Why is this NOT frump-a-dump?

annagybe

Image #3 in the slideshow, in case link is wonky.
http://www.refinery29.com/2013.....ts#slide-3

White blousy shirt with pleated high waisted khaki skirt, conservative hair cut. Is it the sky high white pumps? Or is granny chic firmly entrenched?

12 years ago

Dressing

25 replies

Latest reply was from Joan Joplin

CocoLion

(website)

Veteran

I know what you mean. There are several looks that would be very frumpy on me in this Zara Look Book. They look cool on a 5'11" 21 year old model. But not on a middle-aged woman like me, even though I am fit.

http://www.zara.com/us/en/look.....74501.html

12 years ago

Raisin

Veteran

Well I think most of us would look pretty frumpy in that. But I guess she has the height and build to make it look a little more "grandma-chic". Haha! I guess the wide (bell?) sleeve and high heeled pumps make it a bit more edgy.

12 years ago

Suz

(website)

Veteran

What Raisin said, I think...but, well, she doesn't look all that fab to me. The colours wash her out for one thing.

12 years ago

cciele

Veteran

I think the look is borderline frumpy. The drapiness of the blouse and skirt save it.

12 years ago

Jonesy

Veteran

The overall silhouette and shirt sleeves, in particular, are fresh and modern-looking, IMHO. Modern /= frumpy. I don't think looking modern has anything to do with age, build, or height :).

12 years ago

Gaylene

Veteran

Actually, I think age has something to do with the frumpy vs. modern effect. With a young face, the look comes off as an ironic nod to "what my mother wore", and that attitude keeps frumpy at bay.

With a more experienced(?) face, the intent can be a bit more ambiguous and harder to discern. Is she trying to be ironic? Did she just give up and raid the back of her closet? What does she think is fashionable these days? Is she ahead of the curve in her style choices? Unfortunately, on an older woman, I suspect the last question might not be the first thought that enters into an observer's mind.

12 years ago

ironkurtin

Veteran

The proportions make it fresh, especially the blouse.

12 years ago

Gaylene

Veteran

@ironkurtin, I'd love to think that the cut and proportions would be enough to say fashionable, not frumpy, but I still think those details might be obscured by the age of wearer if the outfit was worn by someone in their 50s and 60s. Many of the people I know would probably just think the blouse was too big and the rest of the outfit similar to what they were wearing.

12 years ago

ironkurtin

Veteran

Gaylene, isn't that woman in her 50s? I thought she was.

I think it's body type and not age that makes this work. As much as I hate to say it, in today's mind if you are slim and willowy, you can wear just about everything.

12 years ago

cciele

Veteran

She's 40.

12 years ago

ironkurtin

Veteran

Damn. I feel pretty good about how I look, then.

But I'm going to go back to body type and not age for what carries this look.

12 years ago

Suz

(website)

Veteran

Change up her hair and I think I might love it. But I do believe body type plays a role. Probably more than age.

12 years ago

Jaime

(website)

Veteran

I prefer the Zara lookbook look. I don't think she looks frumpy but I do think this look could easily be lost on a non-urban, non-fashion oriented crowd.

12 years ago

RoseandJoan

Veteran

This reads as very Celine or Jil Sander to my eye, it's simple, elegant and has an edge but I really dislike the hue of the skirt against her muted colouring. A different color of skirt would elevate this look to a whole other leve IMOl.

I have to admit I do not see granny chic at all. I see ladylike which to my eye can be worn by all ages.

12 years ago

Lyn D.

Veteran

I think the heels and the deliberate extra high waist modernise this outfit.

12 years ago

Deborah

Veteran

While I am not convinced that someone with my height and build could carry this off (though I would like to try), I do think her height has a little to do with it. I don't find this frumpy. i would describe the look as edgy ladylike:). The pumps and white shirt are classic and the high waist and sleeves look very fashion forward. I find it very appealing. My expectation when I look at the outfit is a cropped modern hair do but the fact the cut / style is a little non descript adds a little something.

12 years ago

rute

Veteran

The secret is on details! A nice styled hair, heels, make up and a nice clutch. A look like this can become frumpy with old flats, dated hadbag and no hair style at all.
I don't see granny here. This look is on trend now!

12 years ago

Archer

Veteran

I think it looks pretty fab with the whole outfit looking Japanese Modern, hair, line etc. The setting of the shot, is adding graphics and the colour scheme modernises it and the shoes well, make it fabulous. I agree though, on a its of the clothing items without the picture, it would sound frumpa dump. Also her dimensions are tiny which adds to the angles. I love the photo and the image. Cheers

12 years ago

Diana

Veteran

I think it's chic because it's frump subverted. The high, tight waist, super high heels, wide sleeves, and clutch all serve as little details that signify style. So the overall impression is chic, even though the pieces might seem frumpy on their own.
And, yes, I think it takes tall and skinny to pull this off. I'd look dumpy in it.

12 years ago

rachylou

Veteran

I think it *is* the sky high pumps in white - and that they're platforms. And the shirt sleeves give a kimono effect.

12 years ago

unfrumped

Veteran

This photo makes me Grumpy. All marginal kinds of outfits are shown with high-heeled pumps and most clothing ads feature high heels UNLESS they're advertising the low-heeled shoes specifically. It's like they're the great elevator (pun intended) for any kind of look.

OK, rant over--for now.

12 years ago

Laura (rhubarbgirl)

(website)

Veteran

"Frump subverted" is a great way to put it. All the fabrications and colors feel repetitive, but the proportions have been played with - white blouse but with very wide sleeves, white grandma pumps but in a platform high heel, tan full skirt but it hits above the natural waist and in a mid-calf length which is not that common for 'regular folk' these days. It all adds up to a very interesting photo but it's not something that seems very wearable for most of us.

12 years ago

Thistle

Veteran

So, I wanted to answer before I read all of the other responses. I think the sleeves and the very high heels injects a bit of style into the outfit, but that this would look frumpy in real life on anyone that was not very young, very pretty, and very trendy.

12 years ago

Mary Beth (formerly LBD)

(website)

Veteran

I think it's context. The background + the outfit makes me think of "Roman Holiday". The model has a Hepburn-esque figure.

I also think it might be a trick with the lens. The proportions are 'right' with her figure, and with the architectural elements behind her. It is entirely possible that, in person, she has on a true "I Give Up" outfit.

If I put that outfit on, with the exception of the heels, I would be a sad sad sack of frumpy potatoes.

12 years ago

Joan Joplin

Active Member

I don't think it looks frumpy in the picture, but it would in real life. For me, the context makes the difference. Seeing the picture online, I know that this look was chosen deliberately, someone liked it enough to post it, and so on. Once I know that, I can look at it as fashion: what style elements do I like or dislike, what are they "going for", why did they choose each piece. But if I saw this in real life, I might be tempted to think it was just a granny ignoring style altogether. How the person carried herself might help, but without the fashion-y context I probably wouldn't give it any thought.

12 years ago

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