What's your definition of frumpy?

[stripytees]

I don't know if this is an MN thing but I'm always seeing people saying clothes from brands like Boden and White Stuff are frumpy.

I don't understand.

My definition of frumpy is someone who dresses very plain and quite old-fashioned - like black or navy work trousers (probably badly fitting) with a plain t-shirt that was bought 10 years ago and got a bit out of shape, with a cardigan that is slightly too big and probably in an unflattering colour, worn with very sensible shoes like those from the Clarks UnStructured range.

Boden and White Stuff and other similar brands on the other hand sell short, colourful dresses and skirts, scoop neck tops, bright prints, high heels and colourful flats... the opposite of frumpy! But maybe I'm odd because I don't even consider M&S clothes frumpy although I think it's also possible to buy frumpy clothes from M&S.

FWIW I'm in my early 30's.

Mum boots

stripytees, I agree with you - that is my definition of frumpy. ie someone who isn't remotely interested in clothes and wears things to death, wears v pplain colours etc. I wear a lot of White Stuff, Fat Face, my jeans are currently from M and S - but look nice and they fit well, (not easy with my height).

I think there's two camps of frumpiness

1. The person that doesn't particularly care what they look like as long as their clothes are functional and appropriate to the job in hand. So, the polyester trousers, baggy next top, Mum boots and fleece/ cardi combo. People that haven't a clue about fashion (or maybe don't have the confidence to be more individual) or people who don't give a fuck as long as it does what it says on the tin (Me, usually)

1. The people that Boden, White Stuff, Fat face, Cath Kidston etc threw up on. They wear it purely for the name and don't consider if it fits, is a nice colour etc but because they are wearing a recognised brand are ok. I find this on the playground a lot with the Skinny Jeans, White converse, Joules pullover, Cath Kidston handbag and Jack Wills gilet mums who think they're the shit. But they're all wearing a combo of the same items/ brands. To me its frumpy as it shows no individuality or imagination whatsoever

I like those boots wips. They'd go with my outfit.

Concludes that she meets almost a everyone's criteria for frumpy.

I agree about the weight thing LaQueen. I have put on half a stone, all around the middle. In jumpers I look sofa-like and in fitted tops I look, well, bulgy. Both looks are frumpy and well I know it. Ah well.

Also agree re big boobs. Why did I spend so long wishing I had big boobs? They are so matronly. Small boobs are youthful.

I am worried my breasts will join forces soon and become that dreaded frumptastic entity - a bosom.

Oh god yes Cath Kidston bags!!!

Frump city!

Boot cut jeans, fleeces, sea salt clothing, desigual clothing, Lycra wedge boots, white linen trousers/cut offs for summer. Boot cut black trousers for a night out.

Orla kiely baby bags

Stripytees, you have described my boss to a T, to dress up she adds a gaudy scarf to the saggy arsed trousers and droopy long sleeved t shirt.
Grey unkempt hair and footglove shoes or worse. She is 1 year older than me, but most of my coleagues think the age difference is more like 15 years.

Radley bags, kipling bags, yummy mummy bags ... lots of frumpy bags out there!

My pet peeve- One item of sportswear with an otherwise normal, non sporty outfit. I have seen trackies and suit jackets before!!

To me, Katie Hopkins in the CBB house is frumpy - sportswear as day wear with a 14-year old school hockey captain pony tail and Barbour jacket.

Converse with a Radley bag is also frumpy in my book. But I think I've come to these conclusions more from the pompous personalities of the wearers of these items that I've encountered. No offence meant, we're all lovely!

Oh I agree totally re the excess weight. I have put on a few pounds which I am trying to lose slowly and carefully, but it's so much harder to dress well with extra weight.

But I think I've come to these conclusions more from the pompous personalities of the wearers of these items that I've encountered.
Totally agree

Yy to Radley bags. Butterfly clips. Bootcut jeans with trainers (not nice ones either.) Peasant style tops. Kate Middleton's wedge shoes that she wears with everything.

I also battle against my boobs - 32G. They, combined with my broad shoulders, make a lot of clothes look dreadful on me. I have to ignore at least three quarters of the items in any clothing shop because they'd do me no favours. After I've cut out the colours that don't flatter me and the items I don't actually like from what's left, there's barely anything left to choose from.

And I've just thought: M&Co is my definition of a frumpy shop. I challenge you to find an item that it sells that isn't frumptastic.

I do need to lose a few lbs (BMI v top end of healthy)but it won't reduce the tits by much sadly. They are an inherited curse (thanks granny). The rest of me is 5ft7 and 12-14 in size - stats 40-30-39. Hourglasses struggle not to look frumpy unless v slender and v young (I give you Kelly Brook these days).

I always thought frumpy was dressing like an elderly or much older than your years person.

I need a visual on the mum boots. I have no idea what they are!

But not all 'elderly' women are frumpy- don't think it's an age thing.

Hourglass can very easily descend into frumpy, definitely big boobs are not helpful for dressing, but neither is a small waist.

It's definitely not an age thing - my Nan was never, ever frumpy. Our wedding photos make quite a good example. DH's grandmother is wearing a flowery dress and hat, very nice, very suitable for a wedding, but definitely 'old lady'. My Nan is wearing a tailored knee length grey wool skirt suit with a cream silk collared shirt underneath, and looks totally stylish, even though she was in her 80s (and I happen to know because she told me that the suit cost a fiver and came from the jumble rail at her social services Wednesday Club).

However, there is no moral judgement in this as I think DH's nan was a much nicer person to know!

Yes to the weight. When I put on half a stone I get thick-waisted and look dumpy. And if I wear a high neck (big boobs) I look huge.