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Original poster

Backhanded compliments

165 replies

PlinkPlink · 04/10/2018 23:35

When I used to play rugby, we went on a night out in the local town for a piss up a spot of team bonding.

One of the ladies, who had never really bothered speaking to me (so I didn't bother either), turned to me and said "You know, Plink, you're actually alot more interesting than I thought you were." HmmHmm

😂😂

Granted, she was drunk but I'm curious and want to hear -

What backhanded compliments have you received? The more outrageous the better! 😂

(This is obviously lighthearted 😂)

OP posts:
TheChocolateTrain · 06/10/2018 05:15

My parents insisted I had some proper portrait photos taken for my 21st. When the proofs came back my mum said "You know, I've never really noticed it before but you can look quite pretty sometimes!" I never know whether to be offended by the comment or pleased because it's the first compliment she ever paid me.

Shadow1234 · 06/10/2018 05:23

A work colleague once said to me

'I really like the way you do your make up. Does it take a long
time to make you look that good?

Teaformeplease · 06/10/2018 06:37

A boyfriend told me "you'd be quit pretty if it wasn't for the bags under your eyes".Hmm

Hmmalittlefishy · 06/10/2018 06:58

Work colleague when I was pregnant
'I'm surprised you have such a nice neat bump as you've been quite fat before now haven't you'

Dizzylin · 06/10/2018 07:12

We were having a works night out and all got changed at work. One colleague, "you scrub up well" immediately followed by the CEO "that's like saying, you look good for a fat girl" erm ta...

FrangipaniBlue · 06/10/2018 09:01

Mil "you know you really surprised me with how well you took to motherhood, I was expecting you be be constantly running to me for help/advice but you just got on with it!"

Luckily I acknowledge that I am not maternal in any way shape or form and knew what she meant.

I love my MIL to bits and the feeling is mutual so I know that in her head she genuinely meant it as a compliment and not a back handed one at all!!

Still makes me chuckle though Grin

FrangipaniBlue · 06/10/2018 09:04

told by a 15yr old boy I fancied that I had thighs like a rugby player. Meant as a compliment be side it turned out he fancied me too but 14yr old me didn't take it that way and I was self conscious of my thighs well into my 20s.

37yr old me now beams with pride when my PT refers to me as "quadzilla" Grin

KingsScorn · 06/10/2018 09:09

There have been many from the same source but this one stands out as I found it funny so it stuck - it was a game of two halves.

We were going out somewhere with PIL a few years ago - on seeing me MIL made a point of saying how nice my new smock like top was an how much it suited me.

I was surprised by the pure compliment and got in the car with them. Driving through the town a few minutes later MIL was scanning the crowd...then made a point of commenting on a SLIM girl wearing a similar style smock top to me - really drumming home how she hates to see slim people wearing those type tops and if they have a nice figure they really shouldn't wear them. Grin.

mummytoc · 06/10/2018 09:22

A potential teenage love interest : “you look so cute with your puppy fat, you are going to lose it right?” Confused safe to say I didn’t make him my boyfriend

My MIL the day after my wedding, “your long sleeved bolero you wore was really pretty, I can see why you wore it, it covered up your arms nicely”

My cousin on viewing a photo taken at a birthday party “you actually look nice in this one!”

brizzledrizzle · 06/10/2018 09:43

'You must have been really pretty when you were younger'
from ex-Mil. My reply 'I doubt you were' (in my head!)

mumtoh · 06/10/2018 10:44

My (now Ex) SIL once said to me 'they say it's either face or figure and you're definitely face'.... Hmm

TBF it's normally me putting my foot in it...

jb7445 · 06/10/2018 11:00

This reply has been withdrawn

This has been withdrawn by MNHQ for breaking our Talk Guidelines.

SoozC · 06/10/2018 11:11

Years ago I went on a date with a guy and really liked him. The next day he emailed and said he could probably "have a fling" with me but not an actual relationship. Hmm

In the last month of uni (which I'd found really hard, not many friends, depression) walking on campus with some people from my course and one popular girl says "you're actually really funny, I wish I'd got to know you sooner". Yeah, you and me both because I spent a long time trying to be friends with you people and now we're about to leave you say that.

gutrotweins · 06/10/2018 11:19

When I was 18, my boyfriend told me that I'd probably be one of those women who would be good looking in their 40s.

(He was wrong, by the way! Grin)

ScienceIsTruth · 06/10/2018 12:29

Got a few:

Was told that I looked like Bette Midler (he saw it as a compliment, I didn't!).
Was told I'd be really pretty if I lost weight as my face was lovely, but too chubby! I was a UK14 at the time.

Original poster
PlinkPlink · 06/10/2018 12:30

KingsScorn that's like an extended backhanded compliment there. Dragging it out for maximum impact 😂

Some of these are so brazen! Especially mumToH 's one!!

OP posts:
ScienceIsTruth · 06/10/2018 12:30

Posted too soon.
Last one from oh: I feel in love with you before I knew what you looked like!

lifechangesforever · 06/10/2018 12:33

I've also had my cervix complimented on 🙈 "you can tell you haven't had children, everything is nice and tight up there" which I was both embarrassed and chuffed about!

My mum is the queen of backhanded compliments, I shall be back with some when I remember!

ScienceIsTruth · 06/10/2018 12:34

*fell, not feel, obviously!

SerenDippyEggs · 06/10/2018 12:37

Yesterday a random woman in the pub tried to guess my age - I'm early 20s, she said "oh I'll guess early 20s because you have nice hair like you can be bothered to sort it, and you can't be too old because you have spots so that's good"

Thanks Hmm I wanted to hide in the toilets - acne has always been a problem for me. I thought my skin had improved but clearly bloody notGrinBlush

Pinkyponkcustard · 06/10/2018 12:37

You’ve got lovely big feet, you’ll have no problems birthing babies! (Smear clinic nurse)

Bobaboutwhat · 06/10/2018 12:48

I had just received a significant qualification through work and a colleague said ‘you must feel disappointed knowing you didn’t have to do much for it’.... no surprise that she is the most passive aggressive person (malicious bitch) I have ever had the misfortune of knowing!!!

EvaHarknessRose · 06/10/2018 12:54

My late fil ‘when i first met you i thought you were a bit dumpy but you are actually ok’ (not even much compliment there).

I dumped a friend who does this but about mine and others children Angry ‘its so lovely that she doesn’t care how she looks’ or ‘i wish my (preteen girl) was so into her make up and her looks’ . Poisen.

brizzledrizzle · 06/10/2018 13:30

I had just received a significant qualification through work and a colleague said ‘you must feel disappointed knowing you didn’t have to do much for it’...

Obviously you are so good at your job that it wasn't hard for you, whereas bitchy colleague would probably have to slog her guts out and then fail anyway.

NutElla5x · 06/10/2018 13:49

Nurse at the hospital glancing down at my hands "Oh you've got lovely veins!" I wasn't even the patient lol.

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