Complimenting strangers on their dress

[MakemineaGandT]

Do you ever do this?! I usually feel too awkward to do this and don’t want to accidentally offend someone somehow, so mostly just keep the thought in my head, which seems a shame really. But occasionally I’ve given a random stranger a compliment and it’s brightened my day as well as theirs. The best time ever was admiring a woman’s incredible jacket while waiting to pay for a car parking session. She was so delighted - it turned out she’d made it herself and it was her first time wearing it.

Once or twice it has happened to me and it really has made my day.

So my question is - do you do this or has it ever happened to you? Should we do it more?!

I like to do it and like to receive a compliment. I did tell a lady the smell of her perfume was beautiful and she looked at me like I’d told her she smelt of shit. Can’t win em all

I find this happens to me in the US. Random women will say something about my dress or shoes. It’s lovely when it happens.

I did it twice yesterday. One to a younger than me lady in her twenties who told me it was new and where she had got it from and one to an older than me lady in her sixties who has wearing a blue dress and the colour suited her so much. It’s not something I do all the time but I think people might have been wearing their summer best yesterday.

I do it.

DD loves doing this. I always encourage her. It’s always to other women or girls and it could be hair or clothes or nails. But every single one of them smiles broadly back at her and sometimes gives her a compliment back, sometimes says thanks.

it always makes them smile and stand up a little straighter.

I do yes, and I always tell my friends they look fab, love their jacket, top, dress whatever, I find it just social currency, everyone loves a compliment,

it’s always the truth other than my sil. If I compliment someone else in front of her, she looks at me expectantly so I always wait a bit and then seperately say I love your top, even when I don’t, she’s shockingly bad dress sense, but she’s difficult, and if I don’t comment, she gets the right hump. It just smoothes thr relationship.

She is quite affluent and wears the cheapest looking clothes I’ve ever seen, like shiny nylon stuff in dated styles, that doesn’t fit her, I can’t even work out where she buys it from.

I wait a bit as it makes the first compliment look insincere if I do it right away, so usually wait till the first person isn’t present.

I do this.
If I have something nice to say about someone, I'll say it. If I've got a chance to make someone smile I'm taking it.
Do it.

yes we know we’re not defined by our jobs but if you think about it it’s literally your “worth” so I’m struggling too, there’s nothing about me, my qualifications, my experience or my expertise that would make my workplace pay me more so I feel terrible. back on the subject I also compliment strangers on their dresses

Yes I do, to men, women and children, and I'm not a loud confident type of person.

I walked past a house once where a dad and a teenager came out in wedding attire, looking a little awkward, fiddling their ties etc, I did a false wolf whistle and told them they looked absolutely great (they really did) and to have a lovely day. They relaxed and laughed, and I could tell it made them slightly more at ease with how uncomfortable the formal clothes made them feel.

I do think you have to judge each situation, I don't just shout things out!

@Corvidsarethebest @OhThePotential I hope I will get back to it, have had far more positive responses than negative overall (assuming they weren't just being polite), just need to get my confidence back about it I think.

But yes absolutely should always be sincere. My children have seen me do it and now also do it, there's something really lovely about a 4 year old sincerely telling someone much older 'i love your shoes!' and seeing the person start glowing!

My teenager compliments people all the time but is very specific in her compliments. One of friends said I should stop her doing it as it is dopamine seeking behaviour (she has ADHD) however she is clearly genuine in what she says and people react very positively to her compliments so I would say go for it.

I do this constantly, like every day.
I come into contact with way over 100 every day in my job.
I've never had any one respond with anything other than positivity.

I do this as an average twice a month. I like clothes and I like watching how other people put a look together even if it's not my style. And sometimes if someone looks really flat, I'll find something they are wearing that looks nice to comment on. Makes the world go round x

I'm pushing 70 now and I've noticed that lately I get far more compliments on my clothes from strangers than I've had at any stage of my life before. Not sure what's going on but it's very enjoyable. A lot are from young people, including young men and I really like it that I can just appreciate what they say without having to try and figure out if they're hitting on me. And yes, it's inspired me to compliment strangers more often too.

Editing to clarify, these are all compliments about either outfits or hair, not a generic, 'you look lovely'.

I go to gym classes with a bunch of women in their 20s and 30s. The compliments flow all day.

There was an instagram post recently where a man asked to have his picture on a mountain treated like it was a girls post. The compliments came in the thousands and it’s great read.

Yes there is being false, but it will always brighten one tiny bit of someone’s day.

I might be odd, but I don’t like it when strangers compliment me. If it’s a bloke, I think he’s a creep, if it’s a woman, I think she’s a bit weird. I realise that’s a ‘me’ problem and people are just being nice.

I do it. I live by the philosophy of ‘if you have something nice to say, say it!’ I will compliment clothes, shoes, perfume, good service, other people’s kids being lovely etc.

I do it all the time. I’ve had it happen to me on the odd occasion and it’s often made my day or at the very least brought a smile to my face and spring in my step as I struggle with confidence.

There is a huge difference between saying "i love your outfit/hat/ dress" and "what you are wearing looks amazing on you/really suits you". Thr first one isnt really a compliment, it is fishing for where the outfit is from and i find it a bit i intrusive when its from someone i dont know.

Yes! We should all do this! It’s so lovely and you both walk away a little happier.

Always! If I see someone looking good, I’ll tell them.

I work in sexual health so a lot of my patients are a bit nervous about being there. If they are wearing a nice dress, have pretty nails or a cool tattoo, I’ll compliment them and it usually breaks the ice a bit. I wouldn’t make any mention of physical features because that’s a bit unprofessional.

I don’t really get compliments anymore since I’ve got older and fatter, but a teenage goth shouted that she liked my hair the other day (I am a semi-retired goth but my hair is a little nod to the old days!) and that gave me a boost for the day it’s nice to be nice!

I do it all the time if I think someone is wearing something interesting and have it said to me quite often too. I’ve never had a negative reaction from a recipient.

I’m 60 and have lost a lot of weight recently and suddenly I’m getting noticed again. I have a quirky bright style and wear a lot of my own hand made creations. Women often stop me to admire a piece and ask where I bought it from. I love telling them it’s me-made. 😁

Really? I always say the first, quite deliberately because I think the second is far too personal and pass remarkable. I appreciate the first type. I really wouldn't appreciate the second.

I absolutely do not treat "I love your dress" whether giving or receiving the compliment as anything more than the dress is fab and a compliment on my (or the recipient's) skill and taste at finding it.

Before I had kids a little lost girl came up to me in a shopping centre , she was about 4 , she asked me to help her find her Mum , she said I looked like a nice Mummy lady , I was thrilled ! I eventually approached security who gave me a telling off for walking around with her and not going to them first , I was a bit clueless ! Her Mum didn’t look so thrilled either . 🙄

My 17 year old son came back from the gym recently saying he had given out 20 compliments, he said even of the old guy that always looks like he hates life, that his face lit up. It made my son feel good too.