I was too tired to get into this when I wrote my original overview of Amanda Brooks’ chapter on bohemian style but I would be remiss if I didn’t discuss the best/most important feature of bohemian dressing: the proportions. This is beyond a doubt the most important thing that you have to understand about bohemian style in order to do it correctly.
Proportions are not more important to bohemian style than they are to other style choices, they are just much easier to get wrong. If you are pairing a classic blouse with a classic pair of pants, your biggest concern will typically be that the prints/colors match well. Classic lengths, cuts, and fits usually go together without much additional thought: the proportions pretty much go without saying. Not true when it comes to the bohemian because, in fact, pants that you might consider bohemian (think something wide-legged, like gauchos) typically do not look right with billowy bohemian tops: it’s too much fabric.
That being said, bohemian proportions are arguably one of the best things about the style. Anyone can put on a peasant top but to be able to appropriately pair it with the right bottoms in the right fit is what makes or breaks the success of the look.
The importance of getting proportions right cannot be overemphasized. To be sure, the proportions piece is what I was missing when I first tried to go boho in high school (e.g. I would have worn gauchos with a billowy top). Nowadays, bohemian proportions are my favorite part of the look and I feel extremely exasperated at my younger self for failing to understand their importance.
Let’s look at some examples!
Long billowy dress, plunging neckline:
Short dress, high boots:
Long top, tight pants, high boots:
Billowy pants, structured jacket/top:
(Note: Most people could not pull off these pants even with something structured. However, Siena Miller can.)
(My all time favorite) Shorts, Boots:
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