A Complete Guide to Boho Indian Clothing

Boho Indian clothing draws inspiration from Bohemian European style and fuses it with Indian items. Bohemian Indian style is one of the most popular boho styles because many Bohemian fashion designers and artists got inspired by Indian art and everyday outfits. Boho Indian look enchants Indian and Western crowds thanks to the quality of Indian boho fabrics and the vibrancy of boho Indian prints. Today The Indian Rose wants to inspire your artistic, carefree side with a complete guide to boho Indian clothing that will surely earn you a few fashion fans.

Boho Indian Clothing: the Basics

When you try to achieve a bohemian Indian style it is important that you think outside the box and forget about the rigidity of formal clothing. Combine different colors, leave your hair wild, add lots of accessories… get creative, do not be afraid to take risks. A few simple guidelines for your boho Indian style are:

Natural fabrics: synthetic fabrics do not work with a bohemian Indian style. Cotton, linen, silk, mulmul and even wool work best. We are lucky that traditional Indian fashion also uses high quality materials, so it won’t be hard to use traditional Indian items for a boho Indian style.

Colors: the second guideline to achieve a good boho Indian clothing style is the use of colors. Bohemian style is colorful, but even more so when it is Indian boho. Just let the colors of traditional Indian clothes inspire you: intricate prints, yellows, pinks, reds, those colors are all easily available in Indian traditional clothing.

Mix: boho Indian clothing is not about wearing traditional Indian outfits, or Western clothes. It is about mixing the 2 styles in a modern, chic way. Boho Indian fashion does not mean neglecting style, or looking untidy. Quite the opposite! It is about looking untidily chic, with a conscious root in Indian arts and traditions.

Source: do not be afraid to get your boho Indian clothing from different sources. You will likely not have many Bohemian shops around you, actually being bohemian is not about going to a shop and “buy your look”. Boho Indian style should be your own creation, you should get fashion items from second hand shops, the internet, common brands as well as your grandmother! We recommend trying Etsy to source what you can’t find anywhere else.

Conscious: do not overdo it. If you want truly boho chic Indian clothing, you should carefully weight important statement items vs. neutral and simple ones, especially if you want to wear boho Indian clothing for the office. Choose 1 very intricate, statement clothing piece plus one statement accessory. The rest should be lower profile. In the end, bohemian Indian style is not about looking like a clown!

Following is a great inspiration list for your perfect boho Indian clothing style, plus where to get the items!

Indian boho fabrics: first things first, Indian boho fabrics are amazing. They include different kinds of Indian silks, cotton, and mulmul.

Boho Indian Prints: floral, Kutch embroidery, tie-dye, paisley, banjara prints. Those are the boho Indian prints to go for to achieve a boho Indian look.

Boho Indian dresses: you have a lot to choose from. One option would be a single color maxi-dress with a colorful Indian belt, an Indian printed maxi-dress, or an oversize fashionable anarkali. Just make sure it is long and wide!

Indian boho tunic: tunic is a must for a bohemian look. Be inspired by traditional kurtas to create an Indian boho tunic. The best choice would be to diy or go to a tailor. You can either opt for a long tunic dress or for a short one to wear with jeans or leggings. It can be colorful or even plain and sober, as long as the neckline is embellished with embroidery and stones.

Boho Indian skirts: either a long tribal patterned skirt with a white blouse or a sari with a blouse, so it looks like a long skirt. Whatever boho Indian clothing you choose, the boho Indian skirt should be long, an Indian boho maxi skirt. Remember, if the skirt is important (printed or embroidered), the blouse should be simple.

Indian boho pants: harem pants, jodhpuri, baggy pants, palazzos… think wide! Leggings and jeans are only good if you wear a kurti. If your top is short and tight, go for wide pants. The best colors for Indian boho pants are mandala prints and plain colors, depending on the color of the top. For a more boho chic Indian clothing, opt for elegant palazzos or salwar, not baggy pants. To know more, see can I wear salwar kameez for interview.

Boho Indian tops: the perfect boho Indian top is a kurti paired with a washed off skinny jeans. A short top kaftan tunic with Indian embroidery works well too with jeans. Again, an intricate boho Indian top should go with simple jeans, or single color jhooties.

Indian boho jacket: Indian boho jackets are usually decorated with mirrors and very colorful: Indian boho jackets often draw from the Banjara nomadic style. That is why if you want to keep your boho Indian clothing style elegant you should make the jacket your main statement piece and pair it with jeans and a black top. You can also wear a statement oxidised silver necklace. If it is too hot to wear an Indian boho jacket, wear a sleeveless embroidered vest.

Indian boho kimono: should be made of khadi cotton or silk; it can be hip length or maxi, and it should be colorful, with embroidered borders. Kimonos are fundamental items of boho Indian clothing.

Indian boho kurti: kurtis are perfect for boho Indian style! Just pick one you like that’s not too over the top, can be short or long, and wear it with leggings or jeans.

Indian boho sandals: bohemian Indian style is an easy style because Indian clothing is naturally bohemian. The same is true for shoes. Indian boho sandals can be all kinds of Indian traditional sandals with a modern twist: kolhapuri chappal, rajastani traditional shoes, embroidered leather sandals, jaipuris, punjabis. Good and cheap! Just make sure the material is of high quality as is usually the case with boho Indian style.

Indian boho jewelry: jewellery is very important to a truly boho Indian look, and Indian tribal indigenous silver jewellery is just perfect for the purpose.

Boho Indian necklace: could be a silver coin choker, a big tribal oxidised silver necklace with mirrors, or kundan style, or even an amulet.

Indian boho earrings: boho Indian clothing is only complete with the right kind of jewellery, and Indian earrings are the best choice for a boho chic look. Silver loop earrings, tribal earrings, aqeeq earrings, or even modern jhumkas will be a stylish addition. For a boho Indian look, prefer oxidised silver.

Boho Indian headband: draws inspiration from traditional Indian turbans. You can style a foulard as a light turban or as a simple headband. Just make sure the fabric is traditional Indian. Alternatively, boho Indian clothing goes well with silver chain headbands.

Boho Indian headdress: Indian tradition is rich in beautiful headdresses. For a boho chic Indian look opt for a small and tasty maang tikka or matta patthi.

Indian boho fashion designers: include Tanvi Kedia and Anupama Dayal. You can check out their creations and get inspired by them.

Indian boho celebrity inspirations: are Kareena Kapoor, Athiya Shetty and especially Aditi Rao Hydari. For vintage boho inspiration, check out Zeenat Aman retro look.

We are sure that after reading this article you know a lot more about Boho Indian style as we covered just about everything! We told you this was going to be a complete guide to boho Indian clothing! Let us know if you have any questions in the comment section below.