Last year, I made the fateful error of online shopping whilst drunk. I had stumbled in from a night out and decided that I wanted some knee-high Pretty Woman-esque boots that would really turn heads. In some ways I was successful: heads did turn. But they turned because I had mistakenly purchased some knee-high wedges, that made me look like an overgrown Bratz doll.
What I found most bizarre was my friends’ reaction. They stared at the boots and then, deadpan, said ‘Oh my god, I love them!’ My mind boggled, since these shoes were objectively ugly AF.
But my friends aren’t the only ones who tell little white lies when complimenting an outfit. In fact, 53% of people lie about liking someone’s outfit, according to a new study by 888Poker.
Sure, that’s a terrifying prospect. But don't stress: most people don’t give fake compliments to be nasty. If a co-worker says she likes what you’re wearing, then it’s unlikely she’s going to pull a Regina George and whisper to your boss ‘That’s the ugliest effing skirt I’ve ever seen.’
Instead, compliments are usually given when you’re wearing something that (like my boots) is a bit ‘out there.’ People will just compliment you because they feel awkward for staring for so long.
So maybe your friend was lying when she said she had ‘style envy’ of your new red latex shorts. But what is the alternative? Would it be better for her to criticise your outfit, and for you to feel like Anne Hathaway in Devil Wears Prada (in the beginning, before she rises like a sexy phoenix fro the ashes of that hideous blue jumper) ? No. So just accept the compliments, even if they’re blatant lies, and wear that wacky outfit with pride.
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This article originally appeared on The Debrief.