What screams frumpy?

[bradpittsbathwater]

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

A lot of people have confused 'frumpy' with 'things I don't like'.

For me it's how my clothes make my shape look. If I don't have a defined waist (or the illusion of one!) or I'm sporting a giant matronly monoboob, I look frumpy.

I've literally just bought knee length denim shorts. I think they look good but what would I know? 🤣

I was looking at photos from 2014 and thought how frumpy I looked. I didn't, just things date - so statement necklaces, neat low heeled boots and indoor scarves feel frumpy on me these days. I hope I don't judge others who wear these though, it was more self-criticism. My main judgypants downfall is men in combat shorts. I'll need to work on this issue 😅

I think Mary Jane shoes on anyone older than about 10 are frumpy, also those Hotter shoes that close with velcro.

I thought of the person described in that post when I read this earlier. People having fun with fashion instead of being all po-faced about it. Beige is death!

https://www.theguardian.com/fashion/2024/mar/07/colour-is-life-iris-apfels-superfans-on-how-the-centenarian-fashion-icon-inspired-their-joyful-dressing

"Don’t worry about what’s in fashion and what’s not in fashion. Don’t buy fast fashion that is not good for the planet or for anybody. Start being a little bit picky about what you wear. If you can add some art, buy jewellery from an artist. Support small business, it makes so much more sense"

Some sound advice from the article I posted.

The no colour thing is very restrictive to me, and dare I say it, Western? I am Asian and have always worn fuchsia, purple, orange, mustard, all the bright colours. After all, as Diana Vreeland said, pink is the navy blue of India. They suit me.

Beige, ecru, taupe and caramel just make me look brown all over, like a country mouse.

Low cut tops on a large bust.

A nice pair in a low cut top is definitely not frumpy.

Yes, people are using frumpy to mean at least 3 different things:

1. out of date
2. drab/ill-fitting
3. associated with being older

There's no excuse for combat shorts though..

People are using frumpy to mean things they don't like. I don't like florals at all, but I know they are high-fashion and very current!

https://www.cos.com/en_gbp/women/accessories/shoes/product.pleated-leather-mary-jane-ballet-flats-red.1195802003.html

Mary jane - Ballet combo - frumpy? I think not!

The posters saying nobody looks good in bootleg or skinny jeans are wrong. Some people look really good in them. You might not but a lot of women do.

I'm thinking of skinny jeans with a white cotton shirt, a couple of neck chains, a pair flat leather toe posts, tanned skin, long swishy hair, could look pretty good on your holidays?

Very few do.

My SIL is skinny. Properly skinny. Probably 7 stones, she watches her good intake very carefully. I have seen her in a dress three times in my life. Every other day she wears skinnies. They don’t do anything even for her.

I'm thinking of skinny jeans with a white cotton shirt, a couple of neck chains, a pair flat leather toe posts, tanned skin, long swishy hair, could look pretty good on your holidays?

This is a lovely look but so very few can pull it off. It takes effort, real effort.

We will have to agree to disagree.

I know plenty of women who look good in them.

As mentioned earlier bootleg/flares with gazelles and a t-shirt/vest top look lovely on some women. Quite retro but not frumpy.

What sort of effort?

This my favourite casual look. Flip flops or sandals in summer. It really suits me.

What screams frumpy?

No, it is who screams frumpy, and the answer is unpleasant mumsnet posters who want to sneer at other people's clothes choices.

I'm willing to bet these these arbiters of fashion don't look half as good as they think they do.

What sort of effort?

The effort it takes to look expensive! Hair washed, blow dried and styled, tan (fake or otherwise), minimal make up look (while actually wearing quite a bit), subtle jewellery, expensive shoes. ironed crisp oversized shirt), leather oversized bag.
The simpler it looks, the more expensive everything has to be. Quality is everything for this look.

The reality is jeans. new balance and a tshirrt or easily wrinkled shirt, quickly applied makeup and hair tied back quickly because it’s hot. There is a world of difference.

and that seems to be the issue for some of this thread....
'I consider myself fashionable. This looks doesnt suit me, ergo it must be frumpy/unfashionable!'

@Bringtheweatherwithyou you aren't making sense. Not looking expensive doesn't equal frumpy.

You could have all the designer wear in the world and still look frumpy.

That isn’t what I meant. The ‘simpler’ the look, often the more effort. Eg Jennifer Anniston pulls off this look seemingly effortlessly but there is effort involved from her extremely toned arms to her hair…,
And she looks amazing. And of course she’s Jennifer Anniston so not comparable to most of us.
But a few years ago when I was size 10 and tried this look with my TopShop Jamie jeans, tan sandals from Aldo etc it looked ok but not what I thought I looked like. Maybe tan out of a bottle, hair not blowdried properly, cheap jewellery etc.
I think as a rule, slimmer ppl carry clothes better. It’s not a nice generalisation but imo it’s true. I’m now a size 14 and find it really really hard to find flattering clothes. But even with certain looks, skinny ppl can’t always carry them off. My 7 stones SIL, who lives in skinnies is an example of that.

I think what you wear with the jeans makes a big difference to the look.

@Bringtheweatherwithyou
Your SIL sounds very slim. She would probably look great in wider jeans as her waist will be small.

She’s gone past slim. She’s really thin and very unhealthy looking. Wide legs would swamp her - no hips either.