The nicest comment I ever heard

[dostacos]

I got the "Inspector Gadget" comment today, though it was meant more as a ribbing joke. I was in the university cafeteria getting food to go and one of the janitors who I sometimes assist in security matters while I'm on shift made the comment. It snowed here last night and was cold this morning, so I was wearing my beige trenchcoat and Adam fedora.

look at him and say "go go Gadget SUCKER PUNCH"

 

[dostacos]

I was picking my friend up, wearing a trench coat and a fedora and he said I was looking "very dapper"

when I got my hair cut for the first time, my best friend (who is male) said it reminded him of Bettie Page (his favorite pin-up).
I mean, how often do you get compliments on your hair from a male?

Last night my friend mike said I looked like I was in Casablanca because of my trench! I am now going to call it my casablanca trench because I've heard that quite a bit

The most recent was my friend, about an hour ago, saying she loved my skirt (she didn't even know i made it myself, which made me feel awesome)

drive him really wild and add a nice fedora to the trenchcoat:eusa_clap

 

[dostacos]

as you can see, I just ran through the tread

my first comment was Hey Indiana Jones {ok I was wearing the jacket hat shirt etc AND we just watched Raiders on the outside wall of the Fox theater in Fullerton} so I guess that is a positive, got the same comment one Sunday in the same outfit.

the other day at church I got a " I love your hat" it was a extra deep cut newsboy with a shall collar sweater slate gray pants etc.. Not sure who said it since she was behind me and I only turn around fast when I get negative/dumb comments. {that is because when I turn around fast I usually clip the person with my wheelchair usually followed by, ooh, I am so sorry does that hurt? It looks like it hurt, ah what did you say?"

Last Sunday at church the Pastor came up to me and complemented me I was in a tie, sweater vest etc and my Camptown Indy fedora

 

[ortega76]

The hat gave me a pass on a ticket this morning. I was exhausted and seemed like I had just fallen asleep when I had to take my wife to the emergency room- she had a reaction to a prescription medicine. I grabbed a pair of jeans and shirt off the floor. A heavy wool sportcoat and trench for the cold and my grey Knox stingy. The hospital was only a few minutes away but at 5:30 AM, the streets are dark and I'd forgotten to turn my lights on. A police cruiser flashed his lights, I explained I was headed to the hospital. I apologized for the lights. When the officer initially approached he was pretty stern. He softened up after a moment and let me pass without even running my license. As he walked away, he just said "turn your lights on next time, buddy. And I like your hat."

As for the wife, they gave her some industrial strength Benadryl and switched out her anti-biotics for something different. Rough start but a good day!

 

[TopGumby]

From one of my bride's friends: "You look great in that hat, I wish my husband would dress like that!"

From another of her friends: "Men should wear hats, seeing your husband in that hat makes me think it's the bow on the package."

From a young lady checker at the grocery store: "I hope this isn't too strange, but may I feel your hat?" After I grinned and handed it to her, she said, "It feels as nice as it looks on you."

Haven't had a negative comment yet...at this rate I may have to buy a bigger hat!

 

[univibe88]

The hat gave me a pass on a ticket this morning. I was exhausted and seemed like I had just fallen asleep when I had to take my wife to the emergency room- she had a reaction to a prescription medicine. I grabbed a pair of jeans and shirt off the floor. A heavy wool sportcoat and trench for the cold and my grey Knox stingy. The hospital was only a few minutes away but at 5:30 AM, the streets are dark and I'd forgotten to turn my lights on. A police cruiser flashed his lights, I explained I was headed to the hospital. I apologized for the lights. When the officer initially approached he was pretty stern. He softened up after a moment and let me pass without even running my license. As he walked away, he just said "turn your lights on next time, buddy. And I like your hat."

As for the wife, they gave her some industrial strength Benadryl and switched out her anti-biotics for something different. Rough start but a good day!

I hope your wife is ok. I'm sure that gave you quite a scare

Let me guess, your car has daytime running lights so your dashboard was completely lit up despite your lights being off? I had a car like that. It drove me nuts. It was very easy to forget, especially as dusk on on streets well lit by streetlights.

 

[LordBest]

I recieved a couple of nice comments from some friends this afternoon, while wearing my safari jacket, khakis and panama.
"Look, its Daniel on safari!"
"So it is!"
"Hello Daniel! You like like a Cuban dictator! Do you have any cigars on you?"
All very amiable and made me feel rather happy with my new jacket.

 

[Edward]

While standing at the busstop this morning, awaiting my bus to Church, I became aware that there was a camera pointing at me from out of a car on the roadside - a full lane away. I think it was the flash that caught my eye first... the young lady behind the camera smiled, I nodded, she gave me the thumbs up, and off the car went... Rather a surreal experience, but pleasant nonetheless! I was wearing a simple grey wool sb overcoat, over a navy db blazer, white shirt, burgundy late40s/early 50s tie (with a pattern on it that looks like it has been scribbled over with white and light blue ink pens), light blue (actually RAF officer's dress uniform, great raditional cut) trousers, black Oxfords. I presume what attracted the lady's attention was the hat - a carbon grey MkIII regular Federation. I'm well used to being photographed in the street as I'm so often out and about on my way to various themed-nights in costume (I spend a great part of my spare time in fancy dress). This is the first time that I'm aware of ever having been photographed by a stranger when just out in normal daywear, though! It was very flattering to be considered worth photographing.

 

[Goose.]

The other day, I was wearing my trusty old Packer hat to the bar (nothing new). But the bartender came over and whispered that a lady with her boyfriend (husband?) mentioned to her that it was nice to see a guy wearing a hat as compared to a ball cap. And that she noticed I tipped it as I held the door open as they walked in (I was in front, but held the door open for them).
That lady then came up to me a few moments later and said that it didn't surprise her that a man wearing a hat would not only hold a door open, but she was surprised that I tipped and nodded my head w/o saying a word. They both did say "thank you" as they walked in BTW. She was even more impressed that I took my hat completely off while talking to her.

Oh, well...no biggie, but I thought it was nice she took the time.

Same day, a buddy I've known for a few years, said "Goose, I've never mentioned how good you look in your hats. Takes confidence for a guy to wear a hat and pull it off to look like it's him". (Sydney, Packer, or Kangol are my usuals). We'll see what happens when I start wearing the Tilbys I am waiting for in the mail. Kind of wondering given the stingly brims....

 

[ortega76]

I hope your wife is ok. I'm sure that gave you quite a scare

Let me guess, your car has daytime running lights so your dashboard was completely lit up despite your lights being off? I had a car like that. It drove me nuts. It was very easy to forget, especially as dusk on on streets well lit by streetlights.

Bullseye on the dtr. When I lived downstate, the towns were small enough that I HAD to turn the lights on just to see. In he city/suburbs, it's so bright with street lights that I just forgot, being so tired and all.

The wife is great. She was just a little wigged out and I was too. Another "allergy" to add to her list of medications. [huh]

 

[Dr Doran]

A lot of the comments reported on this thread (exempli gratia "Dick Tracy," "Indiana Jones," "Elliot Ness") are ones that I would not find nice, but annoying and stupid.

But you all seem to think these are nicely intended comments.

Am I just a jerk?

 

[flylot74]

A jerk? Now, some people may say you are a pain in the neck while others have a much lower opinion of you.

You see, often enough, it's not the words, it's how they are said, it's the music behind the words. Too often, people will say something intended to be a compliment, but their ignorance, or the preconceptions of the recipient, will transmit what is perceived as an insult.

I've had the same exact comment transmitted to me and in one instance I knew it was a compliment, the other was obviously an insult. It depends on the one commenting, how it is transmitted, and obviously the state of mind of the recipient.

It becomes even more difficult when in print. Please take my intro paragraph as an example. As an obvious play on you questioning your "jerkdom", I was able to use what can be perceived as an insult into a playful joke. Of course the "grin" at the end at the end helps.

 

[trailrunner]

A lot of the comments reported on this thread (exempli gratia "Dick Tracy," "Indiana Jones," "Elliot Ness") are ones that I would not find nice, but annoying and stupid.

But you all seem to think these are nicely intended comments.

Am I just a jerk?

Maybe, but probably not - at least not based on that

I recently bought my first real hat - a Fed IV Deluxe in brown. It does not have an Indy bash, and nothing else I wear even remotely resembles Indy's outfit, but I still hear "Hey Indy" quite a lot. As Flylot said, tone is everything, and I feel a few of those were as compliments. Mostly it is people trying to be clever, and for the most part it doesn't bother me, it is a very Indy hat after all and most people will never notice how a hat is bashed, and regardless of what you are wearing it is the hat that stands out to them. However, occasionally after the third or fourth time in a day I do get more irate than I should.

For the most part the reactions I get are overwhelmingly positive, even the "clever" people are only ribbing me a little, and I try to take it as an acknowledgment to my willingness to be different in whatever way I please.

My best comments so far have been on my fed worn with the same type of outfit - slacks, button-up, and leather sports coat. A woman I work with told me I looked very dignified, and a woman on the street actually whistled at me. My wife has my favorite, though I think I won't share that one.

 

[imoldfashioned]

It sounds like a great outfit Edward, I'm not surprised! I was on the other side of the camera while at Spitalfields last year--literally chased a guy across the market to take his picture he looked so great. Which is something I'd probably never do at home but I could hide behind the "crazy American tourist" thing while on vacation. He was very nice about it.

TopGumby, I love both of these:

"Men should wear hats, seeing your husband in that hat makes me think it's the bow on the package."

"It feels as nice as it looks on you."

While standing at the busstop this morning, awaiting my bus to Church, I became aware that there was a camera pointing at me from out of a car on the roadside - a full lane away. I think it was the flash that caught my eye first... the young lady behind the camera smiled, I nodded, she gave me the thumbs up, and off the car went... Rather a surreal experience, but pleasant nonetheless! I was wearing a simple grey wool sb overcoat, over a navy db blazer, white shirt, burgundy late40s/early 50s tie (with a pattern on it that looks like it has been scribbled over with white and light blue ink pens), light blue (actually RAF officer's dress uniform, great raditional cut) trousers, black Oxfords. I presume what attracted the lady's attention was the hat - a carbon grey MkIII regular Federation. I'm well used to being photographed in the street as I'm so often out and about on my way to various themed-nights in costume (I spend a great part of my spare time in fancy dress). This is the first time that I'm aware of ever having been photographed by a stranger when just out in normal daywear, though! It was very flattering to be considered worth photographing.

 

[univibe88]

If you see my around town you can take my picture any time. lol

 

[avedwards]

I think "Indiana Jones" is considered a compliment because it is like saying "you are a cool, individual, adventurous person" and "Eliot Ness" could be considered a compliment because he is a trustworthy, dedicated, skilled crimefighter.

On the other hand, I find "Inspector Gadget" irritating because there are so many better characters who wear fedoras and trench coats. I find it a bit of an insult that I am compared to the worst such character out of all them there are like Rick Blaine in Casablanca or Raymond Chandler's Philip Marlowe.

 

[imoldfashioned]

Thank you for the advanced permission I actually have a chance of seeing you around too!

If you see my around town you can take my picture any time. lol

 

[Nick D]

My landlord called me a 'walking anachronism' last week. I rather liked that.

 

[ortega76]

A lot of the comments reported on this thread (exempli gratia "Dick Tracy," "Indiana Jones," "Elliot Ness") are ones that I would not find nice, but annoying and stupid.

But you all seem to think these are nicely intended comments.

Am I just a jerk?

I'd say that the comments are irritating because it shows the speaker has such a limited view of the object they are commenting on. The people who tend to make these comments reference television or movies because that's all they know and it shows.

I don't mind someone expressing to me something along the lines of "nice hat, what's it called?".

 

[anon`]

My landlord called me a 'walking anachronism' last week. I rather liked that.

For some of us, however, a comment like that is simply a statment of fact!

That being said, I've not offered anything for this thread to date. I've only ever received one dumb comment (and the painfully ill-equipped insultor couldn't even get the decade correct) but many, many positive comments. Most are the sort that warrant a 'thank you' and perhaps a bit of a chat if circumstances allow for it.

But that was before today. Whilst making the rounds amongst my favourite vintage haunts, I was informed by a very attractive young lady working at one that I "need[ed] to reproduce" for the satortial benefit of the world at large.

Somehow, I think that qualifies for submission