sad beige

Coined by TikToker Hayley DeRoche (@sadbeige) in 2021 and achieved virality on TikTok in 2022.^[1]

sad beige (uncountable)

1. (neologism, usually derogatory) A parenting aesthetic which involves earthy and neutral colours as well as minimalist decor.
   • [2022 November 16, Chavie Lieber, “’Sad Beige’ Has Taken Over Baby Gear, Clothing, Decor”, in The Wall Street Journal‎^[1], New York, N.Y.: Dow Jones & Company, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 17 November 2022:

     Ms. Kyne joins a wave of parents eschewing bright and stereotypically gendered colors for kid wares, and instead choosing earthy, neutral tones aligned with minimalism. It's a look TikTok satirist Hayley DeRoche has termed "sad beige," but some see it as a happy development: The ecru, blond and brown products fit right in with their stylishly muted décor in the rest of the house.]

   • [2022 December 4, Eva Wiseman, “The 'sad beige' trend for kids goes against all my wild instincts”, in Katharine Viner, editor, The Guardian‎^[2], London: Guardian News & Media, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 2023-02-06:

     I'm talking, of course, about the devotees of what has recently been described as "sad beige". These are parents who, following current fashions, dress their children like small peasants in mournful shades of oat and camel, buy simple toys in "earthy" tones and decorate their bedrooms with such deafening taste and restraint that it's clear the children are less likely to be playing with Lego here than whittling a bowl for mother to fill with her own milk.]

   • 2023 January 24, “The Sad Beige Parenting Trend Explained”, in HuffPost‎^[3], archived from the original on 2024-05-06:

     The sad beige aesthetic has taken on meanings beyond ungendered and non-toxic. It also stands for something: the authority and dominance of adult tastes.

   • 2023 December 5, Kaleigh Werner, quoting Nattie Jo Powell, “TikToker criticised for ’sad beige’ Christmas tree makeover”, in The Independent‎^[4], London: Independent News & Media, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 2024-03-24:

     "Go ahead and call me crazy or a sad beige mom for what I'm about to do," Nattie Jo Powell began in her 1 December video. In the clip, the lifestyle creator set out to redecorate her daughter's plastic tree to mimic the aesthetic of her home decor.