Appropriate compliments?

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Many times I have a compliment to give but am afraid to say it because it might come off as wierd.
Is it okay to compliment someone you don't know?
What are appropriate compliments?
Is it okay to compliment someone you do know?.....what if they are not single?

Last edited by liveandletdie on 04 Oct 2011, 1:22 am, edited 1 time in total.

It's one of those things I learned slowly through trial and error. In my experience it's more about timing - saying it at the right time in the right context, and gauging whether the person is likely to respond well. Don't take the person by surprise. Smile in a friendly way when you say it. If you say it with a poker face it is more likely to seem creepy. Everyone appreciates a compliment as long as it's not a creepy one. Avoid compliments that might sound sexual (unless the person is your gf/bf/partner).

I'll usually subtley slip a compliment into the conversation. Girls love that kind of thing.

"I'm not gonna let a beautiful girl like yourself walk these streets alone"
"Yeah I don't even think shes pretty, you're way prettier than her"

I was hanging out with this girl the other day, and she left her wallet in my dorm. And she was like "I keep leaving stuff in your dorm, you probably hate me!" and I was just like "But...you're beautiful". it made her blush.

It's all about timing.

And try to notice little things she did with her appearence. New hair, different clothes. "You look nice today, I like your hair". Girls loving hearing that kind of thing. Cuz they always go through such hell to make themselves look beautiful to guys, so when guys tell them they look beautiful they like...really appreciate it, you know?

The key is not to smother her with compliments, because then you don't sound sincere. You just sound like you want something out of her. For example. "YOU'RE GORGEOUS OMG YOU'RE THE MOST BEAUTIFUL GIRL IN THE WORLD I WANT TO MARRY YOU!"....Yeah...Don't say that.

someone told me once, if in doubt, compliment her shoes.

what would i say about them? =/

I compliment strange women pretty much constantly. Can't help it. Even though I have a girlfriend, I also have a constant need for female approval.

If something she's wearing stands out, ridiculous shoes or a gaudy piece of jewellry, compliment it. She probably wore it specifically because she was hoping for compliments. All you have to say is "I like your _______."

If you find yourself anxious and stumbling over words, say something along the lines of "Sorry, pretty girls always make me nervous."

The trick to having it go over well (assuming you're already certain she is in the mood for conversation) is to give a small genuine smile when you say it. And don't overload her with compliments; one per conversation is plenty, more comes off as desperate/creepy.

ok so my former husband explained something to me about compliments. he said if it is an acquaintance or stranger and you are not sure if you will come across creepy, do NOT compliment anything about her body or face. this works in your favour because if a girl has beautiful eyes or something, she will hear it every day. better to focus on where she has put personal effort into something. YES: ''awesome shirt!'' NO: ''gorgeous legs!''. if you know her pretty well already it is different.

p.s. he had to teach me that becaus i had a habit of telling random acquaintances they smelled good, and i told a coworker her dimples made her look like a cute doll... why yes, girls CAN be creepy lol. oh, and another exception is if you want to sexualise things quickly. if you make it clear you are noticing something physical she'll know what you have in mind. it can backfire spectacularly though. personally, my fave compliments are about my personality, my accomplishments.

Women sometimes tell me I smell good. I love it when that happens. I'm really sensitive to smell, and put a lot of attention into what soaps I use, what deodorant, what (and how much, or rather how little) cologne or aftershave. I probably put more effort into smelling nice than looking nice, and I appreciate it when people notice.

i gues it goes to show you that there are no hard and fast rules! i had more than one person (maybe more than ten people lol) become verrrrry uncomfortable with me saying that. they were usually nice about it, but they'd invariably put more space between us, make a fast exit, or avoid me in future.

i think it depends on the vibe a person gives off, too, which we can't really totally help. the source of the compliment, the intentions of the source (which are easily misunderstood), and the delivery is perhaps as important as the compliment itself. it's dangerous waters, even for a female.

Someone told me once, if a guy compliment's her shoes, he's most likely gay.