Smoke Signals: The Revival of Cigarettes in Pop Culture

In a daring turn of events, cigarettes are making a fashionable comeback in pop culture. Dakota Johnson portrays Lucy, a trendy New York matchmaker in the romantic dramedy "Materialists," where her love for smoking is unapologetic. Whether she’s gossiping at a work party or flirting with an ex, Johnson’s character embraces her smoking habit, showcasing a die-hard trend of smoking in contemporary media.

But it's more than just Johnson's performance—this trend is sweeping through music, film, and television. Artists like Addison Rae and Lorde mention smoking in their latest tracks, while the cast of the hit show "The Bear" smokes just as freely off-screen as they do in character. Even pop culture titans like Beyoncé have added to the smoking narrative, lighting up during her Cowboy Carter Tour—none other than tossing a lit cigarette onto a piano in a dramatic performance. If Beyoncé is in, you know it’s a cultural moment.

The Rise of the Cigfluencers

Jared Oviatt, the creator of the Instagram account @Cigfluencers, is riding this wave. With over 68,000 followers, he capitalizes on celebrity smoking images. When he started the account in 2021, he struggled to find modern content. Now, Oviatt sees a stream of new appearances every week.

"The allure of celebrity smoking is all about aesthetics," Oviatt explains. These iconic figures elevate smoking to a glamorous status despite the known health risks.

Smoking: The New Nostalgia

For artists like Rae and Lorde, smoking is imbued with nostalgia and sentimentality. Rae's lyric, "Guess I gotta accept the pain / Need a cigarette to make me feel better," casts smoking as a chic mechanism for dealing with life's struggles. Similarly, in Lorde's reflective track, the mention of a cigarette conjures up beautiful yet melancholic memories associated with love and past relationships.

Hedonistic Symbols and the 'Ciggy Mommy' Aesthetic

Leading this smoking revival is Charli XCX, whose hard-partying persona and unapologetic smoking habits have resonated with younger audiences. TikTok star Addison Rae's alignment with Charli is her way of stepping outside her previous squeaky-clean image, embracing a more liberated persona.

This trend has even birthed the quirky "ciggy mommy" archetype, popularized by reality star Gabby Windey, who embraces the aesthetic of a glamorous but exhausted mother—a look comforted by a cigarette in hand. It’s less about the tobacco and more about capturing a carefree, slightly nihilistic disposition.

The Ironic Smoke

Interestingly, while shows like "The Bear" portray characters engulfed in the realities of smoking today, they evoke a sense of irony when compared to period dramas where characters smoked without knowledge of health risks. Jeremy Allen White’s character, Carmy, uses his on-screen smoking to emphasize both angst and allure, showcasing a deeper narrative.

Similarly, Lucy in "Materialists" uses smoking as her armor in a cutthroat dating market, symbolizing both her jadedness and her edge. When Beyoncé lights up during her performances, she blends power and critique, adding depth to the cigarette’s cultural significance.

The Burning Desire for Change

So why this resurgence? Perhaps it represents a burning desire to reclaim something lost in the modern era—an act of rebellion against the norms of health-consciousness, wrapped in the allure of hedonism. The revival of smoking in pop culture is more than just an aesthetic; it mirrors our longing for freedom, authenticity, and a little edge in a world that feels increasingly sanitized.