Trends are always changing and influencing our style, but I think that for the past few years “chic” is an idea that hasn’t left our minds. Influencers are pushing for capsule wardrobes and celebrities are wearing business casual to dinner, but is this look achievable for the average person?
What is Chic?
So, what exactly is chic? Being “chic” is often considered being on trend or dressing in a style that is popular at the time. We view someone who has “good taste” as being chic, but there is also a lot of nuance involved. Chic is trendy, but not basic. Chic is effortless, but not lazy. Chic is vintage, but not out-dated. Chic is sophisticated, but not boring. I could go on and on. When I think of chic, I automatically envision Carolyn Bessette Kennedy and Emma Chamberlain. These women set the trends, and are praised for their fashion sense, elegance and vibe in general. Carolyn Bessette Kennedy revolutionized the minimalist, quiet-luxury vibe in the ’90s. Emma Chamberlain took the internet by storm with “grandpa” wear and vintage looks. All of this to say, society often defines what chic is on a person-to-person basis, and it often encompasses a lifestyle over a fashion style.
“Effortless”
One of my major qualms with being chic is the element of an outfit being “effortless.” We applaud and praise celebrities for looking like their outfit was thrown together. We’ve all seen paparazzi photos deeming this phenomenon the “model off-duty” look, capitalizing on a comfortable-looking, simple but still put together as a whole. An outfit the comes to mind is a plain white tee with low-rise jeans and a sneaker, which seems easily replicable and low-effort. In reality, most celebrities work with stylists that work quite hard to create a unique sense of style for said celebrity as well as source pieces that are out of the price range of the every day person. Essentially, while we call celebrities chic for having a “thrown together” outfit, there are people behind the scenes who’s job it is to make it come across that way.
The Cool girl
Recently, chic has transformed from describing a style into describing a type of person. To be “chic” you also have to be elegant and timeless, demonstrating a calm, cool demeanor. Chic girls are often kind and poised, never over-stepping. A cool, chic girl is also aloof to trends in a way. She creates her own style while still grounding it in the quite-luxury, minimalist ways of “chicness.” She values quality over quantity, and wears brands like Reformation, Aritzia and The Row. A chic girl goes further than her clothes and has slowly become synonymous with a “cool” girl.
can we be chic?
In short, I think we can be chic! But, the real question is, do you want to be? I criticize the societal definition of chic because I’m not sure there truly is one. To me, chic is defined by YOU! Trying to achieve “chicness” negates the entire premise of it, so put in effort to your outfit and wear what makes you feel best. In my opinion, the most chic girls are the ones that dress for themselves and don’t follow the trends.