Personally it ' s because of three things 1 . I am a survivor of sexual assault . To me without being in a loving relationship with the person , I . e . My husband , the compliment of looking so good you have trouble controlling yourself is frightening . 2 . Sometimes the compliments come at you in an aggressive manner , and the person saying them is clearly not just saying them to be kind , but because they expect a response from you , with , to me , an underlying threat when the response is not what they desired to get . 3 . I want to look nice , but I am also an introvert , so attention is not what I am seeking , usually I am trying to look good enough to blend in , and ultimately I dress to make myself happy . The nice dress , cute shoes , I like your earrings , are one I can pleasantly respond to even if the attention is more than I like , but the cat calls and such have made me take certain dresses and outfits out of my lineup unless I am going to a safe place where I know everyone so won ' t have to worry about indecent comments . I am aware that most of my reactions in regards to reasons 2 and 3 are directly related to reason 1 . I guess also I would rather a person want to be with me , find me sexually attractive , not because of what I am wearing , but because of WHO I am . I want connection , not just physical interaction .