What is cheugy, and does this new adjective apply to you? Sadly, we ourselves are personally too old to adequately address this pressing matter. So we pressed our youthful correspondent Abbie Martin Greenbaum into service. She kindly explains what cheugy is, why every publication from the august The New York Times to the sassy PopSugar is opining about it. And she shares the 10 cheugy actions that you should absolutely know about and avoid at all costs as millennials if you want to win the respect of the Gen Z’s in your life in 2021. Now, if you’ll excuse us, we have to go take the “GirlBoss” sign off our desk. Good luck, babies.
what is this cheugy word that everyone is talking about?
Have you heard about cheugy? If you haven’t, maybe that is cheugy in and of itself. After all, dear reader, cheugy means “the opposite of trendy.”
The cheugy actions that you should know about and avoid as millennials if you want to win the respect of the Gen Z’s in your life in 2021.
But the full definition of the word is just a little bit more complicated.
[white_box]Join our community
For access to insider ideas and information on the world of luxury, sign up for our Dandelion Chandelier newsletter. And see luxury in a new light.
sign up now >
[/white_box]
you can thank Gen Z’s for coining the word cheugy to insult millennials
Coined by Gaby Rasson in 2013, the adjective is deployed almost exclusively by Gen-Zers, in order to describe anyone who is a little… off.
Off-trend, off-topic. Totally lacking in self-awareness.
Though many stress that cheugy does not mean basic, the two pejoratives have some definite similarities. And if you’re wondering who’s guilty of being cheugy, the answer may surprise you.
It’s almost always Millennials. Okay, Boomer? It’s not all about you.
Once upon a time, it might have been easy to confuse the two youngest generations, both of whom are known for being progressive, and spending a lot of their time on their iPhones. But words like cheugy highlight the fact that their differences lie in more than just side parts.
millennials are different in crucial ways from Gen Z’s
Millennials enjoyed their early childhoods without social media, only to have it introduced right at the crucial moment they came of age. Their lives became super public, and it was suddenly all too easy to scrutinize whether or not they fit in with the rest of their peers.
As a result, Millennials learned to devote themselves passionately – and publicly – to everything at all times. And that everything includes brands, childhood favorites, and above all, anything super popular. This kind of band-wagoning was a protection against the loneliness that often comes from seeing other people’s lives on Instagram.
What is cheugy, and why do Gen Z’s use it to describe certain millennials?
After all, the vast landscape of the Internet is a lot less scary if your part of it looks just like everybody else’s.
[white_box]Related Post
The “Zizmorecore” fashion trend and 10 easy ways best to embrace it
read more >
[/white_box]
Meanwhile, Gen Z’s have important topics on their minds
Gen Z had none of these problems. Social media did not show up in the third act of their childhoods to change their lives. Instead, it’s always been woven into the fabric of their everyday, and it’s informed the way they operate. They’ve been aware of every world problem since day one.
So you can see why, to them, Millennials’ concerns might seem a little… trivial. Why spend all this time obsessed with your personal image when you could just… be yourself? In fact, Gen Z would probably find the idea of a serious conversation around cheugy to be cheugy – they would say it’s not that serious. There are more important things to worry about, like climate change.
But if you are still feeling curious about your own level of cheugyness, we are happy to give you some pointers. These ten actions definitely fit the description of cheugy – you should know them and avoid them at all costs if your goal is to win the respect of the Gen Z crowd in 2021.
But hey – don’t worry if they’re things you happen to like. We’re all a little cheugy sometimes.
1. Cheugy actions to know and avoid: embracing Cute Slogans
Cheug Life is a great source for all things cheugy, and we’re going to start you out with an easy one: cutesy phrases. This could apply to apparel or home goods.
What is cheugy, and why do Gen Z’s use it to describe certain millennials? First example: cute phrases.
A mug that says Girl Boss. A hat that says Sea You Later. Any poster or plaque that you’ve seen in thousands of pictures on Instagram. The phrase “But First, Coffee.” These are cheugy because they’re generic – they’re a Greeting Card phrase that masquerades as personality. #GirlBoss, coffee, and cute puns don’t describe you. Pretending that they do is cheugy.
2. Cheugy actions to know and avoid: Re-watching Old Sitcoms
This quiz from Buzzfeed asks – which of these shows are cheugy? The answer: most of them. Setting aside the fact that the humor in some of these shows may feel dated or problematic today, there’s nothing wrong with getting joy from an episode of television.
The cheugy actions that you should know about and avoid as millennials if you want to win the respect of the Gen Z’s in your life in 2021. Stop binge-watching Friends.
What’s cheugy is being unable to move on from an old favorite – loving anything so much that your love for the thing becomes a part of your identity. It’s a very Millennial thing to do, and it’s cheugy.
3. Cheugy actions to know and avoid: wearing Gucci Belts
What??? According to the New York Times piece: Gucci Belts are cheugy. I know. Take a moment and breathe. It’s a lot to take in.
The cheugy actions that you should know about and avoid as millennials if you want to win the respect of the Gen Z’s in your life in 2021. Stop with the Gucci belts. Courtesy Photo.
In this case, the cheug comes from the prominence of the double-G logo. It indicates that the person wants other people to know what they’re wearing, and therefore that they care what other people think.
Dressing for someone else is cheugy – it’s yet another way of hiding behind the shield of the crowd. If you want to avoid cheugy, make sure that your aesthetic is yours and yours alone.
[white_box]Related Post
5 “Balletcore” outfits to channel the new luxury fashion trend of 2021
read more >
[/white_box]
4. Cheugy actions to know and avoid: wearing Uggs
And if Gucci Belts are cheugy, Uggs are as cheugy as it gets. These are boots that became popular because they were popular, and that’s the very definition of cheugy.
The cheugy actions that you should know about and avoid as millennials if you want to win the respect of the Gen Z’s in your life in 2021. Cancel the Uggs. Courtesy Photo.
People wear them because wearing them was once the thing to do. And if you still are, it may be because you’re cheugy (or, let’s be honest, because they’re super comfortable).
5. Cheugy actions to know and avoid: loving Autumn
How can a season be cheugy? Unfortunately, autumn seems to bring out the cheugy behavior in us all. It encourages people to participate in trends that they may not even enjoy (think pumpkin spice), and it also seems to encourage a lot of unnecessary sharing on social media.
Litmus test: if you need people to know you wore a trendy sweater to a pumpkin patch, you may be cheugy.
Cheugy luxury fashion trend. Courtesy Photo.
6. Cheugy actions to know and avoid: saying “I Did a Thing”
“I Did a Thing” scored 76% cheugy in Buzzfeed’s cheugy-or-not poll. Once upon a time, it was “the thing” to post to social media when you did “a thing” – such as accomplishing a major goal or passing a life milestone.
But now it’s just cheugy, people. Gen Z would like to know, who is that post for? Is it so that you can fit into an imagined idea of what’s expected of you? Very cheugy.
7. Cheugy actions to know and avoid: buying (and wearing) Harry Potter Memorabilia
If you own a lot of merchandise that celebrates Harry Potter, you’re definitely flirting with cheugy.
The cheugy actions that you should know about and avoid as millennials if you want to win the respect of the Gen Z’s in your life in 2021. No more Harry Potter merch.
Besides JK Rowling’s recent and public transphobia, there’s nothing wrong with loving an old favorite book. But Millennials’ desire to turn that love into a part of their identity does not make sense to Gen Z. After all, it’s just another way to hide behind something that’s not really them.
So no more Hufflepuff shirts and banners, OK?
8. Cheugy actions to know and avoid: anything related to Disney
If it’s cheugy to let any piece of media define you, then it’s definitely cheugy if that piece of media is from your childhood.
Cheugy actions to know about and avoid: anything Disney.
Millennials have always had trouble with the idea of growing up, and loving Disney into their adulthoods is a way of holding onto their youth. And it’s cheugy. So, so cheugy.
[white_box]Related Post
10 essential wardrobe 2021 pieces to buy if you love Grannycore
read more >
[/white_box]
9. Cheugy actions to know and avoid: making or eating Lasagna
Cheug Life tells us that lasagna is cheugy.
The cheugy actions that you should know about and avoid as millennials if you want to win the respect of the Gen Z’s in your life in 2021. No more lasagne!
We don’t have an explanation for this one, but you’ve been forewarned. Let this also be a reminder that it’s okay to like cheugy things. Because seriously, who doesn’t love lasagna?
10. Cheugy actions to know and avoid: wearing or displaying a Chevron Pattern
And last but not least, chevron pattern. These lightning bolt lines seem to be a perfect microcosm of everything that cheugy is all about.
They’re plain enough that they can’t possibly be something you like for any particular reason – most likely, you like them because other people do (or more accurately, because other people used to). If you’ve decorated your home with something because you saw it in a lot of pictures on Instagram, you may be cheugy.
and now you know
Now you know the top 10 cheugy actions that you should know about and avoid as millennials if you want to win the respect of the Gen Z’s in your life in 2021. What you do with this information, dear reader, is up to you.
join our community
For access to insider ideas and information on the world of luxury, sign up for our Dandelion Chandelier Newsletter here. And see luxury in a new light.
This article contains affiliate links to products independently selected by our editors. As an Amazon Associate, Dandelion Chandelier receives a commission for qualifying purchases made through these links.
Abbie Martin Greenbaum grew up in New York City and currently lives in Brooklyn, where she drinks a lot of coffee and matches roommates together for a living. At Oberlin College, she studied English and Cinema, which are still two of her favorite things, along with dessert and musical theater. She believes in magic.
