In 1970, a storefront in West Philadelphia opened its doors and sold plants, records and a few pieces of clothing. That was the first Free People, started by Richard Hayne, and the company says it was revived as a wholesale label in 1984. A first shop in Paramus, New Jersey followed in 2002, and freepeople.com arrived in 2004.

I get why Free People dupes are a thing people hunt for in October. The label describes its girl as "as feminine as she is edgy," and the clothes follow: oversized waffle thermals, tiered dresses, barrel pants, one-piece onesies, big cozy knits. The Strategist notes that many We The Free styles sell out quickly and some last one season. This edit is pieces from other labels that share the same defining details, nothing more, and none of them borrow a name or a logo.

Start with the thermal, because it is the easiest one to get right this month. The Thermal Crewneck Sweater from DONNI in espresso has the drop shoulders and waffle texture, and I would wear it under a denim jacket with a plain skirt. The Deni henley from EDIKTED in pale yellow adds a button placket and a cropped, boxy hem. For a color with some cheer, Daily Drills makes its thermal in butter yellow with contrast trim, and the Superyumm top from Free City comes in chocolate with contrast stitching.

When the weather turns warm again, the slouchy tees take over. Good American's Oversized Tee in sage stripe, the Liam from Reformation in black and the SLVRLAKE tee in white all share a drop shoulder and a boxy body. PISTOLA's Reena adds long sleeves in a navy stripe. My test is simple: pinch the shoulder seam, and if it sits well down the upper arm, the slouch is built in and not just a size up.

Tiered dresses live or die by the tiers themselves. Look at where each seam sits and how much fabric is gathered in it, because a skirt with too little gather hangs flat and one with too much swallows a frame. Free People built much of its reputation on this loose, romantic shape, and here the same idea comes from other labels.

The Estella Maxi from Curaae by Elliatt is chambray and cream with lace and tiered ruffle layers on thin straps, and I would wear it with a denim jacket and boots now that October has arrived. Line & Dot's Cari Halter in kelly green has layered ruffle tiers and a flowy skirt. The Ana from RAILS is a black and cream knit with a sleeveless fitted bodice, which makes it the one that works under a long coat. Seven Wonders' Keily is a soft yellow cami maxi with a flowing tiered skirt.

For minis, Cleobella's Meadow in berry has blouson sleeves and a tie waist, and Moon River's sleeveless layered ruffle mini in cream stacks lace and ruffles. The Miriam from ALICE + OLIVIA is a floral toile with a sweetheart neckline and a drop-waist tiered skirt. Bell's Clara has puff sleeves and a green block print.

At the fitting room, lift the hem and look inside. A lining or a slip layer matters in a pale ruffle dress, and a hem that moves when you walk tells you the tiers have real width. What I would skip: a maxi that pools on the floor if you plan to walk in it, because a tiered hem catches on every stair.

Free People's best known pair of pants is a barrel jean, and Glamour's denim edit calls the Good Luck the crown jewel, with an editor praising the baggy shape, the tapered ankle and the mid-rise. The shape matters more than the label. Glamour describes the cut as a wide-leg that flares at the thighs and tapers at the ankles, and Elle puts it as straight through the inner leg and curved on the outer. These pants share that curve or the soft parachute leg, in softer fabrics.

The parachute pants first. DUNST's pair in khaki has a drawstring waist and a relaxed leg, and the James Perse pair in salt gray uses poplin with an elastic waist. Juliet Johnstone's cotton pair in cream has embroidered florals, and Jaded London's oil wash pair has cargo pockets and drawstring hems.

Then the barrels. The Villa from DAZE in white has a drawstring waist and seam detail, and Marine Layer's Jessie in brown is a pull-on with a curved leg. MOUSSY VINTAGE's Corlears turns the barrel into cargo pants with utility pockets. Varley's Extra Wide Leg in butter yellow is the straight cousin, a pull-on with a soft elastic waist.

My fitting-room test is to stand sideways in the mirror. A true barrel curves out at the thigh and back in at the hem, and one editor notes the silhouette should stop around the ankle. A drawstring waist helps with fit, and the fabric should hold the curve without sagging.

What I would skip: a barrel that is too long, because it stacks on the shoe and the curve disappears.

One-piece onesies, matching sets and soft leggings are the quiet half of the Free People story. Women's Health UK called the FP Movement Runsie an all-in-one of a racerback tank fused with split shorts, and described it as encapsulating the easy, breezy Free People style. The idea is a single piece that looks put together with no effort. These are the other labels that make that shape.

The onesies come first. The Onesie from 437 in black cream has thin straps and a scoop neck, and the same label's Shorts Onesie in parfait creme is a soft pink with wide straps. YEAR OF OURS makes the Ribbed Johanna in cherry, a biker-short onesie, and Astoria's pink cream version has contrast trim. Beyond Yoga's Keep Pace Biker Romper in iced mocha heather has a square neck and spacedye fabric.

Then the sets. HONEYDEW's Sun Lover Lounge Set is brushed jersey in black with white hearts, a top and jogger pants for lazy mornings. For leggings, Beyond Yoga's Caught In The Midi in cobalt is high-waisted spacedye, and Splits59's Bailey in black is a ribbed 7/8 legging with a striped waistband.

In the fitting room, do a deep squat and a forward fold, then check the seams and the straps. A scoop neck should stay put, and the leg opening should not roll. What I would skip: a pale onesie with thin fabric if you will wear it without layers, because it shows everything under bright light.

Thick knits are meant to hold their own shape, and Harper's Bazaar makes the point that with thick knits, they keep structure, even with a loose fit. That is the test for every cardigan in this edit: a slouchy shape that still looks like it was designed. Free People has long built its autumn on this kind of oversized, cozy knit.

Start from the chunkiest. The Spencer from Baltic Børn is an oatmeal cardigan with a cable knit, pockets and balloon sleeves. EDIKTED's Braiden in light gray is an open cable cardigan with an oversized fit, and 525 America's Celeste in carob brown has pockets and a button front. SNDYS makes the Essie in mushroom, a long ribbed open cardigan with dropped shoulders, and Velvet by Graham & Spencer's Terrah in putty is the cropped one with a boxy shape.

For winter, the Nico from Alex Mill in navy has contrast trim and a button front, and House of Sunny's Cable Peggy in brown has faux fur trim at the neck and cuffs. Good American's Chunky Knit Sweater in taupe has bell sleeves and a cropped shape, and it sits well over a long skirt.

Hold a knit up to the light and check how tightly the stitches sit, then pull a sleeve gently and see if it springs back. Look at the cuffs and hem, because ribbing that stays crisp keeps the shape. What I would skip: a long cardigan with no pockets if you carry a phone all day, since the pockets are half the point.

I would pick by the one detail that makes each look. For the thermal it is the waffle texture, for the dress it is the tiers, for the pants it is the curve, for the onesie it is the clean scoop neck and for the knit it is the structure of the stitch. Buy for that and ignore the rest.

If I were building one outfit for a weekend in October, it would be the thermal under the cardigan, a barrel pant and boots. A tiered mini goes on top of tights when the weather turns.

A shop that sold plants and records in 1970 taught a generation what boho looks like, and these pieces simply carry the same idea into other closets.