What screams frumpy?

[bradpittsbathwater]

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

Fully agree with you and thanks for the sanity! Style and beauty isn't having a bitchfest about women who aren't interested in it - or who we perceive as "unsuccessful" at it. These kind of comments dont make you look knowledgeable about S&B, they make you look insecure, immature & mean.

I'm not interested in tearing other women down or holding them to ridiculous and meaningless standards. Im interested in learning from women whose style I admire and passing on the things I've learnt from developing my own sense of style.

Some women really need to grow up.

None of my clothes make me feel "frumpy". I don't own anything I don't love wearing.

And no I'm not the "young, thin tall model who makes everything look good". I'm 64, 5'5" or so and a 14 or a 16

None of my clothes make me feel "frumpy". I don't own anything I don't love wearing.

@IHaveNeverLivedintheCastle

That's great! ( And Personally I'm not really interested in age or size. )

But what would?

I know there are some things that make me feel 'frumpy' wearing them. I have thought about it. And try to avoid.

And I do see posters on S&B saying they feel that way. So it's not an unknown condition.

I don't own anything I don't love wearing.

After reading S&B a while , you realise you're very lucky, don't you?

Nothing would. That's not the way I buy clothes.

Nothing would. That's not the way I buy clothes.

You don't see you have something to share here for people who do feel " frumpy". ( I also hate that word ) Lots of people do.

Lot of people DO feel frumpy 🤷‍♀️

I sort of agree with this but have seen some exceptions one was a woman probably early 30s wearing the floral dress ballet pump cardigan combination but she had bright pink hair and amazing sunglasses and dark lipstick , big earrings and necklace and looked amazing.

As far as waterfall cardigans go I saw a very very pregnant woman wearing all black leggings scoop neck top high swishy ponytail a beige waterfall cardigan and she looked beautiful

The lists on this thread of what is supposedly "frumpy" are absurd. We've been told cardigans, floral, glasses, anything loose fitting or oversized, frills, tiers.

But I don't know what "frumpy" means inside individual's heads when they're talking about themselves.

Edit I see since I posted this, there's been another absurd addition to the "frumpy list"

@Kelly51 Yeah I get it now.. it's for the young 'uns!! It's crazy how fashion changes.. 15 year old me would not have been seen dead in anything grandmacore (or now at 35) but as you say, when I was 15 and tried to dress like Avril Lavigne some days other Britney Spears others, my mum who was 35 at the time wouldn't have worn that style! Every day is a school day!

But I don't know what "frumpy" means inside individual's heads when they're talking about themselves.

Really? You can't empathise in any way?

Despite having a considered way of buying clothes. ( sounds great incidentally ) . I would be thrilled to love everything I own. I have made SO many poor purchases.

The lists on this thread of what is supposedly "frumpy" are absurd. We've been told cardigans, floral, glasses, anything loose fitting or oversized, frills, tiers.

Don't disagree with this tbh.

But it's not beyond the realms of imagination that women can and do feel " frumpy" sometimes.

And I'm not sure why it's taboo to talk about it.

Just saw on the cover of the Sunday Times magazine: new Vogue editor Chioma Nnadi in an incredibly ugly mud brown cardie and silver trousers. Inside, she is in green Adidas jogging bottoms on the streets of NYC ( sorry I don't know how to screenshot that).

As I said, no rules.

I've just googled Felicity Montagu who plays Lynn in Alan Partridge. What a difference hairstyles and clothes can make to someone. She looks lovely. As Lynn she is very frumpy. I do love Lynn though.

It's all very subjective though

Preparing to be shot down - these are outfits I wore last year either on an average day or night out last year. I'm aware I'm not miss fashion 2024 but I didn't feel "frumpy" either.

Now I feel like I need to burn my wardrobe 😂

It comes down to why you think it's a poor purchase. I don't know what makes you think that about an item of clothing.

I don't look at myself and think , "does this make me look short and fat?" I'm 5'4"5" and a 14 or 16. Of course it does. I'm short and fat. Nothing is going to change that.

I don't look at myself and think "does this suit my colours". I pick something because I like the colour.

Almost everything I own is "frumpy" according to this thread. In real life I love my clothes. I love thinking about what I'm going to wear each day.

@IHaveNeverLivedintheCastle 14-16 isn't fat!! same here they have literally described my wardrobe in the frumpy list 😂

It's because I'm old enough to remember when a size 8 hardly existed, let alone a 6 or a 4 or lower.

I'm hanging on to some size 10 vintage Laura Ashley pieces because they're too beautiful to get rid of but in today's money they're a 6 or a 4. A 14 or a 16 now is much bigger than a 1970s, 80s or 90s 14 or 16.

I think we're missing the point on Lynn.

Lynn is an emotionally intelligent and highly competent woman who facilitates all of Alan Partridge's success - none of which he is self-aware enough to realise and just bullies and humiliates her.

The point of Lynn is not that she is frumpy, it is to expose middle aged male contempt and misogyny in respect of older women on whom they depend. We are being invited to view her through Alan's eyes.

That doesn’t mean Lyn isn’t frumpy, I think the point is her looks contribute to her being dismissed.

@PoweredByFairdust - They are lovely!

They are indeed.

Agree.

@PoweredByFairdust not remotely frumpy outfits, must try harder:)