Constant commenting about my clothes

[Tanfastic]

So I like clothes, fashion, shoes, handbags. I do not have expensive taste but I like to look nice and make the most of my (ageing) appearance. Most of my clothes are from supermarkets, sales or H&M. I don't smoke and I hardly drink. Clothes are my thing. I work full time and I have a half decent disposable income......now here's the thing.

There is someone I work with who constantly comments (I mean nearly every single day) on my clothes. Mainly the same comment which goes something like this...I walk into the room, she says bloody hell you've got so many clothes. Then she'll say to another colleague ...."hasn't she so and so...Tanfastic has so many clothes. "Another new top"...(I've worn it before)...more clothes than anybody you...more bloody clothes. Look ok at her so and so...more bloody clothes, so much clobber that one.

Today, I walk into her office....."is that a new top"?

Me..."no I've had it a couple of years"
Her..."not seen it before"

Her...."more bloody clothes than anyone you....more clobber etc etc etc.....on and fucking on.

Every single day for the last two years....

It's pissing me off and becoming boring now. I've tried taking the piss out of her comments....but still she doesn't stop. I've tried ignoring but still she doesn't stop.

Colleague earns twice as much as me. I know her very well and she has the disposable income to buy as many clothes as me but chooses to spend it on other things.

Anybody else get this? How do you deal with it without being rude?

I wouldn't, I'd be rude. She's rude.

I would literally just say "oh you're only jealous" with a big smile on my face and deal with any lovely comments following that.

Someone in my office is exactly the same with me. I think she’s trying to make me feel bad and all materialistic. I can’t think of any other reason

Just tell her to change the record. Yes I have got a lot of clothes. Please stop commenting. It’s my business.

Develop a standard response. Eg “Yes, clothes are my thing, I have a lot.” Whenever she says anything, respond in exactly the same way. If she still doesn’t get the message after you’ve done it for a week then print out the same sentence forty times on a sheet of paper and hand her one copy everytime she says it - say “I got bored with saying the same thing all the time so I thought this would save effort. Maybe you could do the same?”

I'd be tempted to answer with the truth, something like 'yes I do have quite a lot of clothes, I think it's one of life's pleasures and it's what I personally like to spend my money on. That's not a problem really is it?'
Or words to that effect

The thing is it literally could only sound jealous to anyone listening. There's no other way it could be perceived. She's doing a great job of making herself look like a cow all by herself, and OP look like a nice woman with nice clothes, so win win.

Honestly I've tried every come back.....she still carries on.

It's time to be rude isn't it?

She appears to spend a lot of money on food and drink...I'm half tempted to say bloody hell another bottle of wine, you bought one yesterday didn't you?

I get it with days out. We like to spend our money on going to see places. So we do that any time we have free time.
There are several friends who whenever I see them comment on how many places we visit along the lines of 'wow how do you find the time? how do you find the money?' etc etc (they will have seen pics on facebook of stuff we have been doing I suppose)
I do find it incredibly annoying because it doesnt actually take loads of time and money. We do it on the cheap and just whenever we are free.
There are some people out there who just simply cannot fathom that other people may have different interests or priorities to them.
Everyone wants to spend their money on something that makes them happy, be that cothing or travelling or whatever.
Yet there are these people that simply cannot get their heads around anyone wanting to spend time or money on something that is not what they would spend time or money on.
Sadly I dont think theres much you can do to make them see the light.
Im sure most reasonable people will think shes tedious and a bit stupid to be honest. Id keep trying to ignore her.

Yeah definitely time to be rude. It doesn't have to be much - it's mainly in the tone of voice.

I'm trying to distance myself from her but sometimes I have no option but to walk past her desk.

Some great ideas here, will try them one by one until she gets the message.

Get a couple of badges made

“Yes, it’s new”

“No, I’ve worn this before”

I like that idea glitter 😂

I have felt the need to justify on occasions I.e "oh this old thing, bought it for a fiver in Sainsbury's".

Not anymore. Although to be fair it is probably true 😂. I don't spend a lot on clothes, I'm just good at pulling a cheap outfit together.

This woman never buys clothes. She wears the same three tops every week on a rotation with the same pair of black trousers. Nothing wrong with that but fuck off with the commenting on my chosen attire!

Ha yes @Tanfastic you should say "oh this old thing it's Gucci it was £400 in the sale"

😂😂😂

Next time she asks if something is new roll your eyes and say " not again change the record!" And walk away without listening to her reply

Yes! Get a couple of ping pong paddles with "yes this is new" "no this is old". Hold them up len goodman style

''Someone in my office is exactly the same with me. I think she’s trying to make me feel bad and all materialistic. I can’t think of any other reason''.

I agree with this comment. I work with a woman whose body shape doesn't lend itself to experimenting with fashion. I know what I like and I think I have a good eye but she will always try and insinuate that I have a shopping problem, or that I've bought another pair of shoes, or that she can't imagine where i put all my clothes. I have no more clothes than anybody else. She is trying to make me look like a bimbo I think. I have said ''oh I've a good eye, so I pick things up without working too hard at it'', trying to get her to park it. She also said once that she had spent her money on a DEGREE. I said it's not either /or you know, the occasional pair of top shop boots won't prevent me from embarking on any further education.

Some people are so annoying

at the badges.

Or see if you can get some little hand held buzzers. A big “BZZZZ.. WRONG” with stern face, or a big “DING... CORRECT!” Followed by prerecorded cheering.

I too would go with a breezy ‘goodness me, change the record!’ Then the next time ‘And again! C’mon, its getting boring!’ And so on. Let no comment pass but don’t justify yourself or give her any info, make it all about her.

I've complimented colleagues on their clothes and have been greeted with 'well I have to do something to cheer me up in the morning' or 'well I haven't got anywhere else I'll wear it soon'. Good answers and I don't compliment often!

Yes I think it's quite nasty when I think about it.

It wouldn't be so bad if she said "oh I like your top, it's lovely" and left it at that but no it's the "you've so much clobber you".....hasn't she so and so.....Tan has so many clothes, something new every day, blah blah boring boring boring.😴

or how about

it's funny, I never notice what you're wearing!

I would have to get rude/sarcastic pretty quick. It does sound bloody irritating.

I think I’d say “Maureen, I’ve tried to humour this obsession you have with my wardrobe, but it’s become very tedious. Let’s assume all my clothes are either new, or old, without daily clarification. Or I will have no choice but to come in naked.”