What screams frumpy?

[bradpittsbathwater]

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

Yes definitely the waterfall cardigan!!!!

Rather than looking on trend, I look like I'm on crack. It's not always weight related

Thsts very funny.

I’m the opposite and have gone from size 10 to nearly size 14 in the last two years. Definitely not on tread either. More like the fat controller in Thomas the Tank!

Or doesn't have good eyesight - which I suppose will be more prevalent amongst older women so back to ageist! I think the thing that grates is the use of an adjective ie frumpy, mumsy etc rather than using a sentence such as which clothes should I wear so I feel confident.

@SonyaBoot , she has her own look and it wouldn't suit everyone. I think she's lost a fair bit of weight recently.
If you find her look frumpy then I can't argue with that, but she's attractive and successful.

I would argue with anyone who says Princess Anne is frumpy though because she can wear a dress decades old, country clothes, or a military uniform and look great. Who else could have carried off the 'la plume de ma tante' outfit at the coronation?

Not to mention the gorgeous wedding dress she wore for her first wedding.

But I don’t really like this thread and wish I hadn’t read it or contributed. Although I like clothes (a bit, not OTT) I accept that a lot of women are not that interested.

Frumpiness I think is actually quite rare. Old fashioned or not bothered or a bit bland is more likely. The only truly frumpy person I knew made an effort but the energy and her deportment was all weird (she was a very negative, moany person). Another woman I know who is v overweight and dresses in cheap un-put-together-clothes, however, is lovely and full of life and vim and people compete to be near her. I would never think of her as frumpy. Anyway, this thread is a bit sad.

Jojo Maman on anyone over the age of 4

These threads always seem to reach the conclusion that you should only shop at Cos and Whistles. Maybe Zara.

I though they did maternity wear.

Fleeces and casual sweatshirts. Sure they may be comfy but no one looks good in a fleece.

In most but not all cases, women who don't wear makeup/do their hair too.

Mine is -5.5 and I prefer wearing glasses because I’m lazy! You have to get over the ‘hangover stage’ of wearing new glasses, it takes a week or two for me and then they’re fine.

Clothes that don't fit well - oversized can be stylish, but clothes that look unintentionally ill-fitting are frumpy to me.
Clothes that don't fit the occasion, e.g. a playground coat over your workwear
Clothes that are excessively worn or stained, because they suggest you don't take pride in your appearance.

There's someone in my company who always gives off a frumpy vibe, she tends to arrive at meetings wearing a mismatched outfit with a Seasalt raincoat over the top and unbrushed hair. She's a really nice person, but her appearance doesn't project professionalism, and does her no favours. I think if you're working it's sensible to have a few outfits that communicate your professionalism, and are reasonably smart.

IMO being frumpy though is better then being a desperate try-hard....the type who only cares what their label says and wears things that dont suit them at all just because 'fashion' says so!
At least the frumps have dressed to their own personal choices and not somebody elses. In other words I'll take a Saffie over an Eddie any day!

Also plan on walking the dogs later in a Primark sweatshirt and joggers and footwear I call my 'old lady boots'....if you are walking dogs and dont look at least slightly frumpy then you are doing it wrong!!LOL

To me, it's wearing or styling clothes that make you look older than you actually are

Add other things like wearing visible socks (unintentionally) with trainers.
Actually it’s trendy now to have visible socks. What’s frumpy is wearing those foot socks that you can’t see inside your trainers. Which goes back to my original point - frumpy basically means outdated. Because at one point those foot socks were fashionable!

I agree- even though I’m wearing one right now 😀

Bon Marche full stop.

I have to disagree with you @FayCarew re Princess Anne being stylish.
She was always frumpy imho.
She wore the odd non frumpy outfit.
You say she's still able to wear clothes she wore decades back.They were frumpy then and are frumpy now.
I particularly disliked her wedding dress but it was of its time.

It's who screams frumpy not what

And anyone who screams ( or even says ) frumpy makes me think they are narrow minded judgemental people with nothing better to do that criticise peoples clothing choices

I'll wear socks with my shoes
I'll wear clothes that have gone out of fashion
I'll not possess separate coats for different occasions

Me too. She sounds individual and quirky.

I'm sure this has been said before, but for me it's people who look as if they haven't really thought about their appearance at all. Their clothes are purely for practicality and comfort (e.g. the dreaded Mountain Warehouse anoraks mentioned earlier). They are not bothered about their hair, about style, about fashion, about anything really. They have either given up, or never cared in the first place. Often their clothes are indistinguishable from what their mum/dad is wearing - it seems to run in families.

I think these people are morally superior to me, and probably happier; their priorities in life are quite logical and they're often very kind and helpful. On the other hand, another part of me feels that the stylish people I see genuinely make me happy; they are ornamental and improve the landscape in the same way as good architecture or a nice flowery front garden. So the stylish people are also doing a bit of good in the world.

Those Radley cross body bags and those leather wedge boots with the thick sole.

Awful and no one looks good in them.

Those long skirts with the pleats in that grannies used to wear in the 80s. Especially if they're in a pink, peach or lavender colour.

Princess Anne looks awful. Stuck in some terrible hair day. And her clothes are awful too.

They are not bothered about their hair, about style, about fashion, about anything really. They have either given up, or never cared in the first place. Often their clothes are indistinguishable from what their mum/dad is wearing - it seems to run in families.
Interesting. For me it's the opposite of looking the same as my mum. I'm 44, she's 75. Not sure I've ever looked stylish in my life and she always has done. She's moved through the decades keeping up with styles, always has her done including dying the grey), wears make-up nicely, has a sense of togetherness about her pretty much all the time and always looks smart. Whereas I fit about 90% of what has been described as frumpy in this thread. I suspect I've been dressing older than her for a good 10 years!

Reading through the list of specific items of clothes rather than brands, I can imagine someone who would like stylish in each one or even combination.
Frumpy is a word I would never use. Not because of sexist connotations, just because the vast array of supposedly frumpy people on this thread are just a huge portion of the population.

I think lists of items of clothes that are entirely dismissed is peculiar. eg I can think of endless uses of the cardigan that are wonderful and as for glasses:

My daughter wears them as a choice rather than contact lenses and she looks stunning and stylist. I don't just say that from a mother's rose tinted view. I notice women glasses wearers in general who look beautiful/elegant/stylish. I notice because I always wore contact lenses until I had surgery and I wonder what made me so convinced it was required in order to look good.