What screams frumpy?

[bradpittsbathwater]

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

I'm in my 50s and have noticed that the go to outfit for a lot of my friends are those bloody tunic tops over various types of trousers. I get why. I have also put on weight during menopause. But they just scream frumpy to me.

That being said, I haven't come up with anything better! So I probably look frumpy in what I wear as it doesn't disguise my excess weight all that well.

At this point I'm not looking great in anything so I'll just wear what's comfortable and that I personally like. If it looks frumpy so be it.

Absolutely right. Yet another ridiculous reason to have a pop at each other.

Frumpy - dowdy and old fashioned, not caring about her appearance - Collins dictionary

Fashion changes but style endures - Chanel

As for the men, the Crosby Martin Sinatra song, ‘Style’ may entertain them

Frumpy to me is just not caring what you look like, in grubby skirt, down at
heel moccasins, hair an unwashed mess, clutching two edges of a cardigan around an unfettered bosom, unstitched hem hanging, generally ungroomed, undisciplined.

Confidence, good deportment, helps carry off your look/style whatever that is
I cannot wear Joules, White Stuff, Boden etc as everything is too short and boxy
on me as I am long bodied.
Scarves and bags from White Stuff feature in my wardrobe though, lovely colours, excellent quality, value and style (imho.)

Frumpy to me is given up, ‘couldn’t care Less’ look I can describe -
slouched, curved shoulders, by choice
ill fitting bra, old, worn, wrong size, makes for a shapeless body to begin with
unkempt hair, the badger look, parted in the middle straight and long tucked behind ears, badly dyed hair, matt black like a blackboard
too short skirts or trousers
grubby anorak - grubby anything
lace up flat shoes with American Tan tights
grubby scarf hanging, which is held onto with one firm grip
heavy shoulder bag, faux leather, over one shoulder with hand firmly
jammed across the top ( you will notice this now)
polyester trousers wih no pockets on the bum (which are slimming)
cream polyester bouse with high pocket/s so boobs,look even lower
cheap metal jewellery
clumpy shoes
waterfall cardigan misshapen
beige cardigan with missing buttons
box pleated skirt with bitty acrylic short sleeved jumper, fawn
sellotaped handle shopping bag she has had since Adam was a lad
anything she wears looks worn out, seen better days, old, tired
cheap denim look cotton elasticated waist thin trousers

apart from confidence, money, a bulging wardrobe, deportment, style etc,
the base line is good grooming, hair well cut, skincare, personal hygiene,
nails trimmed, pedicures.

I don’t believe any poster here qualifies as frumpy - differing styles yes,
especially now WFH to be comfortable and warm.

@SonyaBoot , I think our definitions of frumpy are quite different.

I am not overweight. But I note Seasalt is one of the few shops that do natural fabrics, even as all the expensive edgy shops have moved to recycled polyester. I don't understand why they get so much stick.

I really detest polyester as it feels horrible on my skin, especially as I take the Tube and it gets boiling in there.

I was out hiking with a friend at the weekend, I was dressed in a fleece, waterproof coat, hiking trousers and hat and looked frumpy as fuck.

She was wearing fleece, waterproof coat, hiking trousers and hat and looked great.

I think it's something to do with how you hold yourself too.

I used to love dungarees and dm's which looked edgy, now makes me look like a painter and decorator (as do jump suits). Casual now just looks like I've not bothered

Funnily enough though, @WoodBurningStov I'm a size 10 but also unable to pull off casual looks at all. Rather than looking on trend, I look like I'm on crack. It's not always weight related 😬😀

Find it really sad to see some nasty comments about people wearing glasses as being frumpy and suggesting contacts. Not everyone can wear contacts. I am -9.50 in both eyes (very severely short sighted) with astigmatism and retinal issues. I also have Sjögren’s syndrome and lupus which means I can’t wear contacts for medical reasons (I did wear them until I developed this). My eyes look tiny in glasses and I hate them but I can’t do much about it except choose the best frames I can with the thinnest lenses I can afford.

I think all the baggy dresses that so many wear to look chic

I’d say Adidas Gazelles are quite trendy at the moment?

I never think “frumpy”.

I might think dull or bland.

Frumpy I more usually associate with a particular “energy”. Could look nice on another person. Strange I know.

Yes I see I’ve written something similar to what @BarrelOfOtters intimated! PS I’m sure you looked fine @BarrelOfOtters !

Sadly - and I say this as some who is/has all 3 - it’s a very easy look to slip into if you are short, not that slim and have boobs 🥺 Not saying it’s not possible to look good but you definitely have to make more of an effort.

my dd the big blonde, has a turquoise&coral swirly patterned, like marbled paper, wrap over dress, which she wears with pale strappy heels, all done up, looks fabulous - her MiL wears coral, peach, salmon, complementing her dark colouring, also looks fabulous, depends on skin and hair colour, good for you!

If Cos and Arket, so often mentioned on here, are so wonderful, why do all the models look so effing miserable. Perhaps because the clothes are so unflattering and dull. At least the Fat Face models are smiling, perhaps because fitted clothes, and happy colours make them happy 😂

Lots of things that you mention here are in fashion this year - coloured tights stands out!
Also, glasses?

@SonyaBoot I don't think that Kirstie Allsop would have been so successful as a tv presenter if she looked frumpy, staid and unattractive.
She has her own style and sticks to it. I think she looks great.

Someone upthread said that Princess Anne was frumpy. She is stylish. She looks great whatever she wears.

As long as you are happy and comfortable it really does not matter what others think.
Im short & plump i wear what i like and what im comfy in i dont judge others on their outfits i judge on their actions and how they treat other people..

It’s safe/boring. It’s not necessarily that you’ve not made an effort - frumpy can be made an effort but everything is practical, conventional, or minimises the space that you take up.

Kate Middleton to me is frumpy. She’s beautiful but she dresses in such a constrained, conservative way (understandably though, given her role and pressures she is under). The skinny jeans, knee length boots, hunting jackets, Breton tops - it’s all very safe and conformist (confirming to a certain set style).

I know I felt frumpy when wearing Cefinn clothes - both the patterned and the plain stuff. They feel really mumsy to me and I've sold them all.

This.

Add other things like wearing visible socks (unintentionally) with trainers.

And wearing neutral ‘because it goes with everything’ but often doesn’t suit skin tone.

And coats with belts on larger people.

Men occasionally getting the rage about shorts is not quite the same thing as nine pages of women saying things specifically aimed to make other women feel bad for their fashion choices. Not saying things like ugly, dowdy, frumpy about other men are they? Being openly ageist and misogynistic. Calling people who wear glasses frumpy, as if they're not there to correct a sight problem. It's nasty and snide and it's rife on here.