Back handed compliments

I once(stupidly) told my Dad that I was fighting scrawniness. He replied 'and winning dear, winning.'
I went back to Weightwatchers

When DS1 was at infant school his headmistress told me that he was a very bright boy .. followed by "Does he take after his father?" .. Nice!!!

When I was teaching, we were all dressing up for red nose day. I wore a long blond wig and bright red lipstick. A 10 year boy in my class looked at me and exclaimed, 'Wow, Mrs G, you look 50 years younger.' I was about 48 at the time

A friend of my SIL commented to her that I had lovely eyes, she agreed and said they're her one redeeming feature!

My late gran told me that I looked really nice and should wear dresses more often. "especially now that you are not so bloomin' fat" she added.

My mother was good at these. She used to say things like 'I think you're quite pretty really' (the words 'despite what everyone else thinks' going unsaid).

My ex husband's nan once said to me that I should wear skirts more often to show off my nice sturdy legs.

My young niece once said to me 'I hope I look as good as you when I'm your age'. Still not sure about that one.

My father died this year aged 98. I showed a friend a photo of him taken at my wedding in 1969, she said,"Oh my God, he's drop dead gorgeous, who would have thought you had a father like that"? Eŕrrrrrrrr!

When working in a University a student who was pleased that I had been able to help him with a difficult to source book said 'I bet you were really cute when you were young'.I was under forty at the time...

At the swimming pool DGS aged 6, gave me a great big hug around the thighs and said 'Oh Grandma I love you legs, they're just like a lovely, soft, squashy sofa'. I'm sure it was meant as a compliment!

My mother once told me how awful she felt when my father told her, 'You're quite nce looking. What a pity about your ankles.'

Whatever was wrong with them I realised I had the same ankles so my dad got two of us with the same remark.

Still, I have worked out since then that the ankles were the least of it so that's put it all in perspective!

Jane10 Your dad's comment reminded me of that line in Absolutely Fabulous where Edina says that inside her there is a thin woman striving to get out, to which her mum replies "Just the one dear?"

A man once said to me "You've made a happy man very old."

As head of the infants department of our school, I was taking new parents on a tour of our facilities. One mother asked which teachers would be teaching the two new kindergarten classes. I replied that they would be taken by Mrs A and myself ( we were both in our early forties). "Oh" she said, "I was hoping they would be taken by someone young and enthusiastic!"

On a rare visit to a great-aunt, who I had not seen for many years, she told me, " oh you've improved. You were a very plain child "

I was once told by a man I was dancing with that I looked like Shirley Williams, the MP. I must say that I wasn't very pleased, as I don't look like her, but he was quite drunk at the time. The following week I was waiting in the queue to be served at the bar, he came up to me and said, "Oh, now I've got a good look at you, you don't look much like Shirley Williams". I felt a bit better about it. Then added "She's much better looking than you".
" ""

My favourite left field compliment came from DGD. age 6. 'Nan, I expect when you die a lot of people will miss you'.

When contemplating whether or not to go swimming (overweight and tummy conscious) I was trying swimsuit on and looking in a mirror. My then 9 year old DD looked at me and said 'I looks fine mummy' I turned to thank her when she said 'Anyway, fat people should haven too'

I'd always bathed in the pleasure of my 3 year old DGD saying to me, at her mummy's wedding, "Grandma you look stunning."

8 years later we were walking together when she turned to me saying "Grandma, when I said at mummy's wedding that you looking stunning....I didn't mean it!'

This from my own Mum, when I was, as a teenager, trying to grow my hair,
" You don't have a face for long hair"

Then when I tried it curly,
" You don't have a curly face"

I was running out of options, Paper bag ?

The man I was keyworker to, who had a learning disability greeted me one morning with "You look lovely today - almost human!"

I was once told that I was quiet until I opened my mouth!

I went to uni late. I was 27 and a young man showed an interest. I knew he was only first year, age 18, so I made a point of saying I was almost 10 years late starting uni.

Really? he said... You don't look over 25 and I like older women.

Burst out laughing... as I was the one who didn't want to rob the 'emotional' cradle. In the US he could not even drink yet!

First, let me say how much these posts have made me laugh.

My DMil was great at doing this. She told my DD to hurry up and get a boyfriend as she wanted to still be alive to come to the wedding -she was about 14 at the time. DD said she wouldn't have a big, white wedding anyway to which Mil replied, you'll be alright you will have lost weight by then.

Also, I was out with her when we saw an old school friend of my DH who she hadn't seen since he was young. When I explained who he was she said 'Sorry, I didn't recognise you as your ears don't stick out as much now your head has got bigger.

I must stress she was a lovely lady but just didn't always put here brain in gear before she opened her mouth.

My husband to be once said to me I don't know why I fancy you rotten, you're not exactly Brigit Bardot are you! I replied well your not exactly Paul Newman. We are still together, married a long time!!!