If you've been all in on having a brat summer, you may not be ready for TikTok's latest obsession—the demure trend—but that's why you have me. Per Merriam-Webster, to be demure means being "reserved, modest and shy (typically used [to describe] a woman)." OK, not exactly the most feminist definition there, but allow me to explain.
Since it entered the zeitgeist by way of content creator Jools Lebron (who started the trend in a now-viral TikTok), there's been a bit of irony at play in terms of how it's being adopted across social media. Still, if you ask Lebron about how to bring demureness to your capsule wardrobe, she'll probably tell you to be "very cutesy, very mindful" regarding your aesthetic. So, is the demure trend about being the most quiet and modest version of yourself? Well, no—think more in terms of embracing classic, classy style, and less about the suggestion of quieting yourself and your personality.
After all, some of the most demure icons I could think of in pop culture are absolutely the fiercest—Julie Andrews in The Princess Diaries comes to mind, as does Sex and the City's Charlotte York. But if you ask me, the rise of demure fall fashion is simply your excuse to wear chic drop-waist dresses, sophisticated blazers, pleated pants and more elegant styles on repeat.