Free People HQ

I had the HUGE honor of visiting URBN Inc. headquarters in Philadelphia last week to interview with the Free People brand. It was a quick 48 hour trip, jam packed with long flights, meet-n-greets, tours and interviews. I even had the pleasure of meeting the FP president, who was just so sweet and graceful. Everyone I talked to made me feel right at home, which eased my nerves.

I wish I had the chance to take pictures of the inside of the buildings, they were a dream - lush greenery, colorful decor (all hand made), cozy couches, vintage accents, hard wood floors and paneling, mood boards and of course tons and tons of gorgeous fabric and clothes.

URBN Inc. is an umbrella company, owning Urban Outfitters, Anthropologie, Free People, BHLDN and Terrain. HQ is located in the scenic old Naval Yard on Philly waters. There are huge lawns surrounding the URBN brick buildings where you'll find employees and their faithful pet companions. One of the buildings includes a full cafeteria (looked like awesome eats, had I not been too nervous to have breakfast), gym and day care center. The whole scene is almost like a university campus, but with older, more beautifully, well dressed people.

This is the out of the FP building... massive.

The view from on of the docks on the Naval Yard. These ships are unreal, now I know how Rose felt on Titanic. ;-)

FP didn't have a store in it's home town til about two months ago, which I thought was interesting. The number of FP retail stores has almost tripled in the past two years.

Walking the streets of Center City in Philly. I didn't land til late. This was taken around 11pm on a Wednesday night.

Another view from the docks of the Naval Yard.

This is a better look at the URBN "campus." All of the buildings in view are URBN owned.

A dinner recommendation from an FP recruiter - Amis. I ordered a big glass of wine and a spicy pasta. SO GOOD.

This was actual my favorite picture from the trip, which coincidentally had absolutely nothing to do with Free People. Oh well. I call it "The 'Phil'ly Harmonic" - a window display for what I'm guessing is a music studio.

All of the great retail brand shopping can be done on Walnut St. in Center City. My hotel was around the corner.

My interview feet.

Each building is labeled with these "shield" signs. The Free People building is 25, which is where the FP blog title came BLDG 25.

Drag Queen BINGO

Apparently, drag queen BINGO is a "thing" every Wednesday at Hamburger Mary's in WEHO ... the place was packed last night (we will be reserving a table next time). Mary's was bustling with people of every color, with their BINGO cards in hand...and I LOVED it. Newcomers, regulars, bachelorette parties and birthday boys and girls united for a night of fish bowl margaritas and auctioning. You couldn't help but have a good time. We had beginners luck at Mary's and won a swag bag full of goodies like gift cards to Birds on Franklin Blvd, Jamba Juices, and Coldstone's Creamery, a bottle of Prosecco (which we popped and poured straight into our empty margarita fish bowls... classy, I know.), tickets to a comedy show, thank you notes and other oddities. By the end of the night we were chanting "It's On" every time we were one spot away from winning! Each BINGO game was played with a theme - get an "X" for "I hate my "X" and other totally inappropriate shapes. So clever and fun. Tickets are $20 for a huge stack of BIGNO cards (you don't have to play). I recommend buying fish bowls for groups... its cheaper!

Ashley claiming the prize!

After winning the rest of the bar and players pelt you their lost BINGO papers. Its tradition.

Ashley and I enjoying fish bowl margis!

Ashley and Alyssa!

Our swag bag for winning BINGO!

The life of a '90s girl post graduation

As of late the spike in '90s swag via social media platforms, alongside the posts and status updates about finals, graduation, etc. has me feeling oober nostalgic - "EW, GAG ME WITH A SPOON " - (you know you said it too!).

CZECH out my personal fave homages to the 90's: 285 Reasons Why Being a '90s Rocked Our Jellies Off and What If 'The Facebook' Was Invented in the '90s?

It has been one and a half years since I've technically been done with college, and one year since I walked the Mount Clef football field for the CLU commencement ceremony (which has already been replaced by a much cooler, modern and beast of a football stadium... figures).  I hate to be cliche' but time is flying.

With my generation being on the forefront of social media and on the cusp of career professionalism, people kept telling me "You have it so easy with the Internet" and "The recession isn't that real. It'll be over soon so go get a job." Let me be frank here and say that I was NEVER unemployed. I worked two jobs upon graduation. Unemployment wasn't an option for me. To the twentysomethings with a college degree that can't find a job..."Get off of your hipster jeans and find one!" Seriously, the excuses nauseate me. I digress...

Here is my homage to the '90s girls and boys who are graduating (or have recently): Five '90s Trends That Are Back in Action and Five Ways to Cope With Postpartum Graduation.

Five Ways to Cope With Postpartum Graduation

1. Find a hobby: From crafting, to blogging, to community service, you'll need to find something to fill the free time. In college, I was more busy and stressed than I've ever been in my life and then after graduation I had a job and, well, that was it. I turned to blogging, reading the books I didn't have time to read in college and exercising (something that my college self would find hysterical). Do something for yourself, or else you'll go crazy. It'll teach you a different kind of responsibility and time management. In college I didn't know the meaning of the words "alone time." I was constantly surrounded by friends, boyfriend, class, parties, the school paper and dance team that loneliness wasn't in my regimen. Post school I had to LEARN to be alone... a very odd concept.  I'm still learning how to master this.

2. The job hunt is forever: Even if you're hired and comfortable don't be scared to put yourself out there and network. Building contacts for yourself is never a bad idea. It is said that our generation will change careers 3-6 times in our lifetime. The sky is the limit!

3. Make new friends: This can be so hard for us Gen Yer's. We tend to be attached the groups we formed in high school and college, but guess what... there are crap load of more interesting people out there. If a coworker invites you out with some friends, GO! Don't be a Bubble Boy!

4. Move out: Even if you have to live on Ramen and Kraft and sleep on a futon, you gotta move out within the first 6 months to a year of graduation. While Mom and Dad's might be cozy at first - laundry done for you, home cooking, no rent - it will truly inhibit you as an adult and recent college grad. My parents are the epitome of helicopter parents. My mom just offered to go with me to a job interview in Philadelphia... BARF.  This is NOT allowed. Step away from the womb and get your own place. No one likes a young professional who struggles with the failure to launch. Total turn off. Oh, and number 3 (above) is a million times more difficult when you live at home.

5. Love your parents again: While it is important to move out and establish your self independently by ripping off the Band-Aid that is "Mom and Dad," it is just as important to maintain an adult relationship with your parents. Make up for lost time, and make an effort to spend time with them and tell them that you love them. I have found that in the last few years my parents have, in fact, become much cooler and way easier to talk too as I've gotten older. My step-dad just got a Jeep Wrangler and my mom is wearing Lacoste to her golfing lessons. (Damn, I need to retire.) They have put up with a big heaping pile of bull shit with you. They deserve this.

Five '90s Trends That Are Back in Action

1. Denim 

Then... 

Beverly Hills 90210 - a time will never forget and whole lot of Levi's denim!

Kelly Kapowski - Demin crop top and floral jeans.. doesn't get much hotter.

 Now...

Free People Embroidered Denim Button Down Dress

Denim overalls... Gasp!

Free People Denim Vest and Pleather Shorties

2. Grunge/ Being a "hooligan" 

Then...

I know this looks like Hansen, but its totally not.

I'm pretty sure this is Naomi Campbell in the '90s! Ps Goth lips are totally back.

Wouldn't be the '90s without these guys.

Now...

Doc Martins are totally back... still not sure if I could rep them though.

I couldn't leave out the Olsen's in a '90s post... they are STILL killin' it in the fashion world. Here MKO is rockin' '90s plaid.

3. Vampires

Then...

Yea. She was awesome.

Had to... Team Edward!

4. Braids

Then...

Brandi... forgot about this girl!

Xtina in her hay day!

OMG my beloved JT not looking his best, but workin' some '90s cornrows fo sho. Still holding out for this guy, even throughout his engagement to Jessica Biel (bitch).

Now...

Waterfall braid

Fish tail with pastel highlights

Pigtail and accent braid adorned with fabrics.

5. DIY: Arts and Crafts

Then....

Bedazzler Commercial <iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/amicrtFYgVQ" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

DIY friendship bracelets

Hours of pointless fun.

Now...

Statement nails

Dying fabrics at home.

 

Riot Girls V Mag

I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this funny feature in V Magazine w/ today's "Riot Girls." The styling is absolutely ingenious and well, for lack of a better word, "riotous." Rashida is my ultimate fave, funny, smart and hot! Anna and her styling team came in second... so freakin' funny.

Rashida Jones - Dress Bottega Veneta
Top Hussein Chalayan
Hat vintage

Anna Faris - Dress Isabel Marant
Earrings and necklace Fragments
Cuff Tom Binns
Ring Faris’s own

A birthday tribute to style icon: Audrey Hepburn

Happy Birthday to the embodiment of grace, poise and Hollywood glamour... Audrey Hepburn. Audrey is one of those "If you had a time machine, who would you like to meet?" people to me. To this day women are still are empowered by the elegant air she she left behind. Though very petite in frame and stature she had a big impact on fashion (dubbing the ever-significant, "Little Black Dress," a statement and must-have for all women), film (I watch her movies every time I want to escape), dance (she was a ballerina too!) and philanthropy (she was a goodwill ambassador for UNICEF). Cheers to Audrey and all the women making an effort to better things bigger than themselves!

"I love people who make me laugh. I honestly think it's the thing I like most, to laugh. It cures a multitude of ills. It's probably the most important thing in a person."