By Gretta Monahan
Summers were built for boho-chic. It’s a time when we can all relax a little, let our hair down, and rock some less-serious, more fun pieces from our wardrobe.
Across the fashion world, I’ve been seeing boho mojo aplenty this year. Already there are more flowy, pretty dresses and cool blouses out there than I can possibly fit into my closet—let alone onto summer my calendar….
For starters, there’s my favorite from that treasure trove of laid-back bohemian (and affordable) style, freepeople.com: The “Walk This Way” tube dress ($98). In head-to-toe (or chest-to-toe, as it were) mauve cotton crochet, the strapless has a willowy overlay and an alluring side vent. Wear it to a graduation party, on a date to dinner and a movie, or to a beach party. Repeat as necessary.
On the shorter side, there are whimsical pieces like the “Morocco at Midnight” print shift dress, complete with embroidery and funky mirror details, not to mention cool details like the frayed neckline. (Don’t worry about comfort, either: adjustable straps and an elastic back hold you in it easily.) It’s just $57—along with plenty more like it under $100—at lulus.com.
Isabel Marant, the designer beloved by chic Parisian females (and even just females who yearn to be chic and Parisian), has whipped up a killer tunic that’s part Pocahontas, part Moroccan night out. Made of ecru silk voile, it’s embellished with brightly colored embroidery—the kind that does justice to everything from metallic capri pants to ankle-length linen skirts.
And if all that still just doesn’t seem easy enough, then opt for the half-oversized blouse, half-undersized dress look that is the boho beach cover-up. The “Island Fare” V-neck tunic by La Blanca ($99 at Nordstrom.com) is a gorgeous, gauzy throw-on over any swimsuit, and provides enough cover for travel from the beach chair to the concession stand and back. Meanwhile, Boho Me’s tie die maxi swim cover up ($79 at bloomingdales.com) goes from the pool to the grocery store, and then straight to dinner with the laid-back ease of, well, of summer itself.
