shabby chic

1 of 2

adjective

1

: of or relating to a style of interior design or decor featuring furnishings that are old, worn, or distressed or that have been made to have such an appearance

Install shabby chic barn doors to add rustic charm and character to the penthouse. Opt for distressed wood finishes and vintage-inspired hardware to complement the Bohemian vintage aesthetic.

—Era Chandok

Original shabby chic items often have layers of heavy paint from over the years sanded back to reveal their history.

—Fraser Coast Chronicle (Queensland)

If you are trying to channel more of a shabby chic look outdoors, consider creating a vertical plant stand from an old wooden door.

—R. A. Fletcher

2

: of or relating to a style of clothing with a vintage appearance that often features soft fabrics, ruffles, and muted colors

a shabby chic skirt/blouse

A … puff-sleeve dress that's so stylish everyone will be asking you where you got it. The … silhouette is very shabby chic, giving it a vintage flair that's hard to beat.

—Rebecca Norris

shabby chic

2 of 2

noun

1

: a style of interior design and decor featuring furnishings that are old, worn, or distressed or that have been made to have such an appearance

In general, shabby chic is a fusion of vintage elegance and antique decor with more lived-in and well-loved pieces.

—Bree Steele, quoted at Parade Home & Garden (online)

2

: a style of clothing with a vintage appearance that often features soft fabrics, ruffles, and muted colors

… dress in retro-hippie-shabby-chic and shop for little Theo or Mathilde … for such necessities as lime green slippers with sequins.

—Cathy Newman

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1978, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

1963, in the meaning defined at sense 1