Was this weird of me at work?

@YoureALizardHarry11 I never said "intimidated". I said "low key uncomfortable". Lots of things can make you feel uncomfortable without there being some sort of imminent threat, and it doesn't mean I think "something will happen" to me. I did have a friend who was harassed for her looks by an older woman who persistently commented on her looks and made her super uncomfortable (and was otherwise inappropriate too)
Not saying this is op or her intention at all (she seemed genuine), but I think workplace is just not one for comments about looks, unless it is between people who are close outside work as well

Jealous and never been called a barbie doll lmao. Probably the sort to pick on pretty and glamorous women in the office.

I probably would have stopped at "love your hair".

Adding the "you're beautiful" seems too much to me.

But if she was OK I guess it doesn't matter?

Unless she was just being polite/kind!

A woman at work came in with her hair newly coloured in a really lovely combination of colours, we hadn’t really spoken before but I had to comment. We got chatting about it and have become friends as a result, she’s lovely. Nothing wrong with that at all.

I’ve said that to complete strangers when it’s called for. Everyone loves compliments.

I don't compliment people every day but I have no issues to tell someone they have a beautiful something, usually clothes item. People does that as well to me.
I had had many nice dress, I love your jumper, what a lovely beautiful daughter you have, I love your hair, etc from completely strange women in the supermarkets, on the street etc. They usually are older ladies. That makes me think that the older we get the less embarrassed we are to say something/someone is nice if we like it or that I dress like a lady in their 70s.
Both suit me well . 😂

Not weird at all. One of my colleagues told me my hair was beautiful and very shiny the other day so I recommended the solid shampoo and conditioner I use. It's just normal and friendly social interaction imo.

See, it just shows how we’re all so different, because I would not be at all intimidated by a friendly work colleague telling me I had beautiful hair in the toilets, but I’m frequently intimidated by drunk people (albeit men) telling me I’m beautiful when they’re drunk, because from experience they get overly touchy and confident trying to come on to me etc, and it’s scary when that happens. If it was a woman then I wouldn’t be bothered, drunk or otherwise. I really don’t understand what the issue is? What’s going to happen to you?

I would be low-key uncomfortable with this comment. A pissed fellow reveller at a club drunkenly telling me I look beautiful, fine. At work place, not so much. There are enough ways to compliment someone in a non-looks way that it's just not necessary at a work place. Like pp said, a comment about a jacket or a skirt being lovely or nice, or even complimenting a new hair cut or colour, great. Drawing attention to the way someone naturally looks is just not really a work place thing. I've also been at the receiving end when these comments went too far.

Agree, barbie dolls comment is super-cringe.

You've not said anything wrong at all. You've said something nice and she took it as a compliment. Your work colleague sounds like an idiot. Don't think on it and good on you for saying something kind to someone, it can make someone's day being given a compliment.

Think that says more about the woman who commented than anything else.(Perhaps a tad jealous.)
Why is it creepy? You didn't ask her out just paid her a compliment.

Not weird at all - if you can make someone happy, you should!
One of my Dad's care at home peeps said only today to my daughter "aren't you a beauty!" and my daughter (14yo) was delighted.
Your colleague is just mean, ignore her bitter ass ☺️

Surely it's a sad world where you can't compliment people

Absolutely this. How sad that telling someone they look good they is viewed as creepy and weird. At this rate people will be afraid to even make eye contact with other people, let alone talk to them.

There's an Instagram account where a guy walks round London shouting out compliments to people, you can tell it gives them a lift. Also the guy who stops people and takes their photo - Model strangers. It's wonderful, I recommend it if you haven't seen it.

It was fine. I always give compliments and love getting them. It uplifts people and makes them feel good. Nothing wrong with it at all. I imagine many ladies don't want to tell a beautiful woman that her hair's nice, because of jealousy. Good for you for being genuine and nice.

I think it's creepy. Toilets are vulnerable spaces for a lot of people as it is, that's why there are signs on the door when the cleaner is a bloke

As a dyed-in-the wool Gen X, I won't be applying the fundamentals of sexism and infantilism of women, peer reviewed or not, every time I want to pay someone a compliment as long as I know it comes from a good place. The terminally offended can kiss my menopausal behind.

It's a great thing to do, I think.

I compliment people. A couple of years ago I paid a compliment to a young student working in our local shop. She had glorious rust coloured, huge curly hair, which I absolutely love anyway. She didnt seem unhappy about it. I also told her she was beautiful as well, cos she was. But I felt self-conscious that I'd said it and proceeded to assure her I wasn't a weirdo . She just laughed and thanked me.

Where is the line though?

I’m sure I've read plenty of threads on here about parents wishing strangers would refrain from commenting on little girls’ appearances, all the “you’re so beautiful”, “you look so pretty in that dress” etc.

I was reading this article the other day: https://www.huffpost.com/entry/lab-preschool-girls-study-beauty_n_663faf84e4b0866a5b2bfb51?utm_source=cordial&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=hp-us-reg-morning-email_2024-05-31&utm_term=us-morning-email&email_hash=19d8c722410e3e31fea5dba7689bfb525725a586

I don’t love Huffpost or agree with all of it but having recently read it, the post by@Handsomesquidward makes me feel a bit uncomfortable.

I also would go out of my way to compliment other women but moreso for their personal style, something they are wearing or haircut/hair-do or cool hair colour, not for being pretty. I don’t think that’s appropriate in a workplace either!

By giving them compliments! Saying someone's hair is lovely and they look beautiful is not referring to them as Barbie dolls. What an odd comment.

We need more compliments & kindness in the world. Anyone that thinks that was weird needs to lighten up. You didn’t say anything of a sexual nature like “you have a lovely arse” ffs 🤦🏼‍♀️ Lovely compliment about her hair it would’ve made my day! I like your warmth OP ignore your cranky mate.

I personally don't think it's creepy and OP clearly didn't intend it to be.

You're lovely, OP. My day would be made if somebody paid me a compliment such as this!

She was fine with it so it was fine.

However, other people might not be, because they might want to be complimented on their work rather than their looks.

I still get compliments from female strangers about my hair, and I'm always flattered and pleased. It's nothing like some perv looking you up and down and saying they like your tits.