More dowdy; more unfashionable, dull, or drab in appearance than something or someone else.
Comparative form of dowdy, whose origin is uncertain but may relate to 'dow' or Dutch/Low German origins. First appeared in English around the 1670s.
The word 'dowdy' perfectly captures 17th-century anxiety about fashion—it was used to mock women who didn't keep up with the latest styles, showing how fashion judgment goes way back!
From dowdy (unfashionable woman). Comparative form reinforces feminine gendering of aesthetic judgment and relies on a term historically used to mock women's appearance.
When describing style preferences, avoid applying 'dowdy' gendered stereotypes; use descriptive terms ('conventional', 'understated') neutral to all genders.
["less fashionable","more conventional"]
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