Jakarta –
Tiktok has always been a platform that creates trends of one kind or another. It might seem a little weird at first, but once it blows up, everyone will be talking about it and willing to jump on the trend. Recently, the keyword “demure” has become a trending topic. This is all thanks to Jules Lebron, the content creator behind the catchphrase.
But what does the word “demure” actually mean, and how do you behave modestly?
According to Merriam-Webster, the word demure means “pretentious, unassuming,” “modest,” or “serious.” For about seven centuries, the word demure has been in frequent use. But its meaning has changed little by little. It began as a word to describe a quiet, unassuming person who doesn't draw attention to themselves because of their shyness, but it has now come to describe someone whose modesty and modesty are more affecting than sincere.
According to Merriam-Webster's explanation, we can conclude that a person who does not speak much, has a shy demeanor, and is not willing to draw attention from those around them is considered to behave modestly. However, in the current fashion, how modest behavior is expressed seems to have a different purpose.
How modest behaviour became a trend on TikTok
The understated makeup trend started when content creator Jules Lebron posted a video showing off her professional makeup look in early August. “See how I do my makeup for work? It's very understated and very mindful. Not overdone. I'm very mindful when I'm at work. See how I look? I look great. A lot of you girls go to interviews dressed like Marge Simpson and then go to work dressed like Patty or Selma, not understated,” she said in the video.
In an interview with CBS Mornings, she said she was working as a cashier and posting TikTok videos from her car, but never imagined her videos would go viral and her catchphrase would trend on TikTok. She started out by wearing heavy makeup at her previous job, but on her first day at her new job, she started off with a more low-key theme.
“I don't come to work with a green cut crease on, and I don't look like a clown when I go to work. I don't overdo it and I'm very mindful when I'm at work. See how I dress very well? The way I come to an interview is the way I go to work. A lot of you girls go to interviews dressed like Marge Simpson and go to work dressed like Patty and Selma,” she continued.
While the word “demure” is certainly not a word or term in everyday use, it has existed and been used many times in pop culture before it became popular.
In the 1998 Disney animated film Mulan, the phrase “submissive, demure, elegant, and polite” is used in a scene where Mulan is preparing an itinerary to meet with a matchmaker arranged by her family to demonstrate her suitability as a future wife. During the meeting, Mulan must demonstrate societal standards of womanhood, such as not speaking back unsolicited, being modest, and elegant, in order to bring honor to her family.
In another example, Netflix's TikTok account shared a short clip from the 2000s series “Gilmore Girls,” in which Rory visits her grandparents and is asked what drink she'd like, to which she gracefully replies, “Just a club soda, please.” The Gilmore family, who are portrayed as wealthy and modest, liked her answer and viewed Rory as modest.
From the above examples, I hope you can see what the word “demure” actually means. From my point of view, demure always tends to describe female behavior. We all know that being a woman means having many expectations from society and one of them is being demure.
However, as the content creator who made modesty popular in 2024, Jules Lebron believes modesty means different things to different people. Still, she believed it was about being mindful and considerate of those around you and how you present yourself to the world. After her CBS Mornings interview, she remains committed to spreading positive messages and encouraging others to find their own meaning of modesty.
(DIP/time)
