15 Unconventional-Yet-Awesome Compliments to Give Someone

There’s a certain high you get when someone says something truly, genuinely kind about you. Sure, classic compliments (“You look so great in that sweater!”) always bring a smile, but they’re so tried-and-true that they don’t have quite the impact as something that delves a little deeper, that’s a little more specific and insightful—or that’s just so unexpectedly quirky it catches you off-guard. Here are 15 unconventional-yet-awesome compliments we’ve heard lately that we want to borrow sometime (with the occasional commentary to explain the backstory).

1. “You look like a bag of money.” — Overheard at work. No, really. Sure, it sparked some debate (“Are you saying I look rich…and lumpy?”), but it achieved three things: Garnered a few laughs, spurred an actual conversation, rather than a drive-by “nice outfit!” “Thanks!” exchange, and made the complimentee blush.
2. “You get me in a way that no one else does.”
3. “I think the hardest part about being your friend is making it seem as though I like my other friends as much as you. Which is just ridiculous.” — Spotted this pin, courtesy of The Daily Compliment, and it cracked us up
4. “You light up a room.”
   

5. “Your posts always make me think.” — Social media can sometimes feel like you’re shouting into the void, so why not let that person whose tweets you always read know that their voice matters? (And hey, just because the messages get your wheels turning doesn’t mean you have to agree with them all.)
6. “You crack me up without even trying.”
   

7. “You’re incredibly beautiful, and that’s the least interesting thing about you.” — Okay, group “awww” moment. When a redditor asked for the warmest, most beautiful, uplifting thing to say to another person, this reply received 2,354 points, and it’s easy to see why. Please excuse us while we melt into a puddle on the floor.
8. “It’s so refreshing to talk to you.” 
9. “I love the insight and perspective you bring.”
   

10. “You have such an eye for catching trends early on.” — That friend who started wearing sheer socks with heels and rocked cotton candy hair long before Katy Perry probably catches some flak from people who just don’t get her look (yet).
11. “Yeah, that Adele song is pretty, but have you seen your face lately?”
12. “I’m scared of walking out of this room, and never feeling the rest of my life the way I feel when I’m with you.” — This isn’t the kind of line you fling around to just anyone, and you may get called out for stealing it from Dirty Dancing, but you’ve got to admit, it’s pretty smooth.
13. “Life is going to kick you to the ground and shake you to your core, but people like you are resilient. You get back up and keep fighting, and that inspires me.” 
14. “What’s your skincare routine?” — Now they’re officially an influencer (but also, who doesn’t love to share their hard-won wisdom?).
15. Committing to the laugh. When someone says something truly knee-slappingly funny, show it. It’s all too easy to play it cool and merely chuckle, but there are few feelings greater than knowing you honestly cracked someone up, so let that laugh out. Even if you snort a little.

Note: This post was originally published on Feb. 11, 2015. It was updated and expanded on Aug. 5, 2020.