"Goodness, you've lost weight!"

[NotQuiteCockney]

I ran into someone I hadn't seen for ages in the supermarket this morning, and she'd lost a fair bit of weight (a few stones, I'd say). She looked healthy and happy, and I was pretty sure the weight loss was on purpose.

But I couldn't bring myself to comment, given how much it annoyed me when people commented on my (much smaller, and somewhat accidental) weight loss.

Is there a polite way to comment? I worried she wanted me to say something, but I didn't know what to say ...

[misdee]

you look fantastic!

[NotQuiteCockney]

Oh, duh, yes.

God I suck at the whole "being a girl" thing.

[marthamoo]

I'm with misdee - unless I know someone very well I go with the "wow! You look great!" thing as, I don't know, there's something very personal about commenting on someone's weight, isn't there? If they then go "yeah, I've lost x stone" then you can say "oh well done" etc. but I'd leave it up to them.

[marthamoo]

But don't say "you're looking well" as apparetly that's code for "ooh, you've put weight on, haven't you?"

Like "you look tired" is code for "you look crap"

[NotQuiteCockney]

Trust me, there's no way she'd think I was saying she'd put on weight, the difference was huge.

I don't generally comment on other people's appearance, tbh, it just doesn't come to me.