What everyday things do you find utterly charming/chic?

A squishy sofa in the kitchen ( if the kitchen is big enough). My god mother had this (as well as a big table and chairs -she had a big farmhouse kitchen) and it’s been my ambition ever since

That reminds me, DH and I were in a cosy market town pub once, there was a dog sitting in a chair. At one point he got up from the chair and went somewhere, and a man sat there. Then the dog came back and barked at the man until he got up, whereupon the dog reclaimed his seat.

Oh likewise. Also the bluebell wood.

Not charming or chic, but all our fridge magnets. They all hold memories of travels shared and places visited with each other. Happy times before illness and old age decimated our family.

Looking forward to curling up in my bed every night!

I felt very pleased with my homemade cranberry sauce last Xmas. Tasted great.

I live on a farm and am always delighted, in Spring, to see all the baby lambs frolicking in the fields. It’s so heart-warming.

Walking in to a pub when it’s freezing outside and they have an open fire going and the smell of that combined with ale and wine. Preferably with candles on the tables.

This thread 😊

Oh I love that. ❤️❤️

I was in M&S the other day and an elderly gentleman was helping his wife choose some new slippers. She was using a wheelchair, so for her to try the slippers on her husband had to kneel down (which was a challenge in itself due to his age) and put it on her foot. It was like Cinderella finding her prince. I’m not sure I’ve ever seen anything as heartwarming. I’ve thought about it every day since and it makes me smile.

The smell of my warm Labrador…especially his feet, which smell like popcorn.

I can’t find the comments now 🔍 but I agree with the waking up and no housework/cake in fridge can get a bit hard/frosty mornings yes/turf fire smell yes/cats yes/sea swim yes/ my parents still display some of my “artwork” and I had a little cry when an elderly patient was wearing hand knitted gloves 🥹 I nominate this thread for classics

Little scraggy-haired mix breed terrier dogs, especially with elderly owners.
When my girls were little they innocently coined the term ‘little shaggers’ to describe these dogs. Now the oldest is at uni, younger DD’s update her on the little shaggers they’ve seen about the town.

Old couples holding hands when they are out walking. Or sharing a joke sat on a bench in the park. Melts my heart. 💓

I have 4 but I can absolutely see how one daughter would be chic.

That said, im not close with my mum.

Priceless if you are.

Isn’t it just?

I remember seeing a video on instagram of Trinny Woodall helping her only daughter/child furnish her university bedroom and it just oozed chicness but I have no idea why?! Most of the parents I know have an only child, but there seems to be more… beauty in the mother-daughter relationships than the mother-son relationships regardless of how close the relationship is, if that makes sense (I know it doesn’t 😂).

Desk diaries in leather covers
Hand written thank you notes
Antique furniture smelling of beeswax polish
Venetian velvet slippers
Burmese cats
A cheese board
Prams
Espresso
Fruits de Mer
Real Christmas Trees

I read it just before this thread.

I agree with @TheCountessofFitzdotterel. But also, to me 'shabby chic' is almost always unappealing. I don't mean the concept, I mean the actual stuff - IME it's often things like perfectly nice old brown furniture that someone's gussied up with Annie Sloan paint and then 'distressed'.

Whereas I liked the things on this thread because a lot of them have to do with taking care over something (growing flowers, or making things by hand, or taking time over what you're doing, or keeping something old). I think that's really appealing. 'Shabby chic' seems to me to be about pretending something is old/worn when it isn't.

I also don't think 'chic' and 'sophisticated' are the same thing. Something very chic can be very simple.

The thread title was ‘charming/chic’ and a slash can mean ‘or’ rather than ‘and’ so for a start I don’t think everyone is claiming that everything in their list is both charming AND chic - some things are just charming!

However for me one of the things this thread encapsulates is that one can find style and elegance in honesty and simplicity - the idea that a beautifully mended old garment can be more stylish than a new thing of the latest fashion.
Things that are simple, cosy and unaffected can have an inherent beauty as well as being comfortable and part of the enjoyment is from being surrounded by that loveliness.

I think one of the reasons the thread made me happy is that it made me realise some of the choices I have made that people don’t generally consider stylish, my long grey hair for instance, I actually DO find them attractive and that is why I have done them - it’s not just that I can’t be bothered to go to the hairdresser!

Of course your mileage may vary on all of this and that’s fine, style is a very subjective thing. 🙂

I've loved reading this thread... thank you.

Can someone tell me what the meaning of chic is here? As most people seem to be describing charming, homely or cosy things rather than chic, which is sophisticated, stylish and elegant?

Are people thinking more "shabby chic"?

My husband and I are in our late 60s, been married for 45 years, and still hold hands.

Chubby babies in snowsuits
When you're out walking in a forest/woods etc and the sun is setting and you get the sunlight peeking through the trees.