While we agree that the first association with boho chic comes from “make love and not war” statement, roots of this style are much older than popular and never-out-of-fashion 70s. Boho chic style goes back to Bohemians and here the things are getting complicated. Bohemians are believed to be Bohemian Romanies that originated in Eastern Europe from Northern India about 1000 years ago (Kendrick, Donald (2007). Historical Dictionary of the Gypsies (Romanies) (2nd ed.). Scarecrow Press.). Bohemian Romanies (“Gypsy”) gave an idea of free spirit and expression to poor artists much later (18th century) in France, especially after french revolution lead to lack of art support and patronage by wealthy people. Bohemian style at that time represents a different approach to artistic expression.
Here I am citing the article about history of Bohemian style written by D.Monet https://bellatory.com/fashionindustry/BohoTheFashionHistoryofBohemianClothes:
“With their long flowing hair and rich, though threadbare fabrics, bohemians stand out in a crowd representing a colorful counterculture based on creativity, poverty, and an indifference to social structures and traditions…. A new cult of personality emerged with the artist as hero and individual style expressed in the way one dressed. An artist became a special type of person, not merely a crafts person, but a kind of eccentric genius whose creativity was displayed in the way they lived and looked. The artist himself (or herself) was a piece of art.”
Fast forwarded history, the ideological basis of bohemian style got transformed from the initial idea of expression of art and individualism in it`s non-materialistic version with presumably poor hygiene into a pricey fashion statement that dominates runways (Desigual is one of the companies that promotes the beauty of this style, see also Chloe SS18 collection). At the same time, during it`s 200 years history, boho style did not change the general principles of clothes style like it`s characteristic flowing dresses and layers with ethnic motifs from natural fabrics. So what happens now? In my opinion, today boho chic is a way to express comfort and individualism more than the intellectual and artistic social class. The visual attractiveness perhaps, is one of the major reasons that detached boho style from it`s initial poor economic but artistic origin. Such detachment ironically, once more allowed this style to gain its freedom from social cliche.
For this fall I use velvet buttonless cardigan, boyfriend jeans and tassel earrings with suede Ralph Lauren shoes to translate gypsy free spirit ( and they are known for their love for freedom!) to inspire my everyday life.