So I’m wearing one of my favorite dresses today, from one of my favorite catalogs — Boden, out of the UK. They’re big on patterns and dots, especially, and my dress today is polka dots … white ones on red and brown. Totally cute and fun.
Except that when I was waiting for the elevator this morning, one of the guys in my building told me he thought my dress looked like a tablecloth!
It’s also empire-waisted, which I love because, well, you know why. Covers a multitude of sins. But some of my girlfriends in the office tell me that they’ve had people ask if they’re pregnant when they wear an empire waist.
So here’s my question: On what planet do you say stuff like this to someone? Isn’t saying, “I like your dress” good enough? Or, God forbid, keeping your mouth shut?
What should I have said to Tablecloth Man?
Responses to “What NOT to say.”
February 26th, 2008 at 2:39 pm
It’s funny that you posted this story after I was just recounting something similar at lunch. A former boss once asked me in the middle of a meeting if my floral dress had once been a sofa! Seriously, I was dumbstruck! Personally, I love polka dots. It I’m not careful, my whole closet would be polka dots and either Mary Janes or T-strap shoes! However, I’m one of the people who has to be careful with the empire waists because I feel that I look pregnant in them. To your clueless co-worker, I think you could have just said, “Thank you for noticing!”.
PS. I’ve seen Boden things in magazines, but I’ve never ordered anything. Maybe I’ll check them out now.
February 26th, 2008 at 6:26 pm
Polka dots are hot and the dress is fabulous! I would have told elevator man . . . if this dress reminds you of your mom’s table cloth, then she must have had great taste!
February 26th, 2008 at 9:58 pm
You should have asked where can you find such a beautiful polka dot tablecloth trimmed in another polka dot print for contrast, because it sounds like a fabulous store! I would like to know.
Guys and their opinions about fashion. ha!
February 26th, 2008 at 1:54 pm
Man…people are so rude. I’m guessing Tablecloth Man was not himself dressed in an Armani suit?
Sometimes, all you can do is smile big and say THANK YOU! and hope that in doing so, they’ll be thinking, “Wha…? That wasn’t really a compliment…” which leads them to realize that Huh. Maybe they shouldn’t have said it then.