What is Boho Style?
Boho style – short for Bohemian – depicts a unique way of dressing, blending aesthetics and patterns from the free-spirited beatnik and hippie subgroups of the 1960s and the Victorian era.
Comprised of distressed clothes of indigenous and ethnic patterns in earthy colors, the Boho fashion style attire aims to embody social non-conformity and artistic creativity.
The Boho style incorporates textured materials like fringes, crochet, and lace layers of clothing, jewelry, and accessories made from recycled, handmade, or vintage materials.
In the early 2000s, the modern boho-chic fashion style variations became famous, thanks to celebrities like Sienna Miller, Kate Moss, and the Olsen twins.
What is the History of Boho Style?
The Boho fashion style originates from the bohemian subculture of the 19th century.
Bohemianism was a counter-cultural movement adopted by artists, writers, and intellectuals who valued creativity and rejected bourgeois values, even at the cost of voluntary poverty.
The Bohemians rebelled against the rigid societal norms of the Victorian era and expressed non-conformity through clothing.
In the 1960s and 1970s, the hippie movement added stylistic elements to Bohemian fashion, such as ethnic patterns, beads, sandals, and headbands.
As a result, the modern Boho style retains the free-spirited ethos while blending in diverse aesthetic elements and unconventional outfits encompassing several cultures worldwide into new types of boho styles and substyles.
What Are the Main Clothes and Accessories in Boho Fashion Style?
1. Maxi Dresses
Flowy dresses depicting classic bohemian aesthetics like bell sleeves, paisley, and floral patterns.
Combine with strappy sandals (in the summer) or ankle boots (in the winter), and layer them with a chunky knitted cardigan in ethnic patterns in the evening.
2. Maxi Skirts
Gypsy-style maxi skirts from natural materials like cotton and linen and in earthy colors.
Combine with sandals or hippie-style footwear and accessories.
3. Crochets
Combine crochets with knitted cardigans in cool evenings, over a top, or a swimsuit in not-very-warm summers.
Match them with frayed leather bags.
4. Harem Pants
Garem or dhoti pants in ethnic patterns and from natural, lightweight materials.
Pair them with tank tops, scarves, and head accessories.
5. Flared Jeans
Lightly distressed flared jeans or with frays and patchwork are a key garment of any modern boho fashion style.
For a perfect boho-chic look, wear them with vintage tees, plain shirts, and tunics accessorized with scarves and vests.
6. Vintage Tees
Vintage T-shirts with floral and ethnic patterns are ideal for constructing a bohemian look.
Wear them with dark-colored flared jeans and distressed ankle boots for a unique bohemian makeover.
7. Slouchy Cardigans
Slouchy oversized cardigans are ideal for layering in the winter over knitted jumpers and floral dresses in cold summer sunsets.
Slouchy cardigans match well with flared jeans, floaty tops, and floor-length dresses.
8. Poncho and Paisley Wraps
Paisley wraps, and ponchos are also ideal Boho-chic style garments you’d want in your wardrobe for the cooler seasons.
Ponchos pair well with ankle boots and fedora hats.
9. Ankle Boots
Leather ankle boots are the perfect match for ponchos and fringed leather handbags.
Ankle boots with straps, lace detail, and embroidery are the ideal boho footwear.
For a more dramatic look, wear knee-high boots or patchwork pumps.
10. Gladiator Sandals
Gladiator sandals, particularly those with pom-poms, are ideal for creating a mystic boho-chic vibe.
The knee-length sandals go well with bohemian dresses and skirts, while the ankle-length ones match better with kurtis, ankle-length jeans, and long skirts.
11. Layered Beads
Layered wooden brands and other handcrafted accessories from natural materials such as leather are essential to any classic boho look.
12. Bandanas Or Floral Hairbands
Bandanas are accessories of hippie style that have found their way into Boho-chic fashion style.
13. Hoop Earrings
Hoop earrings and oversized sunglasses are a great way to confer your Bohemian look a modern feel.
14. Oversized Sunglasses
Oversized sunglasses in matching colors or wooden frames are an ideal accessory for any Boho-chic outfit.
15. Afghani Kutch Bags
Several types of handbags work with the Bohemian style, but Afghani Kutch bags and oversized leather wallets with distressed edges in crimson or brown are the best.
What are the Main Bohemian Patterns?
The Bohemian aesthetic comprises ethnic and paisley patterns, tie-dye and nature-inspired motifs, and floral, gypsy, hippie, and tribal prints.
The Bohemian aesthetic patterns and motifs are found on dresses, scarves, ponchos, and shirts, often combined with North American feather symbols on chic fedora hats, necklaces, and around the writs.
What are the Key Colors of the Bohemian Fashion Style?
Natural textiles and materials are ideal for any boho outfits.
Similarly, when it comes to the most suitable colors, earthy, natural tones are the best.
Golden shades, creamy yellows, light browns, and soft greens speak the language of Boho fashion style.
Leather accessories such as shoes and handbags in natural tan color match the overall simplicity and earthy feel.
What are the Most Popular Bohemian Style Silhouettes?
Maxi skirts, maxi dresses, or palazzo pants — anything that is long and flowy – are a step in the direction.
In Boho-chic style, you can combine maxi skirts with vest tops and denim jackets or switch it up with loose semi-sheer cover-ups.
If you opt for loose-on-loose, always add a bit of structure to your outfit by adding hats, bracelets, necklaces, and handbags.
What Fabrics Are Used in the Bohemian Fashion Style?
Loose and floaty natural fabrics and textiles epitomize the boho fashion style.
Cotton, linen, flax, wool, hemp, jute, and merino are some of the most common fabrics in Bohemian-style outfits.
At the same time, as the Boho-chic style is a bit more modern and fanciful, it sees the use of organic cotton and silk.
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Ana Alves is a dynamic force in the fashion and beauty industry, championing sustainability and veganism from Sao Paulo to London. With a decade-long writing career, her compelling narratives on sustainable and vegan fashion have graced the pages of Forbes, Wired, Vanity Fair, and more. Ana's journey spans key roles at Unilever and Saatchi & Saatchi Wellness, where she honed her marketing acumen. As an Editorial Contributor at WTVOX and Fashion & Style Editor at The VOU, she shaped the discourse on sustainable fashion.
