What on Earth are Beige Flags?!
Maybe you’re already a beige flag expert… or maybe you’ve heard the term floating around TikTok… or maybe this is the first time you’ve encountered it. Regardless, the idea of a beige flag is pretty interesting, and, as it joins the list of colorful flags we use to talk about dating and relationships, here’s a quick take on what they are and why they may not be as bland as their name suggests.
The Brief History of the Beige Flag
First things first, what is a beige flag? I had the same thought when I first heard the term, so my instinct was to consult an all-knowing oracle, aka Google. A little bit of research taught me that the jury was still out on whether or not “beige flags” are bad. The term has roots in describing yawn-inducing habits and mannerisms that people have noticed in their partners/friends. But, to anyone who’s been on beige-flag-Tok, where videos about the topic range in mood from cute and wholesome to concerning and bizarre (like a boyfriend whose “beige flag” is eating ants he finds in the house), a more light-hearted approach to the term has started trending, with people utilizing it to describe very specific and sometimes cute quirks.
Original Definition
In the spirit of exploring all definitions, though, let’s take a walk through history. I’ll start with the boring beige-y (see what I did there 😉) one. The “original” definition of a beige flag makes it out to represent a neither appealing nor unappealing quality, with examples ranging from only citing generic hobbies and interests on dating profiles (“long walks on the beach”, “petting puppies”, etc.) to dunking Oreos in water rather than milk. By the traditional definition, a beige flag is exactly what it sounds like: a characteristic that is so un-exciting it warrants no additional warning, but also gives you absolutely nothing to work with.
@itscaito beige is the new red and in other news dating apps are a wasteland 🚩 #hinge #redflags #datingredflags #hingedating ♬ original sound - Caito
@itscaito dating app BEIGE FLAGS part 2 !! we’re stuck in a very dull circle of hell ❤️🔥 #hinge #redflags #datingredflags #hingedating #perthdating #datingapps #beige ♬ original sound - Caito
Trending Definition
In true TikTok form, the phrase was recently adopted by others, and several have given it their own flair. Through several (thousand) iterations, the term has morphed into the version that is now taking over my FYP, with users calling out their or their partners’ quirky traits and dubbing them “beige flags”. Some of these more fun examples include a girlfriend not knowing her right from left but still being able to get anywhere without directions, and a boyfriend who can’t remember anything unless it has to do with sharks (the animals, not the team).
Do I Have a Beige Flag?!
Odds are you do. Beige flag videos have blown up on TikTok, forcing many people (and by many people, I mean myself) to stop and think about what their own beige flags may be.
Looking at my own life, one of my beige flags is thinking I can get anywhere in 15 minutes (I can’t). My boyfriend’s beige flag is that he talks in a high-pitched voice when he’s tired or upset. My dog-phew (nephew who happens to be a dog) is a 60-pound border collie mix with a beige flag of preferring to “awoo-woo” instead of barking. He also screams when he yawns - which, at 5:30am, would be a red flag if it wasn’t for the fact that he can’t tell time.
The Cure for the Beige Flag
If you found yourself reading this and worrying about what your beige flag might be and how to fix it, I have bad news for you: you can’t. Like its more colorful counterparts, the beige flag is an arbitrary callout of a quality that only some people will notice and only some people will care about. You might consider my beige flag a red one (my coworkers probably do), but if you’re like me and can never seem to make it anywhere without being one or two minutes late, it may not phase you at all.
Personally, I like the entertainment aspect of beige flags more than anything else. Hearing about the cute quirks and whimsicalities of different relationships reminds me of all the “little” things I love about the people in my life, and makes me grateful to be surrounded by such fun and unique people. Honestly, I don’t think all beige flags are all that beige. Perhaps it’s time to separate the definitions and come up with another flag to represent the fun and quirky, apart from the dull and boring – sparkly flag, anyone?
