Its a sad fact of life that "plain old boring" is usually what works. WE love lurid, vivid and extravagant, but that is often the last thing we need.
Take boots vs. high heels, for example - you can wear boots anywhere, but try high heels out in the pasture or when chopping wood.
High-heels: zippy! fashionable! Near useless.
Boots: plain old boring. Infinitely useful
Orpingtons in all their various forms are the same way, the "boots" of the chicken world. No, they dont have feathers sticking out at all angles, naked necks or anything even remotely frilly or fashionable about them. NO, they aren't demanding, flighty or difficult to handle.
But they work. They are dependalble and can do anything you want of a chicken, from laying prodigious quantities of eggs to making decent table fair. They can grow quite large and will happily forage under almost any practical circumstances. They require little special treatment or worry. Give 'em the basics and leave 'em alone - they'll reward you.
Sure, "boring" isn't fun to look at or talk about, but those in the know will know, you know?
