Now and then I fall in love with gauzy bohemian style. Lately, my Stevie Nicks urges are invariably brought on by a Free People catalog (FP being the haute hippie child of Anthropologie, who decided to start sending me these catalogs last year).

FP is all about embroidered panels, fringe, layering, flowy flowers and all that–with nice, luxury materials. Maybe I just like the idea of a place where the sun always lingers in the early morning glow and one’s clothes and hair are backlit and shimmering.

Um, that would be California in most people’s minds, but surprisingly, the July catalog was shot in my very own Austin, home of the hippie cowboy image… (also known here back in the day as ‘space cowboy’).

The bohemia thing was easier to pull off in my younger years but now I have to think about the usefulness of silk chiffon snow-leopard-print bell-bottoms.

So I got suckered by this gorgeous sable-color-print silk chiffon fabric last month, paid a pretty penny for it. And I have no idea what to make with it. Maybe I just need to hang it as a curtain. Because that’s what chiffon does, right? Curtain about?

I looked everywhere for a type of dress pattern I could live with. Most of the ruffley, drapey patterns suitable for chiffon seem to come from the hippier side of the 70s, and all very difficult to pull off without looking like I’m 13. Any advice or style ideas for sheer drapey fabrics, with a womanly edge?

And while I’m at it, someone stop me from buying that gorgeous shawl on the top, which would possibly sit in the back of my wardrobe just like that ankle length white silk cape I had to have last year.

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