Back handed compliments

When I was about 30, I tried on my new coat for my mum. She said "it makes you look bigger than ever". I was about a size 12/14 then and I've never worked out what she meant.

My mother, being shown a new top by a friend asked thoughtfully 'Does it suit you?'
A friend of mine was being divorced and visited with her boyfriend, a mild young man. Mother positively chortled ''You, cited as a co-respondent, Roger? What a joke!'

Last weekend I read a poem I'd written to teenage GDs. Older one said 'Did YOU write that?' Her younger sister said disappointedly 'Oh, I thought it was a proper poem!'

All really funny!

I have a 'thing' about my face now! My mother always said to me " your hair looks lovely at the back" presumably my face spoilt the view from the front. Not long after my mother died my father said "you don't look a bit like your mum, she had a lovely face" Oh dear!

When I was teaching years ago a student said to me after the lesson : I've got a dress a bit like that - you can have it if you like that sort of thing as I don't like it! I declined the offer.

I went to show my late MIL the outfit that I'd bought for DS's wedding (plain skirt and vest top, with an over-coat in toning swirly-patterned chiffon). She took one look and said, 'Oh Sue, it's really you - big and bold..!' She was the kindest - and most tactless - of women, and the phrase has gone into our family sayings and is a lovely memory of her.

I was in the maternity hospital in 1970 the day after daughter born. MIL visited and said "what a beautiful baby" and turning to me - "you have surprised me !" That's right, we never got on.

Whilst looking at some of mine & my hubbys holiday photos my mil asked who is this (it was me I was wearing shorts a hat & sunglasses) when my hubby replied its Jen mil said "oh I am surprised I didn't think your bum was as big as that"

When I went to my DB's 1st wedding, I'd had a massive rush to get there getting my 3 young children and myself ready and leaving another ( sick child) with relatives. My mother saw me arriving and walked past me. I called her, "Oh sorry I didn't recognise you, you look nice"
I

misadventure you are a funny lady ! some crackers on this thread , I have tears from laughing .

My dad honestly thought he was handing out a compliment when he told my sister and me that the women in the family had all the brains, and the men all the looks

With a group of friends, all in our 60s, I help run a popular village toddler group. "We love coming here" said one mother. "In my country, old people don't do anything!" (She comes from Rumania.....)We took it as a compliment!

A friend said to me recently "I had a coat like that, but I've given it to the charity shop"

F77ms,
We're all funny ladies - every one of these has given me a laugh!

What a great topic I have been chuckling to myself .
When my oh was in his early 20s sold a teenager a motorbike the lad asked him did you do a lot of riding when you were young ?

I had many years of total strangers saying "Your mum's beautiful, it's shame you look so like your dad"!
My aunt once said "I love the style of your hair, but hate the colour you've got it"....the colour was natural!

My DD1, travelling with a singles group, had the youngest member - 18 year old - compliment her on how good she looks for someone twice her age. Followed with "gee, I guess I'll be 36 one day". Not if you keep talking like that, thought DD1 ominously.

A friend said to me "If I ever had my ears pierced, which I never would, I'd wear ear rings like yours."

She also said "Your garden would be nice if it wasn't for those weeds under that spindly tree."

Another friend said that I had lost weight on my diet and the jowly bits on my nick were less noticeable.

Oops that should read neck not nick.

My mother in law at my daughters wedding said to me " I always knew you could look nice"!

I was talking to a class of day-release students about shopping on a budget and happened to mention Oxfam. After a short pause, one of them looked at the dress I was wearing and said, 'Have you been to Oxfam recently miss?'
As it happened it was a gloomy looking dress my mother had palmed off on me because it didn't suit her. Guess where I took that dress!

New shoes I asked "oh yes, but they're only for walking in"

My SiL, when I showed her some earrings I'd bought on holiday, said "I can't wear anything like that, they make me feel tarty". Ever afterwards, DH & I referred to them as my tarty earrings.

Some years ago I was walking to the shops with my two grandsons. The younger one was racing ahead so I said "Slow down darling, Grandma's getting old." The little darling replied "You're not old Grandma, you only look it." I should add I was only in my 60s!

annifrance im sur the little one meant a lovely soft velour sofa and not a dried out & cracked old leather sofa