Boho Chic at the Musée
Typically, when you have questions regarding attire for an event, it’s easy to find answers. You can google it, ask around to your friends, or even dust off the old Emily Post Etiquette book. Creative Cocktail, Resort Casual…they’ve all been done before, so one way or another, you can find out what the host is requesting.
Then comes an invitation where the attire is listed as “Bohemian Black Tie.” Must be a typo, you’re thinking. But indeed it’s not…it’s the attire for Voila! - The Contemporaries 6th Annual Winter Bash coming up on March 1st. There’s been quite a lot of buzz for this highly anticipated museum event already, mostly in part to us ladies asking “What in the world is Bohemian Black Tie?!?”
Luckily, MainelyMara has its fair share of resources here in town, so we quickly went to one of best sources - stylish local boutique Helene M. - to get some ideas & inspiration for this unique dress code.
Here are 2 looks and style notes that Store Manager & Buyer, Liana Zaborowski, put together for us:
Liana - When I think “Bohemian Black Tie,” I think Paris in the mid-1800’s: Impressionism, ‘La Boheme,’ absinthe, a devil-may-care spirit in the air. As far as style goes this is an attitude first, a way of dressing second. We see modern day versions of ‘boho chic’ everywhere: Nicole Richie, Rachel Zoe, Kate Moss, and Sienna Miller come to mind. The attitude is free-spirited, free-expression, and relaxed. The look is layered, effortless, detailed with accents that are folk inspired. Yes, boho has gypsy roots and they show.
At Helene M. we keep the look modern, yet classic. (Audrey Hepburn is our muse.) The outfits you see here are an example of our aesthetic, and they’re styled in a less conventional way. Wearing a floaty, silk blouse untucked for some drape & ease and adding some shape with the sleek pencil skirt is a great compromise for someone that isn’t likely to wear lots of layers.
The necklaces and bracelets add the layers, give a pop of color. A red clutch offsets any order in that it isn’t a neutral. The earrings with the necklaces and bracelets could be too much for some, but works for a boho look. A spritz of Antonia’s Flowers’ “Tiempe Passate” – a sensual, earthy scent – will be the finishing touch for a step back into an evening in Degas’ Paris.
To dress for this event will involve expressing your own style, perhaps relaxing it a bit, and adding details that give it the bohemian look. Accessories: long, layered, colorful, organic. Hair: loose waves, tousled, shiny. Makeup: natural shades, a swipe of blush & shadow, a smidge of mascara and lip gloss.
A big THANK YOU to Liana & Helene M. for putting together these fabulous Bohemiam Black Tie looks for us! MainelyMara’s final advice? Have fun with it, be creative, and above all else…get excited! Because there aren’t too many occasions to get dressed up in Portland, and trust us when we say this is one the best of the year!
P.S. Be on the lookout for another Bohemian Black Tie post next week featuring looks from our other local favorite boutique, Bliss.
