What screams frumpy?

[bradpittsbathwater]

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

Oh my gosh. That list reads not so much ‘how not to look frumpy’, more ‘how to dress during a period of extended mourning.’ Or maybe ‘what to wear if you are terrified if being noticed.’

I’d rather be Apfel-ed any day of the week.

I genuinely wondered if that list was a sarcastic complilation of some of the absurd comments on here.

I doubt your dh understands Grandmacore though so his view is somewhat irrelevant. Young people are not dressing for old men's (or old women's) approval.

Separately do you always see your dh as some font of knowledge? Even in teen dressing?

I have just emerged from a matinee performance of the NYC Ballet at Sadlers Wells. I took careful note of what everyone was wearing:
The vast majority in jeans and puffers
Young ones in athleisure: black or navy leggings, trainers and massive fleeces.
Lots of teddy coats
Lots of brightly coloured floral tops from Seasalt and White Stuff or similar.

I wore a colourful patterned midi dress from Albaray with flat boots and a good wool coat. I was one of maybe 20 women who had " dressed up". One woman with high heeled boots and a very long and bold polka dot skirt got a bit of attention because she fell over trying to climb to the Second Circle ( Hope she doesnt read this but she did look great).

All this to say there appear to be no rules any more. Anything goes. As for pp who says to wear only black, white, grey and camel: I have no words.

IMO camel needs to go into room 101.

This list reminds me of the Ronan Keating song, You Say It Best...When You Say Nothing At All.

I thought so initially but I suspect she’s French - that’s basically how French women dress.

Whats wrong with camel?
Nothing wrong with neutrals and classic styles.....its a nice backdrop for your florals, animal prints and loud colours!!

Yuk. Camel, look like death in it. As l do in black. Navy is boring. Grey is OK.

I second this. Camel, beige so called ”nude should all go in room 101.

Bras in those colours are the worst thing. They make you look as if you have cardboard tits!

Not any French women I know. It’s a pretty tired stereotype. I’m half French. My mum and aunt both wear beautiful coloured cashmere knits and bright tweeds and houndstooth. My late-teen nieces are lifelong Parisiennes and are both currently rocking bright Lucy and Yak dungarees and cherry DMs after a Christmas London shopping spree. And my sister wears amazing vintage style dresses. There are amazing vintage boutiques in Paris now and one trip on the metro shows there are loads of different styles about now.

"All French women dress in tasteful neutrals" is basically one along from "all French men wear stripy tops and ride a bicycle with a string of onions round their neck" 😂

I’m part French too and I’m fairly sure the poster is French. I originally wrote the list reads like a French style guide, which may be closer to the mark, but a lot of French women I know do dress with those kinds of rules in mind.

NAFWALT

Walking boots, bootcut jeans and an outdoor coat.

Thinking more about what makes an item of clothing frumpy, I think it often comes down to subtle differences in cut. I have two jersey maxi dresses almost identical, in fact so similar I thought I had bought them from the same place but one in black and the other patterned. I wear the black all the time in summer. I often put the patterned one on then reject it. For ages I thought I didn't like it because of the pattern but last summer I noticed the cut is slightly different - neckline slightly higher, straps slightly thicker, skirt slightly fuller/ more bulky. It is overall less elegant, less flattering, less of a pleasure to wear. More frumpy.

As a jewel winter it washes me out, and to me it's a wishy washy colour.

@DontGiveADuck do you never go walking in rural areas?

Yes but I meant to do the school run mainly.

It's not just about clothes, it's the whole package. The bright young things these days wear some awful concoctions but look got as they're young.

When I think frumpy I think of 2 people -
Lyn from Alan Partridge
and a woman I see on the school run on her way to work who has her hair in a basic ponytail, a fringe that doesn't suit her, square glasses from about 20 years ago and plain black badly cut trousers and a plain white v neck top, a little heavier than she prob should be for her height and dress sense.
Nothing wrong with any of this of course and I'm hardly miss fashion 2024 but she stands out to me and this thread asked so I answered.

@tittybumbum I don't understand grandmacore either I just had to Google it. Personally those kind of clothes are what I would define as frumpy. Given I last followed fashion in 2005 when I was a teen and it was low rise jeans, crop tops and boho.

I just asked his opinion as he was the only person in the room with me? I sent it to my mate too who's response was "wtf"

Ahh I dunno, each to their own!

@Yearendjoy I don't mind them tucked in or out but some styles aren't wide enough to wear over boots and look too crumpled to tuck in. At least with skinny jeans they look fine tucked into boots.

I think you hit the nail on the head with these points.

Those shoes that look like what you would put toddlers in but for adults - there is a mary jane style which just screams frump.

@StarlightLady i wear my bra under clothes so who is to know if my tits look like cardboard?

I wear a lot of white or light coloured clothes and don't like it if my bra shows through.