What makes a women look frumpy

[Wherecanitbe]

I am considering an overhaul of what I wear and my hairstyle. I am feeling a bit down and frumpy at the moment so thought this would be a positive change.

My overhaul is not going to be a drastic change , I cannot afford to purchase a whole new wardrobe of clothes,shoes and accessories. So please could you give me your items of clothing and / or hairstyles that in your opinion makes a women look frumpy.

This post is not meant to be offensive in anyway, I believe a person should wear whatever they wish regardless of whether another person thinks it's frumpy.

What if your grandma had a Chanel suit?

Dear god. I wouldn't even sit round the house in that.

She does - in the variety of clothes, from shorts, jeans, through to dresses. I think she looks fab.

Ha! I think you'll find that is "artichoke" and not "sage".
But nonetheless, there are certain colours that generally make most people with faded ( and therefore naturally tending towards frumpy if we are being honest) colouring look duller and unexciting. Obviously there will be exceptions, and not all people suffering from frump are middle aged or greying or have menopausal middles. My very slim, originally dark haired colleague in her 60's might look lovely in that dress you posted. But anyone even 10lbs overweight, or grey/mousy haired would not. I was trying to make suggestions aimed at the more standard frump, ie shortish, roundish, fairish, and I stand by my original point that beige and sage work on very few people because it makes them look bland.
And they are just horrible colours!

@RemusLupinsBiggestGroupie ’frumpy’ is in the dictionary. So it does mean something even if you don’t like it.

Cardigans frumpy? Really?
Do people really think Lady Sarah Chatto looks frumpy?! Haha. Most amusing.

www.telegraph.co.uk/fashion/royals/best-dressed-guests-royal-wedding-princess-beatrices-understated/

I think it’s a combination of too much going on in an outfit and a lack of ability to dress well for your shape. I have two friends who are both very overweight. One dresses in soft pastel tones which suit her because she’s very pale and has a soft blonde bob and she wears fabrics that skim her body or floaty fabric - she knows what suits her and always looks good. My other friend loves skinny jeans combined with close fitting shirts with ruffles or close fitting dresses with ruffles at the neck and everything is embellished or patterned and she loves boots over her skinny jeans with a clumpy heel - this woman is radiant and wonderful and if she wore a bin bag I wouldn’t care as long as I could spend time with her but with a purely analytical eye she looks frumpy in her clothes.

Yes, I realise that. My point is that it means precisely nothing when people make ridiculous statements like, 'All grey hair is frumpy' or, 'Being overweight always makes you look frumpy' etc. In those examples, it means nothing and is, frankly, stupid.

Lady Sarah…

@StarShapedWindow - how is your second friend frumpy? She just prefers that kind of style. She sounds fab to me.

Or, cardigans are frumpy, leggings, floral blouses etc. As we've seen on here - meaningless.

Exactly.

I’m not overweight, in fact underweight and badly fitted clothes, especially trousers too big for me, make me feel frumpy. In my experience it’s all about knowing what clothes suit your body type. I’m also petite and so many tops (regular size not petite range) make me feel frumpy.
shopping online and not actually trying on clothes is a big one for me

Gosh that beautiful silk dress blew me away. How I wish I suited that colour. I love it.

That is horrible. It’s basically a slightly modified potato sack.

This is often my problem with cos clothes. I don’t know who would look good in them. It certainly isn’t me. But it doesn’t seem to be the models they use either.

Whether a colour is unflattering on you depends on your own colouring though. Some people look amazing in yellow, for example. I look vile in every shade of yellow. Some people look shit in black. It looks pretty good on me. 🤷🏻‍♀️

@Maireas of course you’re right, it’s totally subjective but I just always want to rip off the ruffles because to me her dress sense defines the word ‘frumpy’. She is utterly wonderful.

Ah, leave her be. She loves her ruffles. Why not.

Of course! That's why defining a colour as 'frumpy' is total lunacy.

I like black - and I think it suits me, although looks better when I've got makeup on.

Frumpy can be not making any effort imo. But not always.
Clothes that don't fit properly can be frumpy.
Those handbags that have lots of pockets on the outside with a certain style of anorak is what also comes to mind.
Grey hair that is well cut and looked after can look amazing.
Overweight doesn't = frumpy. Any size can look frumpy, or fab if dressed well.
Style doesn't have an age limit.

I agree, @Cam22. Sarah Chatto always wears a chic cardigan and full skirt. She looks lovely, and has found her style.

OP is long gone. And chastised for using the F word.

There are no definitives because the moment they are mentioned, we can all find a pic of someone gorgeous wearing them. But there are things that don't help. So shoot me.

Someone confident in themselves and tuned into what suits them can literally wear anything and look fab.

But sadly OP didn't sound like that. Hope she found more direction on Style and Beauty.

Yeah, anything from boden.

Lack of confidence = frumpy. Style your clothes and hair to enhance your qualities rather than to disguise what you are unhappy with. If your body type suits trends in hemlines you’ll have an edge.

Is that a joke? Shapeless murky-coloured sacks are the opposite of frumpy?