Women warned over brutal ‘beige flag' dating trend that people need to be aware of

There's no denying that the world of dating apps is a bit of a minefield, and 'beige flags' may make things even trickier.

When you first sign up to Tinder, Hinge or any of their romance rivals, you have to make sure your profile is filled with flattering photos and witty prompt answers that make you seem like the perfect partner (or good enough for a date, at the very least).

Then, you have to scroll endlessly through profile after profile until you find someone who takes your fancy.

Along the way, you'll come across a myriad of flags - green flags mean you might be onto a winner, red flags mean run for the hills and pink flags indicate minor issues that you just need to keep an eye on.

But the latest flag to look out for — the beige flag — covers another potential issue:

Coined by TikToker Caitlin MacPhail, beige flags are generic dating profile features that indicate someone didn’t put much effort into their profile, is incredibly boring, or both.

The self-titled 'CEO of beige flags' shared a list of examples in a viral video on TikTok, including generic hobbies or a lack of hobbies altogether, referencing any mainstream sitcom and using the word “foodie.”

"First up is having an opinion on coriander, whether pineapple belongs on pizza, or [if] sauce or chocolate belongs in the fridge or cupboard," she said.

"It's not important. No one cares."

TikTok/@itscaito

She continued: "Second is any reference to extremely mainstream sitcoms [...] I'm just going to assume you have no deeper meaning."

So, if you like drinking coffee, taking naps and are looking for the Monica to your Chandler, you might want to reassess things.

Of course, beige flags are completely subjective, as everyone has different interests and relationship ideals.

But the listing of generic interests, hobbies and one-liners on dating apps gives you very little indication of whether you'd be compatible with them.

Like, we get it, you like dogs. That doesn't make you interesting or unique.

"If someone has a lot of beige flags on their profile, you’ll probably get to the end of it without having really learnt anything about them," Caitlin explained to Mashable.

TikTok/@itscaito

Reactions to Caitlin's viral video, which has been viewed more than half a million times, have been rife, mostly with TikTok users sharing their own beige flags.

One commenter wrote, "Also: 'partner in crime' references."

"Anything about 'almost' getting arrested in a foreign country," said another.

And, more than anything, they praised the creator for sharing the dating app dullness we've all become accustomed to.

"This is a true work of art," one user wrote, "never have I seen a list so accurate and so perfectly beige."

Topics: Sex and Relationships, TikTok, Dating trends

Bec Oakes