You’ve heard of the red and green flag—now get to know the ‘beige’ flag 

Dating apps are a minefield—whether you’re active on such apps or have tried them in the past, you’ll know that navigating online dating can be tricky. Even if you don’t have an online dating profile but have dated before, you’ll probably have heard about red and green flags. Red flags are warning signs—if someone has qualities like blaming exes or are not willing to commit—you should be running in the opposite direction. Green flags, on the other side of the spectrum, are all the qualities that your partner should ideally have, which would make you sprint towards them (for instance, if they are not emotionally available!).

Turns out, there is a new flag on the block that you should be adding to your dating vocabulary—beige. 

What is a beige flag?

There is only so much one can say through a few prompts and in less than 500 characters, thus the personal information that we end up sharing on a dating app can be quite limited, and may not convey our entire personality. This usually translates to bland profiles that lack depth.

Beige flags are a sign that the person behind the profile might not be that interesting, or in the words of the TikTok user Caitlin Macphail, "probably boring”. It’s not like these people are glaring red flags and have done something wrong, they just seem to have nothing to write home about.

Wondering what would qualify as a beige flag? Referencing extremely popular shows, for one. If I see another person quote The Office, I’m going to denounce dating apps forever. Most people have watched these shows and like them, so including them in your bio tells the other person nothing unique about you. 

If they write generic terms like “foodie”, and have opinions that are similar to 90 per cent of the population, like “pineapple doesn’t belong on pizza”, then it’s a beige flag for sure. 

How to not be a beige flag

Okay, so you’re thinking “I know what a beige flag is, but what if I’m one too?” The key to avoiding this branding on dating apps is to be your true, authentic self. The reality is that most of us portray a certain persona online, and in the process of doing so, might be watering down our USPs. 

In order to stand out, pick prompts and photos that are closest to you in real life, and reflect your interests. Do you have an interesting hobby (like pottery)? Include it. Did you volunteer at an animal shelter over the summer? Put this instead of a generic picture with someone’s pet dog just to win brownie points. The point is to choose a variety of answers and photos that encompass some, if not all, aspects of your life. 

Most importantly, don’t shy away from showcasing your real personality online, so that when you do find a partner on the app, they like you for who you are, and not a curated projection of you. 

But, are beige flags all that bad?

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It depends. They can be quite subjective—what you think is a boring trait might just be what another person is looking for. Sure, quoting Friends in your profile might not convey much about you, but it may compel another die-hard fan of the show to swipe right on you. 

Beige flags on dating apps aren’t the end of the world and, of course, it’s still possible to find someone you like even if your profile isn’t the most fun.