BOHO - WHAT IT'S ALL ABOUT
You might be asking……. because Boho chic is one of the biggest trends to hit us this year. Whilst every summer sees the resurgence of Boho in some way or the other, this year its set to be a really big thing. There’s going to be no getting away from this, especially since it is just so darn pretty.
So what the heck is Boho anyway?Bohemian style has, for over 200 years, been an exotic alternative to the accepted fashions of a given period. Generally associated with artists, writers, and intellectuals, bohemian culture incorporates various ethic clothing styles, as well as historical costume.
Bohemian style consists of loose, colourful clothing and has been known as boho chic, hippie style, and Aesthetic dress. With their long flowing hair and rich, though threadbare fabrics, bohemians stand out in a crowd representing a colourful counterculture based on creativity, poverty, and an indifference to social structures and traditions.
Origin of the Bohemians
The Bohemians, as a counterculture, appeared in France after the French Revolution. Deprived of the former system of patronage, where wealthy clients supported the arts, artists were plunged into poverty. Formerly, an artist was seen as a skilled and talented crafts person. But the Romantic Movement of the late 18th century rejected the confines of bourgeois life only to embrace the imagination. 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 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.
By the 19th century, the Aesthetic Movement became a type of bohemian life style. The Aesthetics rebelled against the rigid social constraints of the Victorian era and embraced a style based on the belief that the mass production of the Industrial Revolution was dehumanising. They strove to encourage the old techniques of the Middle Ages with individually crafted goods. Clothing was loose and soft, using fabrics coloured with organic dyes and decorated with hand embroidery.
Elements of Bohemian Style
Bohemian style, now referred to as boho chic, has come down through history, reappearing as beatnik style and in the hippie culture of the 1960s. For 200 years, bohemian style has consisted of several fashion elements.
- Loose, flowing clothing made of natural fabrics
- Less restrictive garments worn without corsets, bras or other restrictive elements
- Loose, flowing hair
- Colourful scarves worn at the neck, on the head, or instead of a belt
- Peasant style clothing including tunics, loose trousers, boots, and sandals
- Oriental elements including robes, kimonos, and the ethnic designs of Persia, India, Turkey, and China.
- Layering
- Matching of garments in a nontraditional manner, such as mixing prints, or unusual colour combinations
- Multi strands of beads, several bangle bracelets, and the wearing of unusual, hand crafted, or unmatched jewelry
- Large dangle or large hoop earrings
- Broad brimmed hats
- Patched clothing
- Paisley, flowered fabrics, ruffles, lace edged sleeves
This might be the year, you actually let your inner bohemian child out. And the fact of the matter is, living in our always sunny clime, it's ridiculously easy to embrace a softer, breezier way of dressing.
Have a look at Lustre’s BOHO collection HERE
Written by Anaita Thakkar for Lustre Jewellery
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Posted on April 01 2016