TikTok, the land of viral dances, life hacks, and oddly specific memes, has given birth to yet another internet sensation: the “very demure, very mindful” trend. If you’ve been scrolling through the app lately, you’ve probably seen TikTokers proclaiming their over-the-top makeup or chaotic behavior as “very demure”—and it’s anything but. Let’s dive into how this trend started, why it’s hilarious, and how the internet is interpreting it in the most ridiculous ways.
The Origin: “Very Demure” Meets Sass
It all began in early August 2024 with TikToker Jools Lebron (@joolieannie), who blessed us with a satirical video that poked fun at conservative workplace expectations. In her now-iconic video, Jools showcases a bold makeup look—think bright pink blush and bold lipstick—while sarcastically describing her style as “very demure” and “mindful.” With a deadpan delivery, she tells us how she keeps it “modest” at work, even though her look is anything but that. The punchline? Her style was loud, playful, and definitely not what you’d expect from someone claiming to be «demure.”
This tongue-in-cheek post struck a chord with TikTok users, racking up millions of views and sparking a movement. Soon, everyone was hopping on the trend, sarcastically proclaiming their wildest moments and extravagant behavior as “demure.”
What’s In a Word? The Ironic Twist
For the record, the word “demure” means being modest, reserved, and soft-spoken. But leave it to TikTok to give it a completely new—and hilariously ironic—meaning. In the hands of TikTokers, the term now applies to anything *but* modest behavior. It’s a playful rebellion against societal expectations of how women (and people in general) should act or present themselves in certain spaces, like the workplace.
