Heard of “Beige Flags” from TikTok? Here’s What it Means…

It’s Friday night. Your favorite chips are on the nightstand, and you’re happily scrolling over TikTok. Everything seems in order, not until you stumbled upon an unusual video— there’s jazz music in the background, all while a random shot of a wrapped straw is shown in it. The text above says that his girlfriend’s “beige flag” is that she will keep the wrapper in her straw whenever they’re out dining to avoid him touching her straw.

This has got you thinking… What in the world is a “beige” flag? Is it something positive? Is it referring to something negative? Well, we’re here to help you out.

What is a Beige Flag?

The term “beige flag” was first mentioned by the Tiktoker itscaito in 2022, which meant signs that a potential date is boring. For example, if a guy’s dating profile only mentions “sneakerhead” and a bunch of mainstream series in his bio, he’s most likely a beige flag since what he puts out there isn’t unique. It’s an equivalent of “basic b*tch” slang, referring to women who enjoy mainstream trends like pumpkin spice latte, popular sitcom shows, etc.

However, this term ended up with a positive spin, as TikTok defines it now as “harmless quirks that one’s partner has.” Unlike red flags, which scream “danger ahead,” and green flags, which signal “go for it,” beige flags are peculiar habits that your partner may have. They aren’t inherently good or bad; they’re just part of what makes your partner unique.

Example of Beige Flags

Beige flags come in different forms. Some could be unusual eating habits, like a person insisting on using a knife when eating a burger, or just odd hobbies, like a person collecting vintage socks. Here are some of the real-life examples:

• From Emilyyshaw: Whenever she stops scratching her boyfriend’s back, her boyfriend does a quirky wiggle until she starts scratching his back again.
• From iahhatesphoebe: Her girlfriend’s beige flag is doing a subtle bounce whatever they’re doing.
• From cassandrapalumboo: Her boyfriend’s beige flag is that he doesn’t put his phone in silent mode ever since he’s afraid that his morning alarms won’t go off. He’ll then wake up in the middle of the night because of loud notifications on his phone.
• From blckkarma – Her boyfriend’s beige flag is that he doesn’t have any mirror in his room and only uses one half-body mirror in his bathroom.
• From Matthew Koma (winnetkabowlingleague) – Her wife Hillary Duff would literally sleep 8 minutes into a movie on a Saturday night, though ironically, she has a song talking about “waking up on a Saturday night.”

Is it Exclusive to Romantic Relationships?

Nope! Many people now share beige flags of their friends, family, and even themselves. A quick scroll on Tiktok using the tag #BeigeFlags will show you a bunch of peeps outing their own beige flags— it doesn’t come with the signature jazz sound, though.

Can a Beige Flag Turn into a Red Flag?

By definition, beige flags are just cute quirks that your partner has. However, some people proudly post their “beige flags” only to be seen as red flags. One notable video for that is Famerwill’s Tiktok, where he said that his beige flag would be faking a proposal whenever he asked to take a picture with his girlfriend in public. Most comments say that it’s actually a red flag, and he’s hurting his partner for doing those fake proposals, especially since he’s been doing it constantly.

Again, remember that beige flags are supposed to be harmless quirks. If there’s any hint of abusive or manipulative behavior on your partner, don’t dismiss it as beige flags. Trust your gut.

Takeaway

In the dating scene, we find ourselves hyper-focused on identifying red flags as potential deal-breakers or searching for those green flags that reassure us we’re on the right path.

However, beige flags remind us that our partners are like regular people with unique quirks. Rather than being sources of concern, these harmless habits can add depth, charm, and uniqueness to your relationship.

Please make sure they’re beige flags, not disguised red flags. That said, embrace the beige flags and cherish the quirks!