I thought about it some more....but I'm still going with "tasteful". Perhaps "chic" implies tasteful, as well as other qualities such as looking current, effortless, and attractive, and that's why so many of us have chosen that word. The word itself is a bit hard to define, but I think most anybody would be happy with being labeled "chic"!
But still, I'm going to use "tasteful", because that has become an overriding (and more specific) theme when it comes to my style goals these days. Five years ago, if I'd thought of this question, my answer would probably have been "cool". Cool is still high on my list. Even now, I'd rather be called cool than chic. Both imply effortless style, but cool also suggests an attitude to life that l like. A deeply ingrained sort of confidence. But it IS possible to look cool and be a little lacking in good taste (punk comes to mind -- it looks awesome, but since it's all about flicking the "V" to authority, it's hardly tasteful), and at the moment, good taste trumps everything for me. I'm old enough to want to be chic and dignified, not cute and funky.
