How To Dress Boho-Chic

Images Left to Right: Vanessa Hudgens, Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen, Miley Cyrus

Boho-chic style is all about looking fabulous but effortless at the same time. If you admire the dress-sense of stars like Nicole Richie, Miley Cyrus, Vanessa Hudgens, Sienna Miller, or the Olsen twins, this post was made for you. To help you become a boho-chic girl, we’ve observed these girls’ outfits and compiled a list of steps you can take in order to achieve their “effortless” style.

Follow these 7 steps and you’re bound to become a boho-chic icon yourself!

1. Bring On The Layers

Layering different lengths, fits, and textures are a key ingredient to achieving the boho-chic look, particularly the effortless part. When it comes to layering it’s not about seeing how many items you can wear at once, it’s about mixing and adding just the right amount of volume to make your look “complete”. For example, mixing tight with loose, short with long, prints with perhaps more prints, and so on. The main skill involved when it comes to layering/mixing is maintaining balance.

2. Stick to Earthy Colors

Boho-chic girls generally don’t wear a lot of bright colors and if they do they’ll keep it to a minimum. Warm, rich colors like black, brown, grey, gold, khaki, and cream, are definitely favorites when it comes to this style. The basic rule here is to not wear too many different colors at once and if you must wear that brightly colored item make sure the rest of your outfit is made up of only neutral colors and not too many.

3. Accessorize, Accessorize, Accessorize!

When it comes to boho-chic style, the more accessories the better, and pops of color are also welcome!

Jewelry:

Boho girls generally like to wear chunky jewelry and if it’s not chunky then they’ll add volume by layering more delicate pieces. Think hippy princess – headbands, feathers, gemstones, wood, beads, gunmetal, and gold are all favorites.

Handbags:

In terms of handbags, boho girls like ones that are soft and drape. “Bucket” shapes and Hobo bags are a popular choice, as are bags with a fringe, tassel, or some other quirky detail.

Shoes:

As for shoes, Boho girls love clogs, sandals, and generally like their boots to be loose-fitting. They also aren’t shy of pairing their shoes with stocking or knee/thigh-high socks. Again, soft fabrics like leather/suede and details like fringes and tassels are also favorites.

4. Wear It Baggy (Not Daggy)

Generally boho-chic girls like to wear items that fit well but drape or flow. Your clothes have to both look and feel comfortable – too loose and you might look homeless, too tight and you’ll look like you’re trying too hard which is the complete opposite effect we’re going for. As with layering it’s important to create balance (i.e. mix form-fitting items with looser items). Soft fabrics are also ideal.

5. Adopt a Muse

It’s always a good idea to have a tangible example of how to dress. If you’re reading this post then hopefully at least one of the above list of stars’ styles will appeal to you. Pick at least one or two of them and adopt them as a style muse: use them as a guide or let them inspire you for ideas on how to dress.

6. Be Yourself

Although it is important to have a style muse to inspire us in how we dress, we should embrace the fact that we are unique. Be true to yourself and remember what looks good on your muse won’t necessarily work on you (and vice versa!). Be confident in your taste and don’t be shy to experiment, in fact boho-chic style is all about individuality so the more personality you bring to your look the better!

7. Natural Hair & Beauty

When it comes to hair and makeup, keep it natural. Generally, boho-chic girls like to wear their hair out and keep it long, wavy or curly, rather than straight or short. If your hair’s naturally straight or short then make sure you add volume to it and flare it out at the ends so it doesn’t look too orderly. Stay away from straightening irons and if you must wear your hair up, leave out wavy whisps of hair around your face. Details such as braids, are also popular amongst boho-chic girls.

The same rules apply for boho style make-up – keep it natural which means wear as little foundation as possible, apply warm shades (i.e. peach or bronzer) on your cheeks and even a bit on the bridge of your nose for a sunkist look. For your lips use lip balm or lip conditioner in nude shades; for your eyes stick to warm, natural shades of eyeshadow, and eyeliner is fine as is plenty of mascara. Finally, make sure your eyebrows also look natural but well-groomed. Do not overpluck! (I suggest threading for best results).