What Makes Something Chic?
It’s not what you wear- it’s how you wear it.
Confident. Curated. Elegant. Effortless.
The way you move through the world influences your fashion style and persona. It doesn’t rely on the clothes you wear, but rather the mindset behind them- going through life weighing convenience in your everyday fashion, with both practicality and taste.
If your outlook on life is unbothered and quietly composed, your aura likely mirrors that. If your confidence comes from straying away from societal norms, it’s reflected with refined chaos in your style. Someone who notices the details (art, textures, quality) understands that the little things come together to create the whole picture- in life and fashion.
Taking the time to curate a perfect outfit each morning or construct an “effortless” look moves the focus from wanting to feel good about yourself to dressing to feel good about how others perceive you, aside from being utterly exhausting, dressing to be perceived feeds into your subconscious need for the external validation that comes from your appearance.
Chic doesn’t look a certain way. Fashion is universal, and cultivated style is personal to you, not by attempting to look a certain way to fit yourself into a box, but by expressing your individuality through your style.
Over the years, this ideal has largely remained the same. Initially inspired by women such as Jane Birkin and Grace Jones, and carried into later years by women such as Princess Diana and Naomi Campbell (to give a few examples), proving there is power in prioritizing subtlety and ease over excess and flashy luxury.
Princess Diana’s style in the 80s-’90s was a mix of casual sophistication and elegance, gaining her the cultural relevance she still has today. She elevated everyday pieces like baseball caps and athleisure wear to create a relaxed and polished look. Her wardrobe was timeless, and to this day, many of these looks remain popular.
Similarly, one of the top supermodels of the ’90s, Naomi Campbell, embodied that same aura in her fashion. Her style was timeless, and she had the unique ability to make simple pieces look and feel influential. She wore monochromatic outfits and utilized different silhouettes and bold accessories to maintain her elegant style.
Finally, Jane Birkin was a fashion icon whose name and legacy will never fade. She was the epitome of “effortlessly chic” in the ’60s. She was often seen carrying a simple straw bucket as her everyday bag, and once said, “I buy things often, but I sleep in them for two weeks, and then they really look quite rough.” But this careless, worn-in look made her so iconic.
It’s not what you wear, it’s how you wear it. Effortless style isn’t just a passing trend- it echoes the timelessness that has survived decades of fashion. A quiet confidence, or a refined defiance, is less about fashion and more about perspective. Chic isn’t worn, it’s lived. And that’s what makes it timeless.
Strike Out,
Elise Archer
Boca Raton
Elise Archer is a Content Writer for Strike Magazine Boca. She has a passion for everything creative- and she’s a firm believer that everything happens for a reason. If you can’t reach her, she’s either busy shopping, lost somewhere, or writing. But if you would like to: elisearcher111@gmail.com or on Instagram @elisearcherr
