I haven’t yet tackled the subject of chic, though I have shared my thoughts on cool here and here. I think the two concepts are related: It’s tough to be chic without being cool and vice versa. More on that in a moment, but for now let’s focus on chic.
To me, chic implies knowledge of style and fashion. Many chic women may eschew magazines, blogs, and TV shows pertaining to matters of personal style, but those women are likely to have absorbed their fashion knowledge elsewhere: Through design degrees, readings on the history of clothing, or other sources that inform the style-hungry mind. Most chic people understand what looks good on a human form and why. They apply that knowledge to themselves daily.
Chic encompasses a desire to look current. Chic is not necessarily trendy, though it certainly can be. A chic woman may stick to clean, classic pieces exclusively but it’s important to her that they be updated classics – a fitted, modern blazer as opposed to a boxy 80s silhouette. Or, on the flip side, a chic woman may explore hot trends or even set trends herself. But she does so singularly, adding her own twist to popular looks instead of following expert-dictated applications to the letter.
Chic appears effortless. Since nothing in the world is effortless, this is a mirage but it is an appealing one. Chic women are able to craft their looks with meticulous care, yet appear as if their outfits simply fell onto their bodies.
As I mentioned above, I think that chic and cool are entwined concepts. In fact, when I think of chic, I imagine an actual, physical coolness in addition to social coolness. My perception of chic women is that they keep their enthusiasms fairly quiet and prefer to appear a wee bit aloof. Being chic can certainly go hand in hand with being friendly and effusive, but to add the requisite level of coolness it helps to remain somewhat detached. (Or detached-seeming.)
I don’t think of myself as even remotely chic. My sartorial priorities include flattering my figure, expressing my personality, and having fun with my personal style. Since I’m a geeky goofbag by nature, what comes through in my outfits is seldom a deep-seated knowledge of design principles, and virtually never a fresh twist on a hot trend. And although I sometimes long to be chic, the longing is inevitably replaced by a desire to wear cobalt blue slouchy boots or a brown-and-green printed vintage polyester tunic. Possibly together.
What do YOU think of when you hear the word “chic”? Do you consider yourself to be chic? Why or why not?
Images courtesy The Glamourai.
{ 24 comments… read them below or add one }
I think of chic as a kind of elegance. I prioritize practicality and playfulness and I’m still learning (sometimes awkwardly) about what styles I love and what works on me, so I’m pretty sure “chic” doesn’t apply. I love to see others working the “chic” look, though! Thanks, Sal! — Lauren
I consider chic to be the opposite: a very done style, very precise. The photo in the blog doesn’t represent chic to me because she is in a (faux?) languid posture and has too much adornment in that both the earrings and necklace look like they would move about out of her control. I’m one of the grin like a pumpkin folks and it contradicts chicness, I think.
Sal! What?! You are totally chic! You always look amazing to me.
Oh thank you, Terri! I didn’t say I don’t feel chic to tear myself down – there are many ways to be stylish, and some fit the “chic” category, some don’t!
I think chic is as much about confidence and how you carry yourself as what your were. I strong, dignified, confident woman can look chic in jeans and a white T shirt…because she walked in with that confident look. I love the word chic, because of all it represents!
Wow….I am tired…I just saw all of the typos in that comment…I meant to say that chic is as much about confidence, and how you carry yourself as what you wear. A strong, dignified, confident woman can look chic in jeans and a white T shirt…because she walked in with confidence…great posture…and has chic written all over her. I love the word chic, because of all it represents.
Sorry about the double post!
Sal, LOVE this! I think of SJP when thinking of chic. You nailed my mind’s description on the head! I used to say these women ‘look like they dressed in a closet in the dark and came out perfectly pulled together’……
hugs
Reva
Agree that the model above is not chic. I HATE matched earring and necklace sets. The opposite of chic to me. That’s waaaay too cookie cutter.
I think chic is aware of trends, but the trends don’t rule her. Elegant comes to mind, but not only in the clothes. Also in the personality. Chic doesn’t care too much what other people think. She doesn’t do matchy-matchy. She’s stylish, confident, knows what looks good on her and wears it with aplomb. She knows when it’s time to stop wearing a style (unlike me, who never gets rid of anything!)
I like the analogy of the 80′s boxy blazers versus the modern fitted blazer. Guess it’s time for me to let those 80′s blazers go to a new home.
hmm. i’ve had the pleasure of growing up around ladies who embodied the essence of chic, in my opinion. To me, chic is usually a fairly minimalist style built around one of the classic style personae: ladylike, gamine, slightly boho, classic, etc. (not so much rocker, goth, punk, and so on). I’ve not seen many chic ladies who are trendy.
What makes a lady chic to me is the very personal approach to adorning her body. Her hair and makeup will be unique to her and uniquely designed to frame her features in a precise way. I knew a lady in college with gorgeous long, almond eyes in warm brown. She wore little makeup except for eyeliner in dark grey pulled out a good 1/2″ out from the corner of her eyes. It looked amazing and i’ve never seen it on anyone else. Her brows and her hair (which she cut herself in a choppy a-line bob) further served to draw attention to her eyes. Who remembered what she was wearing? We were all too busy trying to copy her eye makeup!!!
Chic style always references and is dictated by the body that wears it. Thus, the pic above doesn’t strike me as all that chic, i could see that same look (including hair and makeup) worn as well on any number of women. To me someone like Tilda Swinton is more chic – the cut of her hair always draws attention to her great bones and eyes, and instead of tanning, bronzing or blushing she chooses hair colors that emphasize her luminous complexion. Thus, the “disadvantage” becomes a very chic trademark.
Chic ladies always use the unusual to their advantage. Take Angie of You Look Fab (happy 6th!!!). She has a long, lovely neck. There are a million pieces of ‘advice’ on how to detract from body parts considered ‘too long’. But Angie uses all that gorgeous space to show off her many outstanding pearl necklaces, including extravagantly sized pieces that would crowd a lesser neck. Angie’s lustrous baubles bounce off her sparkling eyes and smile, and the rest of us swoon at her chic.
Fun topic!! steph
I went back through the posts on coolness. It will be interesting to see if this post gets the same kind of attention. I think I’ve made peace with what ever level of coolness or uncoolness I’ve landed on. It doesn’t give me pause in the least, but chic, that’s a different story. I think if I’m honest with myself I’ve always wanted to be chic. The jury is still out as to whether I’ve ever achieved it. I think the desire for “Big Girl” clothes that I’ve mentioned in other posts is part of that effort. Chic, to me sits at the junction between classic and hip. I wish some one could explain to me why it is so, chic seems to be harder to nail down as I get older. I seem to be in danger of settling into the trap of being “tasteful” instead.
My feeling is that as we’re struggling through adolescence, our goal on the other side is sexy. Perhaps in my case, as I struggle with perimenopause, chic is where I hope to land when get through.
To me it implies someone who is sleek (not talking physically) and put together who looks modern and classic at the same time. Someone who has a very definitely sense of style. And yes, is effortless.
And no, I am not chic, in the slightest. I’m rumpled, not sleek and not often terribly put together. I’m fairly confident in my own style but sometimes get thrown for a loop when trying to dress myself. And if I don’t put some effort forth I just stay in my pajamas or wear all black.
Wait, is wearing all black chic?
I think “chic” is Coco Chanel. I think it’s ladylike, prim, clean cut. It’s the squarely tailor blazer, the pressed trouser pants, the perfectly done hair and make-up.
I don’t consider myself chic. My hair is frizzy, I like my wrinkly linen, and I break out. I think my definition of chic is a magazine illusion. A beautiful one, but not something you’d see walking down the average street. And I think that’s okay. People are still beautiful, can still embody chic qualities, wear chic clothes, but I think of chic along the same lines as a clothing style as much as preppy or mod.
Coco Chanel was actually the opposite of ladylike, prim and clean cut in her day. She broke the rules of formality in dressing, and was the first to put women in “workmen’s” clothing. The elderly Chanel, still doing her thing which had become the norm — yes, she seemed prim to a later generation, maybe.
I do think of chic as effortless, though. And not really on the same line as “cool”, in my mental dictionary. Chic is the piano virtuoso of style — maybe they’ve had to work for it once, but now it’s an ingrained expertise. Chic, to me, is based on classic styles (which is why it’s at home everywhere and never goes out of date) combined with the wearer’s utter confidence in, and knowledge of, her own shape and style and best looks.
Cool — well, cool can also have an aspect of consciousness to it. Cool can be a little bit more extreme — and tends, too (again, my personal dictionary) to be about something a little bit more than style. A cool based on dress alone is only a superficial chill.
Hah–I think I was chic for oh, about a year or two in my late twenties!
I had a Ralph Lauren look going then before there was a Ralph Lauren…
Sal, you’re better than whatever “chic” is–you’re original with your own sense of style. Oh, wait a minute, that is chic!
I think Megan Mae is on to something. I think there is a forbidding quality to chic, a certain brusqueness coupled with ladylike signals.
I want to be that long-eyed beauty with the grey eyeliner and choppy bob that Steph went to school with, though.
Tough one. I think chic, whatever it can mean, is a grown-up thing. It signals self-possession and a desire to please in a stylish, fresh, appropriate way that flatters the wearer and gets her noticed.
Well said! I agree with your definition. The other day I was wearing a fitted tweed blazer, white blouse, J.Crew wool cafe capris in blue, and nude peeptoes. Quite a classic emsemble, but I felt good in it. I was told twice that day that I looked “chic.” I took it as a huge compliment!
For some reason my mental image of chic always includes sunglasses.
To me it means having a good sense of personal style and aesthetics, looking put together and wearing well-fitting clothes, but not appearing over-thought. Seemingly effortless but intentional.
Some days I hit on certain aspects, but I wouldn’t call myself chic, and that’s fine with me.
How odd that some people consider chic to be “very precise” and “very done”. To me (and let’s remember that these are all opinions) it represents that ease that French women have in their style… gorgeous, but effortless looking. The opposite of very done. And I think the Glamourai (woman in the picture) represents that perfectly.
Wow. A loaded word “chic”. Perhaps it’s that divine intersection of confidence/ self-worth and enjoyment of personal adornment. I feel my most chic when I listen to my inner stylist, telling me to choose comfort over a dictatorial “appropriate”, and then add a splash of fun, whatever that means! Sometimes it’s color, sometimes silhouette, and usually for me it’s something I’ve made.
I think the bottom line is, get dressed in what makes you feel good, and wear it with pleasure.
when i think of chic, i think of really nice hair, of all things. probably short, definitely hip. i think hair comes to mind because (to me, at least) it is a detail, and to me a chic person is one who has all the details taken care of. if her hair is perfect, you know everything else is too.
I associate “chic” with Audrey Hepburn and Ines de la Fressange – a little “gamine:).”
Here’s perhaps another topic: riffing off Lisa, I’ve been thinking a lot about gamine lately. What the heck happens to us gamines when we’re older (besides Advanced Style pink hair, that is)?
Hmmm, good question, Vildy. Not sure if I can answer it myself, but will poke around and see what I can unearth.