Boho trend - yay or nay? - YouLookFab Forum

Category

General

Welcome! Read about what to wear and how to wear it on the YLF Blog. Join the YLF Forum to ask specific questions or just chat about fashion and personal style. Or check out the curated list of things we love in YLF Finds.

Outfits Ensembles Trends Advice

Boho trend - yay or nay?

Laura

(website)

Veteran

Okay, am I imagining this? Perusing the Nordstrom catalog, I saw so many boho type items -- like all of the first 15 pages! And then, I have a Danish friend who lives here and just came back from a visit in Europe, and when I asked what everyone was wearing, she said, "oh, you know, those blouses that are really wide and have gathers at the top ..." In other words, women in Europe are wearing peasant blouses. Oh boy. That means Boho is here and more is coming our way!

Has anyone else noticed this trend? And are you going to embrace it?

General

45 replies

Latest reply was from Becky

Anonymous

I won't say never, but probably not. A blouse with more structure at the shoulders and neck looks better on me.

Maya

Veteran

Any time boho has been mentioned here, it seems to be met with a lot of negativity. I think wearing one boho piece at a time can look very cute. Go overboard though and you'll look like a gypsy. It's like any other trend to me. I would not wear a biker jacket with biker boots and a chain around my neck. When you overdo anything, it ends up looking like a costume.

The other benefit to boho is that the styles are usually looser and flowier, which makes them nice for summer.

Anonymous

I will always love boho because it was part of my youth like some of you younger ladies and the '80's style. I'm not saying I should wear it but I do think it is very pretty.

tarzy

Veteran

This tends not to be a great style for me. I find the peasant type blouses in gauzy, flowy materials make a large chest look even larger, and my waist gets lost. It's a shame, because it's such a nice cool summer look. I think I'll continue searching for a more tailored look for this summer. (I also remember wearing this look in high school in the 70's - but it was more "hippie" than boho back then.)

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

At least half of the ongoing styles in Anthropolgie are boho at any given moment. There is always a market for hippy chic in any fashion season in my opinion. I have close friends and clients who look absolutely superb in bohemian clothing – they really wouldn’t look right in any other vibe. It suits them to a T and I encourage the look…for them. It works especially well if you lead a very casual lifestyle. Definitely a great look on the right person if it meshes with their preferences and style.

Personally, I have never embraced the trend and can with a relative amount of certainly say that I never will. I am about as boho as Karl Lagerfeld.

Maya

Veteran

Anthropologie is the store that is used as an example of "bourgeois bohemian"

If Anthro counts as boho, then I'm more boho than I thought. I always find things there that I adore and flatter me like no other, but I usually can't afford them unless they're on sale and combined with my friend's discount. I know it's not the most popular store on YLF but I still love it to bits and could probably shop there exclusively for clothes if they were in my budget.

When I think of boho, I think of Free People. Most of their clothes I find a little outlandish and unflattering, but sometimes they have beautiful dresses and cute shoes and accessories. They are way overpriced though. Somehow, I just don't feel comfortable spending lots of money on the boho look.

shiny

Veteran

Timely! I just got back from the mall with my DD's and we hit anthropologie where I bought a cute jacket. I was on the fence but DD's were very cute and insisted, "Mom, it's perfect to wear to an art event - and I can borrow it."

I like that store for jackets in particular because there's something about the fit that is perfect for me. I never thought of it as boho. To me, the words whimsical, artistic, creative, colorful ("anything but neutral"), feminine, and gamine come to mine before boho. But I don't think I would load my entire wardrobe up with anthropologie, but every now and then, I find a piece that speaks to me.

As for boho, I have a negative reaction to this term. I picture my best friend since 6th grade, back in junior high, wearing knee-high lace-up moccasins with flowy loose boho dresses, long beads, faded jean jacket. That friend to this day looks fantastic in boho styles; it suits her down-to-earth, easy, laid-back style very well. I feel I am a lot more "buttoned up" than she is.

However, I agree with Maya that one can wear one boho piece and still be... buttoned up. I have done this, and I like the effect. When the mood hits. But, I don't think anyone would ever call my style or outfit "boho" - it's more like "nod to boho." For example, wearing a loudly patterned, boho blousey tunic with a structured jacket and high heels. That is just the type of thing I would do!

I definitely have a preference for boho-shaped blouses, because they are very forgiving on the tummy. But I pair with structured pieces to carve a waist.

greenglove

(website)

Veteran

I really like boho, as you can imagine. As Angie mentioned, it suits a casual lifestyle. Mostly, it is more comfortable and practical for teaching in an art school. Crisp and polished, I am not. I agree with Maya, it is about mixing it up, urban bohemian is a great look. I think that it does require a certain body type to make some of the tops and dresses work.

I hope that I do not ever look like an aging hippy, please let me know if this starts happening, I will gladly add more polish!!

taylor

Veteran

When I think of Boho I think of Kate Hudson..beautiful on young girls, I'm with tarzy on this ...this used to be a standard sort of hippy look we all wore in the 70's.

But it could certainly be pulled off with a mix of polish done right .

shiny

Veteran

GG, you do not look like an aging hippy and will never look like one. And I have disagree that you are not crisp and polished. I think you are just that - but with a boho-inspired flair.

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

Shiny, I think you might be mixing up the voluminous trend with boho chic. You like blousy tops with a bit of volume – so do I! That's not necessarily “boho”. But boho tops can be voluminous. Does that make sense?

Boho has an 70’s hippy vibe to it. Jean definitely has a boho edge to her look (and you always look polished by the way). Maya has a boho edge too. Maxi dresses, empire cuts, top stitching, aged leather, patchwork, distressed clothing, day old looking cotton, beads, macramé, smocking, embroidery, wooden jewelry, slouchy hobo bags, lots and lots of brown. Hope that paints a picture.

Vani

Veteran

Angie, I think you just helped me realize I might just be part boho! Lol...I love wooden jewelry (chunky bangles and wood bead necklaces) aged leather-y looking bags, slouchy hobo bags always draw my attention. Not so much smocking, macrame and patchwork or distressed clothing for that matter. Hmm...food for thought. I love how YLF is helping me identify and define my style statement.

Antje

Veteran

I enjoy Boho on others, but it doesn't really match not my personal style. Every once in a while I'm attracted to a specific item that I think is "boho"; I just bought a black blouse at Zara when I was in Germany in March that is quite peasant-y and it's unusual for me, but I liked it. We'll see how much wear it'll get. The loose cuts of boho blouses is generally not the most flattering on me.

Laura

(website)

Veteran

Hmmm. This is really interesting! I don't love boho for myself, but I do admire it on others. For summer, it could be fun to pick up some sandals with chunky cork heels, or the boho-inspired minidress (for me, tunic) that I posted on the tunics/clamdiggers thread. You know - Something that whispers "boho" but doesn't scream it!

I am curious to hear from Inge and Loulou and others in Europe to see if they are seeing lots of this on their side of the Atlantic.

crwilson

Veteran

I have to say that I really like the boho look, on the right person, and I love Anthropologie. I think that it actually suits my personality, and perhaps even emerging style persona, quite well, but unfortunately, it does not generally suit my body type. I look much, much better in structured pieces, but I would like to incorporate whimsical, laid back, and natural elements more into my personal (as opposed to work) style. One of my style conundrums is that I tend to dress in a very buttoned-up way, but I'm not actually a particularly buttoned-up sort of person, if that makes sense.

Maya - I like what you said about incorporating it in small doses, and I completely agree.

Maya

Veteran

Christine, as your body type twin I have to say I'm surprised you would say Anthropologie doesn't suit your body type. I always find things there that suit my style persona very well and are also flattering on me, but I just can't afford them While they have certain boho design elements, many of them also have a lot of structure built in. If I could, these are the kinds of tops I would instantly go for (structurally speaking...the colors might not all be the best for me):

http://www.anthropologie.com/a.....rName=PINK

I actually have an Odille blouse like this and I love it:

http://www.anthropologie.com/a.....orName=RED

http://www.anthropologie.com/a.....rName=PINK

http://www.anthropologie.com/a.....Name=GREEN

Off topic, but these microcheck pants are seriously testing my shopping ban discipline I look at them every day, hoping they'll go on super sale, even though I know there is no such thing as super sale at Anthro

http://www.anthropologie.com/a.....BLUE+MOTIF

crwilson

Veteran

I like all of the clothes that you posted Maya - those pants are awesome. I think that the problem may be that I tend to like things like peasant blouses or skirts with lots of gathers. Plus, in all honesty, I haven't tried that many of their clothes because I can't afford them most of the time. They are a splurge kind of thing for me.

Kari

Veteran

I like a little bit of bohemian style, but find the trend hard to wear - many of the clothes are voluminous and not structured enough for me, and I'm really paranoid about looking frumpy or sloppy. But I spent a spring and summer toting around a distressed brown leather slouchy bag, and I have some pieces that are boho-influenced while still being polished enough to suit my personal preferences.

I adore Anthropologie too and scour their sale racks whenever I'm nearby a store. I don't see boho style in every piece from Anthropologie, but I like the folksy/sweet element to many of their clothes.

Christie

I also love anthropologie's clothes and always considered them romantic and old fashioned.

Romantic elements like ruffles suit my rectangle shape, I think.

shana

Veteran

I also admire the boho look on others. While I may incorporate a boho inspired item once in while, it doesn't seem to work that well on me. I admit to loving the peasant style blouse with smocking but it is a disaster on an inverted triangle with substantial arms! I love Anthro but have a hard time finding stuff that fits me there - not many tops in petite sizing so everything seems to long.

Kristen

(website)

Veteran

Yeah, I'm a 'boho for others, not for me' gal. It's just too loose for my comfort level -- and when I was larger, I really didn't need anything making things bigger! Hmm, maybe it's time to try a piece and see if it works on the new me; I do think it can be so pretty!

Maya

Veteran

I think I'm seeing lots of misconceptions about boho and also about volume here. To me, boho has more to do with materiality, texture, pattern, and design than with silhouette. There are a lot of voluminous boho designs, but they are not the same thing. Angie gave a good summary above and notice the word "volume" didn't come up in the description. Peasant blouses are usually a looser cut, but they are still not a uniform style. Even though they lack structure, they are still tailored...which brings me to the next point...

I suspect that a lot of people who say they can't wear volume (which again, I emphasize is not necessarily boho) probably can, but either haven't tried it it at all, haven't tried the right garments, or just haven't gotten used to it. Volume is wonderful. As long as it's tailored at the shoulders, it's a great comfortable and forgiving option. I am not thin or straight and I wear volume well. It makes my chest look smaller and completely hides my midsection. It does hide the waist, which in my case isn't a bad thing, but I think it looks great even on the queen of tiny waists (Tanya) and also on Angie. Emphasizing the waist is a flop proof, timeless, flattering option, but it is NOT the only option. It just takes some adjustment, much like faded jeans. I don't think the look is for everyone and if you're dead set against it, then by all means, embrace with your waist-flattering garments. But don't knock it until you have tried it and given it a fair chance! Also, not all volume is created equally. It does require some experimenting and if you're really not into it, then it probably isn't worth the hassle.

Anyone from the ye olde days remember this top? This was my first experiment with volume and I loved it (still do):

http://img.photobucket.com/alb.....G_0948.jpg

That's pretty extreme. But something like this is still loose without being as dramatic:

http://www.target.com/gp/detai.....M=Clothing||B001OCILLI&CPNG=women&ref=tgt_adv_XSC10001

Angie, please feel free to correct me if I'm wrong about anything here. I just feel like everyone is getting volume and boho confused, and misunderstanding volume in general.

marianne

While I was pregnant I acquired a couple of boho pieces - a peasantish blouse and a tiered skirt. I must have been attracted to them because of the looser fit I thought they were very comfortable, especially in hot weather, but I have been hesitant to wear them last summer because I felt they were a bit too "young". I did bring them to Hawaii, though, somehow the beach environment really lowers my style reservations.

I've only bought one thing at Anthropologie - on sale, and I think a lot of their stuff is way overpriced. However, those microcheck pants look great! And they seem to have a pretty good denim selection lately.

Maya, I remember this top, and it's lovely on you! I also think volume on top doesn't work as well for people with broader shoulders. I might be totally off on that one, but I think it's part of the reason it works so well on you. I am actually wondering about the Target style - I feel like that would be too young for me, for example - am I right?

Maya

Veteran

Marianne, I also suspect volume might not be best for broad shoulders because that is usually where the top is most tailored and fitted. I'm not sure though. I think there might be other factors at play like neckline and sleeves that might give it some potential.

Boho is a casual look. There is no doubt about that. I think the reason it doesn't have many enthusiastic followers here is because casual clothing in general doesn't have a lot of enthusiastic followers. Most of the YLF crew seem to prefer smart casual. It works for me because I prefer casual for my lifestyle and age.

I don't think it's necessarily young though. Maybe the casual nature of it just makes it seem that way. As I said, I tend to wear one piece at a time, and that's how I imagine most people should wear it that way. So if the rest of your outfit is grown up and polished, I think it can work just fine.

As for the Target top, I just used it as an example of something that's a little looser but not as dramatic as the top I picked. It's a juniors top. I think something like this is suitable for all ages:

http://www.gap.com/browse/prod.....ID=2178999

And this outfit is just sweet. I'd wear it in a second if I had the bod and the money! But notice that the top is quite tailored and not all that voluminous.

http://www.saksfifthavenue.com.....TG1ZOmBEAQ

marianne

It must be the sleeves that make it look suitable only for juniors. Anyway, even though I am older, my lifestyle is still very casual, and now that I am not working, smart casual is often overkill, so I know what you mean. I find it hard to create an interesting - or at least somewhat polished - casual look, and boho elements can definitely help.

Rosie

Veteran

I haven't really figured out what I want to say yet about boho, but I had to say to Angie that I laughed at her Lagerfeld comment!

One of the problems I've had with some very cute tops is that they just do nothing for me. I have large breasts and they just hang down from there and can make me look even bigger. I like pieces that have boho styling but with a bit of shape to them.

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

I can’t believe I forgot to include crochet, crinkle cottons and tie dye as part of the boho vibe. VERY, very boho.

Maya, you could write a post on “volume” – your descriptions and explanations are excellent. Well done! And that top is killer with MY shoes :0)

Maya also knows (and you may have noticed from the pictures that I’ve posted) that I am BIG on volume (pun intended). I love to wear form fitting clothes that show off my waistline, but I LOVE to wear voluminous jackets and billowing blouses too. You know the drill around here, try it before you rule it out. Maya, Tanya and I have different body types but we all wear volume well. It’s a liberating silhouette and fun late 50’s/early 60’s style to wear.

Back to boho. It sounds like several of you like aspects of it and that’s great. It can be successfully incorporated into an individual style with any body type. This is something that you can explore, and you know I’ll help you along the way.

p.s. I saw those micro checked pants irl – KILLER.

crwilson

Veteran

Maya-
I love your clarification and all of the pictures that you posted. It gives me hope that I can find some peasant blouses that flatter (since I love them) as well as perhaps some shift dresses, which I also love. I know that those styles might not be as flattering as some other styles, but in the summer, I don't teach and I like to be comfortable (without being sporty).

Maya

Veteran

Angie, I think those are actually MY shoes (the 6's)

I could write a book on volume. It's so woefully underappreciated. I know it might not be as flattering as a waist-cinching garment, but when you don't have much of a waist, I think it's a must. And you and Tanya have proven that it can look great even if you DO have a waist.

Christine, I bet we could get you in a great peasant top. I know Anthropologie is out of your price range (mine too) but it looks like the trend will be big this summer so you'll have more options to experiment with. I'm pretty sure if it works for me, it should work for you too

Angie, I was hoping you would tell me those MC pants were awful so the temptation would go away. Now it's stronger than ever...

12