Get Hippie: Free People Store Now at the Fashion Mall

Free People’s styling may be reminiscent of the late 1960s, but the boho shop’s love-for-all aura brings the past to the present. That beatnik-cool soundtrack? Coachella, not Woodstock. Those frocks and tunics displayed on hand-sewn cloth hangers? With casual confidence, an undertone of femininity, and prices in the $100 range, they have more in common with Anthropologie (Free People’s older corporate sister) than a secondhand vintage store. And despite the fringed fabrics and Aztec prints, not to mention the nostalgic quilted curtains and patchwork pillows decorating the dressing rooms, the telltale signs of 2013 are obvious. There’s a wall of iPhone cases ($28 to $38; adorned with earthy patterns, of course), and in-house stylists post pictures of trendy outfits and tips to the Indy store’s Instagram account, @freepeopleindianapolis. If you think it’s a trip to travel back in time, Free People will make you look hippie-chic along the way. The Fashion Mall, 569-0348, freepeople.com.

Photo by Tony Valainis

This article appeared in the August 2013 issue.