Most of us have probably wanted to be cool at some point in our lives, and these efforts can have a big influence on the things we buy, the way we dress, the hobbies we invest in, the people we look up to and even the words we use.
Being part of the in-crowd does have its perks. Studies have shown that cool people are more admired and are perceived as being more friendly, competent and attractive. But what exactly does it mean to be ‘cool’?
The concept of coolness goes back centuries, with similar ideas found in traditional cultures such West Africa and China. In Europe, cool has its origins in the 16th-century Italian concept sprezzatura, which was an effortless, aristocratic kind of cool (the Mona Lisa is a good example of this, with her graceful pose and enigmatic smile). This form of coolness was all about nonchalance and perfecting the art of making difficult things look easy.
So, maybe one way to be cool is not to try so hard. We all know how cringeworthy it can be when someone is overly keen to impress (try watching a video of former British Prime Minister Theresa May dancing at a conference without wincing).
Words for coolness go in and out of fashion – rad, hip, swell, dope, fresh, lit – but ‘cool’ has the most staying power.
The use of the word as slang for ‘fashionable’ goes back to 1930s and 40s African-American culture – particularly the jazz scene.
Musicians with a laidback, restrained style of play were described as cool, and the word was adopted in the 1950s and 60s by bohemian subcultures such as beatniks and hippies. Over time, coolness was commercialised, co-opted by companies selling everything from clothes and cars to phones and fragrances.
But what makes someone cool in 2026? A recent study by researchers in Chile and the US asked almost 6,000 people across six continents to rate the attributes of someone they consider cool. The results revealed that cool people tend to have six core attributes: being more powerful, hedonistic, adventurous, autonomous, open and extroverted. The researchers say that these attributes must be expressed in the right way, however. Being too hedonistic or desperate for power, for example, might tip the balance into uncool.
The fact that these attributes are the same across continents and cultures led the researchers to suggest that coolness serves a universal social function.
People with these attributes are more likely to challenge convention, be innovative and encourage others to adopt new ideas.
Just being considered as cool, the researchers suggest, may increase someone’s social status by signalling their creativity and ability to inspire cultural change.
But how about those of us who aren’t cool, and perhaps have no desire to be? Well, the same study also identified character traits that people see as ‘good’ rather than cool – these include being calm, conscientious, agreeable and warm. So, if we want to impress people, these could also be worthwhile goals.
This article is an answer to the question (asked by Jonathan Schaefer, Wakefield) 'What actually makes somebody cool?'
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