Working as a Santa Clarita Wedding Florist I often get requests from brides who are trying to round out their wedding style and decor with a remarkable bouquet and flowers for their special day. Because of this, I've been asked to "elaborate on bohemian vs. boho for... style philistines", so let's start with a quick definition.
Bohemian. Not boho. It's a thing of mine - love one, can't stand the other.
Define: bohemian* -
noun Bo·he·mi·an \ bōˈhēmēən
1. a native or inhabitant of Bohemia.
2. a person who has informal and unconventional social habits, especially an artist or writer.
Define: boho* -
noun bo·ho \ˈbō-hō\
1. shortening of bohemian
adjective
2. fashion trend
Examples of boho in a sentence:
Boho is a fashion trend that is tied to the vintage phenomenon in fashion.
Personally, I love the concept of a bohemian. An unconventional artist or person who lives by their own rules, their own definition of style, and does not often conform to social style guidelines is called a bohemian. There is nothing more romantic and unique than a true bohemian, which is why the archetype is so sought after.
In truth, likely all of us want to be viewed as special, individual, unique, and so truly our own person we would be considered bohemian. Growing up in an artist community (CalArts), I have vivid and magical memories of Shakespeare in the Park performances where dancers would give mini performances of ethnic dances, and the festival atmosphere was intriguing and intoxicating. These memories have formed my opinion of what a bohemian is.
On the other hand, the boho style is mass-produced, not individual or particularly inspired, in my opinion. When a way of life and art becomes a style that is marketed upon, it loses its credibility, hence my dislike of the shortening of the term - bohemian into boho.
Bohemian. Artist. Non-conformist. My people.
Be original. Be bespoke. Be your true self and let your light shine out in beautiful rays upon the world.
Definitions courtesy of dictionary.com.
delightfully yours,
Rochelle