Fredde ten Boom is tall and lanky (at 5’10 and 150 pounds) and quite flat-chested. Her light brown eyes, flat and opaque, mask a sharp intelligence. Her wind- and sun-burned face with crows-feet from constantly squinting into the African sun is largely unacquainted with cosmetics. Her dark-blond hair is cropped boyishly short and her manner is rather masculine as well, breezy and rough, making no concession to her gender. She dresses in good-quality men’s clothing, whether in town or out in the bush. She smokes and drinks with abandon.

Her voice is high-pitched and nasal. She speaks English with a slight Dutch/Afrikaans accent and Dutch with a faint Scottish burr. Her language can be shocking at times, though when she makes an effort it is almost genteel. Her laugh is a careless guffaw, usually at someone else’s expense.