Boho Chic Clothing comprises loose and floaty garments, featuring mixed prints, tassles and fringes. Boho Chic is a little more put together, a little more styled than a hippy or gypsy look.
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What is Boho Chic Clothing?
Boho Chic is a style of fashion drawing on bohemian and hippie influences.
Wikipedia
Remember the hippy days? I do! I bet you do too! Carefree tresses, daisy prints, long flowing skirts, leather sandals, leather bags, and of course a carefree rebellious approach to putting a look together.
I don’t know about you, but these days I don’t really do hippy anymore, but I do like to dress a little Boho Chic or Bohemian every now and then, which has elements of the hippy codes of fashion.
Boho Fashion Essentials
Boho fashion consists of …
- Loose silhouettes,
- Beading
- Fringes and Tassles
- Peasant Style Blouses
- Romantic maxi dresses
- Leather ankle boots
- Silk, suede, and Fur embelishments
- Embroidered Jackets
- Wide Brimmed Hats
- Ethnic patterns
- Flowery prints
- Flared Jeans
- Midi dresses – often side tied.
How to Dress Boho Style
Boho dressing and boho chic clothing gained momentum in the 1960s with the avent of Hippie style dressing. It was anti establishment and in direct opposition to the conservative style of dressing in the 1950s. Very much for free spirits and the nomadic lifestyle drawing also on gypsy style accents.
Here’s what the dictionary has to say: “Bohemian: “A socially unconventional person, especially an artist or writer.” Oxford English Dictionary. Abbreviation: Boho.“
The Boho look is a bit unconventional, a little vintage and you can mix and match from your wardrobe with gay abandon.
Think Glastonbury festival, Kate Moss, Marianne Faithful and Sienna Miller.
10 Boho Style Tips
- Keep things feminine and chic by mixing oversized garments with tailored or fitted clothes.
- If you want to beat the heat (and cover from the sun) wear Boho style clothes that allow for airflow – like a kaftan and loose pants – topped with a hat.
- Boho colours are usually rich, warm and earthy – taupes, greens, burnt siennas, cream, khaki, beige, golden and Byzantium colours, but me, well I like to add a bit of colour too – or go for floaty in monochrome.
- Boho can translate into street beggar or hippy if you’re not careful. So mix in elements of your own style to keep it chic and don’t over accessorize.
- Natural fibres and leather are definitely the go to’s for pure Boho style.
- Don’t be afraid to mix prints.
- Add a stylish headband or wide brimmed hat.
- Birkenstock sandals are a bohemian’s must-have footwear item. They go with everything, are super comfortable and get better with age.
- Layer, layer, layer for the best bohemian look.
- Flowy palazzo pants make a super comfy but stylish option to flared jeans. Check out the lovely styles of wide legged Pants at Adrift or these Palazzo Pants on Amazon.
Romantic Bohemian Style Dresses
Boho Chic Dresses and Bohemian style dresses are pretty much one and the same thing. They feature a romantic look, often with floral or ethnic designs. They can be short or long sleeved and are generally suitable for summer or winter – teamed with either strappy sandals or ankle boots, and coats or cardigans.
Click on the images for prices.
My Favourite Boho Dresses for Women
I love Adrift clothing and I’ve bought many of their dresses which I either dress up or down depending on the occasion. Many of their styles are considered boho and bohemian.
- I love Adrift for their amazing prints, and styles, that change each season.
- I love the fabrics they use, and the designs they choose.
- I love the fact that most dresses are made to suit any shape or figure.
- I love that they are forgiving in style and don’t hug tummys or hips.
- I love that they suit young and older women.
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Affordable Boho Clothes
Boho doesn’t necessarily mean expensive, although you can go as pricey as you desire! For really affordable Boho Chic clothing you can’t go past this tribal midi dres or this lace party dress and this selection of boho style tops. You could also look around for pre-loved boho clothes either at charity shops or online.
Boho Capsule Wardrobe – What You Need
If you want to keep a selection of bohemian style clothes in your wardrobe, but you want to keep it minimal, then be selective. For a mix and well matched selection, the following Boho Capsule wardrobe is very simple and do-able.
- 1 Romantic Maxi Dress
- 1 side tie midi skirt
- 1 Flared Jeans
- 1 Palazzo pants
- 3 Smock Style Tops
- Wide Brimmed Hat
- Headband
- Leather Ankle Boots
- Calf length overcoat
- Tassle or embroidered jacket
Boho Wedding Dresses
My daughter wanted to buy a boho style wedding dress. She wanted something suitable for a forest wedding; something a little magical, and whimsical suggesting forest fairies and magic! Below are the sort of boho wedding gowns we were looking at.
Click on the images for stockists and prices.
Boho Style Shoes
To complete the look you’ll need some Boho Style Shoes.
Think leather – ankle boots or cowgirl boots – try FRANKiE4 for some stylish and comfortable designs by a well known podiatrist. FRANKiE4 is an innovative fashion label changing the way women experience shoes. The mission is to take wellness to the next level with award-winning, Podiatrist-designed support, for game-changing comfort in every cleverly cushioned step. I thoroughly recommend the low heeled ankle boots for everyday comfort.
Then there are Birkenstocks – the most comfortable sandals, harking back to the Woodstock music festival image!
Bohemian Handbags
Anything distinctive in suede or leather will give you the Boho edge.
Travel & Living Collection have a wonderful range of Boho bags like this lilac suede beauty below. Stocks are ever changing so check out the website.
Boho Tops
For the boho look keep your tops loose and flowing. Tassles and embroidery are accents to consider, and you can choose plain, floral, ethnic or romantic designs to go with your flared jeans or midi dresses.
Click on the images for prices.
Boho Weekend Chic
I love this kind of look for ‘le weekend’.
It’s soft, flowing, comfortable and with the addition of a beautiful jacket it becomes a lovely going out to lunch outfit as well.
Video: How To Dress Boho Chic
Thanks to Fashion & Style Edit for the video, and their Bohemian style essentials and outfit ideas.
What shall I wear today? Oh Boho!
Today I decided to go where the music took me and instead of a tailored look for a blog workshop, I went a bit kooky. I delved into my dressing up box of tricks and mix and matched some Boho looks from my wardrobe archives.
Floral style maxi dress, dangly earrings, velveteen scarf and a flowing cardi.
11 Wardrobe Essentials for the Boho look
Boho is an easy look to put together. To begin with think kaftans, romantic maxis, smock tops and little pops of eccentricity.
- Smock tops
- Floral trousers
- Long hippy skirts
- Waistcoats
- Anything from a charity shop
- Hats
- Accessories
- Scarves
- Chunky cardigans
- Vintage finds mixed with cut off jeans and high heels or easy wear flip-flops.
- Bangles from your travels, friendship bracelets.
I’ve been dipping into a fabulous book titled, “Who do you want to be today?” by Trinny and Suzannah. This UK style duo offer some great ideas for ways to dress differently. They say that the Boho look is more about how you put it all together than specific items.
Their advice includes: Layering – wear a shirt under a waistcoat or a long sleeveless cardi, mixing small floral prints with bright colours or pastels. Think about bold pieces of jewellery and crocheted items that your grandmother might have knocked together.
“A fabulous floral tea dress in the market, but it’s two sizes too big. So what? Pull it in to your waist with a wide, funky belt.”
Buy Their Book: Who Do You Want to Be Today by Trinny & Susannah, on Amazon
Boho for Tea-Time
Gorgeous floral pants from Monsoon below teamed with a beautiful floaty, white kaftan style tops with tassles would be a wonderful high tea outfit. Or how about the Tea dress from M & S below? Both are a little retro, a little Bohemian and very Boho chic.
Boho Make Up
I think it’s best to keep it light. I’d go for a BB cream and a light dust of bronzer – after all you want to look as if you’ve come off the rock star’s yacht all tanned and natural, don’t you!
- A light foundation or BB cream
- Bronzer
- A little rose coloured blusher on the apples of your cheeks.
- A neutral lipstick to make your lips look fuller
- Dusky powder shadow
- Heaps of mascara.
My Favourite Boho Stockists
You Might Also Like
I’d love to know if you ‘do’ the Boho look or not? If you do, why not send me a picture and a few words about your outfit?
Until next time,
Disclaimer: There are affiliate links in this post [Boho Chic Clothing to Make you Sizzle] from which I stand to earn a small commission but at no cost to you. If there are gifted items they are marked with an * asterisk. Lifestyle Fifty Website is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.
P.S. This post has been updated from the 2014 original to include more information.
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I certainly love the casual colourful relaxed look – so I think this style is for me. I need to update my wardrobe for winter! Thanks for another great post Jo. You are always stylish and up to the minute with hints and tips for us.
Thanks so much Jill. I also love the less structured look these days, and I think Covid days have definitely shown me the way to a more relaxed way of dressing!
Love the M&S trousers and the Monsoon dress…Might just hop online to have a sticky beak xx
With your background Bev, I thought you might like the Monsoon dress – I love Monsoon too 🙂
Goodness, how gorgeous is that Monsoon dress! Thank you for joining Wardrobe Wednesday!
I thought you’d like that Kim-Marie – as I posted it, I actually though of you wearing it!
I’ve tried to embrace boho over the years but I just don’t seem able to pull of the look, well not in a good way. Love all of these looks on you. Just gorgeous.
You are very kind! I must admit I’m not often able to pull it off well, I think this one was a bit of an exception 😉
Hi I’ve just found you via the lovely Redcliffe Style! I’m loving your boho chic! I’m very into the Glasto look
and like to channel my inner gypsy evey now and again! Nice to meet you!
Hello Sophisticated Mumma! Oh thank you! I’m going to pop over and have a look at your inner gypsy style (by the way I’ve jsut followed you on instagram too)
I love the upmarket hippy look. It’s one of my favourite ways to dress in Summer. You look gorgeous!! Thanks for linking up to 40+ Style. Rachel xx
Thanks Rachel! I think it’s a very forgiving look 😉
The Boho look is great on you. Yes, I do remember the hippie days and loved my bell-bottoms, fringe shoulder bag, sandals and pretty bohemian-style tops (halter tops, too). I absolutely love the red Pallavi Kaftan — I’d like that for Valentine’s Day, too.
Thank you Cathy! And Yes it’s so gorgeous, hey!
You have lovely taste, Jo. You look elegant in all your choices.
You are very kind Mary. Thank you 🙂
You really suit the boho look, I, on the other hand, look suspiciously like a hobo when I try. I think it’s my naturally curly (ie massive) hair that makes me go all Kate Bush when I wear a kaftan.
I do love a bit of T&S action though – all about them when it comes to styling!
Thank you Vicki! I love your take on words – Boho – Hobo! But I’m sure you don’t look like one 🙂 If you look like Kate Bush, I think that’s a great compliment, she was gorgeous!
Oh the memories! I’m glad this fashion scene is back!
I know Marilyn, doesn’t it just bring the memories flooding back. Me too, I’m glad 🙂
What a fun post. I love the kaftan and smock tops.
Thanks Donna, glad you liked it. Will be popping over to read about What is Romance on your blog soon too 🙂
I’ve become quite fond of smocks — they’re not just for pregnant people anymore. In fact, today, pregnant people go for tight across the abdomen which I totally don’t get, but, hey, if that leaves the smocks for women past their child-bearing years, yay!
Totally agree, Suzanne. Up with smock tops!
I do love a bit of boho chic, and I love that it mixes back really well with the vintage and vintaged inspired parts of my wardrobe, as well as the preppy section and the casual section …
Thanks for joining Wardrobe Wednesday!
Yes, Kim … It’s such a good match with vintage, which I know you do so well.
I think I must be Boho – Your essentials list pretty well described my wardrobe to a ‘T’ LOL
And I love the layered look with waistcoats and scarves over smock tops and long skirts!
Although the Qld climate is often too warm for too many layers 🙁
I loved your look in winter QLD Linda when I met you for the first time, and yes, elements of Boho … Suits you so much.
I love this, you look gorgeous! I love a little hippy style. Rachel xx
Thanks Rachel – glad you like it too 🙂
It’s so hard to pick which one I like the best. I love them all and makes me yearn for warmer weather. I especially love the jewelry from Bali. My daughter gave me one necklace from her trip and it’s been my favorite.
Ah Neva, let’s hope warmer weather in your part of the world won’t be too long coming. Yes, it’s lovely how our daughters can now buy us gifts from their trips that we treasure and love 🙂
Some really lovely outfits, you look terrific. I think there’s something socially acceptable about the hippy look that doesn’t attract the ‘mutton dressed as lamb’ tag. And floaty clothes that skim rather than cling to the figure are a welcome option for those of us who, even with the best will in the world, fill out a little round the middle in later life. My wardrobe is stacked with kaftans and smocks, which I love wearing for their comfort as well as their style.
I agree Benitachell – the pouch around the middle is better concealed and what better way than kaftans and smocks. These days we get to choose from such a stylish array too, don’t we! Thanks for commenting today 🙂
I think the ‘boho’ look definitely suits you with your lovely long blonde hair and fresh face. I love the pastel floral maxi dress with the shirt over the top – very summery and feminine.
Thanks Kathy 🙂 It’s an easy wear type of look, probably why I like it 😉
I love your first outfit with the green top and the layered skirt – it is so you – and harks back to the carefree days of the 70s – love it! – and I love the fact that the skirt has been made from antique saris from India. I suppose you have to go to India for that one? And those floral pants – LOVE them!
Jo you always look fabulous – light and casual, dressy, whatever!
Thanks Jill, and for your kind words too 🙂 I rarely feel that I get anything right, so thank you for the nod there! Yes, I love the fact that the skirt is made from vintage saris from India, and I wonder who once owned them and if they were part of a collection of one of the women in a Maharajah’s Harem!
I love the kaftan you’re wearing!
Thanks Bethaney! I think you might remember it 😉 from another time and place! Much worn 🙂