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Why are people trying to be ‘very demure, very mindful’? We try to find out

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Smrithi Mohan
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Illustration by: Anna Jovita on Pinterest

Are you super frustrated with these ‘very demure, very mindful’ Reels on IG because you don't know what that means? We're breaking it down so you too can jump onto this bandwagon.

I remember when my friend responded with "kuch bhi trend hota hai" after I told her that a cucumber recipe was becoming a trend online. I couldn't help but agree with how true it is. The internet is a funny place that gives people the limelight for the silliest reason. Despite us wondering the ‘why’ of it, as users we just get used to them, eventually making it part of our vocabulary. The recent one is the ‘very demure, very mindful’ trend that has left many scratching their brains to understand what it means. And we are here to help you decode it.

How did the wave take over?

'Demure' turned into something everyone suddenly became obsessed with after a TikToker shared a clip using, the now internet’s favorite buzzword. Jools Lebronwho calls her fans and herself a ‘fierce diva’ used the term to tell women how they can be conservative at their workplace. In this satirical video, Jools explains how it’s ‘very demure and mindful’ of her to wear presentable makeup to work instead of having a green-cut crease. She later added, “I don’t look like a clown when I go to work. The way I came to the interview is the way I go to the job.” Seeing how this particularly clicked with her audience Jools went on to use and explain ways one can be more ‘demure’. Through her videos, she just wants everyone to be 'very considerate, very approachable, very demure' as one can at their workplace.

Also Read: The internet is currently obsessed over cucumber salads and we find out why!

What does it actually mean?

Traditionally, demure means being very reserved, modest, and shy which is not to be confused with 'demur' which means hesitation or reluctance. The term is usually used to describe something to be very 'lady-like' highlighting the stereotypical aspects of what one would expect from women. Meanwhile, Jools' version challenges this age-old idea of feminity and uses a satirical note to poke fun on the same. 

Apart from the fact that it's a trend, it's not just how you use it in a sentence but also how you say it that makes it exciting. The way you say it should sound exactly like you want to feel it. When using it in your everyday conversation bring out the demureahh by adding some sauce to it. One should be able to feel your modest, shy, and cutesy side with a hint of sarcasm in it.

Considering how it has become the 'IT' thing of the internet, netizens are trying their hand at it -

While some people are embracing Reels that promote this new internet culture, others are not afraid to ask for help understanding its meaning. Some people are also having fun playing around with the term with those who are oblivious to the trend.

But the best iteration of this trend has to be the one where people go all out and shatter every idea of what feminine and 'cutesy' should be like for women. They are showing us a 'very realistic, very practical' behaviour that women have come to accept after learning to become unapologetically themselves.

This internet wave and its popularity in recent times have also caused people to stumble and notice how we have had OG demure girlies in the past. One of the most influential is Disney's Mulan who managed to live up to what the trend means. As someone who challenged the traditional idea of what women should and can be, Mulan was able to break stereotypes like no other. The detectives on the internet have also managed to dig out an old interview of Nicki Minaj who appeared on a talk show in an outfit that the host found to be very demure and mindful.

Honestly, this also feels like another fad that hopes to impose a kind of etiquette and behavior packaged into something trendy. From embracing the term "brat," popularized by British artist Charli XCX's album, which basically means a messy girl, who likes to party, and says dumb things sometimes to asking people to be 'modest', there always seems to be a new buzz dictating certain behavior. It should not be a problem as long as people understand the sarcasm and are 'mindful' in not making it their entire personality.

What do you think of this trend? Let us know in the comments below.

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