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The Boho Accessories That Turn a Basic Outfit Into Your Outfit After 60

Because sometimes the difference between “I’m dressed” and “this feels like me” is one fabulous necklace.

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Affiliate Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links, including Amazon and other affiliate partners. If you make a purchase through one of these links, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. I only share products and styles that fit the Gigi Unfiltered life and that I genuinely think my readers may enjoy.

Here’s something I’ve figured out about personal style:

The clothes are only half the story.

You can put two women in the exact same jeans and white blouse and they can walk out looking completely different.

Why?

The accessories.

One woman adds a simple necklace and flats.

Another stacks bracelets halfway up her arm, puts on a turquoise necklace, grabs a fringe bag and pulls on a pair of boots.

Same jeans.

Same blouse.

Completely different woman.

I’m definitely the second one.

At 68, I don’t need every piece in my closet to make a statement.

Sometimes the clothes can be simple.

Because I’ve got jewelry for that.

Accessories are where a basic outfit becomes my outfit.

And if you’re trying to bring more boho style into your wardrobe after 60, accessories may actually be the easiest—and smartest—place to start.

You don’t need to replace your closet.

You just need to give it a little personality.

1. Start With the Statement Necklace

You know where I’m starting.

Turquoise.

Obviously.

But your statement necklace doesn’t have to be turquoise.

It might be:

  • Silver
  • Beads
  • Natural stones
  • Mixed metals
  • Leather
  • Wood
  • A long pendant
  • Something vintage-inspired
  • Something completely funky

The point is that it changes the outfit.

Take a white blouse and jeans.

Perfectly nice.

Now add a big turquoise-inspired necklace.

Suddenly there’s a point of view.

That’s why I love statement jewelry so much.

You don’t need an entirely new outfit every time you want to look different.

Change the necklace.

SHOP STATEMENT NECKLACES

Look for turquoise-inspired pieces, long pendants, layered necklaces and natural textures that can transform basics already hanging in your closet.

As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

2. Stack the Bracelets

I have never understood why we’re supposed to choose one bracelet.

Who made that rule?

Boho style gives you permission to mix things.

Silver.

Turquoise.

Leather.

Beads.

Metal.

Stone.

Different widths.

Different textures.

Some expensive.

Some inexpensive.

Some with meaning.

Some you bought simply because you liked them.

Stacking bracelets is one of those little things that makes an outfit look collected instead of overly coordinated.

And that’s the word I keep coming back to with boho style:

Collected.

I don’t want everything to look like I bought it together in one matching set.

I want it to look like pieces found their way to me over time.

3. Wear the Rings That Tell Your Story

This is where accessories become something more than fashion.

I love rings.

But not every ring I wear is simply there because it looks pretty.

Some jewelry carries people with us.

Some pieces remind us where we’ve been.

Some mark chapters of our lives.

Others are just fabulous.

And they can all live on the same hand.

That’s what I love about jewelry at this stage of life.

It doesn’t have to impress anybody.

It can mean something.

So wear the sentimental ring.

Put the chunky boho ring next to it.

Mix your metals.

Stack them if you want.

There is no rule saying the jewelry with emotional value has to stay tucked safely in a box.

Wear your stories.

SHOP BOHO RINGS & BRACELETS

Look for stackable bracelets, turquoise-inspired rings, mixed-metal pieces and interesting textures that can work alongside the jewelry you already treasure.

4. Statement Earrings Frame the Woman

There are days when I don’t want to layer necklaces.

Maybe the blouse already has a busy neckline.

Maybe I’m wearing a printed kimono.

Maybe I simply don’t feel like dealing with it.

That’s when earrings get their turn.

A great pair of earrings pulls attention toward your face.

And yes, women over 60 can wear big earrings.

We can wear:

  • Hoops
  • Turquoise-inspired drops
  • Hammered metal
  • Beaded earrings
  • Tassels
  • Natural stones
  • Mixed metals
  • Color

The question isn’t:

“Am I too old for these?”

The question is:

“Do I like them?”

Much simpler.

SHOP STATEMENT EARRINGS

5. The Belt Nobody Talks About

Belts are interesting because somewhere along the way a lot of women—especially plus-size women—were basically told not to wear them.

Don’t draw attention to your waist.

Don’t break up your body.

Don’t do this.

Don’t do that.

I’m tired just thinking about all the rules.

A belt doesn’t have to be about making your waist look smaller.

It can simply be an accessory.

Try a belt with:

A flowy dress.

A long cardigan.

A loose blouse.

High-waisted jeans.

A kimono-style layer.

And boho belts can be beautiful.

Tooled-look leather.

Braided textures.

Western-inspired buckles.

Concho details.

Woven materials.

Sometimes that one little horizontal line is exactly what a flowy outfit needs to give it structure.

SHOP STATEMENT BELTS

Look for woven, braided, Western-inspired and textured belts that add personality rather than simply serving a practical purpose.

6. A Scarf or Headwrap Changes Everything

This is probably one of the most versatile accessories on the list.

A scarf doesn’t have to stay around your neck.

Tie it:

Around your head.

On your bag.

Around a ponytail.

At your neck.

Around your waist.

Through belt loops.

You can take a $15 scarf and use it five different ways.

And if you’re comfortable wearing headwraps, they can bring beautiful color and pattern right up around your face.

The key is choosing prints and colors that actually feel like you.

You don’t need to look like you’re trying to become somebody else’s version of boho.

SHOP STATEMENT SCARFS

7. The Bag Is Part of the Outfit

I’m a crossbody girl.

Give me a bag that leaves my hands free.

I have things to do.

And probably coffee to carry.

But practical doesn’t have to mean boring.

A bag is one of the easiest places to bring texture into an outfit.

I love options with:

  • Fringe
  • Embroidery
  • Woven textures
  • Interesting straps
  • Distressed leather looks
  • Southwestern influence
  • Tooled details
  • Color

And because a bag doesn’t have to fit your body, you can experiment with something a little bolder than you might choose in clothing.

Jeans + solid top + cardigan + fabulous bag.

Done.

SHOP BOHO BAGS

Look for crossbody bags, fringe details, woven textures, embroidered designs and interesting straps.

8. Don’t Forget the Shoes

Shoes are accessories too.

And they can completely change the personality of an outfit.

Take a maxi dress.

Wear it with simple sandals and it feels relaxed.

Add Western-inspired ankle boots and suddenly it leans boho.

Put on sneakers and now it’s casual.

Same dress.

Different attitude.

For my own wardrobe, I’m drawn to:

Ankle boots.

Western-inspired boots.

Comfortable sandals.

Interesting clogs.

Shoes with texture.

And at 68, I have one non-negotiable:

They have to be comfortable.

We’ve suffered enough for shoes.

I’m done.

If I can’t walk in them, they can look fabulous on somebody else’s feet.

SHOP COMFORTABLE BOHO SHOES

Look for ankle boots, Western-inspired styles, sandals and comfortable everyday shoes that give an outfit personality without punishing your feet.

9. Sunglasses Count

Yes, sunglasses are practical.

Especially living in Arizona.

But they’re also part of the outfit.

Oversized frames.

Retro shapes.

Tortoiseshell.

Colored frames.

Aviators.

There’s no reason the thing you’re already putting on your face can’t have a little personality.

And here’s one of my favorite things about accessories:

They don’t care what size you wear.

A fabulous pair of sunglasses doesn’t care whether you’re a 6, 16 or 26.

Neither does a necklace.

Neither does a bag.

Neither do earrings.

That’s one reason accessories can be such a joyful place to experiment with style.

10. The Accessory Nobody Else Would Choose

This is my favorite category.

The thing you love that maybe nobody else understands.

A giant ring.

A funky necklace.

An embroidered bag.

An enormous pair of sunglasses.

A vintage scarf.

A belt with a ridiculous buckle.

Something you picked up on vacation.

Something your daughter thinks is completely nuts.

Something your husband looks at and says:

“You’re wearing that?”

Yes.

Yes, I am.

Those are often the pieces that make personal style personal.

How to Layer Boho Accessories Without Wearing Everything You Own

Here’s where we need a little restraint.

Boho doesn’t mean put the entire jewelry box on.

Although there are days…

Instead, decide what the star is.

If you’re wearing a huge statement necklace, maybe go easier on the earrings.

If you’re stacking bracelets, let them be noticeable.

If your bag has fringe, embroidery and color, maybe the outfit underneath can be simple.

If you’ve got a dramatic printed kimono, you may only need a few pieces of jewelry.

I think about it this way:

Something leads. Everything else supports it.

That keeps the outfit interesting instead of overwhelming.

Try This With Clothes You Already Own

Before you buy anything, try this experiment.

Pull out:

One pair of jeans.

One white or solid blouse.

Put them on.

Now change only the accessories.

Outfit One

Simple necklace + sandals + neutral bag.

Outfit Two

Turquoise necklace + stacked bracelets + boots + fringe bag.

Outfit Three

Statement earrings + scarf + crossbody bag + cardigan.

Same basic clothes.

Three completely different personalities.

That’s why accessories are such a smart place to spend your fashion money.

They multiply the wardrobe you already have.

You don’t need to buy an entirely new wardrobe to bring more personality into your style.

Sometimes one necklace, bracelet, bag or pair of earrings is enough.

Your Accessories Should Tell People Something About You

I don’t think personal style is about having the most clothes.

It isn’t about following every trend.

And it definitely isn’t about dressing the way somebody decided a woman over 60 should dress.

Personal style is all those little decisions that eventually add up to you.

The necklace you always reach for.

The bracelets you stack without thinking.

The ring that reminds you of someone you love.

The bag that’s a little louder than necessary.

The turquoise.

The boots.

The ridiculous sunglasses.

Those pieces tell your story before you’ve said a word.

At 68, I don’t want my clothes to make me look younger.

I want them to make me look like me.

And sometimes all it takes to get there is a white blouse, a pair of jeans…

and one fabulous piece of turquoise.

Wear your stories. Stack the bracelets. And never apologize for the big necklace.

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