I like to think of myself as a boho mom, but some days I feel like I’m still in training. A boho mom is both indifferent to style and completely attentive to style at the same time. While boho women seem to just throw on clothes without a thought in the world, thought does occur. Maybe it doesn’t occur in the moment when the clothes are thrown together, but within the bohemian approach to life . . . each and every decision before that point has been cherished and a boho mom makes meaningful style purchases and/or makes meaningful clothing.
Each item of clothing tells a story.
Each item of clothing is a deeply loved treasure.
The style that surrounds a boho mom is a cultivated masterpiece echoing a life of caring.
Don’t you want to be a boho mom?
How to Be Boho
Only buy what you love
You would think this was obvious, but really it isn’t. We, as women, buy clothes we don’t love. In fact, we too often buy clothes that we love on others. We buy the outfit that looks good on the manikin, the clothes that look good on a skinny, unrealistic model, or the clothes that we see look good on our friends. Only . . . when we put them on we recognize that these clothes are not us. Though we occasionally luck out on the ‘right’ outfit or shirt or pants, we have a whole wardrobe of clothes we practically hate.
Why is this?
We need to learn what clothes we love and what clothes look good on us BEFORE we buy clothes at the store. If you are a bold and fabulous woman and you put on a flowery skirt, then you will feel terrible. Other people will look at you confused. A bold and fabulous woman needs to wear bold and fabulous clothes. A darling sweetheart of a woman would feel much better in the flowery skirt. She would feel wonderful in this calming skirt. You must know more about who you are inside in order to know what you want to put on your outside.
Know yourself
If it sounds a little weird of me to suggest that you need to know yourself, then you probably aren’t very comfortable with yourself. I’m comfortable with me! I’m the type of girl that will tell you to “know yourself,” then suggest that you apply some essential oils. Finally, after many years, I’m good with being THAT person.
If you do not know who you are then you cannot know how to dress yourself.
First off, let me suggest that you take this personality test written by Gary Smalley. Getting a grip on who I was as a person was life changing. God created me to be both bold and organized. Then He added a little artsy and boho to the mix. So at this point, I’m boldly boholistic and I love to organize others to embrace who they are and enjoy living holistic lives to the glory of God. When you take this test, you’ll quickly understand that you basically fit into one of four categories.
A lion, an otter, a beaver, or a golden retriever.
No matter which person you are, you are beautiful and you are useful to God just the way He made you. I’ve met ladies who are in each of the four personalities and many who are a mix. They couldn’t have served God better if they were a different personality. They were the best person when they embraced being the special lady that God made them to be.
What does this have to do with style and clothing? Everything. Within your personality, you have clothes that will fit your personality better than other clothes. A friend of mine suggested I read this website that told all about five personalities and how each person fit into one of the five categories and could easily find clothes that fit them. I checked it out. Wouldn’t it turn out that I’m the one of the five categories that hates to be put in a category? No, I’m serious. I read the description for my “type” and it said that my type liked to buck the system and didn’t like to be told what to wear. That’s the lion in me. Then again, I have to have my clothes somewhat organized. That’s the beaver in me. For those of you who are not stylistically rebellious, you may find this typing helpful. Check it out at Dressing Your Truth.
My advice? Don’t let others tell you what you should wear. Begin a list or take pictures of all of your favorite items of clothing. Ask yourself what you like most about those items. Maybe its the way it fits. Maybe the colors call to you. Maybe others have told you how wonderful you look in the clothes. All of these things matter. You want to feel like a hundred buck every day of the year whether you are a boho mom or any other style of mom.
Be daring
Once you figure out what you love uniquely, be daring. Whether that means you’ll be wearing a skirt every day for the rest of your life or whether that means most days you’ll be in a suit jacket. If you love it and you love how it represents your personality, then wear it unapologetically.
Within reason. I truly don’t believe that a person’s full personality is represented by slippers and pajamas to Walmart. I also do not believe that a person is solely t-shirts and jeans. I LOVE wearing a t-shirt and jeans, but my personality is more complex than to be fully represented by one outfit. So are you. If you find yourself stuck in a comfortable rut, then try on some new clothes. Take a trusted friend who isn’t trying to push you into their style and see if you can branch out a bit. Be yourself, but don’t let yourself be boring! Boho moms are not boring; we are dynamic!
My Favorite Boho Mom Style Items
You may love my favorite boho style items or you may not. I’m good with that! I have reasons why I choose the clothing that I wear. I’m in the midst of trying to find clothes that I can believe in and feel great about where I’m putting my money when I purchase clothes. Unfortunately, this is a difficult process that I haven’t fully completed. Here are the brands and products that I have intentionally purchased and added to my Boholistic Collection.
While it isn’t a brand or a product, Plato’s Closet a concept. I like to buy clothes that are used. Plato’s Closet makes that easy! I can browse clothing that has been gently used and save money. Right now, I’m wearing a pair of cut off shorts that fit like magic. I bought them at Plato’s Closet. I paid $14 and I absolutely love these shorts. If they were new I would have paid $25-$35 for my cut off shorts. My Boho Mom style says, “Dress like you spent a ton of money and spend less.”
I grew up near the beach. Part of my bohemian nature is definitely beach bum. I love Roxy’s prints, t-shirts, and dresses. Most of the clothes that I buy from Roxy seem to last longer. A cotton shirt from Roxy seems to last so much longer than the cheap t-shirt from a general retailer. Maybe it’s all in my mind . . . but I love these clothes!
Note: Quicksilver & Roxy actually have a sustainability initiative that will make them more environmentally and socially responsible. Sounds good to me!
If you have a deep pocket book (one that looks nothing like mine), then you will love Free People. There are tons of Bohemian designs for the Boho Mom. For instance, there are 34 PAGES of dresses listed on their site. Be sure to let me know if you find a coupon . . .
Anthropologie just makes me drool. It’s definitely mainstream and very “in style” for the traditional boholistic gal, but I don’t know a lady out there that doesn’t fall in love with their designs. They have dresses, skirts, shirts, accessories, and even housewares. Can someone please stop me from ogling their site?
Etsy in itself is not bohemian, but many of the patrons and sellers of Etsy pride themselves in boho. I’ve found quite a few styles that I love. What is your favorite Etsy bohemian seller?
Beautifully Boholistic Businesses
I’d love to have a list of businesses that are beautifully boholistic. Do you have any to add to the list? Comment below!
Brooke Shambley
THE Boholistic Mom
Affiliate Disclosure
I am an Amazon Affiliate and the links included in this post (including some of the pictures) will take you to Amazon. As an affiliate, I get paid when my readers shop from those links. Feel free to shop from the links if you’d like to support my blog, but feel free to shop elsewhere especially locally!
