What is the Bohemian Style? 

The origin of Bohemian fashion has long historical ties with the Romani peoples, commonly referred to as ‘Gypsies’. The Romani are a nomadic people who have a distinct culture and fashion separate to the mainstream European culture. 

The Bohemian style was originally inspired by the traditional clothing of the Romani people, popular European and American culture was influenced by this aesthetic in art, music, and fashion.   

The bohemian fashion label represents a specific lifestyle ideology: an alternative to traditional ways of dressing and living, paired with a more liberated way of life and a social stance against materialism.  
 

The origination of the ‘bohemians’  

There are no historical accountings of the origin of the Romani as they did not keep written records, however Genetic and Linguistic analysis suggests that the Romani people originated from North/Northwest India at least 1500 years ago. Historians believe that the Romani moved out of what is modern day Rajasthan around 250 BCE moving Northwest into Europe. 

From there, the Romani peoples spread across the European continent and splitting into numerous subgroups and forming distinct populations. The Romani peoples settled into modern day Turkey, Greece, Serbia, Romania, Moldova, Bulgaria, North Macedonia, Hungary, Slovakia, and Spain. Eventually migrating to the America’s in the nineteenth century. Eventually migrating to the America’s in the nineteenth century, modern day Romani are now found all over the world.   

Traditional Bohemian fashion

The Romani women traditionally displayed their wealth with their distinctive clothing. They wear a lot of gold — necklaces, bracelets, headscarves and even earrings — all decorated with coins. 

Women in Romani culture are required to wear a dress code that consists of a colourful pleated skirt, colourful blouse with patterns, long pleated apron from the same material as the skirt, and for married women, a kerchief is also required. 

Traditionally, most Romani women wore red ribbons in their hair, although married women tend to stop wearing them. Women wear sandals, slippers, boots, or shoes. The colour of the skirts can reflect a Romani woman's status and age with brighter colours being used by younger girls and darker colours by older women. 

The history of Bohemianism fashion 

The term ‘Bohemianism’ was coined by the French in the 19th Century believing that the Romani came from the Czech region of Bohemia. The term became associated with people who were artists living an unconventional lifestyle, particularly the expression of free love, simple living, and art. 

The notion of living a ‘Bohemian Lifestyle’ became romanticised in the artistic and musical culture of the 19th and 20th Centuries. Examples such as the opera’s Carmen (1876) and La bohème (1896) centre around young bohemians living in modern European society. 

By the turn of the 20th Century, the Bohemian style became associated with the Women’s movement due to the light, comfortable materials used and the ties with unconventionality.  

The fashion of the Beat movement of the 1950’s and Flower Power movement of the 1960’s was heavily inspired by the free-spirited and unconventional lifestyle associated with the Bohemian culture. 

The revival of 1960’s fashion in the 1990’s “hippie chic” trend and the “boho-chic” revival of the 2000’s, popularised by famous figures such as Kate Moss, Sienna Miller, and Mary-Kate Olsen solidified the Bohemian style as its own trend. 

Modern Day Bohemian Clothing Materials

Bohemian style is a varied and eclectic way of dressing. It uses natural materials and shades of colour, inspired by art and rustic elements, as well as a plethora of ethnic, folk and floral patterns. Bohemian clothing is made with many different fabrics, materials and designs, most commonly flowing fabrics like silk or satin paired with cotton or linen. To help you get started on your own bohemian-inspired outfit, here’s a glossary of all the main fabric types, prints and patterns to choose from.

Leather – Boho fashion represents freedom and artistic spirit, but it’s more than just a flowy maxi dress or vintage leather boots. It takes the perfect handbag to complete your boho chic look. Mahiya has a stylish collection of hand-tooled women’s leather handbags including a range of sizes, styles, and colours.

Suede – Whether you're channelling festival boho vibes or simply looking to add that extra layer of love to your wardrobe, look no further, suede is for you.

Crochet - Bohemians wear crochet clothing because it's a perfect way to express their unique sense of style.

 They don't want to look like everyone else, so they choose crochet because it's both striking and eye-catching. It also gives them the flexibility to customize their clothing to suit whatever mood they're in at the time, which means that even if you see someone wearing the same item as you, it will look completely different on them than it does on you.

So, when you're looking for something that says "I'm not just another cookie cutter person," look no further than crocheted clothing!

Cotton & Silk - Bohemians wear cotton and silk clothing because they are comfortable and natural, as well as stylish. Bohemians tend to be more relaxed, so they enjoy wearing loose-fitting clothes that are easy to move around in. Cotton is especially comfortable, and it helps to regulate body temperature. Silk is also a good option for bohemians because it's lightweight and soft.

Organic Cotton - Why do bohemians wear organic cotton clothing? The answer is simple: because it's good for the earth!

Organic cotton is grown without pesticides and without the use of synthetic fertilizers. We believe in the power of nature to heal and restore, so we want to use products that are made from materials that are grown in a way that doesn't harm our environment.

 When you wear organic cotton, you're doing your part to help keep the planet clean, healthy, and beautiful!

 Linen - Bohemian fashion is all about individuality, creativity, and self-expression. It's about rejecting the status quo and being your own person.

Linen is one of the most comfortable fabrics out there because it's lightweight and breathable. The fabric is also very durable, which means that you can wear it all day long without worrying about wrinkles or stains. And when you're wearing linen clothing

Bohemian pants

Bohemian pants are a signature style for the bohemian.
Bohemian pants are designed to be worn in any situation, whether that's on a hike through the woods or out to brunch with your friends. They're comfortable and easy to move around in, but they also have enough style to make you great no matter where you're headed.

Bohemian shirts

Bohemian tops are all about expressing yourself. You wear them to show the world who you are, and what you stand for.

They're a way to express your interests and your values, whether it's through tie-dye or a graphic tee with an animal on it.

They're also a great way to show off your personality and sense of style: if you're a hipster, you can go for vintage prints or oversized cuts; if you're more of an artsy type, maybe try some abstract design; if you want something that looks good in a crowd, go for something bold and bright!

 When it comes down to it, bohemian tops are all about having fun with fashion—and showing off who you really are!

Bohemian shoes

Bohemian shoes are often made of leather because the bohemians wanted to be comfortable. Bohemian shoes were designed for comfort and style, not necessarily for fashion or elegance. The designers wanted to create comfortable shoes that would last a long time. They wanted their shoes to be fashionable and stylish, but they also wanted them to be functional and durable.

The reason why bohemian shoes are often made of leather is that leather has many of the qualities that the designers sought: it is strong, durable, and flexible. Leather also looks great with many kinds of clothes and can be dyed in many different colours. Leather is also relatively easy to work with when designing shoes, which allows designers to create unique styles.

Bohemian jewellery

Bohemian jewellery is all about the art of being a free spirit. It's about letting your creativity shine through and being who you are. Bohemian jewellery is for the person who wants to express themselves and make a statement, even when they're not saying anything.

It's an expression of creativity and individuality—it's about being unique and expressing yourself with your style. It's not just what you wear, it's where you wear it, how you wear it, and who you're wearing it with that makes all the difference.

Bohemians don't just want to look good—they want to feel good too! They want to know that their jewellery is helping them tell their story.

Bohemian Styling Tips To Keep In Mind

When it comes to bohemian style, there are a few things you can keep in mind to make sure your look is on point.

First, remember that bohemian is all about the feeling of being free and unrestrained. This means that if you're going for a full-on bohemian look, it's all about embracing your inner wild child—and not about being perfect or polished. So don't worry too much about matching colours or getting every detail just right; instead, focus on having fun with it!

Second, keep in mind that the bohemian style is very much about nature and the outdoors. So, think about incorporating things like feathers and flowers into your outfit if possible—they'll really help complete the look!

Finally, remember that bohemian fashion tends to be more casual than other styles of dressing up—so don't worry too much about finding exactly what you're looking for when shopping around; just find something that makes you feel good!