There’s a girl I see regularly who always has something negative to say about how I look — my makeup, my clothes, anything. And she usually says it in front of other people, which makes it even more uncomfortable. It’s never asked for and it doesn’t feel like “helpful advice”; it comes off as judgmental or mocking.
Lately it’s not just my appearance. She comments on how I act too — like if I’m quiet, she’ll say something about it, and if I talk (especially if I talk to a guy) she’ll say I’m “doing too much.” It’s becoming a pattern of criticizing everything I do.
At first I ignored it, but now it’s happening every time I see her and it’s starting to get to me. I’m taking it personally, and I’m wondering if that’s a bad thing or if it’s just a normal reaction when someone keeps publicly nitpicking you.
I don’t want drama, but I also don’t want to keep feeling awkward or embarrassed. How do I set a boundary or respond in the moment without escalating things?