LIKE IT WAS YESTERDAY

Love Letters To FP

By: Jules Boyd

Taking a walk down FP’s memory lane…

Do you remember your first ever Free People purchase? Because we do.

Let’s face it: once a Free People lover, always a Free People lover. The hand touched designs, unique silhouettes, intimate shopping experience…the list goes on. In the spirit of Valentine’s Day and our iconic Love Shop, we’ve decided to pay homage to those first pieces that caught our eye, stole our hearts, and kept us coming back to the brand.

We’ve asked a few FP employees what their first, favorite, or most memorable FP purchases were, and why.

MY GO-TO OCCASION DRESS

“My MOST memorable and one of my first FP purchases is this dress my mom got me for my high school graduation. I literally begged my mom for this dress and promised her I would wear it more than once because of how expensive it was for me back then! I wore it for my high school graduation, for my sorority recruitment in college, and for my childhood best friend’s brother’s wedding. Got some great use out of it over the years! I think if this dress hit the stores again, it’d definitely be a top seller. It's so crazy for this dress to come full circle!”
– Kory, Producer

“I still have it because it’s in great condition and so beautiful.” – Kory, Producer

MY “MAIN CHARACTER ENERGY” BOOSTER

“I remember it like it was yesterday. 2013. I was walking in the mall with my mom looking for the perfect dress for my 8th grade dance. Finally, we came upon Free People, with its beautiful wrought iron windows and vintage bike with a basket that looked like it belonged in the streets of Amsterdam.

Free People was THE place to shop. If you wanted to give “main character energy” in 2013, wearing Free People was the place to start. Up until then, I’d never fit into anything at Free People. But of course, my body just glided into the store with no thought.

There it was in front of me, almost shining (No seriously…it was shining). I HAD to have it; it was THE dress for my dance. I found myself behind one of the colorful quilted curtain-adorned fitting rooms, flinging off my jeans and t-shirt I couldn’t get this dress on me quick enough. I zipped it up…not too loose…not too tight! “No way this dress fits,” I thought. I turned and looked in the mirror and suddenly, I saw myself differently.

I wasn’t the short girl who didn’t fit into anything but Justice and Limited Too anymore…I was me. I was finally the IT girl, I felt like a main character, but I also felt like myself. The confidence that swarmed over me was a feeling I’ll never forget. The dress came home with me that day in one of the so chic and so cool reusable bags. I wore that dress until the straps started to fray and the hem became dangerously short.”
– Lauren, Office Coordinator

MY PERFECTLY IMPERFECT ESSENTIAL

“Nearing my 20-year anniversary with the brand, it's likely not surprising how much wonder and awe I feel in being privy to its remarkable growth. As a young’un immersed in many parts of our then-oh-so-intimate operations, I was fortunate to befriend many people who, even today, are vital to creating and evolving Free People's aesthetics. One such person was Merrie, who was then a sweater designer and who now designs and curates our FP One collection among MANY other things. Merrie's styles (and vibrant personality) created a kind of hallmark for us — tastefully embellished with a sort of quirk that equated to genuine cool. I wore a lot more color back then, but while working in our NY showroom one day (likely adding more gauze to its textured walls), I was stopped by a very unassuming sweater. A cardigan. With a double-zip closure. It was navy blue, tight-knit, and boasted a woven striped shirting lining. When zipped fully up, the cardigan's high ribbed color offered me a functionality (warmth!) that many of my existing sweaters could not. But what was it that “got me?” The hand-sewn navy elbow patches on the back of each arm. Whipstitched with yellow and light blue thread. It was just the right amount of "this is perfectly imperfect" to complement my taste. I can't say I know what happened to that cardigan, unfortunately...it may have been donated or lost in a move, and my incessant outfitting with this sweater occurred pre-social media...but I think about it often and feel especially lucky for my lasting connection to its creator.”
– Carrie, Editorial Director

MY FIRST AND FOREVER FAVORITE

“My first Free People purchase is something I keep in my normal wardrobe rotation to this day — The Storyteller Skirt. I remember it was on clearance at Nordstrom Rack when I was a junior in high school, and I debated whether or not to use some of my waitressing money for it. After walking around the store with it in my hands for about 45 minutes, I decided to just check out because I had to have this skirt. I wasn’t a huge FP shopper at the time, mainly because I wore a uniform to both school and work, but I remember seeing the iconic copper tag and wanting to own something from the brand so badly. Now, nearly 9 years later, that skirt is in perfect condition — I even brought it with me on a trip to Italy last fall. There’s something to say about the lasting quality of Free People’s clothes, the timeless designs, and bespoke touches. I truly don’t think I’ll ever part with it!”
– Jules, Copywriter