Backhanded Compliments

We had a colleague who was notorious for such statements. "Your hair looks nice - from the back." Or "These trousers are lovely. I wouldn't have the nerve to wear them if I was your size." We used to compile a book of sayings. Some were breathtaking in their cheek!

Thank you MissA. I'll repeat the one from the other thread. A friend said recently 'You used to be stunning didn't you?'
Also, when I was in my 40s, I didn't look too bad. I was nice and slim. A younger girl in our office, who was very, very overweight, said to me 'I've got a compliment for you. Someone mistook me for you from the back yesterday.' She thought I'd be pleased because she was younger. I wasn't.

A neighbour ( since moved thankfully ) once said to me,
‘ Oh I’m so glad to see you out and about. I was only saying to my daughter yesterday how ill and SHABBY you looked the last time we met ‘

Why can you never find a gun when you need one ?

My friend asked to see my bedroom, which I had just decorated.
"Oh it's lovely!" Says she.
"It looks like a w****'s boudoir"

She was obviously impressed by your excellent taste, MissAdventure - perhaps you should pursue a career in interior design ?

Obviously.
I'm wasted in my current role.

I had a man round to cut a piece off a worktop a few weeks ago.
When he came in, he said "Very shabby chic!" as he took in the decor.

Last time I went to my hair place, I wore a dress. My hairdresser said 'Oh you look nice. I'd wear that.' In other words, I wouldn't wear any of the other old lady tat I've seen you in.

I washed my hair this morning and let it dry naturally as it's too hot to use a hairdryer.
DH said "I do like your hair like that, it's really wild and frizzy".


A neighbour once stopped to give me a lift and said "You looked so slim and lovely I didn't realise at first it was you".
I declined the lift, don't like him anyway.
(This was years ago, since then he has told me I'm getting portly.)

At least that’s acceptable ( as seen in the Sunday Times Home supplement ) which apparently hasn’t had a feature yet on your bedroom decor. Is it in next week perhaps ?
I haven’t ever heard the term shabby chic used relating to fashion !
I understood perfectly that my former neighbour really meant to say ‘ last time I saw you, you looked like a tatty old bag.’

I’ve always been a bit of a fashion icon.
Mulberry are going to name a bag after me -
The Frump.

Another care home one.
At the end of a long shift, the last lady to help into bed asked "Are you alright? You look worn out"
I told her I was tired, and she asked if there was s nice husband to look after me when I got home.
When I said no, she said "Ahh, what a shame. Mind you, you have really let yourself go lately"

These are very funny. It's a good job we can laugh about it.

I can think of loads.
No wonder my self esteem is in tatters.

When I said no, she said "Ahh, what a shame. Mind you, you have really let yourself go lately
MissAventure That's not a backhand compliment!
That's a forehand smash!

Oh MissAdventure !
The temptation to put arsenic in her nighttime hot chocolate must have been overwhelming !!

She was a nice old soul though.
It was said from a place of love, or, erm, something.

I once bought a red and white spotted shorts/top set with matching flip flops when the children were small. My youngest said OOOH mum you look lovely, just like Minnie Mouse when I looked in the mirror I had to admit I did.

Gushing compliments from my DH range from "You look really smart" to "Very nice". So my face was a picture when he helped a very glamorous lady down from our holiday tour coach with a "Oh, you look lovely tonight, Diane". On seeing said face, he handed me down with a "And you look nice as well".

Oh, and we were in a tiny, romantic Paris restaurant when he leant towards me and whispered "This candlelight.........doesn't half show your spots up".

If there's any arsenic left over, chuck it over here.

Are you still with him, Maggiemaybe?
As they advise on Mumsnet - LTB!

?

Not a backhand compliment, just a comment from my five year old grandson, on my perfume:
"You smell awful, you want to check yourself."
His mother was mortified!

Oh, I've considered it, Callistemon! But his DNA check proved that he was 94% Yorkshire, so I think it's in the genes (and he does do all the cooking and hot beverages....).