Gypset Style

If you have never heard this term before, let me provide you with the definition:

“Gypset (Gypsy+jet set) is about an emerging group of artists, musicians, fashion designers, surfers, and bon vivants– who lead semi-nomadic, unconventional lives. They are people I’ve met–or been inspired by– in my travels who have perfected a high-low approach to life that fuses the freelance and nomadic wile of a gypsy with the sophistication and global references of the jet set. It’s an alternative way of traveling and living that’s based more on creativity than money. Instead of a luxury hotel in St. Tropez or St. Bart’s, you might find a Gypsetter in Montauk, Cornwall, or in a teepee in Ibiza.” -Julia Chaplin

This is what I pretend to be when I wake up every morning. For now, I am only a Gypsetter on vacation. I go to work M-F, 9-5 like many, and then turn into a gypsy 3 weeks per year. Someday, I WILL be a full-time Gypsetter. You’ll see…

As you can imagine, in terms of a fashion aesthetic, Gypset Chic tends toward the bohemian, ethnic, and artistic. Matthew Williamson embodies the best of gypsy-like glamour with his bright colors, vibrant and intricate print fabrics, and heavy embellishment. I can imagine wearing this catsuit (above)in Ibiza at a disco somewhere on the Mediterranean.

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Moroccan prints feature prominently in Gypset fashions, as well as settees, ottomans and accent pieces. Caftans are one of those garments that aren’t very wearable to the office or to the grocery store, so I save mine for trips to exotic locales like Santorini, Bali or Punta del Este. The colors are simply divine, and the process by which they are dyed are part of the ethnic “street cred” sought out by these culture-philes.

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Talitha Getty would have been an icon of the Gypset. She lived in a palace in Morocco and hung out with all the famous artists and musicians of her time. Angelina Jolie would be a fine modern day spokesmodel for this style, with her frequent trips to Africa, dedication to helping the poor, and her jet set lifestyle as an actress. Kate Moss is another good example with her eccentric style. One of her favorite spots in Goa, India is the Nilaya Hermitage hotel. I will get there one day. It’s on the list.

This is not your Peace Corps, couch-surfing, Crocs-wearing crunchy Deadhead type. It is far more upscale than that. Think luxury safaris in Africa; guided treks in Nepal; touring drum factories in Ghana; the beach in Seychelles; olio nuovo in Tuscany in November for the harvest; visiting artist colonies in Swaziland. So indulge your wanderlust in your wardrobe, even if you must remain stateside.