After a long, hot brat summer, the time has come to be more demure — at least according to creator @joolieannie, aka Jools Lebron, whose TikTok about being demure went viral on Aug. 5. “You see how I do my makeup for work?” she said in the video, which now has over 1.6 million likes. “Very demure. Very mindful.”
The Merriam-Webster definition of demure is “affectedly modest, reserved, or serious,” but Lebron’s TikTokification of the term is a funny tongue-in-cheek take on all things cutesy and girly. In her comments, one person said, “Keep me on demure-tok.” Another wrote, “The way you say demure scratches an itch in my brain.”
Since then, Lebron has posted dozens of videos sharing her very demure lifestyle. On Aug. 8, she showed everyone how to be demure while ordering food. “I’m not like you other girls. I don’t go out and eat Wingstop after work. I get a nice salad,” she said while zooming in on five plates of food, including salmon, a loaded potato, and cheese fries. “Very demure.” In her comments, someone said, “Lean meats, vegetables, high-calcium protein. Taking demure notes.” Another wrote, “Being demure is now my entire personality.”
On Aug. 9, Lebron got her nails done in a demure way. “I bring my own fan. Very mindful. I move my keys to the side. Very demure. Notice how I don’t rush the tech? Very demure.” By this point, the concept of being demure had baked into everyone’s FYP. Comments about being demure also flooded the app, and Demure TikTok had over 12.5 million posts — but even with all the attention, not everyone knows exactly what demure means.
What’s The “Demure” Trend On TikTok?
Thanks to Lebron, the entire internet has gotten a lesson in how to be more demure, more mindful, and more cutesy — all keywords in her demure vocabulary. The creator has shown us how to go through airport security, how to show up to a family vacation, and even how to apply foundation in a mindful and considerate way.
This satirical take on the word “demure” has become Lebron’s schtick. On Aug. 10, she pointed out that her viral videos have started the “demure fall” trend. She’s also been hit up by brands — most recently makeup artist Patrick Ta — and invited out for meet-and-greets to celebrate the hilarious art of being demure.
On Aug. 8, Lebron even talked about “getting demured” or spotted in public by some fans. “I don’t know why, but I just assume no one is going to recognize me,” she said in the video. “They look at you, then they look at their phone, then they look at you. Then you know they know.” Lebron says she always laughs when people ask if she’s from TikTok. “What is that, a country?”
In true TikTok fashion, the joke continued to evolve after going viral. It’s one thing to be demure in everyday life, but ICYMI, you can also be “demuretsey” — a combo of demure and cutesy. In what can only be described as slam poetry, Lebron shared a video describing her made-up term.
“I mix them both because I’m what? Very demuretsey. I’m very cute with it, but I’m also very mindful with it. Very respectful with it. I don’t do too much. I do just enough. I don’t go overboard. I don’t go underboard. I’m not the basement. I’m not the attic. I’m where you live. I’m very demure.” A comment with 85,000 likes read, “This is a demurocracy.”
The Demurocracy Of TikTok
Other creators have shown their own demure habits, like @sequoiacothran who explained how to be cutesy and demure while using the testers in Sephora, and @devorawilde who says she “doesn’t cause a commotion” when she’s being demure and relaxing at the pool.
In another viral video, creator @2poor4prada noted that she eats her sandwich in a demure way. Instead of dropping crumbs, she’s very respectful and mindful as she takes each bite.
The phrase has also been spotted in the comments sections of completely unrelated videos. If you see someone say “very cutesy, very demure, very mindful” they’re referring to Jools Lebron — the most demure person on TikTok.
As of Aug. 14, Lebron has yet to reply to Bustle's request for comment, likely because she’s being mindful and present as she focuses on traveling. And honestly, that’s very demure.
