What screams frumpy?

[bradpittsbathwater]

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

Clothes that were quite 'fashionable' a few years previously. Mostly the length or cut. I started maternity leave in 2014 and went back to work properly in 2018 and all the skirts I was wearing to the office in the summer looked completely dated. I replaced them and looked fine again. The plain tshirts and cardigans were all fine as they were very classic anyway.

But also agree with ill fitting clothes.

I think massive oversized puffer coats can be quite frumpy. It's the new frumpy, throwing a full-length black puffer coat over some sportswear and leaving the house.

They look ok if you're young and attractive

Tunics and leggings, no matter where they’re from.

Anything at all from white stuff, sea salt, fat face…

Mountain warehouse style walking jackets worn about town/school run/work/supermarket and nowhere near a mountain. That just makes me feel that the person has given up on life- sorry to any keen wearers!

I really hate those tiers at the end of every dress these days. And frills on sleeves.I don't know if I consider them frumpy. But ugly, certainly.

I think I'm.probably fairly frumpy. I'm certainly not stylish.

My "work" look is plain black trousers with a smart top, or a midi dress (sometimes a floral one).

Out of work, I'm.in jeans and sweatshirts.

So if you avoid all those things, you'll probably be ok.

Oh God yes, the tiers! Soooo hard to look good in, admittedly some people do look lovely in them. It's difficult to quantify why, though. That reminds me, I've got a couple of unworn dresses with that big tier in the bottom third that I need to offload list...

I don’t think anything is frumpy if it is worn with intent. Frumpy to me is wearing something without caring what it looks like.

I think it’s ridiculous to dismiss entire shops as being frumpy, though. It all depends how you wear things.

Ok I've thought of something. Socks darker than your trainers. A woman at my gym wears light coloured trainers and black socks to work out in. Who cares? Nobody of course. But objectively, it just looks terrible.

Those elasticated super skinny jeans, high heeled court shoes

Tiered dresses with puffed sleeves definitely.
Cropped wide leg trousers with clumpy shoes.
Those oversized midi sack dresses. They may be in fashion but man they are frumpy.
Any cardigan.
Polyester florals.
I don’t think skinny jeans and ankle boots are frumpy at all, just not the height of fashion.
I am looking very frumpy today, wearing leggings, shorts and a primark
hoody!

Men look frumpy too, we just call it scruffy

I love a high heeled court shoe me.

Male frumpy can also be the Mountain Warehouse given up look cited above, especially when the only mountain they've been near is a mountain of chips 🤣

(Sorry, couldn't resist the opportunity to deride male clothing choices since it's usually women in the firing line).

My best friend wears skinny jeans and heeled boots, she looks amazing in them. No longer in fashion but it suits her fabulous figure. If she wore the prescribed wide leg trousers and trainers she wouldn't turn heads.

A lot of frumpiness comes down to wearing things that don’t suit tbh. There are some styles I like but could never wear without looking frumperama because of my shape. Boxy tops/ jackets for example. I’m an hourglass so noooo. I look good in a DVF wrap dress though, even though out of style.

For me it is tunics, waterfall cardis, short waterproof jackets and lightweight summery scarves. Having said that, who cares, and many current trends don't necessarily fit or suit you as you get older plus other financial pressures mean wardrobe updates take less priority.

X post Morris. Agree- exactly that.

Agree. DD can wear those Amish style baggy dresses and look great. I just look like I am in drag. I need structure. This is why I don't follow fashion much.

I wear a lot of stuff mentioned here as frumpy!

I'm sorry to say that men don't look as good in unbranded sports or outdoor wear as women do. Random brown walking trousers with Trespass boots are comfy and practical so fair play, but from a style perspective, worn in town they're ghastly.

I'd say that's tacky - not frumpy.

Jeans that graze the ankle but are a bit baggier than skinny jeans worn with little pixie boots, a Breton top and a regatta jacket.

My FIL wears walking boots/shoes everywhere. They do look awful

I wear loads of this stuff. I also.have a couple of things from Edinburgh Woollen Mill that I'm sure comes under the same category of Bon Marché and Mountain Warehouse which are my other staples!

Do I look frumpy? I genuinely have no idea. I certainly feel content so that goes a long way.

You have basically described my wardrobe except add hoodies and fat.