Now more than ever, my TikTok For You Page has been flooded with videos of what girls think is chic. Each video shows different opinions of what looks chic, from short natural nails to bright red nails, to bouncy blowouts or natural wavy hair. So, what exactly is chic, and what makes someone have it? Is it attainable by looks, and if so, which look is it?
While chic is much more than what you wear, there have been common themes with the style. This includes natural fiber fabrics, high-quality fitted clothing, a natural color palette, staple pieces, and minimal logos. Think of a well-tailored blazer, a crisp white T-shirt, or a perfect pair of blue jeans. By focusing on these timeless pieces, you can build a wardrobe that radiates an effortlessly chic feel.
Beyond the Closet
Outside of clothing, our everyday products can not only help us look chic but, most importantly, make us feel that way. For me, this includes the ever-beautiful Mason Pearson hairbrush, tortoiseshell accessories, a staple perfume, monogrammed items, and scented body lotions from Officine Universelle Buly. These everyday items will make you feel special.
Science can actually back this — the more we like a product or its aesthetic, the more likely we are to use it! Choosing items that bring you joy can make every day routines feel less like a chore and more like a curated moment of self-care. It’s about finding beauty in the little things and making them a part of your daily ritual.
The Different Faces of Chic
While these tips may help you on your journey toward a timeless style, I’ve discovered there are different ways of being chic. Jane Birkin, for instance (the chicest woman to exist), had a version of chic that was effortless and messy, in a “I kind of threw this on” way. This is similar to our iconic indie sleaze icon, Alexa Chung, who also embodies this.
Grace Kelly, however, was the opposite. What made her chic was her polished, precise, and timeless look. Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy is iconic for her minimalism. These women prove that chic isn’t a single aesthetic but a personal expression of style and grace.
Chic Is a Mindset
While there are staple pieces to present as chic, the most important lesson on how to be chic isn’t always what you wear, but how you wear it. Jane Birkin inspired the Birkin bag simply because she used a basket as a purse. While on a flight, all her belongings fell out of the basket. This inspired Jean-Louis Dumas, the CEO of Hermès, who happened to be on the flight, to create a bag for her.
Most importantly, chic is a mindset. It’s the difference between trying too hard and just getting it. Chic is subtle. Chic interiors feel calm, balanced, and considered. Never cluttered, but not empty either.
So, what ties it all together?
Confidence. Curation. A sense of effortless ease, even if it took effort to achieve it. It’s not just an aesthetic; it’s something you are. You’re healthy, you’re relaxed, you’re chic. Chic isn’t waiting for the right moment or a big event to wear your expensive perfume, but rather spraying it before a trip to the grocery store.
Chic is also writing handwritten thank-you notes. It’s having beautiful, everyday items that make you want to use them, helping you be and create the version of yourself you want to be.
There’s nothing more chic than someone truly being themselves and wearing what they want, how they want to. The chicest thing you can be is yourself. So, wear your favorite perfume, buy an expensive hairbrush because it makes you feel good, be kind, and most importantly, be yourself.
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