I was in middle school during Tumblr’s prime era of influence. It was a simpler time, listening to Urban Outfitters records on an Urban Outfitters turntable and aspiring to be the most aesthetically pleasing version of yourself. We lived for artsy Instagram posts wearing chevron necklaces, reblogging edits of Baz Luhrmann’s The Great Gatsby, and pairing hi-low skirts with Doc Martens. I still have vivid nightmares of black-and-white angsty Tumblr posts captioned with Lorde lyrics.
But, like any social media platform, there were different sides to Tumblr. There was the famed aesthetic side, ruled by angst and filters, but there was also the side ruled by fandoms.
Let me take you way back to 2014 when 5 Seconds of Summer was opening for the hit boy band, One Direction. Your go-to outfit was Converse (or Keds, thanks to Taylor Swift), skinny jeans, and an “I <3 British Boys (and one Irish!)” shirt. The vibe was an inscrutable mix of bohemian, preppy, and a little grunge. Times may have been simpler, but they weren’t more stylish.
But just like the angsty side of Tumblr, this side also considered Urban Outfitters and Free People their fashion meccas. Pretty much all sides of Tumblr were united by their devotion to these two stores. Urban had the band tees and vinyls, Free People had the free-spirited, whimsical pieces that emulated the Lana Del Rey vibe.
And while I’ve grown out of a few of these habits (re: hi-low skirts, chevron), some things never change. I still listen to One Direction as my guilty pleasure (I’m no longer a Louis girl), and I still shop at Free People.
What I love about Free People is that they create an idyllic fashion world of exciting prints, fabrics, and styles. Their clothing is versatile — good for date nights, work days, brunches, lounging, and working out. They’ve grown up with me, and their fashion is always precisely on-trend. They’ve also taught me that you can’t put a price on high-quality clothing.
In the world of Girl Math, Free People gets you the best bang for your buck. I still have FP tank tops and jeans from middle school that have years left of wear. Their clothes even start trends of their own. For example, actress and model Kaia Gerber genuinely The Quilted Dolman Jacket in every color. And the Freya Set has been heavily duped across the fashion market.
While Free People is iconic for the bohemian in you, it’s also famous due to the amount of celebrities who wear it. And these aren’t just brand deals. Celebs, they’re just like us: obsessed with the brand that keeps on giving.
Taylor Swift In Free People
I went to a Free People event last month where they celebrated their winter boot collaboration with Sorel Footwear. They were gushing about how much Swift loved Free People, saying that whenever she goes on vacation, she shops there.
And they’re not lying, thanks to the thousands of Instagram accounts dedicated to what Taylor is wearing in every public appearance. A ton of her clothes are indeed affordable Free People options, which makes her style pretty easy to replicate!
Lately, we’ve been seeing more of Taylor since she’s extremely busy touring the world, dating NFL star Travis Kelce, re-recording her albums, and traversing around New York with her girl gang. This means we’ve gotten to see her in her Free People era and all its glory. Here are some of the best FP moments from Taylor herself:
Melanie Tank
We The Free Emmy Denim Skort
The Heartbreaker Skort
Quilted Dolman Jacket
Daydreamer Shania Twain Tee
