A woman wore a frumper to my church on T-giving

[MamaJunebug]

I nearly froze where I stood when I saw it! Then I realized that it was the Christmas jumper (effectively a frumper) that she probably wears every year: Looks like new, has a little Christmas tree motif embroidered festively just below the neckline.

The thing is, she's a tall, well-groomed, attractive older woman. She and her husband - on a usual Sunday - are the picture of friendly dignity and graciousness. She normally wears a good sort of Ellen Tracy or Karen Scott suit or a version of the Sunday-go-to-services dressy dress, and she and he look -- like they belong together!

With her in the dark frumper and white knit shirt beneath, she looked like ... his ward, or something. No, I take that back: I'm privileged to know a lady who has Down Syndrome and is my age, and she dresses appropriately, not in girlish styles.

Which is what a jumper was meant to be, and what a frumper is, at the end of the day: A way to make women look childish and thus, insignificant! :(

[ilovetchotchkes]

My mother, who has 3 masters degrees, is an extremely liberal smart ass Catholic (named her recently deceased cat "Ratzinger" when she got him years and years ago before he was pope so that she could boss around a cardinal) makes more money than my father and is essentially a feminist, wears frumpers. Denim ones. All the time. She does dress them up with like silk scarves, and like gorgeous vintage pins, but sometimes I want to say "MOM PLEASE STOP WEARING FRUMPERS"

Part of it comes from she's gained a lot of weight in the last 10 years and she's really kind of embarrassed about her body.

[browncoatslytherin]

Part of it comes from she's gained a lot of weight in the last 10 years and she's really kind of embarrassed about her body.

but it just makes a body look WORSE! you look slimmer when clothes fit you, rather than when they are oversized.

[ilovetchotchkes]

but it just makes a body look WORSE! you look slimmer when clothes fit you, rather than when they are oversized.

I keep telling her that! I'm a big girl myself! Part of her problem is, she's like a b cup, but she's almost 300lbs, she's got a really big tummy, to the point where my insane grandmother asked her recently if she was pregnant. She doesn't look 300, more about 250, but she's still big, even when she's been at her lowest weight, she's built large, broad shoulders and huge hips.

[browncoatslytherin]

I keep telling her that! I'm a big girl myself! Part of her problem is, she's like a b cup, but she's almost 300lbs, she's got a really big tummy, to the point where my insane grandmother asked her recently if she was pregnant. She doesn't look 300, more about 250, but she's still big, even when she's been at her lowest weight, she's built large, broad shoulders and huge hips.

maybe take a picture of her in a frumper, and then take a picture of her in clothes that fit, and show them to her. maybe actually seeing it will convince her!

and i know the pain, i'm about 215 myself, but no matter how big i look in clothes that fit, i know how much worse i look in big, baggy clothes. ugh, being overweight just sucks!

[NurseNell]

I admit I like jumpers. I seldom wear them as I wear pants 98% of the time but I do still have one jumper in my closet. I used to have more. I don't know why I like them, and it's not like I don't also like skirts and dresses. And I'm not obese so I'm not trying to hide anything.

[ladypuglover]

I'm a large lady myself and even though I have lost about 40 pounds over the last 11 months I still can not quit my frumpers. I look horrid in them and I know it but when I'm feeling frumpy I want to wear a frumper. Right now I fighting myself tooth and nails not to buy a flannel plaid frumper for just pennies on the dollar that I saw on-line. I keep saying to myself that it is wrong and I have a problem but then I hear a little inside voice say look how comfy and warm it is! I need a frumper support group. :oops:

[NurseNell]

I'm a large lady myself and even though I have lost about 40 pounds over the last 11 months I still can not quit my frumpers. I look horrid in them and I know it but when I'm feeling frumpy I want to wear a frumper. Right now I fighting myself tooth and nails not to buy a flannel plaid frumper for just pennies on the dollar that I saw on-line. I keep saying to myself that it is wrong and I have a problem but then I hear a little inside voice say look how comfy and warm it is! I need a frumper support group. :oops:

Yes, a PLAID frumper, that's even better than a denim one. Go for it!!

[AnnieC 305]

but it just makes a body look WORSE! you look slimmer when clothes fit you, rather than when they are oversized.

No, you don't. Not always.

I admit I'm a big, and I do mean BIG woman myself. (I wear a 4-5x) What most places sell as "form fitting" in my sizes hugs every roll and curve, and not in a good way. At my size a jumper is as form fitting as you want to get because looking like a stuffed sausage in stretched to the limit t-shirt material is neither pretty nor comfortable.

You tell me which looks better. Pop a t-shirt under one of these and you have a jumper.

http://www.loveyourpeaches.com/images/67twill/67327.jpg

http://www.loveyourpeaches.com/images/9 ... et/970.jpg

Or something sold as "form fitting" like this. Which is deeply not comfortable on top of it. (And also one of those horrid headless fat woman photos, which was the only one I could find that illustrated the principal. Be warned.)

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v642/ ... /fat_b.jpg

(And just in case anyone is thinking "Why not lose the weight?", five years, three endocrinologists, two physical therapists, one gym membership and more meds then I like to consider and I finally am, thanks. :dance: )

[maybeizfundie]

I've seen them in various catalogs marketed to women of a certain age--most of the clothes are elegant and pretty, but mixed in there are jumpers.

Depending on the cut and style, they may actually look better on someone than other types of clothing. I don't have a form that works well with tailored-look clothing. A dress or a jumper with princess seams and no defined waist looks waaaay better on me than a pencil skirt and tucked in blouse. Or slacks. (But jumpers with gathered waistlines are a huge no-no, they add about 40 lb :shock: )

[pixydust]

Annie, there is a huge differance between wearing something that fits and something too small. The 3rd picture is clothes that are too small. I'm a perfect example of that. I'm over weight, I wear a lot of jeans and t-shirts, and recently they had been too big (a friend gave me clothes, the shirts were 1-3 sizes too big and boxy). Well I lost 10 pounds, enough to fit back into some fitted t-shirts (the correct size and a slimmer style) that I had and my sister-in-law thought that I had lost 40 pounds! I make a point ot wear fitted t-shirts all the time now, haha! :dance:

[clibbyjo]

I'm a large lady myself and even though I have lost about 40 pounds over the last 11 months I still can not quit my frumpers. I look horrid in them and I know it but when I'm feeling frumpy I want to wear a frumper. Right now I fighting myself tooth and nails not to buy a flannel plaid frumper for just pennies on the dollar that I saw on-line. I keep saying to myself that it is wrong and I have a problem but then I hear a little inside voice say look how comfy and warm it is! I need a frumper support group. :oops:

Don't do it, LPL, don't do it!!! I will dress you from Goodwill clothes and you will never wear a frumper again!

[mnb357]

I confess to looking for a frumper in my size. I'm quite short, (under five feet) with a woman's shape. Size 6 pants feel too tight, any size 8 falls off me. Then there's the issue of length! Dresses generally work o.k. for me, if I have them professionally hemmed, the fabrics are not practical for my daily grind! Plus, I hate waistbands...find them very uncomfortable. I have a knee skimming denim jumper I love to wear in the summer. I'm trying to find a longer one. I assure you if find a frumper which fits, should I have to head out in public, I'll troll it out with hot boots, and amazing jewelry.

[Witsec7]

Frumpers are common on nonfundys here in the PNW. Perhaps a comfort factor? I know that lots of the crunchy granola faculty wives at my UU wore frumpers, and I did too. More as a comfort factor in the winter, you could hid your longjohns, not have anything binding at the waist. But even in that crowd the frumpers were not jus blue denim, lots of ethnic fabrics, and naturally Birkenstocks with woolen socks in the winter.

[NurseNell]

No, you don't. Not always.

I admit I'm a big, and I do mean BIG woman myself. (I wear a 4-5x) What most places sell as "form fitting" in my sizes hugs every roll and curve, and not in a good way. At my size a jumper is as form fitting as you want to get because looking like a stuffed sausage in stretched to the limit t-shirt material is neither pretty nor comfortable.

You tell me which looks better. Pop a t-shirt under one of these and you have a jumper.

http://www.loveyourpeaches.com/images/67twill/67327.jpg

http://www.loveyourpeaches.com/images/9 ... et/970.jpg

Or something sold as "form fitting" like this. Which is deeply not comfortable on top of it. (And also one of those horrid headless fat woman photos, which was the only one I could find that illustrated the principal. Be warned.)

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v642/ ... /fat_b.jpg

(And just in case anyone is thinking "Why not lose the weight?", five years, three endocrinologists, two physical therapists, one gym membership and more meds then I like to consider and I finally am, thanks. :dance: )

`

The jumpers definitely look better!

[clibbyjo]

How about something like this, I think everyone looks great in this style http://img3.etsystatic.com/il_fullxfull.201138495.jpg

[ilovetchotchkes]

\

(And just in case anyone is thinking "Why not lose the weight?", five years, three endocrinologists, two physical therapists, one gym membership and more meds then I like to consider and I finally am, thanks. :dance: )

I would never ever say that to anyone. (not saying you're saying we're saying it) but I do know that things like a thyroid issue, stress, losing weight is VERY DIFFICULT and as someone who was told to lose weight because I was having fertility issues, there's no nice way to say it, and the only person who is allowed to even UTTER those words in my mind is your doctor. (Mine was very sensitive and incredibly kind in the way he approached it!)

.

Then again I have deep set issues with food. I was borderline anorexic at one point and my sister battled a mild bout with bulimia in college. We were incredibly lucky in that we both saw the signs early and got help.

[ADoyle90815]

In my area, the place frumpers are likely to be seen is at a Mormon church on Sundays, as for many Mormon women, it's their Sunday church clothing as it's obviously modest. There are some Mormons who might consider form fitting skirts and blouses not to be modest enough for church, even if there's no cleavage, shoulder blades, or kneecaps showing.

[Angri-la]

Oh, Lord, MamaJ, I thought you were giving a testimonial confession on this thread!

[MamaJunebug]

How about something like this, I think everyone looks great in this style http://img3.etsystatic.com/il_fullxfull.201138495.jpg

Love that! The Juniors all are slim (2 have to work hard to get & stay that way) & they've advised me (government name: Nit A Slave To Fashion) that one piece of every outfit should be fitted. Thus that shirtwaist with it's fitted bodice fills the bill. I wear form-close tops and big- leg pants & most people figure me for being only 20# overweight. I'm actually 50# "undertall," heh.

This is a fun thread but should I move it to Chatter? Haven't used my mod superpowers to do that, yet, kinda itching to see if I can make it work.

Angry-la, sorry for the scare!!! :D

[browncoatslytherin]

No, you don't. Not always.

I admit I'm a big, and I do mean BIG woman myself. (I wear a 4-5x) What most places sell as "form fitting" in my sizes hugs every roll and curve, and not in a good way. At my size a jumper is as form fitting as you want to get because looking like a stuffed sausage in stretched to the limit t-shirt material is neither pretty nor comfortable.

notice, i did NOT say "form fitting"...i said "fit". there is a HUGE difference. and yes, when you're big, it is hard to find clothes that actually fit and are not form fitting...but they ARE out there!

[Funky Chicken]

How about something like this, I think everyone looks great in this style http://img3.etsystatic.com/il_fullxfull.201138495.jpg

That is lovely... What style would you call that and how can I find one?!

[clibbyjo]

That is lovely... What style would you call that and how can I find one?!

That style is called a shirtwaist dress. The one I posted was made to order from Etsy. You can find a bunch on Etsy or online. Also words like 1950's dress bring them up as well. I love that style and collect shirt waist dresses(they 1950's ones with a full circle skirt)and wear them all the time. :)

[latraviata]

That style is called a shirtwaist dress. The one I posted was made to order from Etsy. You can find a bunch on Etsy or online. Also words like 1950's dress bring them up as well. I love that style and collect shirt waist dresses(they 1950's ones with a full circle skirt)and wear them all the time. :)

Lovely! I remember my mother wearing this type of dress(fifties), I believe this style was called 'New Look.'

Jumpers or frumpers don't exist in this part of the world, at least I have never seen them.

http://universityhonors.umd.edu/HONR269 ... ewlook.htm