Compliments, and what to do with them

When offered a compliment on your look by anyone, be they an acquaintance, dear friend or total stranger, try to refrain from batting it away with a depreciating statement. For example, avoid uttering “Oh, I got it on sale” or “This? It’s six years old!” even if that is the case. “It was the only clean thing I could find this morning” is just as bad and also a strange titbit of information to share unprompted. Other perennial offenders include variations on “I’ve hardly ever worn them” and a particular favourite of the fashion press: “It was gifted.” None of the above does anything for the complimenter or the complimentee. Instead, have the sense of self to willingly accept the commendation. Because you do look good, after all, and it’s not a sin to acknowledge it.