Stylish, minimal and elegant are words that come to mind. It's a tricky word to capture.

I think the term "effortless chic" is rather sly. There seems to me a lot of effort that goes into chic, not thinking of polish and grooming or even drama. Chic seems to me very decisive. And confident in one's decisions. The rightness for oneself. A city thing? Can't quite picture chic in the country, though I suppose there's Edith Head in her gardening clothes.

I think it is when the clothes and the person meld into one. Now I will read what the others said.

The first word that comes to mind for me is confidence. For me chic s a projection by the person that they are confident in themselves and their look. No fussing with the clothes. Perfectly groomed and every element works for them. I also think it looks effortless but in reality may not be.

To be chic one:

Needs to be stylish & fashionable - not trend driven but not out of date.
Needs to have refinement in clothing and personality, which is why some 10 year olds are chic & some 60 year olds aren't. I think there needs to be a certain amount of elegance too. Good grooming is part of this refinement, as is attention to detail.

I think the meaning of the word is changing (or just being overused or both). I don't think clothes are chic of themselves without the right wearer they are just clothes - for example Audrey looked chic in ballet flats but I see many people walking around in them (or should I say falling out of them) & they do not look chic.

So many deep thoughts and ideas to meditate on. I can't think of anything to add except personality and movement may figure into it. Has anyone ever seen chic on a mannequin?

Laughing out loud, Caro. That is SO true - great example with the ballet flats. An article of clothing is not chic in and of itself.

Oh WOW! Your thought processes are so fab I can't stand it!!

(Thank you so much Suz and Day Vies. I am deeply flattered).

These are the points that really resonated when I think of chic:

- Zap: "je ne seis quoi". It is when you no longer see the clothes in isolation, you see the person first, then the clothes. Chic is a "state of being".

- Jules: Refinement. Chic is never overdone, there is an ease about the look both in terms of movement and acceptance. Yes there is polish but chic is not rigid and would never hobble in overly high heels for fashion.

- Day Vies: Chic is when the look starts to provide a view into the wearer's thought process.

- K can shop: Fashionable, tailored, polished, current styling.

- Vildy: Forethought and control. An exactness. Decisiveness.

- Dana: Polished. (I also think it's very, very hard to look chic when you are RATE. It's not impossible though. I have seen chic RATE people!)

- Unfrumped: Chic is a package thing, not just the outfit. (I'll throw in good posture too).

- Jamie: Chic, has nothing to do with particular style elements, such as classic, bohemian, romantic etc.

- Gaylene: It's not the perfection of the garment, the outfit, or the woman, but the melding which results in something which is much greater than the sum of the parts.

I do not think that Chic is necessarily these things:

- Timeless clothing. You can be very fashion forward and trendy and look chic.

- Minimal

- Restrained

- Feminine. I think you can look very chic in more masculine attire.

- Someone who wears their clothes and owns them. Absolutely not. For example, Goths and Punks own their look - look cool, but they don't look chic. Most of the people photographed on the Sartorialist own their look big time - but they don't look chic.

Hope that makes sense!

So interesting. Angie glad you mentioned RATE can be chic. I find Emmanuelle Alt often looks very chic (to me) and she is most certainly RATE:).

A book I have breaks individual style into 5 categories and Chic is one of them and while I realize we are not necessarily using "chic" here as definitive style type, I find their thoughts interesting. I quote "Chic - The style is defined by a powerful look and sharp lines that seem to come together in an effortless way. It is often monochromatic and combined with bold accessories". They also suggest that a Chic will go for clean, sleek lines, but will integrate a hint of the untraditional and the "now" into her outfit to create a personal look. A Chic also likes to keep her foundation outfit simple and elegant, is interested in what is current but is not a slave to trends. She likes to be fashionable but with a subtle flair that keeps the look uniquely hers. When I consider woman I think look chic, they certainly encompass some of the above, but it's one of those things I don't think you can artfully create, you kind of have it or you don't:)

So much food for thought! I think my favorite is Astrid's quote: to paraphrase, the first step to gaining chic is recognizing you don't have it. So true for so many things.

Ines de la Fressange is the epitome of chic for me. I think she was even voted most chic woman in France or something. I often ask myself if I can see Ines wearing an item if I am dithering on an expensive purchase

She just looks elegant, comfortable in her own skin and put together. Always...

Elements brought thoughtfully together with an eye to creating a specific holistic impression, subduing or modifying their individual 'vocabulary' with maybe just a nod to current trends, but also definitely garnished with a judicious dose of personal style integrity, and then worn with insouciance so as to appear effortless rather than studied. To me, that's the hallmark of chic.

I think it is actually hard to 'throw chic on' --- there is, as Gaylene and Vildy note, a certain degree of self-conscious effort. In fact, very often there is a RATE element to chic (at least as I understand it) in the *wearing* of it, even if not in individual elements --- and yet it is definitely intentional and the viewer who recognizes it as 'chic' also implicitly recognizes the intention.

There is also, to be, a notion of 'chic' wrestling the elements of a look into submission, so to speak. It isn't so much that the look is necessarily refined or polished, but that the wrinkles and the anti-fit are there because they are *intended*, and there are *not* RATE elements creeping in unnoticed, uninvited or unchecked (the wearer is never oblivious, while appearing insouciant, of wrinkles, bagging etc, but will not be so 'precious' as to necessarily 'fix' herself in an obviously self-conscious way).

Chic is not one particular style. It is the ability to put an outfit together with confidence. I'll never forget one instance when my aunt put an outfit together brilliantly - it was a simple off white cotton sheath dress, a cute pair of neutral flip flops and a basket woven purse. Very neutral and simple. On her way out the door she grabbed a colorful scarf and stuck it in her purse and let it peek out a little - it made the ensemble sing! So simple but tres chic!