What Exactly Is Demure?

Have your Gen-Z co-workers started saying that they’re eating their desk salads in a way that’s “very demure, very mindful,” and you have no idea what they’re talking about? I’m here to help. Demure fever has swept TikTok, all thanks to a creator named Jools Lebron. Earlier this month, Lebron posted a video in which she described what it took to arrive at work in a demure fashion.

“I do my makeup. I lay my wig. I do a little braid,” she said to the camera. “Very demure, very mindful. Let’s not forget to be demure, divas.”

Since then, Lebron has made dozens of videos about what is and isn’t demure, mindful, and cutesy. (I feel it must be said that Lebron is, obviously, making a joke and laughing all the way to the bank.) Her videos have taken the app by storm, with her most-viewed “demure” video reaching over 19 million views. Since Lebron’s videos have taken off, people have taken it upon themselves to declare what is and isn’t demure. Here’s a brief list of what TikTok users, including Lebron herself, have decided is demure.

Looking like Marge Simpson at work

This is the most viral of Lebron’s demure videos, with over 19 million views and nearly 17,000 videos using the sound — even SpongeBob hopped on the trend. In it, she preaches about the importance of looking demure while at work. “See how I look very presentable? The way I came to the interview is the way I go to the job,” she says. “A lot of you girls go to the interview looking like Marge Simpson and go to the job looking like Patty and Selma. Not demure.”

Putting the butt of your joint into a one-hitter

As @eboniqueluxe points out, it’s not very demure to burn your nails while smoking a roach.

A tiny iced latte

From what I’ve gleaned, an important part of being demure is not taking up too much space and keeping to yourself, so of course this comically small iced latte is very demure.

Looking good on your walk of shame

“You see how I do my walk of shame in the morning? Very demure, very mindful,” said @sayessence. “Sunglasses on, so I’m discreet. Not too high, not too low, so no one can see the pain in eyes.” Very cutesy!

Being Rory Gilmore

How excited do you think Netflix’s resident Gilmore Girls stan was when they remembered this exchange?

Kamala Harris

I’m kind of surprised that the campaign didn’t put this together first, but I guess their minds are still on Brat. This video, in which Kamala is “very considerate, very approachable, very demure” in comparison to Donald Trump and J.D. Vance, has over 10 million views. Gen Z’s corny era is incoming.

Drinking a Monster Energy in the car before going to work at the strip club

I believe her.

Getting the salmon at LongHorn Steakhouse

This is my personal favorite of Lebron’s videos. She’s right — I don’t need to be getting Wingstop after work, but I could really go for a chain-restaurant baked potato.