25 things I find impossibly chic

from home, to manners, to personal style

Perhaps my most visceral experience of all-encompassing chicness was a lunch I attended while I was home for winter break during my third year of university. The gathering was hosted by a lady whose family was new to the Pakistani expatriate community in Kuwait. Walking into her home, I was instantly struck by the life she had curated. Beautiful art hung on the walls, collected from years of living in Africa. The furniture had character and history - upholstered, solid wood, knobby and textured. Her dining table was beautifully set, with collected linens, decorative spoons, and elaborate serving ware. The food was impeccable, from homemade quiches to lightly sweetened tea cakes, the cuisine spanning various geographies. She was gracious and kind. I asked her a million questions because I was enamored, not necessarily by the elegance of her home, but by the stories and art that filled every corner. She described the life she'd had thus far with her husband and kids, the many cities they'd called home, the summers spent working on personal art projects, and her numerous hobbies, one of which was supporting local artists. It was my most immersive experience of what I would define as chicness and the spirit with which I'm writing this post.

I've thoroughly enjoyed all the takes on this trend, such as this one by Gabriella Gofis and more recently this one by the lovely Maria Hyde of Essential Reads. All the takes have made want to share my own. Chic is a nebulous term, and in the context of this piece, I approach chicness as a quality that feels elevated, intentional, and thoughtful. At times, it signifies an attribute steeped in elegance and timelessness, and at other times, a reflection of depth and thoughtfulness. My list is a mix of style, beauty, home, and ways of being. Hardly conclusive and very much a snapshot of a moment in time. And naturally, I couldn't stop at 10 things, so here are 25…because I couldn't help myself.

1. Signature clothing - a vintage blazer, well-loved pair of jeans, favourite wool sweater

   

   iconic style

2. Homes with character ~ printed fabrics, framed menus, glass trinkets, colour

   

   @lucywilliams home

3. People with personal collections (glassware, watches, ceramics, art, books)

   

   please leave me here ~ (@pinterest)

4. A worn in, well used iconic leather bag

   

   Jane Birkin with her namesake bag

   

   worn in mulberry bayswater

5. Heirloom jewellery and jewellery with a story (picked up at a local market, handmade, a holiday gem)

   

   

   when everything has a story

6. Cartier watches (so specific, but I’ve loved them forever); also pale gold watches, so stunning

   

   Carolyn Bessette Kennedy wearing her tank

7. Rings that clink

   

   also green stones (emerald, green tourmaline), incredibly chic

8. Caring for your hands and feet (varnish free is chic too)

   

   and shorter nails

9. Handwritten thank you cards

   

   always lovely

10. People who think and care about the world at large

    

    the inimitable bell hooks

11. Quality luggage, travel totes, monogrammed travel pouches and passport holders

    

    mish mash but chic @lilysisto

12. Showing kindness and respect to people in the service industry

    

    a class act

13. A curated vanity - a couple bottles of perfume, a scattering of lipsticks, brushes and blushes, an empty candle holder with lipliners…

@violette_fr’s vanity is a dream

14. Wearing matching sets - trés chic

@laurajackson in the chicest set

15. Rings with inscriptions

    

16. Healthy, glossy, natural hair

    

17. Eating a croissant with a cup of coffee; sitting alone at cafés

    

18. Beautiful penmanship; people who still write in cursive

    

19. Keeping framed old photographs; grandmothers when they were nineteen, your dad in college

20. A medicine cabinet filled with bottles and vials

    

21. Flowers on the nightstand

    

22. Good manners ~ I can’t stress how chic

23. An elegant posture; people who seem self-contained in their body

    

    carried herself so beautifully

24. Baking for others (one of the most chic gestures)

@lailagohar

25. And finally, reading a physical book in public (instead of scrolling)

And that’s my list! Would love to hear which one’s make yours.

Love,

Sana

PS: All images sourced from @pinterest