Jumpers. Do I wear them? Yes. Do I think they are frumpy? OK. I wear them around the house as nice looking house wife gear. You usually have to coordinate them, you can nurse in them, they are modest and are comfortable enough to do my daily chores in. They are a step up from sweats and not caring what I look like since I am at home and not going out. For the summer I like making those Elizabeth Lee jumpers out of batik fabric and wearing them with flip flops. But that is not the style, just my style.
Are they what I wear when I want to impress people with my fashion sense? No.
The "frump" thing is also measured by age and personal style. I saw a lady who is like in her early 20's in Church on Saturday. She was in a dark green jumper, a long sleeved off white shirt underneath, and on her feet. Not sandals or stockings, but black polyester bottoms of her calves socks that went up to her these black lace up shoes. She looked frumpy. She actually looked to me that she was literally going for a frumpy look. I mean if you fix the socks and shoes, the outfit would have looked more like nice casual on a much older lady.
Coming form the northeast, I have no memory of jumpers being "in" in the 80's, so maybe it is regional.
Skirts are in right now. You can pop into any H & M or Old Navy and find more skirts, most not short or too short than one can wear. I love this season's fashion.
I agree about this season's fashion. Even regular dresses are getting so much better, though sometimes the neckline/sleeves/back don't quite cover everything I'd prefer to have covered (that's what cute little cardigans are for, though). I honestly wish I had more money to budget towards clothes so I could buy more dresses... I think I might actually wear them now if I had them.
I was too young in the 80s to know what was "in" with the exception of maybe neon stuff, so I can't really comment on the jumper phenomenon.
...actually, the jumper the lady is wearing in the picture isn't so bad, I don't think it is frumpy, it might not be the rage, but it doesn't look frumpy, it looks... classical?... and in the batik motifs it must be actually quite nice... when I think jumper, I think very long, very loose almost blue-jean type "overall" dress... not my style...
I said in my previous comment that I wouldn't be caught dead in one, but I guess one of the dresses I have could be considered a jumper after all... :) But I would definitely not be able to nurse in mine, it is too tight and quite short. It could probably be worn without a shirt underneath...
Jeanne,
You can nurse in the Elizabeth Lee jumpers. They are made for nursing. Not only do they always make ths close with nursing access, their clothes are cut fuller around the bust. I have a problem with a lot of clothes while nursing, especially patterns because the bust line is too small.
I don't wear jumpers, as they look silly on me. Besides, I can never find one to match the color of my beard. If I were Scottish maybe I would do the skirt thing (or kiln or whatever they call them), but not being Scottish, I stick with trousers. Non-Scots who get all decked out in highland stuff give me the willies.
I'm a frump by nature. I don't like it when people blame my frumpiness on having 5 kids and not having the time or energy to be un-frumpy. I was a frump in high school. I was in the Army and *loved* wearing the camo uniform with the pants tucked into my boots. (absolutely HATED headgear, though...that's probably a big reason for getting out!)
I like jumpers. I don't wear them, but I like them. By jumper, I'm thinking of something you see in LL Bean or Land's End. I'd like to be preppy, but I'm really just frumpy.
But I do like jumpers.
I miss my jumpers. They always had the best pockets. With the stuff I picked up around the house during the day, I was probably 5 pounds heavier by pocket emptying time. :)