Boho-Chic Is Making A Comeback: The 8 Icons Of Mid-Noughties Style

With fringe shorts and uggs making a comeback we wanted to take a walk down memory lane and remember some of the fashion icons of the mid-2000s

May 3, 2024 | Written by Ana Beatriz Reitz

There was something special in the air during the 2000-2009 era. One could wonder if it was the rise of many pop icons, from Beyoencé’s ‘Dangerously in Love’ album to Lady Gaga’s ‘The Fame’ album, while others give credit to the mainstreaming of reality TV and fan culture – any Twilight enthusiast out there?

But the truth is what we were collectively feeling was due to the incredible free-spirit fashion. In the early-mid '10s, the app Tumblr was still at its peak and one of its favourite aesthetics was the modern hipster: our beloved boho chic. 

With a strong influence from musical styles such as rock and country, boho chic was largely inspired by the hippie movement. It embraced not only a more laid-back style but also irreverence and nonconformism. At heart, boho chic was about balancing practicality with a touch of edge. 

After designer Chemena Kamali presented her debut Chloé ready-to-wear collection for Fall/Winter 2024 in Paris, the return of the mid-noughties style was confirmed. From wooden wedges to ruffled pieces, the collection was built around a hippie chic fantasy. But Kamali wasn’t the only one inspired by the bohemian fashion. Tassel detailing, sheer layers, and an eclectic mix of prints were on display at Rabanne. Isabel Marant revisited boho with fringed skirts and scarves. At Saint Laurent, it was through sheer dresses that embrace the body in earthy tones. At Feben, the freak mood was adopted through animal-printed dresses.

Meanwhile, Etro opted for a compilation of exuberant textiles to exude the bohemian lifestyle. Opulence aside, Schiaparelli had brown surrealist cowboy boots that gave the ultimate free spirit hero. As for Ann Demeulemeester, models with messy hairstyles wore bohemian leathers, knits, biker jackets, and tailored pants, reminiscent of the boho icons at Coachella and Glastonbury festivals. 

Fresh, lightness, movement, fluidity: that’s boho chic. And since it is back in fashion, let’s remember eight icons of it. 

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Serena Van Der Woodsen

Okay, this may be a fictional character, but Serena was the fashion icon of the Upper East Side. You could almost always find her sporting a fresh multi-patterned short dress, sandals with pumps, and a suede belt while accessorizing with a giant leather bag. America’s favorite ‘It girl’, Serena Van Der Woodsen, played by actress Blake Lively, might be one of the biggest icons of boho chic. Outside of her preppy uniform, the character wore rebellious pieces that perfectly reflected her thirst for adventure.

Vanessa Hudgens

Known for serving up Old Hollywood glam on the red carpets, actress Vanessa Hudgens has shown herself to be a key figure in the rise of boho chic, whether when attending Coachella or being spotted on the streets of Los Angeles.

Image credit: WWD

Diana Ross

While it's no secret that Diana Ross has inspired countless musicians over the years, she has also made many contributions to fashion.  From a fresh white dress to a cow print cowboy hat and matching ensemble at GIT on Broadway in 1969, Ross proved that she was not only a master of many genres and styles, but also a boho chic expert.

Image source: Essence

Chaka Khan

Since the 1970s, Chaka Khan has been known as the Queen of Funk. Considered one of the most important female figures in pop, soul, jazz, and funk, she is also a boho chic icon in her own right. Rocking fringed shorts and Native American-inspired clothing, Khan has used unconventional pieces to elevate her performances, which are now highlights of a career that has earned her ten Grammy Awards.

the Olsen Twins 

Back in the 2000s, the Olsen twins were spotted on their way to NYU wearing flannel or layered shirts, fringed jackets, oversized dresses or floor-length skirts, cowboy boots, floppy hats, turquoise jewelry, tunics, and long scarves. During these years, the Y2K look was the standard. So when the Olsen twins appeared in groovy pieces that felt carefree and casual, it redefined the era with something different, even daring. 

Image source: British Vogue

Sienna Miller

From wearing a black lace mini dress, coin belt, and cropped Uggs through the mud of Glastonbury Festival in 2004 to collaborating with brands like Twenty8Twelve and Pepe Jeans London, actress Sienna Miller is often dubbed as the queen of boho chic. Whether mixing and matching prints or embracing embroidered maxi dresses, Miller has become the go-to answer to the question, "What is boho-chic?’’ 

Image source: Lauren Messiah

Kate Moss

Although mainly known as ‘’a rockstar trapped in a supermodel’s body,’’ Kate Moss has always been a stable to boho chic fashion. Besides emulating the ultimate cool girl vibe, when spotted at Glastonbury’s festivals with flat suede pirate boots in 2003, a gold Lurex mini dress with ultra dirty wellies in 2005, and a retro waistcoat in 2008, she also became a symbol for the noughties style.  

Image source: British Vogue

Florence Welch

The lead vocalist of the indie rock band Florence and the Machine, Florence Welch, is no exception to the bohemian scene. Regularly paying homage to fashion icons from the 1970s, Welch embraces the free-spirited look on stage, at events, and in her everyday life.

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