What screams frumpy?

[bradpittsbathwater]

What makes something/someone frumpy? It's hard to define. I know MN can get upset at this word.

Ill fitting clothes, clashing colours or patterns. Shift dresses on people who are short and fat

Nothing screams frumpy more then I’ll fitting clothes.

doesn’t matter what you are wearing , make sure it fits and is in good repair

well that’s my take on it

Tired, bland, ill-fitting.

I think it’s very subjective. One person’s frumpy is another person’s ‘classic’.

floral, mid length wrap dresses with ballet pumps and a cardigan.

waterfall cardigans

ankle boots with skinny jeans

Floral dresses that look edgy or even cute on the very young, tall and beautiful make me feel very frumpy. Same with pleated skirts.

My entire current postpartum wardrobe while I try and shift this baby weight. Think leggings and baggy long tops.

Cardigans

All the clothes in all shops at the moment.

I don't know. I do know what screams misogyny though.....

All-over floral print dresses.

Too many heavy layers and accessories.

When the bottom of a cardigan looks untidy and misshapen.

Safe clothes.
Floral dresses.
Skinny jeans with ankle boots.
Peplum tops.

This.

All of this

Frumpy its a difficult one and I probably fall into that category age wise.

But its not really an age thing I don’t think as I have got older its a style/attitude thing. Think given up, old fashioned, making no effort librarian or someone who looks like they are about to bake a cake looking about as far off Nigella as you can imagine or splash in puddles.

I know someone who I would describe as this she is a lot younger than me and dresses like a little girl but in oversize pinafores or flared knee length skirts with coloured tights and either Mary Jane Shoes or coloured flat boots. She wears glasses has a non descript long bob that she has had forever and looks like she makes no effort with her hair, never wears make up and often wears a colourful mac or waterproof from Seasalt, Joules or Boden. She looks like she is about to splash in puddles, has made a cake and hasn’t washed or cleaned her clothes in forever.

@Memyselfandtheothers oh no I'm actually wearing a mid length wrap dress today (not floral) cardigan and ballet flats!

The fashion at the moment is for clothes that are hugely oversized and ill fitting so don’t really agree with the idea of ill fitting automatically being frumpy.

I am a self confessed frump. I don’t like current trends. I’ll wear stuff that is comfortable and practical. I think choosing those things over fashion essentially makes you frumpy.

Usually a midi fan though

Frumpy to me- and I do not like that word. Skater dresses, opaque tights, ballet flats. I think the Zooey Deschanel character in New Girl was often dressed in "nice" clothes but looked very frumpy and missed the mark often where I think the producers were going for quirky.

Ballet flats with ankle skimming trousers- chic. Very hard to pull off with dresses IMO.

Also leggings and tunics, and I am not talking the well put together looks from seasalt, joules or white stuff etc, but the god awful cheap thin leggings worn with a horrible primark vest or one of those cold shoulder tops. Shudder!!

My SIL doesnt give a hoot what she looks like and wears the most horrendous outfits, Bootleg embroidered pocket jeans with a football jersey and a fleece, odd socks and a pair of leather ecco type shoes.

Floral isn’t necessarily frumpy. It depends entirely on how you wear it.

I actually think she sounds lovely 🤷‍♀️

I have countless floral midi dresses. Usually wear with converse high tops

I think Bon Marche when I hear frumpy. Slacks and a top, maybe a cardigan. I think the male equivalent is Mountain Warehouse, fleece and utility trousers. It's when people buy clothes because they need clothes - they don't have a style or think about what suits them, they pick something suitable and basic.

She sounds more "quirky" than "frumpy" to me.

I'm not particularly outraged by the F word, but I do feel that every use of it on here should be accompanied by a declaration of what the non frumpy equivalent is.

and a photo of the fabulous, non frumpy poster