Over the past few weeks, TikTok’s “For You” pages have globally been flooded with a new viral trend centered around the phrase "very demure, very mindful." If you've been browsing the app but missed the trend's early days, you might be curious about its meaning and origins.

Although thousands have jumped on the TikTok trend, it started with Jools Lebron, an influencer who describes herself as a plus-size transgender content creator. 

In the original video, where she takes on the persona of Joolieannie, she explains to her viewers how to dress and behave professionally in the workplace. “You see how I do my makeup for work? Very demure. Very mindful,” she began. “I don’t come to work with a green-cut crease. I don’t look like a clown when I go to work. I don’t do too much. I’m very mindful while I’m at work.”

Lebron continued, “The way I came to the interview is the way I go to the job. A lot of you girls go to the interview looking like Marge Simpson and go to the job looking like Patty and Selma. Not demure. I’m very modest. I’m very mindful.” 

According to Oxford Languages, “demure” means “reserved, modest, and shy.” However, Lebron describes the term as embodying a playful yet understated quality, striking a balance between humility and self-expression.

Check out how some TikTokers are using the sound: