What screams frumpy?

[bradpittsbathwater]

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

Seen on Facebook this morning, and I think very relevant to this thread:

Please ladies, no more human ear necklaces. They are not flattering. 👂 👂

Love this😆

Or take public transport? I take the Tube almost every day and dressing for it is a skill in itself. Nothing too warm, nothing too flappy, nothing that impedes your ability to walk, nothing in a pale colour.

Think you’ve hit the nail on the head there 😂

What screams frumpy ….me putting out the bins ….me gardening …me running down to the shop just before closing to get milk/ cereal/ bread/ butter/ coffee/ teabags which I have just realised I have run out of ….

I disagree with the folk conflating frumpy and cheap.. a lot of the brands I would consider frumpy (boden, fat face, etc) are more expensive than say new look, river island, H&M, which tend to have more contemporary items. The exception being supermarket clothes which can fall into the frumpy bracket, albeit it’s not a given.
Even a comfortable outfit, if I’m aiming for cosy / casual versus super stylish, then river island straight leg jeans and a new look hoodie is going to look better on me than say Asda jeggings and an outdoor brand fleece. Ditto new balance trainers over hiking boots, even with the same spend on each. I wouldn’t judge another woman on either outfit though.. it’s about what makes me feel good when I look in the mirror.

You really cant say any one thing is frumpy IMO. Take the PPs mention of 'outdoor brand fleece'. Im currently wearing a Regatta dark charcoal base layer fleece, so quite fitted with black leggings.
While Im not def not stylish (its too cold!!LOL) I think the cut and colour makes the top look quite nice.
If I was out hiking I might want a really bright colour one, to stand out, and maybe a bigger fit, to layer.
Cut and colour can make a big difference...

But some shops def do have a vibe wear you would struggle to find something 'trendy' (like Bon Marche or Peacocks....my mum loves them, but we have very different tastes!!).

People saying skinny jeans with ankle boots.. what boots or jeans are you meant to wear? Flare type jeans wouldn't tuck into boots?

@Raspberryjamsandwich same! I'm a skinny jean and ankle boot, leggings and long top wearing 35 year old frump 😂

But some shops def do have a vibe wear you would struggle to find something 'trendy' (like Bon Marche or Peacocks....my mum loves them, but we have very different tastes!!).

I have bought a few nice things in Peacocks.

I bid for the Frumpy award; l wear dresses more than 70% of the time!

Old, bobbled wolf howling at the moon fleeces are frumpy, I don't care who wears them.

They had those in Urban Outfitters a month or so ago

Oh yeah those wolf thick fleece things!! They are frumpy!! To me frumpy is baggy jumpers and midi skirts, the classic outfit my granny would've worn. Fleeces from yorkshire trading or something, most things in Bon marche (although I've seen the odd nice thing) overly baggy dresses, wool type clothes with holes in.. and this outfit in urban outfitters what in the picnic tablecloth is this!?

Skinny jeans, ankle boots, leggings and tunics, dresses, midi dresses to me not frumpy 🤷🏼‍♀️

I don't think the outfit in the picture is frumpy. It's just not for my demographic

Skinny jeans and ankle boots aren't necessarily frumpy. Just unfashionable

Frumpy isn't specific clothing anyway. It's how people put themselves together. Someone can be completely dated but still not frumpy. Just as someone could be wearing everything that is on trend but still be frumpy

That UO picture is ironic, lots of young women dress like that. It is not the f word.

Grandmacore is a thing.

Here are some useful rules about what women over 30 should avoid wearing

Forgot to attach the top 20 items women over 30 shouldn’t wear!

Taking into account that everyone on this thread agrees frumpy isn't a nice word and everyone should wear what they want, and certainly without needing to look sexy or whatever the opposite of frumpy is or to dress, if you want others to consider you well dressed:

• wear well fitting clothes that have been looked after
• chuck or repair or reuse as dusters/ cushion filling / cat bed etc. clothes that have bobbled or lost their shape
• replace white and black clothes frequently unless you have a magic way of keeping their colour
• choose colours that flatter, and often think about white, black, grey, navy or shades of camel instead of colours
• in general, avoid patterns and floral
• avoid 'fussy' clothes with bows, ruffles, strings, fake fur, rhinestones, peepholes, etc.
• simple bags, accessories, nails, and shoes (the best shoes are those no one notices)
• no glitter, no animal print
• favour natural fibres
• subtle make-up
• clothes clearly from a fad that has now passed
• Hello Kitty, Disney, etc. merch.
• slogans
• obvious logos esp. not on sportswear

Oh and jeans tucked into boots.

Oops my wardrobe contains a lot of coloured animal print. Love it

@ArseInTheCoOpWindow I think it's a hideous style. I showed my OH and his face when he thought I was buying the skirt/outfit 😂 maybe style hasn't hit us up north but to me it's just.. ugly

Why do you want to tuck jeans into boots?

That's a tragic list, @Jeannne92, which the late great Iris Apfel would clearly have failed despite her all-round fabulousness.

Perhaps she wasn't concerned with pleasing others by being 'easy on the eye', and instead unlashed her riot of fabulousness on the basis of finding the things that she really enjoyed, and then piling more of them on with gusto.