It's not a compliment if you have to explain it's a compliment

I was sitting at my desk at work when a co-worker stuck her head in the cracked open door.

"I saw you in the hallway and you looked 16."

???

"You were walking and I just have never seen you that casual before. You looked like you were 16!"

(Still not feeling it.)

"I never see you wearing jeans!"

"I'm wearing (black) Ann Taylor dress pants."

"Well, I don't know! They're nice pants! You just looked so young! It's a compliment!"

(Perhaps 25 would be a compliment. 16 is saying I look like I should be shopping for prom dresses and going to Hanna Montana concerts. I have no idea what to do with '16.' Why should I want to be '16' in my place of business?)

"Okay. Thanks."

Comments

[flutter]

were you offended when I spent the entire cocktail party petting your pants at BlogHer? Because it was a compliment! :p

[anna]

You look unusually casual in Ann Taylor dress pants? Wow, what do you normally wear for work?

[Kyla]

I get 16 all the time. Or twelve. Last week BubTar's classmates asked if I was his big sister. SIIIIIGH. ;)

[AJU5's Mom]

I guess in one way it is a compliment. But, I would definitely not what to be mistaken for a 16 year old these days. Does this lady know what they are wearing as teenagers?

[amy @teachmama]

wtf? People are so strange, I swear. The nurse at our pediatrician's office told me yesterday, "Ooooooh, it looks like Mommy needs some sleep, too." Really? What mother do you know is not tired, especially during fricking Halloween week and her three kids have been passing the same germs back and forth for four weeks now? I might have kicked her if my kids weren't there. (Not really.)

[KC]

flutter: Not offended at all. People have that reaction to those pants!

anna: Not out of ordinary for me. Which is why I didn't get it. Although I often wear skirts...

kyla: You will be loving this phenomenon 10 years from now!

aju5: I doubt it. I personally thought she was smoking crack.

amy: I can't believe she said that! I would NEVER say that to someone. What are you supposed to say? Ugh.

[ipod zubehör]

Ann Taylor dress pants are good to wear to look more young.The conversation is fun to read.

[Audrey]

Maybe what she meant to say was, "You so sexy! Not fat!"

[KC]

ipod-Okay, thanks.

Audrey-You may be right. I heard "16" is the new "not fat."

[grüner tee]

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