Why Is The Internet Suddenly Obsessed With Being Demure?
And what happened to being Brat?
Move over slay, there’s a new buzzword online…
“Very mindful, very demure,” is the latest Instagram and TikTok trend that consumers and brands alike are obsessed with. It sits on board the train that hosts Gen Z’s quiet luxury craze, suggesting that life should be handled with class and simplicity, and at the core of it all, not doing too much.
So, have we already forgotten about Brat Summer? Well, that didn’t have a long shelf life. Literally the opposite of being demure and mindful, being Brat embodies carelessness, messiness, and being your unapologetic self. So if you have whiplash from these trends, so do we.
This trend is more than just another fleeting internet fad; it’s a reflection of a cultural shift toward a more understated and intentional way of living. It resonates with those who are tired of the constant push to be bold and extravagant, offering instead a refreshing alternative that prioritizes subtlety, thoughtfulness, and a certain quiet confidence.
TikTok influencer Jools Lebron has been one of the most vocal advocates of this movement. With her growing platform, she takes her followers through all aspects of their lives, from the way they board a plane to how they unwind on the weekends, but most importantly, how they conduct themselves at work. Her content is not just about looking the part but about embodying the essence of what it means to be demure, mindful, and cutesy. She emphasizes that demure is not simply about appearance but about the confidence with which you carry yourself and a deep sense of self-awareness.
@joolieannie
The appeal of this trend lies in its duality. On one hand, it encourages a genuine embrace of modesty and mindfulness, a pushback against the louder, more aggressive styles of self-promotion that have dominated social media. On the other hand, there’s a hint of irony and a mask of sarcasm that companies are quickly grabbing hold of. Brands like Duolingo are using it to humorously promote the integration of sophisticated vocabulary into everyday life, while Woolworths has leveraged the “cutesy” aspect to market their products in a playful yet refined manner. The oh-s0-demure cast of Emily In Paris even joined in on the fun.
@buzzfeed You see how the cast of Emily In Paris showed up to the carpet? Very DEMURE and very MINDFUL! 😍✨ #EmilyInParis #Demure
As more people and brands jump on the “very mindful, very demure” bandwagon, it will be interesting to see how this trend evolves. Will it become a lasting shift in how we present ourselves online and offline, or will it be another chapter in the ever-changing book of internet culture? Either way, for now, it seems that the era of slay is taking a backseat to something a little more refined, a little more thoughtful, and a lot more demure. But if this ain’t you and you’re truly just a Brat, turn a blind eye and play on.
Imagery: @keziacook / @andrea____ricci / @martineakersveen
