Demure: The Newest TikTok Buzzword
First were phrases like ‘say less,’ ‘slay,’ and ‘cap.’ Now we have ‘demure.’
Have you been seeing TikTok videos talking about being demure for outrageous things? Are you curious about the face behind the new phrase, ‘very mindful, very demure?’
Birth of the Demure Trend
According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, demure means ‘reserved and modest,’ but Jools Lebron decided to give the word a little twist. A social media model and influencer, Jools Lebron, posted a video on August 2 titled “How to be demure at work.” She showed off her make-up and wig tips for going to work to remain ‘very mindful and very demure.’ It went viral within days and became the newest TikTok trend. Now, people are using her sound to create their own demure videos. Even celebrities such as Jennifer Lopez, Khloé Kardashian, and Lance Bass have taken to the demure video and contributed to the trend.
Comments
TikTok has completely fallen in love with not only Lebron but also with her demure videos. Yes, her audience has created their own demure videos, but the comments under Lebron’s videos are filled with positive comments. People have repeated her words and said that Lebron says ‘demure’ in such a satisfying way that they have to say it like her from now on. They have also appreciated her individuality. She has since created more videos using the same base of being demure in her actions and appearance.
The trend was received well by TikTok and Reddit audiences. Many positive comments have said that the video is cute and funny — perfect for a trend! Some have said others should follow Lebron’s example of being genuine, with silly humor and big personalities. All the comments boiled down to being happy and proud of Lebron for receiving flowers for her individuality and being unapologetically herself.
My personal thoughts align significantly with the comments on TikTok and Reddit. I found the video very cute, funny, and relatable. I have not contributed to the trend by posting a video, but I am all for using trending buzzwords, so demure has become a part of my vocabulary and the people around me. The video is empowering, and I am glad she is getting her flowers for her successes. Who knows the lengths the trend will go? Hopefully, this new definition of the word demure will transcend decades like slay, say less, and cap.
The Original Demure
Despite Lebron’s unique video, it is not the first demure video. I am not sure if anyone remembers or was like me as a child, staying up late watching “Nick at Nite” and watching old sitcoms. I was introduced to The Nanny while watching “Nick at Nite,” a sitcom about a woman from Flushing, NY, who becomes a widower’s nanny for his three children.
A clip from an episode from the last season spread across different social media platforms but did not go viral. The clip is from an episode where Fran (the nanny) says demurely, “I’m going to be more demure.” This was out of character for her, so, of course, she did not last long.
The video recently resurfaced on TikTok on August 14th, as Peacock wanted to participate in the demure trend, commenting, “See how she talks about being very demure? Very mindful,” and tagging Lebron in the post. Lebron’s audience responded with the same energy when describing Fran’s character on the show, with her eccentric outfits and attitude. Fran Fine was very modest, very cute, and very demure in all senses of the trend.
Since the start of the demure trend of clips from shows using the word, many other videos have resurfaced. In a clip from an interview from 2014, Kelly Ripa called Nicki Minaj’s outfit demure. Who knows what other videos will resurface due to Lebron’s trend?
The Newest Gen-Z Buzzword
We can all agree that there have been many buzzwords from the entertainment industry in social media and different songs that the Gen-Z populations have adopted in their vocabulary.
- Say Less and Bet: a way to show agreement
- Slay: to describe someone that have impressed or amused others
- Cap: lying
- Hit Different: something that feels more profound or intense than usual
- Lit: exciting
These words and many others were popularized from 2010 to 2017. All of these words are used outside of their official definitions, but that is what we do in our generation. According to Merriam-Webster Dictionary:
- Say less literally means to speak less
- Bet: a stake on an outcome or something to wager on
- Slay: to kill violently, wantonly, or in great numbers.
- Cap: A head covering with a visor and no brim
- Hit different meaning is literal
- Lit: Past tense of the work light
At the rate of the demure trend, it will soon be a part of our Gen-Z jargon, where we redefine words in our casual conversations. Lebron has not only started a TikTok trend but created a new buzzword for us to use.
Jools Lebron Success
Lebron has been a social media beauty influencer for a while, sharing make-up tutorials and product demonstrations. Still, she has officially made her way to all of our screens beyond her usual audience. She has now appeared on TV with RuPaul and Jimmy Kimmel. The 42 million views and the trend have allowed her to afford her transgender surgery.
Social Media Success
Since creating the demure video, Lebron has:
- 1.9M TikTok followers
- 41.8M views on her demure video
- inspired 364K videos being made with the #demure hashtag
The demure trend has spread across different social media platforms. The hashtag demure has been used 133,283 times on Instagram. Lebron has 3.8K followers on X, and according to a Campaign Live article posted on August 19th, over 78,000 videos have been posted on X and other social media platforms. On Google Trends, the demure trend is seen as a breakout, meaning that it has recently been searched for more than 5,000%.
I hope you found this very mindful and very demure.
