If modern adulations aren't getting you anywhere, try one of these colorful old-timey compliments of yesteryear
26 Old-Timey Compliments We Wish Would Come Back
Updated on Oct. 21, 2024
“He’s bang up to the elephant!”
When it was popular: Early 1800s
People in the early 19th century (aka the Regency period) who wanted to say someone was so well-rounded that they were almost perfect would compare them to … an elephant. Saying someone was “bang up” meant they were nearly perfect—today, we might call them the total package. Adding the elephant meant they were practically larger than life; elephants were still relatively rare and novel in Western society then. Elephants are also known for being very smart and thoughtful, so we guess it makes sense? Just don’t suggest a person looks like an elephant.
“You’re butter upon bacon!”
When it was popular: The second half of the 1800s
Any Victorian who wanted to tell someone that they were over-the-top or extravagant in the most endearing way possible could invoke this old-timey compliment. This phrase was so popular, Charles Dickens even referenced it in his 1839 classic Nicholas Nickleby. We get it. Know what’s delicious? Butter. Know what’s even better? Bacon. And yes, this high-fat combo was high praise at the time. Today, we might say, “Oh, you’re too much!”
“Now you’re cooking with gas!”
When it was popular: 1940s and 1950s
Want to tell someone they’re doing great or on the right track? Try this widely used 1940s phrase, which actually originated in the 1930s, right around the time gas stoves became popular. The idea was that cooking with gas was faster and more efficient than cooking with other methods, like coal or wood. So saying that a person was cooking with gas meant that they were also doing something better or more efficiently, usually after a period of struggle or slow progress.
Here’s another interesting fact: This phrase became popular thanks to a marketing campaign for the natural-gas industry in the 1940s. The slogan was so catchy that by the 1950s, it was being used as a compliment whenever someone had a fantastic idea or was doing something really well.
“The brightness of her cheek would shame the stars!”
When it was popular: The second half of the 1500s
Want to give a compliment to a beautiful lady? It seems the modern trend of having glowing skin and rosy cheeks extends back to the days of Shakespeare, when Romeo said this about Juliet. Even 400 years later, this sweet Elizabethan-era compliment might make a girl blush.
“You’ve got it made in the shade!”
When it was popular: 1950s
While throwing shade is slang for subtly insulting someone today, back in the 1950s, shade was a good thing! Telling someone they had it made in the shade meant they’d achieved a really nice, easy, unproblematic life—akin to living on a shady beach on a tropical island somewhere. This old-timey saying fits in well with the post–World War II era, when American culture was characterized by a sense of ease and optimism.
“He’s a truepenny—always straight-fingered!”
When it was popular: Early 1800s
Back in the day, calling someone a “truepenny” meant they were faithful, loyal and trustworthy, and it first became popular thanks to Shakespeare. But people in the Regency era added the Dickensian slang “straight-fingered” to this phrase. Someone who was “crooked” or had crooked fingers was dishonest and possibly even a thief, while on the flip side, a person who was straight-fingered exemplified honesty, honor and integrity. In the 1800s, these traits were prized above all others, so this masculine compliment was a lovely testament to an individual’s strong character.
“She’s a brick house!”
When it was popular: 1970s
Wondering how to compliment an older woman on her looks? Try this phrase from the Commodores’s 1977 song “Brick House.” The full lyrics, in case you’re wondering, are: “She’s a brick house / mighty, mighty, letting it all hang out.” The image of a brick house suggests strength, stability and (ahem) a solid, appealing structure. This phrase came to mean that a woman was tough and strong, as well as voluptuous. We’re not sure exactly how a brick house took on that meaning, but then again, today’s slang doesn’t always make that much sense either!
“He’s such a dreamboat!
When it was popular: 1950s
Dreamboats—hunky men and beautiful ladies—were staples in classic movies from the 1950s. This phrase actually started in the 1940s but skyrocketed to popularity in the following decade during the golden age of Hollywood. It was used to describe someone (usually a man) who was so attractive or charming, the ideal romantic partner, that you might dream or fantasize about them. Can’t you see Doris Day or Marilyn Monroe gushing over Rock Hudson or Cary Grant in this way? Saying that someone is “dreamy” is the shortened, modern-day version of this old-timey compliment.
“Jeepers, ain’t she a swell bird?”
When it was popular: 1930s–1940s
OK, we have a bit to break down here: Jeepers was a way to show surprise or admiration; swell commonly meant amazing or excellent; and bird was a cutesy term for a woman. Put them all together, and you’ve got the perfect recipe to make a girl blush—or, rather, you did in the 1940s. This playful phrase was used as a lighthearted or funny compliment, and it was often accompanied with a whistle. You might catch elements of this phrase—of the exact phrase!—in classic movies.
“You’re as cute as a bug’s ear!”
When it was popular: The first half of the 20th century
Do bugs even have ears? Who knows! That’s kind of the point of playful old-timey compliments like this, often given to children. The idea is that bugs have tiny ears (or no ears at all) and are inherently cute due to their tiny size. Therefore, you are also tiny and cute like a bug. No one is quite sure of the exact origin of this old-fashioned saying, but many people alive today remember their grandparents saying it to them. Heck, you might even still use this one when talking to your own child!
“Gnarly, dude!”
When it was popular: 1980s
This surfer slang became popular in the 1980s. Gnarly originally meant that something was difficult or challenging, especially in the context of surfing, but over time its definition evolved and it came to mean something was very cool or impressive. Around the same time, the term dude became a casual way to address someone, adding to the laid-back vibe associated with surf culture. Looking for some examples of gnarly in its heyday? Check out Sean Penn’s turn as Jeff Spicoli in Fast Times at Ridgemont High, one of the best ’80s movies around.
“She’s the cat’s meow!”
When it was popular: 1920s
This phrase dates back to the Roaring ’20s, when it became popularized through flapper slang. Its meaning goes beyond pretty, describing someone who’s also super stylish and cool. This type of playful slang compliment extended to other quirky idioms at the time—such as “the bee’s knees” and “the cat’s pajamas,” which also convey a sense of admiration or high regard by comparing people to strange animal attributes.
“He’s cooking with helium!”
When it was popular: 1940s
Have you ever seen someone move so well that they seem lighter than air? Back when the jitterbug, swing and Lindy Hop were all the rage, dancing was as much a display of skill as a chance to socialize. In the days before online chats and dating apps, heading out to the dance hall was one of the best (and only) ways to meet that special someone. One way to compliment someone’s dancing was to say this, implying they were lighter than air—a compliment so smooth, it’s practically poetry. It’s a wordplay based on the previous decade’s “Now you’re cooking with gas” compliment, and it was especially popular in entertainment and jazz culture.
“That’s totally radical!”
When it was popular: 1980s
In the 1980s, the term radical was often used to say something was extreme, excellent or impressive, while totally added even more emphasis. Something might have been “cool” or “bad,” but if it was off-the-charts fantastic, then it was “totally radical.” Gen Xers will likely remember this saying from their childhood with fondness, especially since it became a key phrase in The Simpsons.
“Your hat takes the egg!”
When it was popular: The second half of the 1800s
If you wanted to tell someone in the 1880s that something was the best, above everything else, you’d tell them it “takes the egg.” This is similar to something “taking the prize” or “winning” an imagined competition. In the example above, that hat must have been pretty darn impressive. Why an egg? All we can guess is that those Victorians must have really loved their eggs!
“You’re all that and a bag of chips!”
When it was popular: 1990s
Saying this to someone in the ’90s meant they were as good as a “full meal deal” at a restaurant, which meant ordering a meal plus a drink and a bag of chips. And who doesn’t love chips? So not only is the person as great as a yummy sandwich, but they’re “all that” plus the chips.
“Aren’t you just the bee’s knees!”
When it was popular: 1920s and 1960s
Bees’ knees are tiny, adorable and awesome—as are you if you receive this compliment. But this saying doesn’t just apply to people; it also can mean that something is high-quality or all-around excellent. So if bees really have knees, apparently they are some top-notch joints! While many people peg this popular saying to the 1960s, it actually originated in the Roaring ’20s.
“What a bricky girl!”
When it was popular: Early 1900s
“Bricky” was early-20th-century British slang that meant someone was strong, tough and resilient—like a brick. Get it? Bricks are durable, so someone who is bricky also shows qualities of strength and steadfastness. We may not have the same reverence for building materials that they did back then, but it does sound like something we’d want to be! You could also substitute “plucky” for a similar old-timey compliment.
“This dip is killer diller!”
When it was popular: 1940s and 1950s
Saying that something is killer is still a compliment today, and its origins may go all the way back to the 1940s. Why diller? Because rhyming is fun! It may also be a nod to the growing jazz and rhythm-and-blues music scenes of the times. It was used then to describe something outstanding, impressive or exciting—often in reference to music, performances or experiences. Its playful and rhythmic quality is also typical of the language used in music and entertainment during those decades.
“She’s afternoonified!”
When it was popular: Early to mid-1900s
Afternoons are known for being a leisurely and more relaxed time of day. (At least they used to be!) But making it an adverb in this way added some extra oomph—and a little something special. So telling someone they were afternoonified was a whimsical way of saying they were leisurely and relaxed but in a sophisticated or trendy way. Think of it like the elegant, refined afternoon activities of that era, like high teas or social gatherings.
“Baby, that outfit is so ginchy!”
When it was popular: 1950s
Something ginchy is something that’s stylish, cool or fashionable. Telling someone they are ginchy, or even the ginchiest, adds a sense of admiration or approval. This playful compliment was most often used in the 1950s in association with clothing, music or an overall vibe. If you wanted to compliment your spouse in this era, you could tell them that their new outfit was “perfectly ginchy.” Be careful with this one, though: In Canada, ginches is a slang term for men’s underwear!
“That show was outta sight!”
When it was popular: 1960s
Anything so amazing as to be practically unbelievable was deemed “outta sight” or “far out” in the 1960s. This compliment suggests that a person stands out in a remarkable way. While the phrase first gained popularity in the emerging American rock-and-roll scene, it became widespread by the 1960s. Imagine 10,000 teenage girls screaming this at a Beatles concert and you’ll get the idea.
“I’m dizzy with that dame!”
When it was popular: 1920s
A man in the 1920s proclaiming he was dizzy wasn’t talking about vertigo. Rather, it meant he was head over heels in love with a dame, or a classy woman. It makes sense: Sometimes new love is so intense, it actually makes you feel dizzy or lightheaded!
“You’re a gas!”
When it was popular: 1960s and 1970s
Today, the word gas doesn’t have great connotations, especially when talking about a person. However, in the 1960s and early 1970s, calling someone or something “a gas” meant it was light and a lot of fun. It was one of the best compliments—and it meant that a person made you laugh. We like that definition better!
“You sure do razz my berries!”
When it was popular: 1950s
We’ll admit it: This sounds a little dirty today. But in the 1950s, it simply meant that someone was very excited or enthused about something, and if that something was you—well, how sweet is that? It means a person thought you were utterly delightful. But while it might allude to delicious raspberries, this phrase actually has nothing to do with fruit. The word razz meant teasing or making fun of someone but in a lighthearted way, while berries referred to a person’s feelings or emotional state. Basically, it was a way of saying that the person had a positive impact on you, making you feel good or happy.
“No matter what happens, you keep on truckin’!”
When it was popular: 1960s
This old-timey phrase meant that someone kept persevering or going on, in spite of difficulties and challenges. This compliment was a way of encouraging resilience and determination by saying that the person should keep a positive attitude while moving forward regardless of what is thrown at them. It became popular in the 1960s and was often associated with the growing trucker culture of the time; it later became a common phrase used by hippies in the 1970s. It was also the title of the comic strip “Keep on Truckin'” by R. Crumb, which featured people who kept on going, no matter what, while keeping a laid-back and carefree attitude. This is still a compliment used today, often with children. Telling someone they have tenacity and endurance, even when things are tough, is always a compliment!
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Reader’s Digest has published hundreds of etiquette stories that help readers navigate communication in a changing world. We regularly cover topics such as the best messages to send for any occasion, polite habits that aren’t as polite as they seem, email and texting etiquette, business etiquette, tipping etiquette, travel etiquette and more. We’re committed to producing high-quality content by writers with expertise and experience in their field in consultation with relevant, qualified experts. We rely on reputable primary sources, including government and professional organizations and academic institutions as well as our writers’ personal experiences where appropriate. For this piece on old-timey compliments, Charlotte Hilton Andersen tapped her experience as a longtime journalist who specializes in etiquette and communication for Reader’s Digest. We verify all facts and data, back them with credible sourcing and revisit them over time to ensure they remain accurate and up to date. Read more about our team, our contributors and our editorial policies.
