I only ever go half-boho.

My favourite style icons use this trick, too.

On a recent episode of Mamamia’s fashion podcast Nothing To Wear, host Leigh Campbell classified my style as “boho”.

In the moment I was mildly confronted... is it?

But then I realised she's right. My looks generally have some element of bohemian styling incorporated - whether it's a flowy knit pant, an embroidered jacket, or the way I incorporate woven accessories or layered gold jewellery.

My reversible quilted jacket styled with a white tee and jeans.

But the reason it doesn't *feel* like I'm doing a boho look is that I'm not, at least not fully.

I'm only half-committing, and I think that's the secret to channelling this look without it feeling costumey.

You only ever go half boho.

My wardrobe is full of flowy maxidresses, but I always wear them with a streamlined shoe and classic sunglasses. Styling them ‘on theme’ would feel like Coachella cos-play.

The maxidress segment of my wardrobe.

Last year’s big boho resurgence was felt deeply in the hearts of millennials. It conjured up images of Sienna Miller in the early 2000s, the It-girl everyone wanted to be. Or Mischa Barton on a red carpet wearing a sequinned tunic over bootleg jeans.

It made us think about our collections of dangly brass necklaces. And those gauzy empire-line dresses… so many empire-line dresses.

But would bringing it back actually do us any favours? What did we learn from doing boho the first time around?

Well I like to think, on reflection, that we learnt a thing or two about restraint.

Like you don’t need a pirate blouse, a tiered maxiskirt, a fringed bag AND a cowboy boot.

Nowadays we tend to follow a method of dressing that heroes one key item and builds the look around it: think the jacket of the season (suede and structured) or a key flat shoe (the ballerina).

So we isolate the pirate blouse and pare back the look from there. It’s much more approachable… and it’s chicer.

They would probably hate this, but I’d also classify the Olsen Twins as half-boho in their approach.

The overall effect of her outfits might read as minimal, but you can’t tell me Mary-Kate isn’t bohemian. Cape-like dresses, louche silhouettes and jewel-encrusted vintage jewellery all fall into the category, but the styling never looks contrived. That’s her sorcery.

The shoe offsets the loose shapes here.

A boho base with sneakers and a sleek bag.

Lots of other influencers and tastemakers I’m inspired by have this mix nailed in their daily looks. Like Elle Ferguson and her Bondi brand of effortless cool. Or Leandra Medine Cohen’s eclectic twist. And Jessie Randall from Loeffler Randall (hers might give more of a ‘prairie’ vibe but you catch my drift).

Elle’s styling is always on point. The top and accessories are boho, the jeans are casual-cool.

The little white dress is the boho element here.

So if you’re styling a “flowy” piece like a maxidress or lace pant, or an on-trend accessory like a studded suede bag, you could let that be the solo boho element.

Take some style cues from Elle and temper a floaty smock dress with a boxy leather jacket. Don’t not buy a fun embroidered jacket because you don’t have the perfect festival flares to pair with it. Just add jeans.

Jessie from Loeffler Randall is a style icon you should follow if you’re not across her. One of her signature looks is a statement quilted jacket from her brand with denim.

The genius of this smock dress with riding boots!

And here are some ‘half-boho’ snippets from my own back-catalogue. I realised after recording the podcast that it’s actually a core element of my personal style. So I’m now consciously leaning into it…

But I’m only half-committing.

While I have you… let me know what you’d like to see in this newsletter! A Met Gala wrap-up, or are we already over it? More shopping edits? My comments and dm’s are always open.

Until next time,

Tam x