Can You Wear an Embroidered Top And Not Go Boho?

If you’re like me, bohemian is not how you would describe your style. All the same, a girl sometimes likes to wear flowers on her sleeves.

This is how I style an embroidered top without going full-on boho – and here are a few additional tips.

Let’s face it. Not every trend is right for everyone. Bohemian style has been hot for a while, but some of us just don’t take to it for whatever reason. If you are in that “some” category like me, that doesn’t mean an embroidered top won’t suddenly catch your eye now and then. Am I right? So, what you do is either make an exception and try out a little boho, as I did in THIS POST or…

1) Let your embroidery serve as an accent along with more classic/sophisticated/polished pieces.

Notice how my black pants and sandals take a backseat to these eye-catching sleeves? And at the same time, they set the tone for more formal viewing.

2) Consider embroidery like any another print for playing Print-on-Print (one of my favorite styling games).

I love mixing prints. And a favorite way to do so is by wearing a piece that is predominantly one color (like green in this zebra-striped bag) with a piece that uses that color as a secondary hue (the greenery in the embroidered floral motif).

3) Since much of bohemian-styled clothing is loose and billowy, contrast it with fitted pieces. Or as in this case, choose your pieces to create an hourglass-ish silhouette.

The band (which ties in the back) and high waistline of this blouse allow me an opportunity to create a classic silhouette. I only have to pair it with a high-waisted garment that flares on the bottom. One piece which achieves this is my black A-line silk midi skirt from THIS POST. I wore it here with wide-legged cropped pants. The cut verges on looking bohemian (harem-like). But a pair of high-heeled sandals instantly cancels out that association.

Another boho-light way of styling the top for this fall is with dark-wash skinny jeans and mid- to high-heeled booties.

4) Style your embroidered piece with smoother, more polished textures.

Notice how this bag has a very sheeny, sort of techno finish? Not so bohemian really! The same goes for the luxurious black fabric of my pants.

Here are a few other ways I could style this blouse for a chic not-so-boho look, besides the A-line silk midi and skinny jeans I already mentioned:

• With a denim skit and loafers
• With culottes and mules

I hope you enjoyed this boho-light version of styling an embroidered top. I used to dress full-on boho most of the time (soon after moving to hippy-friendly Santa Cruz, California). It was super fun at the time. But I now feel that my personal style just doesn’t go there anymore. Do you like to dress boho?

I wore: Zara top / Eileen Fisher pants / Stuart Weitzman sandals / Kenzo X H&M bag / Balenciaga sunglasses