5 Things I Find Controversially Chic

Being a true Sagittarian woman, it comes very naturally for me to dance on the line between elegance and rebellion.

Fashion, luxury, and personal style aren’t just about following trends—they’re about making statements, a drama, and putting on a show with an interesting backstory.

This is something I particularly find has been lost in the world of fashion and lifestyle but at the same find incredibly chic, even if they might be deemed problematic, or downright scandalous.

So let’s talk about it. Here are the five things I find impossibly chic, no matter how much controversy surrounds them.

1.A Cinematic Cigarette Moment

Sometime last year I can vividly remember leaving the cinema and almost bumping into a woman who was in the middle of sparking up while her pink fur coat draped over her shoulders. I instantly thought

You know what…hell yeah!

I know this completely goes against my passion for health and wellness, but I also couldn’t help but reminisce about my time in the fashion industry where hearing the sentence “I’m just going out for a smoke” was relatively normal.

I quit smoking years ago, and I’m so glad I did, but I can tell you, the best conversations happen in the smoking area, you could be there with a complete stranger and after two or three drags you know more about that person than you do your closest friend.

Aside from the aspecr that’s often glamorised through old French films, black-and-white photography.

It’s the effortless, devil-may-care attitude, the air of mystery, and the sheer audacity of doing something that society has deemed unacceptable that I can appreciate.

This isn’t me telling you to start smoking, in fact, I’d advise against it, but what happened to the good old days when we enjoyed being a little bit bad?

Okay, oat milk isn’t good for you, so f**king what? I can think of a more powdery substance that would do much more damage...let me live!

As contradicting as it seems, even when I was a smoker I would hit the gym three times a week.

But it’s not the act of inhaling toxins that I find chic, it’s the aesthetic, the mood, the statement.

So while I won’t be lighting up anytime soon, I won’t deny that cigarette culture, in an old-school cinematic way, has a certain undeniable appeal.

2. Wearing Fur (Preferably Faux, But Let’s Talk)

Nothing says luxury quite like fur. It’s dramatic, it’s powerful, and it immediately says “Do you think I care?”.

Whether it’s draped over a silk slip dress or thrown effortlessly over the shoulders of a white tee and some laid-back jeans, wearing a fur it an indication of chic.

• The weight of fur resting on your shoulders? Chic.

• The “this woman has a driver waiting outside” energy? Chic.

• The silent judgment from others? Triple chic.

Now, before anyone gets worked up, I also prefer faux fur and is probabaly the only instance where I would choose faux first.

I care for the welfare of animals and let’s face it, the quality has improved so much that you can have all the drama and glamour without the ethical dilemma.

I’m all for the cancellation of real fur especially in a climate where it’s not necessary.

You don’t need to wear real fur in Los Angeles, come on.

Nevertheless, a status symbol for centuries fur makes a woman look untouchable. And I love that.

3. Dating for Lifestyle Over Love

I’ll start with this, I’m not a fan of dating/relationship coaches, I find them tiresome, and I just don’t care enough.

But the content I do enjoy is those from those who are honest enough to decide that despite love being cute, financial security is cuter!

The idea that women should only date for “true love” while men get to choose partners based on beauty, status, and convenience? Boring.

I find it incredibly chic to see a woman who:

• Prioritises luxury over struggle love?

• Treats relationships like business decisions?

• Understands that love alone won’t pay for first-class flights.

Hear me out, I’m not saying love doesn’t matter, of course, it does, but I agree with the women who are aware that it’s not enough.

Struggle love is not romantic.

Fighting over rent is not aspirational.

And as much as people want to shame women for being strategic, the reality is that men have always been.

A beautiful woman with a rich, powerful man has been called a gold digger. A rich, powerful man with a beautiful woman has been called…a rich, powerful man.

And quite frankly? I’ll applaud any woman who chooses to take the yacht.

4. Not Posting Your Partner

Nothing is more powerful than a woman who keeps people guessing. And in the age of constant oversharing, there is something super chic about being completely unreadable.

I love the idea of a woman who doesn’t feel the need to prove anything to the internet.

A woman whose relationship isn’t up for public consumption. No soft launches, no endless couple selfies, no performative displays of happiness for likes. Just vibes, because some things are too valuable to be put on display.

• Keeping your love life your business? Chic.

• Letting people think you’re single even if you’re not? Chic.

• Not holding a relationship up on a pedestal? The ultimate flex.

There’s a quiet power in keeping things to yourself. The less people know, the less they can ruin. And honestly? The happiest relationships I’ve ever seen are the ones that exist entirely offline.

5. Being the Villain in Someone’s Story

And lastly, my favourite…

I learned a long time ago that no matter what you do, someone will see you as the villain. You might as well embrace it.

We’ve been conditioned to believe that being liked is the most important thing a woman can achieve.

But in my experience? The women who are really living—the ones who have the best stories, the most enviable lives, the most powerful presence, aren’t trying to be liked. They’re trying to win the game of liberation.

They are the women who are comfortable with:

• Setting boundaries and being called selfish

• Choosing themselves and being labelled difficult?

• Walking away from people who drain you, no matter how much they beg

The truth is, you are the villain in someone’s story right now, and people will paint you as a public enemy number one simply for putting yourself first.

And when that happens, you have two choices, shrink yourself to fit their expectations, or walk away like the bad bitch you are, fur coat trailing behind you.

I’ve only ever chosen the latter.

Finally…

Being chic isn’t just about what you wear, it’s about how you move through the world, your attitude, a sense of fearlessness. And the women who intrigue us the most? They aren’t afraid to break the rules.

Because the chicest thing a woman can be is unbothered. And that, my love, is the real luxury.