The latest craze on Instagram reveals how quickly personal expression can be absorbed into a homogenised feed and exploited by brands<\/p>\n
For those looking for the defining social media trend of summer 2026, it\u2019s time to call off the search party.<\/p>\n
A new phrase is dominating algorithms and entering the English lexicon.<\/p>\n
It goes roughly like this: a carousel of images or a video overlaid with a pale yellow font that reads: \u201cKinda chic to\u201d followed by an image of a look or trend that the average user doesn\u2019t consider traditionally chic.<\/p>\n
The images are usually a mirror selfie or a fancy cup of matcha \u2013 but the trends vary. This morning alone I have seen posts spanning everything from \u201ckinda chic to repeat outfits\u201d to \u201ckinda chic to always have a trip booked\u201d to \u201ckinda chic to be overdressed\u201d to \u201ckinda chic to bake a quiche,\u201d (to be fair it did look like a very nice quiche).<\/p>\n
Similar to 2024\u2019s \u201cbrat\u201d takeover and last summer\u2019s \u201cvery demure, very mindful\u201d craze, the phrase \u201ckinda chic\u201d has quickly become ubiquitous. But unlike its predecessors, the catalyst is harder to track down. Some point to plus-size influencer MariaBegins as one of its earliest instigators due to using the format in April for a series of body positivity posts. \u201cKinda chic posting myself online despite the hate comments I receive,\u201d reads one.<\/p>\n
According to Google Trends, searches for the term are up 5000% while on last check the hashtag has amassed over 60k posts on Instagram. On TikTok, posts which suggest it\u2019s \u201ckinda chic to do it alone and scared\u201d in reference to solo backpacking trip have amassed hundreds of thousands of likes. The posts can be aspirational or relatable, and that\u2019s the point: its mass appeal lies in the fact, that there is a post for everyone.<\/p>\n
It is often used as a humblebrag which, depending on the viewer\u2019s circumstances, can be either inspiring or irritating. \u201cKinda chic to call the Upper East side home,\u201d posts one user from their balcony overlooking the city. \u201cKinda chic to make all your big decisions in the bath\u201d proclaims another post featuring a gorgeous outdoor tub setup. \u201cKinda chic to book the spontaneous trip\u201d states another accompanied with a hotel room overlooking the Eiffel Tower.<\/p>\n
The Berlin-based fashion editor and influencer Brenda Weischer refers to it as \u201ctemplate slop\u201d pointing that due to its widespread use it is now \u201can unoriginal idea\u201d.<\/p>\n
\u201cI have never seen Instagram so homogenous,\u201d agrees Bella Younger, a social media consultant who says we\u2019re going to endure \u201ca long hot summer of copy, paste on social media.\u201d<\/p>\n
Despite this, the trend prevails, particularly among the rich and famous. Drew Barrymore declared it \u201ckinda chic to be in your 50s\u201d, accompanied by a selfie taken in her car. Reese Witherspoon posed with Lauren Dern captioning it \u201ckinda chic to cheer on other women\u201d while Ashley Graham used an image of her on the Victoria\u2019s Secret catwalk to describe it as \u201ckinda chic to know cellulite never held you back\u201d.<\/p>\n
Brands have been quick to hop on the bandwagon too. The retailer Boots posted it was \u201ckinda chic to reapply your SPF\u201d over an image of various SPF products it stocks. \u201cKinda chic to sell a foldable sock hanger by the wine\u201d, posted Aldi while the airline Virgin Atlantic declared it \u201ckinda chic to book a flight with no annual leave left.\u201d<\/p>\n
Surely, at any moment Andy Burnham is going to post that it is \u201ckinda chic to push for devolution\u201d.<\/p>\n
Style, with substance: what's really trending this week, a roundup of the best fashion journalism and your wardrobe dilemmas solved<\/p>\n
So what is driving its rise? Just as core became a replacement for trend (think \u201ccottagecore\u201d, or \u201cgoblincore\u201d, plus, who could forget the OGs \u2013 \u201cnormcore\u201d and \u201cdadcore\u201d), the word chic has become all encompassing. The definition is now so diluted it can be used to describe anything. Perhaps, it is chic that is in the eye of the beholder.<\/p>\n