me want to put on heels, do my hair, put on some red lipstick and sip cocktails on the rooftop patio that overlooks the grand canal and San Marco square. Alas … it’s back to work for the fp crew!
The first time I visited Venice was with my family when I was young. Sadly, a huge part of what I remember is feeding the pigeons in Piazza San Marco! This time I took a moment to notice the magnitude of the architecture. Parts of this square date back to the 800’s! So, so incredible.
Just a heads up: you can no longer feed the pigeons :(
We got a handy tip from a local Venetian today and i wanted to share it with you all! As you learn quickly in Venice, getting from point A to point B may not be as easy as it looks on a map. Often times, right when you think you have finally maneuvered your way over bridges and through piazza’s there is a beautiful deep blue canal standing between you and your final destination.
A tip to remember is if all you need to do is go from one side of a canal to the other, it is common for gondoliers to take you for mere pennies opposed to the hundreds of dollars that a gondola ride usually costs you… the catch is that it is standing room only! But considering that the ride is only about a minute and it could possibly save you an hour of walking, it is a tip totally worth remembering.
Look for a line of locals at gondola stops … they are most likely hitching a ride as well!
Masks are everywhere in Venice, and are a very important part of the Venetian culture. Carnival is a festival that was originally intended to be a time of expression and celebration throughout all social classes of the time. What a beautiful idea! I love that anyone and everyone become equal when behind one of the many intricate and delicate masks. We stumbled across Ca’del Sol while shooting one day behind San Marco. The women that ran it were so kind and let us shoot in their store. We all fell in love with their masks that covered every inch of every wall … even the ceiling! It’s a breathtaking sight! And the perfect gift to bring home from Venice.
The many faces of Free People! While working on location on the 3rd day I decided to document the Free People crew Venetian style! What a good looking group! And what an amazing team <3
~*~
Part Two of Free People’s Guide to Venice will be posted next week!
*Photos in pages “Arrivederci,” “Welcome to Venice,” “Ca Pisani,” “Hotel Danieli” and “italian lovers” are by Thomas Northcut.
Wearing prints can take a certain amount of confidence and skill. Knowing what to pair them with and how to place them on your body takes a good eye. I love getting inspiration from the other ladies around the office who have gotten the trick down. So whether it’s floral, plaid, paisley, or cheetah and whether it’s all over or a strategic print pop, these ladies can show you how it’s done.
