we have some really amazing comfy pieces right now that are great for layering or throwing on on days when you just want to be relaxed. i just got the with ease slubby tee and it is amazing – which one do you guys like best?
the bonita rib tee:
the varsity pullover:
the with ease slubby tee:
the iro janice knit pant:
or jill’s day dress:
last week’s october lookbook poll was very close between outfits one and two, but outfit two took it with 25% :)
so a couple of you have asked us how we get our models’ hair so relaxed, wavy and perfect… which is a great question. so i asked our hair/makeup artist deanna and here is her method! i tried it out myself and it works wonderfully…
first, slightly dampen hair with a styling spray – she uses bumble and bumble.
next, separate the hair into two pieces down the center. then separate those two into two. start with 2 strands, either the left side or the right of head, and twist the hair away from the face. then take the 2 twisted strands and twist them together. secure on top of head with a hair clip.
allow time to dry, then remove clips and shake out hair.
and that’s it!
my boss has a sweater with patches on the elbows and i always thought it was the cutest thing. then i saw this photo a couple of weeks ago and a light bulb went on. this is an easy project!
what you need:
a sweatshirt or sweater that you don’t mind experimenting with…
fabric, needle & thread, scissors, safety pins, and something about the size that you want the patches to be. our visual display team let me use this scrap of pretty fabric, and i happened to have this free people sticker at my desk that was just the right size for the patches!
first i used a sharpie to trace around the edges of the sticker on the fabric, and then cut out the patches being careful to cut right inside the marker line.
next i pinned the patches onto the elbows of the sweater and tried it on to make sure they were placed where i wanted them to be. keep the safety pins in as you start sewing so the patches don’t move.
i sewed them on by hand yesterday at work and it only took about an hour – i think sewing while listening to music has got to be one of the most relaxing things ever :)
and voila… cute elbow patches that breathe new life into a plain old sweater!
time to get to know our second october catalog model, georgia larsen!
What is your theme song?
At the moment it’s Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zero’s – 40 day dream. It instantly makes me feel on top of the world.
If you could go anywhere in the world, free of cost, where would you go?
I’d love to go to India as I’ve heard it’s a really life changing experience. I’d make sure I picked up some Indian jewelery too!
If you were stranded on an island, what three things would you want with you?
A computer (I’m addicted to the Internet), my dog Dora and a huge set of speakers so I could dance to incredibly loud music.
in philly for the free people shoot this past july.
How would you describe your personal style? What are your favorite items from free people right now?
I’ve always been pretty bohemian – I love messy hair and clothes that look a bit disheveled. I think my favourite look is to mix something pretty with something grungy. I’m totally obsessed with Free People shoes, especially the Doub studded clogs and the sling back wood platforms. I’m also in love with the Fields of Lace dress.
from her blog, dora’s fur.
What is your biggest fear?
My biggest fear is boredom – I always need to be on an adventure or doing something that makes me feel inspired.
Winter, spring, summer or fall?
It’s got to be spring. In England, we don’t really get good summers but our spring is beautiful. I love how hopeful and excited people feel in spring as the winter is finally ending and the flowers begin to peek.
What color are you?
Coral. I don’t know why, but I always feel attracted to warm colours. Whenever I see something coral I have to stop and look.
What is your motto?
I know it’s so cliché, but I’ve never found a motto to be as true as “what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger”. The more experiences I gain, good or bad, the easier things get.
What is your favorite hobby?
I’ve got so many it’s hard to pick one. Traveling is pretty high up there, I’m fascinated by other cultures and addicted to the excitement of it.
If you could spend a day with anyone – dead or alive – who would it be?
Probably Devendra Banhart – he looks like he’d be a lot of fun. I love how undeniably eccentric and original he is.
What’s the last album you bought? What else is on your ipod right now?
The last album I bought was by Natty – he’s a British reggae musician. At the moment my ipod is full of the Black Keys, Dan Auerbach, Kings of Leon and a lot of hip hop.
What is your dream job?
For a while now I’ve been hoping to get into fashion buying. Anything that involves trend prediction, research and travel always gets me excited.
What inspired you to start a blog?
Initially my friend Jemma inspired me to start a blog as I was fascinated by her blog, Frontier Magic. I had a desperate need for a creative outlet, and a blog just seemed the perfect solution for that.
What influences your style?
Sometimes I don’t know what influences my style – I just find myself being naturally drawn towards certain looks. But I think the blogging world has had a massive effect on my style as I can easily spend hours looking at blogs. I find them far more interesting than fashion magazines.
How would you define your signature look?
It’s usually a vintage dress teamed with some ankle cowboy boots and socks. I’m also pretty addicted to denim cut offs…
from her blog, dora’s fur.
What designers are you inspired by?
I’m obsessed with anything by Miu Miu. They do the most incredible accessories and print designs. I’m also a fan of Chloe, Alexander Wang, Charlotte Ronson and Christopher Kane.
What’s your most memorable experience whilst blogging?
It’s got to be doing the photoshoot for Free People!
How was your free people experience?
Incredible. The team who work for Free People are some of the loveliest, most creative people I have ever met. I feel such a connection with the brand and I couldn’t have asked for a better experience.
check out georgia’s blog, dora’s fur, and view our october catalog right here!
“two is one”
“feeling good”
“land of milk and honey”
“united we stand”
“family tree”
“peace brother”
“come together”
it’s amazing how a few simple lines can say so much.
apologies for the graininess of these photos… my camera is having a bad day.
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 :)
view the catalog online here.
jessica mau in our studio this week… simply stunning.
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 three:
outfit four:
outfit five:
outfit six:
outfit seven:
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%.
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!
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.
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.
step 4: pull the small piece of hair that you selected through the loop.
step 5: move the bead up the fishing line and onto the piece of hair.
step 6: pull the hair through the bead completely, and make sure it stays about an inch from the scalp.
step 7: take your cluster of feathers, and make sure every feather makes it into the bead!
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.
step 9: take pliers and squeeze the bead until it is completely closed.
VOILA!!! you have beautiful feathers in your hair!!
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:
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.
four lovely ladies looking very “lou” in the home office last week!