Welcome back. Today’s post is an exploration of the bohemian archetype: its roots, its shifts over time, and how style continues to reflect a layered cultural identity.
Where the Word “Bohemian” Comes From
The word “bohemian” comes from the French bohème, originally used to describe the Romani French, who were thought to have come from the region of Bohemia.
This community, migrating from northwest India, brought with them music, performance, acrobatics, and mystical practices. They traveled freely, often outside of societal expectations, while also being denied many legal rights.
When they reached the Kingdom of Bohemia, they received a letter of support from the king and later used this document to introduce themselves to French authorities. They came to be known as bohémiens.
Eventually, the term grew to describe people living on the margins of conventional society: artists, writers, performers, often struggling financially but living creatively and independently. Henri Murger’s Scenes from the Bohemian Life helped define this archetype in literature. It also inspired the opera La Bohème, which later became the musical Rent. One of the best-known songs from the show is La Vie Bohème.
A Larger Cultural Movement
Bohemianism existed alongside and often overlapped with other artistic and philosophical movements: romanticism, realism, symbolism, orientalism, the technocrats, the decadent movement, pre-Raphaelite ideals, serialism, Dadaism, and the Beat Generation.
There was a shared focus on art as life, resistance to materialism, and a pushback against dominant cultural norms.
Style Codes: Global Influence, Flow, and Theater
Orientalism played a strong role in shaping bohemian style. There was a deep interest in what was seen as foreign or unfamiliar, often viewed through a Western lens.
Designers sourced items from flea markets and colonial trade routes. This created an early form of globalization in fashion.
Paul Poiret was one of the key designers of the time. He helped liberate women from the corset with flowing silhouettes. He pulled inspiration from cultures across the Middle East, North Africa, and Asia. His creations included: the harem pant, the lampshade tunic, the kimono coat, and the cocoon coat. These pieces often carried a theatrical quality and were popular on stage and in society.
Mariano Fortuny offered a more contemplative version of bohemian dress. He created the Delphos gown, which was inspired by Greco-Roman forms. He was also drawn to Japanese kimono construction and dyeing methods.
While different in execution, both designers emphasized: freedom of movement, dedication to craft, and a departure from rigid tailoring.
Early 20th Century Figures to Know
Some figures from the early 1900s who embodied this spirit include:
- Isadora Duncan: choreographer known for barefoot dancing, Greco-Roman-inspired costuming, and political ideals
- Colette: novelist, actress, and journalist who engaged deeply in salon culture and fluid gender expression
- Dora Maar: surrealist photographer, painter, and poet
- Jean Cocteau: multidisciplinary artist with a mystical and empathetic approach to storytelling
Salon culture during this period was a gathering space for ideas, debates, and creative exchange. You can think of it as a more elegant and absinthe-infused version of in-person Reddit.
The Hippie Movement and Cultural Shift
After WWII, the hippie movement picked up many earlier bohemian values: anti-capitalism, openness to different cultures, creative living, and community-based ideals.
As the movement gained attention, it also became more visible and eventually more commercial.
Retailers began producing items that referenced the look: fringe, embroidery, peasant blouses, bell-bottoms. Practices like yoga and meditation were adopted into Western wellness culture, often detached from their original meanings.
Over time, the visual markers became more familiar than the ideas they originally supported.
Festival Fashion and the Aesthetic of Escapism
By the 1970s, festival wear became a kind of shorthand for countercultural expression. Items that were once handmade or rooted in specific traditions were reinterpreted for mass production.
Examples include: faux Afghan coats, synthetic block prints, and polyester caftans. There was a patchwork of influences — indigenous fringe, Indian paisley, Romani coin jewelry — that began to appear on store shelves, forming a look that feels very similar to today’s festival fashion.
The 2000s and the Lifestyle Shift
In the early 2000s, bohemian style returned again, framed more as a curated lifestyle than a political or cultural stance.
- Anthropologie leaned into a vision of cultured femininity: broderie anglaise, Indian-inspired prints, rustic ceramics
- Free People leaned more into youth-focused, festival-aligned fashion
Enter the Wellness Bohemian
More recently, a new iteration has emerged: the wellness bohemian.
This version focuses on self-care, spiritual curiosity, and calming design aesthetics. Core elements include: yoga culture, astrology, herbalism, tarot, essential oils, macramé, watercolors, and natural textures.
If you’ve ever stayed in an Airbnb in Joshua Tree, you’ve likely experienced this look firsthand.
So Where Does That Leave Bohemianism?
The original bohemian ideals: creative freedom, anti-materialism, and artistic devotion, are harder to locate in the mainstream versions of the style. These values still exist but are often layered beneath trend cycles and marketing strategies.
Boho fashion continues to reappear in both luxury and fast fashion. Each return brings with it a mix of romantic visuals and simplified symbolism. Prairie dresses, fringe jackets, and peasant blouses re-enter as seasonal signals of femininity.
That said, the movement has always evolved. Cultural exchange is part of that. As the world becomes more connected, people move and share across borders. Traditions and aesthetics shift in real time.
Instead of avoiding this, we can approach it more consciously. If you’re drawn to the bohemian archetype, try to engage with it beyond just visuals. Ask yourself:
- What draws you in about this style?
- Which elements resonate with your values or story?
- How can your choices reflect curiosity and care?
The more you understand the roots, the more meaning your style can hold. It becomes less about mimicking and more about expression.
More on technique and deeper dives to come ; thanks for reading!
xx
Nona