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Your oddest 'compliment'?

(71 Posts)
thatbags Mon 29-Feb-16 19:27:47

What's the oddest compliment you've ever had?

MrBags said I was like a black-headed gull once. I must have looked blank because he then explained: graceful flier (I can't fly, actually, but I was a good dancer), vivacious, garrulous. All things he is not.

He also once said I'm the clumsiest person he's ever known. That was before Minibags started crashing about the place hmm. I took that as a compliment too–you try flying gracefully and vivaciously (like a black-headed gull) around your house ?

dolphin Tue 01-Mar-16 11:28:21

Many (many) years ago I embroidered a tray cloth for my granny. She admired it and then spoilt it totally from that day until this by saying "and to think you did all that with your left hand"!!! She thought I was abnormal because I was left-handed! Oc course I htink left-handed people are special and I never really forgave her for that!!

felice Tue 01-Mar-16 11:33:10

I was just about to start a similar post, in Church on Sunday a friend said he really liked the colour of my jumper, and it was nice to see me wearing something that suited me hmm, his wife proceeded to kick him sharply. Then yesterday in a friends bar more than one person said I was looking better than they had seen me look in years. I think it's time to get into the wardrobe and have a sort out !!!

LullyDully Tue 01-Mar-16 11:34:02

A male friend of ours told me he would never make a pass at me like the other wives as MLD and I were obviously such a devoted couple.confused not sure whether to be flattered or not.

michellehargreaves Tue 01-Mar-16 11:46:13

I had been on a geography field trip - much clambering on hills, also wearing Doctor Scholl sandals (remember those?) When I got back, my father commented that I had " legs like a Roman charioteer "! I suppose he meant that all the exercise had defined my calf muscles - or maybe not? Puzzles me 50 years later.

Bubbe Tue 01-Mar-16 12:08:50

After a particularly fraught meeting at work, and you have that period of time afterwards when you chill-out and reflect on what happened ~ one of my colleagues described me as a rottweiler. It was definitely meant as a compliment.

Wilks Tue 01-Mar-16 12:14:46

I so wish there was a 'Like' button. Some of these are priceless!

sue01 Tue 01-Mar-16 12:27:50

I went to a Colour Me Beautiful Seminar years ago with my daughter. There were about 100 women together in a hotel.

The chap running it told me to stand up - then told everyone that I was a typical wasted block !!

Thought it was a tad harsh as I'd only had one drink... but what he actually meant was a block with a waist.

Andyf Tue 01-Mar-16 12:47:22

Rosesarered, yes I suppose it was a big ask. I was very flattered as they are a lovely close family and the children have Aunts & Uncles. Thankfully mum is in good health and the eldest in nearly 18 now.

TheMaggiejane1 Tue 01-Mar-16 12:51:39

My late MIL once said to me ' I wish I could have been like you when my children were small, just ignoring the house work to spend time with the children'. I'm sure she didn't mean it as a compliment but I chose to take it as one!

holcott48 Tue 01-Mar-16 12:56:43

When trying to do something skillful in a very unsuccessful manner, I was told that I was "like a cow with a musket" - goodness knows where that originates from!

dollyjo Tue 01-Mar-16 12:57:35

When working, a psychiatrist was giving a talk. He invited me to assist him. This was in front of a group of people whom I supervised.
He then asked me to do a fine pincer task using my right hand with my left hand behind my back and I couldn't do it. At which he told the audience, "She has mental health issues (he gave it a fancy name) and your brain is tilted the wrong way."
Before I could reply, he told me to sit down.
What I would have said is that I am left handed.
I never lived it down at work.

narrowboatnan Tue 01-Mar-16 13:08:17

My DS, when following me upstairs, once said "ruddy hell mother, you need a sign saying 'wide load' stuck on your ass!"

It took him a few days to recover from the cauliflower ear...

lizzypopbottle Tue 01-Mar-16 13:34:08

My Grandad, who I loved very much, reassured me that although I wasn't pretty, like my two sisters, I was attractive and that was more enduring. I was gutted. Now we are all in our 60s he's finally been proved right! smile All three of us are just as craggy as each other!

TriciaF Tue 01-Mar-16 14:44:34

narrowboatman - that's the kind of thing my eldest son says!
My example comes from school dancing classes - we learnt Scottish country dances. I heard my partner saying to his friend "Aye, she's a big lass, but she's light on her feet".

Juggernaut Tue 01-Mar-16 14:48:19

I've had years of people saying to me 'Your mum's a beautiful looking woman, what a shame you look like your dad'!
There's no answer to that really is there?

sluttygran Tue 01-Mar-16 14:55:17

My friend's dear old mum remarked on my daughter's good looks.
"She really is one of the most beautiful girls I've ever seen!" she gushed, then she added "She's not at all like you, though, is she?" hmm

mcculloch29 Tue 01-Mar-16 15:31:16

I have had many of the above said to me. I've developed a rhino hide.

I've also had exactly the same thing said to me by two boyfriends, that I was 'beautiful at some angles'.

What the visual effect is, or rather was, at the other angles, they didn't expand on, but I'm pretty sure I know..!

Almost twenty years ago and before the days of Photoshop being widely used, a very very talented friend took some photos of me. I was so pleased at the cleverly lit (and angled!) results.

Another "friend" who has since moved away, thankfully, commented about them: "I don't think those are very good photos of you at all. They make you far better looking than you actually are."

So much for "the camera never lies", then. :D

chrissyh Tue 01-Mar-16 15:41:59

All great but KatyK's made e laugh out loud and when I read the out to my DH he asked whether he now her ex-husband? Brilliant thread - I agree Wilks, shame there isn't a like button

Juliette Tue 01-Mar-16 16:17:20

'That's a lovely dress Juliette, the colour really suits you and it makes you look much slimmer than you actually are' confused

Maggiemaybe Tue 01-Mar-16 16:23:49

Thirteen and a half years between my sister and me and an old git gentleman we hadn't seen for many years said we were so alike he couldn't tell which was which.

Fine for her, not so good for me as the baby sister.

KatyK Tue 01-Mar-16 16:41:05

chrissyh no he's not my ex. Still married. He has a good sense of humour - at least I think he was joking grin Maggie I know the feeling. I am nine years older than my sister and someone she knew came up to her when we were out together recently and said 'oh and this must be your mum' Happy I was not!

AlgeswifeVal Tue 01-Mar-16 17:20:30

My friend said to me "I see you've had your hair cut" followed by a different raised tone in her voice, "Do you like it ?" (I think she was trying to tell me, she didnt )

Corncob Tue 01-Mar-16 17:24:36

My first date with a lad. He said to me you have lovely hair, its just like a horses tail. I was not impressed and he did not get a second date.

Corncob Tue 01-Mar-16 17:24:36

My first date with a lad. He said to me you have lovely hair, its just like a horses tail. I was not impressed and he did not get a second date.

NanKate Tue 01-Mar-16 17:25:55

I am lucky to have inherited my late Mum's nice skin.

A few years back I was at the outdoor market when I was chatting to the Australian assistant selling me some bread. I made some comment about being a pensioner, her reply was 'with that skin' and then shouted to her Aussie partner 'come and look at this customer's neck' ! I felt like a turkey. grin