Written by Charlotte Moore
By now, we’re all aware of what red flags are when it comes to dating. But, you might not be familiar with social media’s new ick: beige flags. While they’re fairly removed from their toxic red-flagged sibling, beige flags are basically a sign that someone is incompatible with you because they’re boring. And, the way to spot them? Check a dating profile.
Akin to almost everything else on your newsfeed, beige flags started gaining traction over on TikTok, with Caitlin, the self-proclaimed ‘CEO of beige flags’, going viral for bringing the phrase into our dating vocabulary. As of today, #beigeflags now has over 2.5 million views on TikTok. And we sat down with Caitlin herself to understand what beige flags really mean.
Caitlin told that she invented the term as a way to describe how generic some dating app profiles were to her non-single friends. “I often use the word ‘beige’ to describe boring things, so the term beige flags is that plus a play on the red flag/green flag system commonly used in dating. I’ve been on and off the apps for years, so it stems from my time in the trenches noticing the bland things that keep popping up!”
So, what are the beige flag warning signs?
Like everything, the warning signs of beige flags depend on who you ask. For Caitlin, these flags are “something on a dating app profile that indicates a lack of effort or individuality–the shorthand being a sign that this person might be really boring. It doesn’t mean they actually ARE boring, but based on the information supplied, you wouldn’t be able to tell otherwise.”
So, what’s the biggest beige flag to Caitlin? “I think the biggest ones are those extremely generic and lazy answers to prompts–the best way to ask me out is by ‘asking me’, I’ll fall for you if ‘you trip me’, or having very similar photos that tell us nothing about the person.”
OK, I feel like I might be showing some beige flags…
Don’t worry, Caitlin has you covered.
“Often I think beige flags are more of a marketing issue than actually being boring. I always suggest spending some time identifying your ‘USPs’ (unique selling points) that make you YOU and help you stand out from the clones. Just make an effort to get your personality and lifestyle across as best you can. You may end up with fewer matches this way, but when you do match it’ll likely have a higher success rate as everyone has more information going in.”
So, on the flip side, what - to Caitlin - are green flags? “Someone who isn’t afraid to be a little vulnerable! It can be a bit embarrassing to put yourself out there online but you can tell when someone has made at least some effort, indicating they’re somewhat invested in the process. Even if they aren’t for me, I can appreciate when someone shows their true self on their profile.”
Most importantly, remember that one person’s beige is another person’s green. You do you.
