The 4 Rudest Types Of Comments You Should Never Make About Someone's Clothes

Opinions. We all have them, especially about something as subjective as style. If you look at the comments section of any social media post, you’ll see examples: “That dress is one size too small.” “That color washes him out.” “She needs to fire her stylist.”

Some of us find the need to express and share our opinions unsolicited. And while sharing can sometimes be helpful ― for instance, if you warn a friend that her high heels might not be the best choice for a beach wedding on the sand ― but much of the time, it can be downright offensive, hurtful or even dangerous (especially if you’re in a workplace setting).

But are you even aware of when you’re making an unwelcome comment? We decided to talk to experts (including a sociologist, a psychologist and a human resources professional) to get their thoughts.

“When I heard the gist of what this conversation was going to be about, it made me laugh a little because, really, why are we still making these kinds of negative comments?” saidAshley Full, stylist and co-founder of Amour781, a fashion brand for plus-size people. Why, indeed.

While all the experts we talked to recommended refraining from saying anything at all in regard to people’s clothing, here are the phrases you should definitely avoid.

Comments that expose people’s insecurities

Think: “They’re too old to be wearing that,” or “Just because you can wear something, doesn’t mean you should.”

“I wish we lived in a world where we didn’t make comments on people’s appearance, period,” saidStacey Rosenfeld, a licensed psychologist at Gatewell Therapy Center in Coral Gables, Florida. Her top phrases to avoid include, “She’s too old to be wearing that,” and one she saw posted in response to a fat content creator’s videos;