The boho chic style includes fluttering dresses, vintage and ethnic-inspired accessories, makeup and natural hair. The expression "boho chic" spread in 2002, when Australian journalist Laura Demasi used it to describe the eclectic gypsy-inspired look then in vogue. Although it has been over 10 years since this article was published, it is still a trendy style.
Steps
Part 1 of 3: Choose Boho Chic Dresses
Step 1. Choose clothes in natural colors and fabrics
To create a boho chic wardrobe, go for garments of cotton, linen, velvet, chiffon, silk, leather, suede and fur.
- You must also bring accessories in natural colors, such as white, beige, brown, sienna, ocher and dark green.
- Remember that many consider it cruel and immoral to wear fur. If you like this look and don't want to use real fur, try faux fur, which is often quite similar.
Step 2. Use lace, crochet garments, and other decorations
Crochet or lace dresses, sweaters, hats and bags are a must in a boho chic wardrobe. Beads, fringes and embroidery are also quite popular, so you can choose both clothes and accessories of this type.
Step 3. Experiment with whimsical prints
Boho chic clothing features many prints: floral and avant-garde hints are quite common, and the same goes for checkered and ethnic-inspired prints.
If you experiment with original prints, be sure to combine them with relatively simple pieces to create a balanced outfit
Step 4. Think in terms of convenience
One of the main ingredients of the boho chic style is comfort: you will see a lot of soft, baggy and flowing dresses, often worn in layers.
- Maxi dresses (long and usually with a soft hold) are an excellent example of comfort and lightness, two typical characteristics of boho chic.
- For example, you can wear shorts, a loose white lace top and a long beige sweater to create a comfortable boho chic outfit.
Step 5. Mix tight and flowing clothes
You don't have to wear only soft clothes: you can combine loose tops with tight pants or skirts and vice versa. Here is an example of an ideal outfit for the colder months, when rain and snow make fluttering dresses and skirts impractical:
- Wear a pair of light, faded, fitted jeans, a white chambray shirt and a loose sweater in a neutral color.
- Enhance the outfit with a long silver necklace embellished with a stone pendant, such as turquoise.
- You can also combine these dresses with a colored scarf, for example ruby red or emerald green.
- As for shoes, wear brown, camel or beige ankle boots with a relatively low chunky heel (think cowboy boot heel).
Step 6. Choose shoes of natural colors and materials
Ethnic-inspired ballet flats and sandals (such as Greek, Roman or African ones) are a must for a boho chic style. In the colder months you can wear cowboy boots, ankle boots with thick heels or high boots inspired by the seventies.
- Leather and suede are the preferred materials for shoes. Natural colors such as beige, camel and brown are recommended.
- If you are vegan, it is possible to buy the eco-leather versions; they will be equally convincing.
Step 7. Avoid glow-in-the-dark colors
Bright colors can undoubtedly warm up a boho chic look, just make sure they are natural. For example, choose colors like ruby red, sapphire blue or a deep blue-green that resembles a crystal clear mountain lake.
Step 8. Don't overdo it
Between prints and layers, dressing in boho chic style can be a real challenge. Don't give in to the temptation to over-load the look. You also need to avoid overdoing the colors: especially prefer neutral shades, with one or two more vibrant color details.
- You also need to consider the textures and prints of the fabrics. Wearing printed pants, a lace top, and a crocheted fringed vest would be too much.
- Similarly, if you are wearing a beaded shirt, it can be overkill to add faux pearl necklaces.
- If you don't know how to match clothes, search online for "boho color palette": you will find many original ideas.
Step 9. Dress according to your body type
If you are curvy, choose form-fitting garments, as fluttering dresses and layers can weigh you down.
If you are thin and short, you risk being hidden in long, fluttering layered clothes. Prefer short sweaters and / or skirts, tight dresses and heels
Part 2 of 3: Accessories
Step 1. Accessories are a must
To dress in boho chic style you need to create layers and accessories are essential to achieve this result.
Step 2. Wear bracelets, they are essential for the boho chic style
Thin silver bracelets or colored and intertwined ones are among the most popular. To add a pinch of creativity, you can also wear wooden bracelets.
- You can also wear anklets. Choose the thin ones, in silver and embellished with pendants.
- Finally, you can wear slave bracelets, especially braided and metal ones.
Step 3. Wear dangling earrings
The boho chic ones are often made by combining metal and natural stones, sometimes even feathers and leather. In order for them to be considered boho chic, prefer earrings of natural colors and materials.
Step 4. Bring a necklace
Those in boho chic style have different lengths, but generally the composition is the same: natural materials and colors.
- Leather, metal, stones, shells, fringes, cotton and wool are the classic materials used to make them (also typical for making earrings and bracelets).
- Ethnic-inspired pieces are particularly popular.
Step 5. Buy at least one hat
Borsalini and soft hats with a wide brim are quite common in the world of boho chic. The same goes for crochet beanies. Soft, wide-brimmed hats in neutral shades are often worn with long dresses or loose tops paired with short shorts.
Step 6. Buy a headband
Floral headbands were all the rage last summer. You can also choose braided headbands and metal tiaras.
Bandanas and scarves used to wrap hair or to create headbands are equally in vogue
Step 7. Buy a colorful bag
Those printed or decorated with fringes and tassels are trendy to create a boho chic style. Again, you prefer natural fabrics and colors.
Step 8. Wear vintage style sunglasses
Chunky frames of various shapes are essential for a boho chic look. Round and aviator ones are on trend, but any large, vintage style will do - pick one that fits your face.
Step 9. Don't overdo it
Carefully select the accessories considering the complete in its entirety. You need to make sure they match the colors of the outfit and don't clash.
- You don't have to wear five huge pendant necklaces - just pick one that fits the rest of the outfit.
- It would be best to avoid wearing a metal tiara with jeans and a plain white t-shirt. It is a more suitable accessory for a maxi summer dress.
Part 3 of 3: Makeup and Hair
Step 1. Buy makeup in neutral shades
You should try to look natural but not washed out. To understand which products to buy, look at your face when you blush:
After exercising or doing another activity that accelerated your heart rate, mirror yourself. What color are the cheeks and lips? These are the colors that you will have to choose to do your makeup in a boho chic style
Step 2. Make sure the skin is even and free of blemishes
If it's already perfect, good for you! However, if like many other girls you have discoloration or impurities, use the concealer and maybe apply the foundation all over your face.
- If you have fairly smooth skin with some slight redness, use a tinted moisturizer, BB cream or CC cream in place of the classic foundation. It will help you even out without risking a heavy or chalky result.
- Do you have shiny skin? Apply a light powder foundation. Use a brush, not a duvet, to facilitate a more homogeneous application.
Step 3. Apply a highlighter
Highlighters in cream or powder are very useful for making the complexion radiant. Apply them in the inner corners of the eyes (next to the tear duct), on the upper part of the cheekbones, on the small depression between the upper lip of the mouth and nose, also called Cupid's bow.
If you want to be daring, you can apply the highlighter to other parts of the face, such as the chin and forehead
Step 4. Apply the blush to the cheeks
Once the face looks perfect, smile and apply a veil of blush on the cheeks, blending it outwards (follow the natural curve of the cheeks).
- When you apply blush, try to achieve a radiant complexion, not as if you have red skin after an intense workout.
- Applying a touch of blush to the bridge of the nose will make it look like you've been sunbathing - don't overdo it, otherwise you risk looking cold and red nose.
- If you have a tan or dark skin, you can use bronzer instead of blush.
Step 5. Enhance the eyes
Boho chic makeup can be neutral or intense. For a traditional look, choose eyeshadows that highlight the eyes while avoiding an artificial result. You must look like soap and water.
- Choose brown, burnt earth and beige eyeshadows. After curling your lashes, complete your makeup with a black mascara that doesn't lump.
- If you decide to do more intense makeup, use a neutral lipstick, otherwise you risk looking too much makeup.
Step 6. Lips should look healthy
If you don't make up, apply a conditioner to keep them soft and beautiful.
- If you want to apply lipstick, choose a natural one for your complexion.
- Lip glosses, lip tints and moisturizing lipsticks in pink, peach, burgundy or berry shades are on trend.
- Avoid matte lipsticks in bright colors and lip glosses containing glitter: the result will be artificial on the lips.
Step 7. As for the hair, get it natural
Boho chic hairstyles are notoriously long and wavy, in natural shades of brown, red and blonde.
- If you don't have long hair, don't worry: try to choose a classic hairstyle, avoid original cuts, crew cut or shaved hair.
- Braids and soft waves are some of the hottest hairstyles.
- If you prefer to straighten your hair, wave it slightly at the bottom so it doesn't look artificially straight.
Advice
- To get inspired, you can search for this style and hippie outfits on the internet. In the search engine bar you can type phrases like "Coachella Boho Chic" and "Woodstock 1969 fashion". Remember that not all the combinations you will see are to be imitated: some are not to be taken into consideration.
- If a dress seems to fit the style of a hippie person or a belly dancer, it's probably boho chic.
