If You Compliment People at Work, Use This Rule.
If you’re one of those who lament that these days “you can’t even compliment someone at work unless they get it wrong,” take a look: smart Twitter user Marissa Lingen has a solution. She suggests using the word “chic” when referring to your colleagues’ outfits, which is the word your great-aunt would use, a word that cannot be misunderstood. Here’s what she said.
When complementing garments or outfits
Here’s how Lingen solved the problem on Twitter :
Want some examples? It also provides them:
“Nice shirt, work buddy!” “Hey, you have such gorgeous earrings, neighbor!” See how you sound like someone’s great-aunt? ideally.
Strictly speaking, you don’t have to use the word chic, but this is a good example of why Lingo’s cousin is a good choice: he is fun, positive, and inherently harmless. And the discoveries do not end there. Another Twitter user, Michael L. Davenport, also suggested another possible way to compliment someone’s clothes:
I like to compliment matches, for example: “Nice, your headband matches the earrings!” Usually the reaction is either “Aha! Thanks for noticing! “Or” Ha ha, it was an accident, but it works, huh? “
- compliments CHOICE
- works for any gender
- usually makes a person feel good
According to Lingen, this is a subset of what she calls “enthusiastic neutral,” which includes a factual statement showing that you are in awe of it. She gives this example to illustrate its effectiveness:
“God, whales are everywhere on your skirt!” Undoubted truth! (Or … a really weird thing to say if it’s a lie.)
So, if you find yourself in a position where you absolutely feel like you have to say something about someone’s clothes, this is one way to do it.
When you supplement body parts or physical attributes
In short: don’t. If you notice that someone you work or interact with – and with whom you are not in a romantic / consensual sexual relationship – has beautiful eyes or hands, just keep that tidbit to yourself. And no, you can’t use the word “chic” and a piece of clothing to get rid of it (for example, “these chic pants really complement your butt”). As Lingen notes , “Inborn qualities like eyes and butt? Can’t be chic. Leave them alone. ” Amen.