Business 19
Hyundai Weighs Expanding Georgia Plant to Become America’s Largest Car Factory
The Elusive Meaning of «Chic» in the Age of TikTok Trends
The word «chic» has become one of the most slippery terms in fashion, endlessly redefined by social media trends. A new cultural examination traces its meaning from classic film icons like Monica Vitti to the rapid cycles of TikTok, asking what the term truly signifies today.
By George Kensington · 5 min read
The word «chic» has long been a cornerstone of fashion vocabulary, yet its meaning remains notoriously difficult to pin down. In an era where TikTok trends are born and die within days, the term has become even more elusive, shifting shape with every new aesthetic that captures the platform's attention. A recent cultural examination of the word highlights how «chic» continues to evade a fixed definition, even as it is used constantly to describe everything from minimalist wardrobes to avant-garde runway looks.
The discussion takes as its starting point one of cinema's eternal examples of chic: Monica Vitti in Michelangelo Antonioni's 1961 film «La Notte.» Vitti's portrayal of a restless, elegant woman navigating the emotional emptiness of Milanese high society became a touchstone of style that has never quite faded. Her look — sharp tailoring, effortless hair, an air of detached sophistication — is often cited as the visual embodiment of what chic means. Yet the film is now more than six decades old, and the question of whether its aesthetic can survive the relentless churn of modern digital culture is central to the debate.
On TikTok, the word «chic» is frequently appended to trends with a knowing irony. Users describe outfits, interiors, and even behaviours as «chic» while simultaneously acknowledging that the term has been stretched to the point of meaninglessness. The hashtag has been used millions of times, often in videos that parody the very idea of refined taste. This ironic usage sits alongside earnest content from fashion influencers who still deploy the word as a genuine marker of aspiration. The result is a term that is simultaneously revered and mocked, precise and utterly vague.
Fashion historians point out that chic has always been a slippery concept. Unlike «elegant» or «stylish,» which suggest adherence to established rules, chic implies a certain insouciance — a refusal to try too hard. It is associated with a kind of natural grace that cannot be manufactured, which is precisely why it is so difficult to define. In the mid-twentieth century, French fashion houses built entire reputations on the idea of chic, presenting it as an almost national characteristic. Italian cinema of the 1960s, with its focus on modern alienation and visual beauty, gave the concept a new cinematic language.
The TikTok era has accelerated the cycle of trend adoption and abandonment to a degree that makes lasting style nearly impossible. Where once a particular look might define a decade, it now survives for weeks. This has created a paradox: the more people chase chic, the further it recedes. The term has become a moving target, always just out of reach, perpetually redefined by the next viral video. Some commentators argue that this is not a degradation of the concept but rather its natural evolution. Chic has always been about the moment, about capturing a fleeting sensibility before it becomes codified and thus loses its power.
Others, however, see the current usage as a hollowing out of meaning. When every outfit is described as chic, the word ceases to distinguish anything. It becomes a placeholder, a way of expressing approval without committing to a specific aesthetic judgement. This is particularly evident in the way TikTok users apply the term to mundane objects and situations, often with a wink. The irony is that this very playfulness might be the most chic thing of all — a knowing refusal to take the concept too seriously.
The enduring power of Vitti's image in «La Notte» lies in its ambiguity. Her character is chic not because of what she wears but because of how she inhabits her clothes, her spaces, her silences. That quality is difficult to replicate in a medium that demands constant performance and immediate reaction. Yet the continued reference to such images suggests a longing for a kind of style that feels authentic, even as the platforms we use to express it push us toward the ephemeral.
Ultimately, the slipperiness of «chic» may be its greatest strength. A term that could be pinned down would lose its allure. The word works precisely because it gestures toward something ineffable — a quality of taste that is recognised but not easily articulated. As TikTok continues to reshape the language of fashion, chic will likely remain a floating signifier, endlessly debated, endlessly redefined, and never quite captured. That, perhaps, is the point.
