Are You a Cheugy Mom? 8 Things Gen Z Says Makes You a Cheug
The latest term to come out of TikTok is used to describe anything "non-trendy." And if you're a millennial or Gen X parent, chances are you have some wardrobe and lifestyle choices that have earned you the label.
First, Gen Z reportedly deemed millennial-beloved skinny jeans and side parts passé. Now, a whole slew of wardrobe, decor, and behaviors, often beloved by millennial parents, fall under a trending term that's popping up everywhere: cheugy, pronounced "chew-gee." According to Urban Dictionary, cheugy applies to anything that was (for the youth) "stylish in middle school and high school but is no longer in style."
But the term has also been traced back to a 24-year-old named Hallie Cain who posted a video about it to TikTok on March 30, according to the New York Times. She explains that it's not quite "basic"—aka conformist or generic—or "uncool." Cheugy doesn't even have to be something to be ashamed of. And while a lot of things that are cheugy also happen to be things that millennial moms might love, anyone, regardless of gender or age, can be cheugy.
That said, here are eight things that might mean you should definitely accept, and even embrace, the label.
1. You Love Wooden Signs or Rae Dunn Pottery
If your home is brimming with "Live Laugh Love" signs, wooden signs that say things like, "But First Coffee," and other tchotchkes featuring cutesy sayings in Papyrus font, let's face it: You're probably a cheug.
2. You're Just as Infatuated With Disney as Your Kids
If you get as excited as your kids to rewatch Moana or Frozen and you're already planning your whole family's outfits for your 2022 trip to Orlando, you're definitely a cheug, according to TikToker Rod.
3. You Think of Yourself as a "Girlboss"
Of course you're driven, ambitious, and hardworking. But if you use the hashtag #girlboss, have a mug that says it, or have just used it to describe how you're hitting all your professional goals with a vengeance, you could be cheugy.
4. You're a Big Fan of Cruises That Stop at Atlantis
Apparently, the only thing cheugier than a cruise is one that stops at Atlantis in the Bahamas, but hey, who could blame you for just trying to plan a solid winter vacation for your fam?
5. You Love Your 'The Office' and 'Friends' Merch
Sorry to say, but your go-to coffee cup that sports the logo from a '90s or '00s sitcom like Friends or The Office is all kinds of cheugy. In fact, as if seeing your favorite shows end up on TV Land didn't already make you feel like an old, apparently, anything related to these dated shows is cheugy.
6. You Use Herbal Essences Shampoo
Cain apparently categorizes love for the shampoo line we all loved in the '90s as "cheugy," but how can anyone resist that classic rose hips scent?
7. You Wear Uggs and Giant Scarves
Remember when your favorite pair of boots and that wrap scarf were just "basic"? Now, they're "cheugy."
8. You're All About Cheesy Social Media Expressions and Hashtags
If you have no shame using Arianna Grande lyrics ("thank u next") or "I did a thing" in your Instagram captions, you can fully embrace your cheuginess right now.
But remember what's old is always new again, so if you're intent on loving all things pumpkin spice latte and those supposedly super-cheugy jeans, you're likely just ahead of everyone else embracing its eventual, next eventual wave of popularity.
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