What screams frumpy?

[bradpittsbathwater]

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

Floral dresses, court shoes (there’s a woman on TikTok in her late 50s who wears incredible clothes and wrecks every look with a Kate-Middy shoe), Converse and any sneaker with gold/silver or animal print, waterfall cardies, and Radley bags. And Mulberry.

Converse and flowery frock is hideous. Not modern at all.

I've worn the same make up since I started wearing makeup! Just brown and neutral tones and not my chi so I don't think it can look dated. My face still loves those diamanté river island bags. I think that's dated and you can tell the era she grew up in.

My friend*!

@Toooldforthis36 what's modern then?

Any thing beige or not fitting the wearer properly.

Sometimes I think frumpy is just another word for practical. This winter I have been living in a pair of boots that I describe as the type of thing you see old ladies wearing in Drs waiting rooms!
They are warm though, comfy and waterproof. If its peeing with rain outside then I pop them on over my unfashionable leggings or skinny jeans.
Sure I could look more trendy and 'cool'....I could also get mud over my favourite boots and have permanently wet trouser hems!

Yves Saint Laurent?

I think frumpy is more about posture than anything else.

Leggings under dresses
no makeup
unpainted nails when wearing sandals 🤮
muffin top

Striped tops and jumpers.

Modern is subjective. You can also veer very much to the extreme trendy - which is modern or to the 'nod to modern' which is trendy bits added onto something.

See, the Weightwatchers coach who covered for our usual coach, she was great, a good size 10. But her hair was short and didn't seem to be cut to suit her face, a bit frumpy/mumsy. Her clothes - dresses, they always looked smart/casual but she didn't look comfortable in them, it was more they were wearing her than vice versa. I do think as is often the case, in her case, if you lose a lot of weight in one go, then sometimes your style e.g. modern gets lost, you're not sure what suits you. What suited you when you were bigger, doesn't now.

Then you are veering towards these levels of monstrosity.

Yes what would you wear with a dress? Chunky boots and trainers are in fashion atm. And you don't know the print of the dress, the pp could mean a tiny delicate floral pattern/modern print, stylish fit etc. Do you wear dresses? I think with a great figure, can just about rock anything tbh.

@Jamesblema I hate unpainted toenails. I remember people screaming at me when I posted this on mn before.

Yes, and never floral/ditsy/cute prints. Awful.

Me too, this is why I steer towards trainers with dresses in Summer😂. I do wear sandles with jeans too, but then forced to paint toenails, arrggghh.

What prints do you deem as not "awful?" I am intrigued!!

I think @Toooldforthis36 is here to criticise every fashion choice but not offer an alternative

So if you're: poor, fat, older than about 35y or dare to wear; leggings, tunics, ankle boots, waterfall cardigans (or any cardigan whatsoever), floral dresses, wrap dresses, mixed patterns, dark socks with lighter footwear, oversized clothing (if old and/or fat), 'mountain' wear (AKA outerwear), long puffer coats, court shoes, ill-fitting clothes,
Or if you wear clothing from: FatFace, Seasalt, White Stuff, Boden, Joules, Mountain Warehouse, Fly, Irregular Choice etc..

Ultimately, in order to avoid being frumpy, you must only shop in:
Zara, Cos or Whistles

You must only wear and present as:
Tailored, flattering clothing (and by flattering, it means don't be fat, old, short or without make-up). You must have regular haircuts, manicures, pedicures and maintain the utmost personal grooming practices.

You must never wear 'inappropriate' clothing at any time, e.g. never wear a 'ski' coat if you're not actually on a mountain.

So, as long as we can all remain under 35, wealthy, thin, tall and primp and groom ourselves, we MIGHT escape the Mumsnet frumpy label.

Easy.

@Moidershewrote you forgot must have perfect eyesight or be able to wear contact lenses

I think frumpy suggests square, really. All the most fashionable people I know are wearing shapeless gore-tex and camping sandals these days. But when you get someone who's tried too hard to "dress for their shape", like they've got big boobs so they're in a V neck and a bias cut skirt, I think it just looks a bit like Trinny & Susannah 2003 and to me, that's so much frumpier than a boilersuit and hiking boots. Like they're apologising for themselves - which is frumpy behaviour.

Must be my shit eyesight 😂🙄

Frumpy behaviour?

Are you under 25? I fucking hope so.

@Toooldforthis36 so you'd deem these as "awful." I'd love to see your choices.

Three of your four frumpy markers refer to women not presenting themselves in terms of conventional female 'grooming' and that involve extra work -- not covering their natural nails or facial skin with cosmetics, and wearing something that means they don't have to shave their legs.