A red flag might be something you're already familiar with, but now its milder, more-reserved distant cousin has joined the conversation: the "beige flag."
A dating app expert has warned Newsweek about the most common beige flags you can have on your profile, as the new term begins to make its way onto everyone's dating app fears.
Red flags usually refer to something that is a clear sign that the other person might not be compatible with you and that they may be someone you should stay clear from. A beige flag on the other hand is something that hints they might be a tad too boring for you.
The term is growing in use online and leaves daters with one more thing to worry about.
Newsweek spoke to "safety focused casual dating hookup app" TapDat's creative director Alice Leach to get the lowdown on beige flags, and how you can avoid waving one.
So, what exactly is a beige flag?
According to Leach, there are quite a few beige flags and they're pretty easy to spot on a dating app profile.
Some of the most common include dull "stock" responses that daters have likely seen time and time again.
"Using memes, jokes or recycled 'shock value answers," explained Leach. "If you're using something you've seen on another account dating or otherwise, you can guarantee the other dating app users have seen it too. Emojis in place of actual answers [too]."
So that means steering clear of people with "I like someone who…has a sense of humor" or "I'm competitive about…everything" profile answers, but there are some others you should watch out for according to Leach.
"Loads of fancy dress pictures. Badly taken photos in general are beige flags, and images screenshot from social media, badly cropped, covered in filters and gifs/ stickers, etc," she added.
Are beige flags a big deal?
Should we be taking beige flags seriously? Leach thinks that there's no one-rule-fits-all.
"That all comes down to you," she said. "If you think that you see something you like in a profile and want to spend the time delving deeper, go for it. But beige flags really can be an indicator of things like self-esteem, lack of care or consideration, or even boredom, which speaks to their intent too."
How to avoid beige flags
As someone with experience working with endless dating app profiles at TapDat, Leach provided some of her expert advice on making your profile stand out and avoiding beige or red flags.
- No photos of anyone else on your profile—we even have a photo policy around this at TapDat. People want to see YOU, no distractions.
- Show us your face and a full-length body shot. Physical attraction is key, so let people see you in all your glory—and make the photos recent!
- Be honest. Inauthentic profiles are a big turn-off.
- Tell other daters why you're online and something about yourself. It doesn't need to be super-salacious or sexual, but a little bio adds some spice to your pictures.
- Standing out is often just down to being honest and open—so no clichés, don't try too hard, just be yourself.
Uncommon Knowledge
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Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
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