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.

Me too, @SheldonesqueTheBstard!
It's waterproof, board marker proof and I get get stuff in it for work. I save the chic clutch for evening wear!
However, I think we're committing a cardinal sin here -
being practical!

Tbh I think you're sort of arguing with yourselves now in agreement.

There has been very little 'advice' on this thread. 'here' doesn't really exist.

A Matronly bosom

Far more so than May, yes. The Thatcher tribute act doesn’t help.

I've also got a plain black Kopling tote, from which I have removed the gorilla. It's a decent work bag, but it's been relegated to a shelf in favour of a Le Pliage currently.

Theresa May has some very stylish clothes, although her posture is awkward.

If ever there were an occasion to wear such a frock it's at Eurovision!

Fingers crossed you get some tickets.

Truss is dull - she seems to favour bright suiting, but none of it is very interesting.

What's the solution though

Tops at the moment aren't kind to those with a bust😀

I think Theresa May wore/wears some good clothes. Although I'm not mad about her evening wear choices.

I have a very large bosom. If I unfasten buttons or wear a wrap or v neck it looks less so. In my small bosomed youth I looked lush in a polo neck.

now it would look like my head was balancing on a rolled futon.

The solution is a really good bra so you have two breasts and not a shelf.

Hair in a bob
Grey roots
The wrong length skirt for their shape
Loose clothes

I have big ole tits that can look matronly (and frumpy!) in a crew neck top. But which look excellent in a slash neck/boat neck.

This nails it - exactly what springs to mind for frumpy.

Also those tops with bootcut baggy jeans and a black leather ankle boot with a very low heel

We’ll cut loose clothes (oversized) look stylish not grumpy. Too tight looks frumpy.

When I read the word frumpy it reminds me of older women years and years ago who were “ old” at 50+ and wore beige crimplene “ slacks” with elasticated waists. Time has moved on and I can’t think of anyone in my life/town who I’ve ever looked at and thought “ that’s very frumpy”

It's the same ...

It's not bitchy. I look frumpy from time to time and I need a new haircut et Al

Men also can be frumpy with Bad haircuts
The wrong shape and colour of jeans
Jumper over a shirt
Shoes with jeans

Men look frumpy when they wear short sleeved check shirts and those weird summer trousers that are usually in a grey shellsuit material and are cut three inches above the ankles.

or hiking wear as their go-to leisure wear. for hiking around the aisles of Sainbury's or in their local hostelry.

Angela Raynor is more stylish but her 'my little pony hair' just makes her look a bit too try hard and, when coupled with a face that is a lot older than the hair, just looks a bit wrong

So, is 'frumpy' the right word for her? Maybe not but she doesn't look well styled...she reminds me of a woman in a Beryl Cook painting.

Like, Coffey, but in a different way, she doesn't look comfortable or at ease with herself.

Nigella Lawson is older than both these women but seems comfortable with her style and her hair looks as if it belongs to her. So maybe the answer is find a style, you're comfortable with and own it.

Don’t leave your hair to go grey, get a decent haircut and colour it regularly. Look after your skin. Don’t wear glasses, get laser eye Surgury or wear lenses. Wear nice makeup and get some decent clothes. Don’t let yourself get fat.

@maddy68, I agree about the skirt length! It’s really surprising isn’t it what a difference skirt length makes. There is a point, just below my knee, that makes short me look “frumpy” on the knee or mid calf is fine. But I suppose that highlights that frumpy looks frumpy on different people for different reasons.
I agree with everyone who says about a good supportive bra. Makes most outfits look much better.

I don’t think Angela Raynor is stylish at all. She dresses like an emo 15 year old circa 2007. The red jacket thing here is the epitome of frumpy, all she needs is a ‘statement’ necklace to go with it…

Lots of men look 'frumpy' especially around middle age when their bodies change.

You barely IMHO see a well dressed middle aged man when the weather gets hot.

They are digging out the old, old t shirts, the silly resort shirts, odd length trousers and the bogging foot wear. Let's share 'frumpy' out between the sexes.

But women dressing practically are not ‘slobby’. They’re just dressed to achieve a task rather than to look pretty. Most menswear is inherently more practical than womenswear.

The misogyny is in, for example, how pockets are standard features if menswear but women get excited if their clothing actually has any (usable) pockets.