Bohemian to the Maxi

I may often express my sense of style with boho chic outfits, but do I truly live la vie bohème?

The modern definition of a bohemian is an artistic or spiritual individual who goes against the grain of social conventions and lives a “non-traditional” lifestyle. Although I’ve always secretly considered myself a free spirit, for the most part, my daydreams seldom leave the confines of social norms and I have mostly lived in tandem with the status quo.

As I have alluded in past blog posts, these last two years have been transformative for me. Even in the recent two months, I let go of my part-time job in order to make room for bigger opportunities. The transition from a drab office routine to a new freelance career hasn’t been easy, but while all my friends are near the top of their corporate ladders, I’m doing just fine on the ground, styling my own little creative world. I’m no rootless vagabond – let’s be real, one needs money to fund wanderlust, buy those new shoes, and build a nest egg – but never have I felt so free and content in my life.

Autumn is a season that signifies change and reflection, one that is symbolic of my own metamorphosis. The leaves turn colors as one season begins to fade and make way for the next. This fall has brought me even more opportunities and is a huge improvement over last fall, and I wonder what future fall will have in store for me. But before I get ahead of myself, it is important to focus on the present, and what better way than with a lovely vintage boho dress to the maxi?

vintage maxi dress (similar) | Uniqlo hat (similar) | leather purse (similar) | Madewell clogs (similar)

I finally had the chance to bust this beauty out on a warm-in-the-sun-but-chilly-in-the-shade type of autumn day. I especially love the floor grazing panel depicting an autumn scene done in varying shades of purple, as if dusk is falling on trees as leaves fall from them. Even this dress is on the precipice of transformation. Now that I know what I stand for, my platform of choice must be a pair of wooden clogs; it’s got me knocking on wood every step of the way.

I’m not really sure if I live la vie bohème, but I can certainly say I’m bohemian to the maxi.

Bohemian Rhapsody

Is this the real life? Is this just fantasy?

It is often said that the zodiac sign Pisces teeter between the worlds of reality and fantasy, so I’m pretty sure Queen was singing about us – or maybe not. As a Pisces, I know first hand of what it’s like to have my head in the clouds. I often daydream about being a starving artist living the vagabond life or being a performer on stage. I’ve been told I’m eccentric, and I know my thinking can be a little offbeat. Perhaps it’s because I’m a Pisces, or perhaps it’s because I’m the middle child – in any case, I march to my own beat, and that beat is my bohemian rhapsody.

A rhapsody like that deserves that 70s dress, and I found such a dress for only five dollars at a garage sale. The wild floral paisley print and the relaxed figure forgiving silhouette all epitomize 1970s bohemian style. I imagine it might have lived la vie bohème in a past life before it met me. I accessorized accordingly with a wide brimmed wool hat, some bangles, and my vintage 1970s wedge sandals. If there’s something a bohemian styled outfit needs, it’s a noisy coin charm bracelet. The jingling on my wrist caused more commotion than the coins on a belly dancer’s hips. And my hips don’t lie…or do they?

Although everyone has just one of them days, the day I wore this dress was certainly no rhapsody in blue. I was flagged by a street style photographer – finally some recognition for an outfit well done!

I parked my butt right next to the “no parking” sign and started posing. The only other thing just as free flowin’ as me was the wind I had to battle during this photoshoot. But instead of fighting it, I used it to my advantage because that’s what Pisces do best: we go with the flow.

Any way the wind blows doesn’t really matter to me, to me.


Uniqlo hat (similar hat) / vintage dress (similar dress here, here, and here) / vintage Natural Comfort shoes (similar shoes) / vintage charm bracelet (similar bracelet)

bohemian