What is a Must-Have?

Imagine a situation: you are walking down the street, see a friend, and hear from him: “Oh, have you seen the new smartphone? It’s a must-have!” What does this expression mean? How did it become so popular and why do we use it in everyday life? Let’s figure it out together.

“Must-have” (from the English must-have) is a phrase used to denote things or items that are essential to have. It means something so important or trendy that it’s hard to imagine life without it. In the context of fashion, it can be new accessories or trendy clothing. In technology, it’s, of course, new gadgets. And in everyday life, it can be any item that simplifies or makes life more interesting.

Like many borrowed words, “must-have” came to us from the West, particularly from the English language. This expression began to be actively used in the West in the 1990s when pop culture started to play a significant role in shaping consumer preferences. Movies, music, fashion magazines, and advertising actively used the phrase “must-have” to create a sense of need for certain things. The phrase itself literally translates as “must have”.

In the Ukrainian language, the term “must-have” took root thanks to fashion and pop culture. Initially, it was used in fashion circles, where fashion brands promoted their collections as the “must-haves” of the season. Over time, the phrase began to appear in various contexts and became an everyday word.

From a psychological point of view, this concept cleverly plays on people's desire to belong to a certain social group or to keep up with trends. If you are told that a certain item is a “must-have,” you may start to feel that without it, you are falling behind modern trends. And marketers know this very well. The term is used to create excitement around products, to awaken your desire to purchase it.

On the other hand, it can be not only about fashion or gadgets. We can use this term in a broader context, for example: “A cup of coffee in the morning is my must-have.” This allows us to emphasize the personal importance or irreplaceability of certain things in our lives.

Today, “must-have” has gone beyond fashion magazines. We can encounter this term on social media, in conversations among friends, and in advertisements for practically anything—from cosmetics to software. It is often used to emphasize the importance of not only physical items but also experiences: for example, a certain concert or trip can be a “must-have” this summer.

Interestingly, the phrase has long become so familiar that almost no one perceives it as a borrowed word. Most people, when using this term, don’t even think about its English origin. We have taken this word and made it part of our own culture.

The term easily adapts to any area of life. Here are a few examples of how it can be used:

Certainly, sometimes the hype around “must-haves” can influence us too strongly. Advertising and marketing can make us buy something that isn’t really that necessary. It’s important to be able to distinguish between truly needed items and those imposed by fashion or our surroundings.

So, the next time someone tells you about another “must-have,” don’t rush to run after it. Perhaps your true “must-have” is something entirely different.