"She looks good for her age" Backhanded compliment or not?

[cherish44]

I personally hate it. Why add the "for her age" to a compliment? Like you're no longer legitimately good looking if you're a certain age, just relatively so? :grr:

[lost-in-nj]

1. That is the sentiment

my mother did not want said at her wake
she made us PROMISE when she was dying
that she would not have an open casket


I swear

she did not want this said at her wake



lost

[Bryan]

2. It's a total backhanded compliment

It's the qualification that does it. "Gee, in spite of that awful haircut, you look great!"

[GreenPartyVoter]

3. Oh, I hear it more like "If I didn't know her age I would have guessed she was younger."

:shrug:

But yeah, I can see the reason why people would be irked by it.

[Kat45]

4. What about "She doesn't look her age," or

"She looks younger than her age." What do you think of those?

[gratuitous]

5. Totally backhanded

Because I'm a guy, dammit!

[Skittles]

6. it stinks

just say they look good and be DONE with it

[seaker]

7. Just a slap