It’s not just you. After a short-lived brat summer, suddenly, everything is ‘very demure’ and ‘very mindful’ and maybe even ‘very cutesy’.
Where did this trend come from, and more importantly, what does it mean to be ‘very demure’? Let’s find out.
Why Is Everyone Suddenly Demure?
It all started with TikToker Jools Lebron, who coined the phrase. In the video, which now has almost 5 million likes, Jools talks about ‘how to be demure and modest and respectful in the workplace’. “Do you see how I do my makeup for work?” She says. “Very demure, very mindful.”
She goes on, “I don’t come to work with a green cut crease. I don’t look like a clown when I go to work.”
What Does “Demure” Mean?
What does it mean to be demure, anyway?
“Demure” means to be “modest, reserved, and of course, mindful. Demure is coming to work dressed modestly. Demure is treating people with respect. Demure is calm, professional, and positive.
The Demure Aesthetics
What does “very demure” look like? Dressing demure can be anything you want to be. But, most of the demure fashion videos share a similar style to the previous “quiet luxury” and “clean girl aesthetic” movement.
Most are simple, modest, professional outfits. Think basic makeup, cute slicked-back buns, and capsule wardrobes.
Demure vs. Brat Summer
The “very demure” trend is a 180-degree departure from the earlier “brat summer” vibe. Inspired by Charli XCX’s newest album, brat summer was all about partying, being ‘feral’, and having a good time
It’s a move from chaos to calm, from impulsiveness to mindfulness.
How Can I Be Demure?
In true TikTok fashion, the demure trend has led to thousands of other videos, commenting on what is ‘demure’ and what’s ‘not demure’.
You can be demure in a hundred different ways. Waiting patiently at baggage claim? Demure. Getting drunk with no chasers? Not demure. A husband pumping his wife’s gas? Very demure.
A Life Changing Trend
While demure might’ve been fun for the rest of us, for Jools, it’s been life changing. She now has 2.2 million followers and almost 120 million likes on TikTok. She’s managed to turn one 40-second video into her personal brand.
She posted a tearful video, saying, “One day, I was playing cashier and making videos on my break, and now I’m flying across countries to host events, and I’m gonna be able to finance the rest of my transition.”
Copyright Issues
Jools filed to trademark the slogan, “Very Demure, Very Mindful” to use in brand promotion, advertising services, and ‘Demure’ merch.
But, in a now-deleted video, Jools shared that several other people have already filed their own trademarks to claim the phrase as their own. Though she feels like she “dropped the ball” on the trademark, she’s currently fighting to own, and profit off of, her own trend.
A Trademark Legal Battle? Not Demure
The legal battle is far from over, but it seems like Jools is ready to fight to own her catchphrase – with some help.
She said, “We got it handled, and I’m gonna leave it at that. Mama got a team now. It’s getting handled.”
Seriously, EVERYONE Is Demure Now
_Everyone, _from A-list celebrities to content creators to small businesses is hopping on the demure trend.
Lindsay Lohan and Jamie Lee Curtis are demurely promoting Freaky Friday 2. Dunkin’ Doughnuts is demure. Even Bluey, the Australian animated dog, is demure.
The Brandification of Demure
Just as mysteriously ‘demure’ arrived, it vanished. The main culprit? The term got overused and co-opted by too many corporate accounts. It’s easy to fit into any niche, and company accounts hopped on the trend to try to promote their businesses. People get tired of being sold things under the premise of ‘demure’.
Beating the trend to death in less than a week’s time? Not demure.
Are We Being Demure in Real Life?
Probably not. Despite what all the TikToks suggest, very few are _actually _taking the demure mindset to heart. At its core, it’s a meme, a playful commentary on online culture.
At the end of the day, it’s a meme. It’s not that serious.
