Living in style: The chic-ification of social media

Move over ‘whimsy’, because ‘chic’ – once applied only to the elegantly and stylishly fashionable – has taken over as the buzzword of 2026.

In the original fashion sense, ‘chic’ meant a sophisticated style, where less is more. The style was less overly flashy than monochrome and timeless; Blair Waldorf’s wardrobe is a prime example. If you Googled ‘chic’, you’d get an onslaught of bobs, heels, black coffee, family heirlooms, and the ‘chic’ jobs of runway models or lawyers. To be ‘chic’ meant to go against the grain and into the realm of exclusivity made effortless.

In a complete shift, ‘chic’ is currently being rebranded by social media on a personal scale, in which hobbies, personality, or even food choices can fit the brief. Rather than being a set style or look, ‘chic’ now applies on a case-to-case basis, in which whether or not something is ‘chic’ is a personal consideration. The usage has become quite wholesome; most of the things called ‘chic’ are essentially good, with even having empathy earning the label. Calling someone ‘chic’ is a way to showcase little things that you appreciate in others: I’ve seen ‘girls with a signature perfume scent’ or ‘pottery as a hobby’. It makes a nice change from the ‘beautymaxxing’ trend.

If the meaning jumped around so much to begin with, how can ‘chic’ really be so exclusive?

It is true that the original meaning of ‘chic’ is becoming somewhat lost, with the word dangerously teetering on becoming an overwaxed internet term. If even toast can be ‘kinda chic’, where do we draw the line?

Personally, I’m loving the rebrand of ‘chic’. Looking into the word’s origins, ‘chic’ came into the English language from the French, meaning essentially ‘artistic skill or finesse’. It has been possibly linked to the German word ‘schick’, evolving from its original meaning of subtlety in the 16^th century. If the meaning jumped around so much to begin with, how can ‘chic’ really be so exclusive?

We should be embracing the move from its definition being rooted in elitism to just being effortlessly cool

For a look so revered, ‘chic’ has perpetuated both unrealistic standards and white supremacy over the decades, being only associated with wealthy, thin, white women: usually Parisians. By shifting the meaning into a vibe rather than a boxed-in look, we can all be chic: if it is used by everyone, its classic meaning becomes irrelevant. ‘Chic’ cannot be coined only by high society when it can be used by anyone, anywhere, to describe anything. The adjective has become so broad and personally subjective that it works as a blanket validation, almost like when everyone wanted to be called Heather. I think making the ‘chic’ subjective is really ‘kinda chic’ – we should be embracing the move from its definition being rooted in elitism to just being effortlessly cool.

So, to kick off the rediscovery, here are some things that I find ‘chic’:

Band posters covering an entire bedroom wall; flicking through Vogue while talking on a handheld telephone; bags in hand from a shopping spree; checking pace on a watch as you run; a layered haircut pulled into a ponytail; a pop of colour in a monochrome outfit.

What does ‘chic’ mean for you?