AITA for giving a “backhanded” compliment?
My close girlfriend (we’re both early 40s/F) is currently on a eurotrip. Love the girl to death, but she can’t dress for shit. Not only does she have a great body that she doesn’t know how to dress for, she rarely (if ever) nails the aesthetic of the event vibe. Not a big deal either way - it just is what it is.
Fast forward to the present: she’s posting fabulous IG stories on her trip, and my jaw dropped. Each day she is absolutely wowing me with her fashion. The style choices are top tier in every regard. I am so impressed and proud! She’s totally in her element.
I sent her a private DM saying that whoever her stylist is for this vacation needs a bonus because she’s f*cking stunning in her fits. I got a reply the next day from her that thanked me, but she felt that compliment was backhanded and suggested that she doesn’t dress well otherwise.
I hadn’t considered that at the time because to me it was so apparent that she’s hired a stylist, and I wanted to re-enforce that they are doing her justice she deserves! I shared this convo with our other close friend and she stated she also thought it was very apparent she had hired a stylist because in real life, “she dresses terribly.” AITA for giving a backhanded compliment?