This sounds like an extremely interesting thing to do and I think I’ll have to try it the next time I’m in a city where I don’t know anyone.
Once in a while, if I’m in the mood, and someone issues the standard greeting (how ya doin?), I’ll tell them that today is good, but I can’t wait til tomorrow.
They ask why, and I’ll tell them because I get better looking every day.
I love it, and the stranger the better. And the proper response is: “Yes, yes you may have your way with me.”
I love compliments from strange women. Next time, just blurt it out. What’s the worst that could happen?
DocCathode, I’m sure that’s exactly what lots of men think who compliment me. But many of them who think “what’s the worst that could happen?” also go too far, and really shouldn’t indulge themselves at my expense. So I probably hesitate because of what strange men have blurted out to me when they thought I was attractive. Not always, but a lot of the time their compliments have been immediately followed by a bold sexual proposition. Going from zero to sex in 3 seconds with random strangers is simply not my idea of fun. And I don’t want to be perceived that way if I compliment a strange guy.
Also, when I’m with my girlfriends and we discuss whether a guy is handsome, we’re just talking about whether he is handsome, not talking about sex. But when I’m with my guyfriends and casually mention that a guy is handsome they all immediately assume I’m talking about sex. So it’s that potential for misinterpretation that bothers me the most.
But still, I do like the idea of giving out more random compliments, and stroking a few random egos. I often admire men at a distance without making it known. It’s easy to imagine that some of them would appreciate a compliment and are worth the risk to speak aloud about it.
Me, too. My wife and daughter both tell me, “that woman was coming on to you,” and I didn’t even notice. Based on feedback from old friends, this goes all the way back to high school.
I think it really depends on how it comes across. Funnily enough, I seem to get these sorts of comments a lot more often from older women and only occassionally from women around my age. When a 40+ woman gives me a compliment, I take it as an honest one and not as a flirty or anything, and that’s probably WHY I notice it a lot more from older women since, I figure, they aren’t flirting and younger ones would probably just flirt or be coy instead. Either way, not creepy at all.
It would be at least a little creepy if it was said very loudly or, as seems to happen in my case some of the time, touching is involved. Especially when I wore my hair down more often (I have long curly hair), I’d occassionally have a strange woman stroke or tug on my hair, and then I’d turn around to see what it was and she’d compliment me. I’ve also had strange women grab my arm or shoulder and then comment on how she wanted to touch my muscles or something. Personally, it doesn’t really bother me that much except that, were I to do the same thing, I’d expect a red handprint across my face, and my response is normally more that I’m caught off-guard than because I’m creeped out, but I imagine that’s probably not true for everyone.
So, sure, generally no problem with saying anything, and I’d say most guys would welcome it, as long as it’s more along the lines of “you’re very handsome” and not “OMG UR HOT!” In fact, I wish casual, genuine compliments were more common in our society.
I can’t believe no one has mentioned the “spooje” nice skin connection here…
I’d personally think it was a well veiled insult, but I have self esteem issues so YMWV.
My wife says the same thing, but she quite inexplicably thinks I’m a hottie, I always write it off as her projection on others.
However, she would find it a total turn-on if I told her some random woman (especially an attractive one) came up to me out-of-the-blue and gave me a compliment. Just so long as there are no phone numbers exchanged… 
You guys are still hilarlious. LOL
I can totally understand how men could miss that women are flirting with them because I also know lots of men like that. A while back I hung out with a friend (22yo) who had at least a dozen women flirting with him. It was so easy for me to detect them but he missed all of them. He was convinced he was unattractive and that no female wanted him.
OTOH I’ve also encountered men who think every mildly polite gesture from a woman is an indication that she’s got the hots for him. They cannot comprehend the idea that they just aren’t desirable and think any woman who says “no” to them is a lesbian. Idiots.
And to Blaster Master, I too have a very serious weakness for long curly hair… and muscles, ahhh. But I wouldn’t dare touch, (at least not without permission, hehe).