Why the need to compliment someone (and, here, we know that "someone" in this context equals a woman) on their appearance at work or in a professional setting at all?
Personally, I do not regard it as "reasonable" in a professional context.
It suggests that you judge women primarily on appearance (rather than on professional performance), on something they are, rather than something they do (and thus have agency over, or responsibility for).
Compliment someone (a woman) on her appearance in a nightclub, - for there, the setting is social, and that 'social contract' is implicit (or, even explicit) in the context and setting, and people (women, an indeed, men) may dress for notice, and thus, compliments on appearance may be sought and welcomed.
However, at work, keep comments, and compliments, on a woman's appearance to a minimum; it suggests a lack of professional respect for a female colleague.
If venturing a compliment on appearance, I would recommend that you confine it to a positive remark on something such as a nice jacket, which makes it compliment on her excellent taste, and on sartorial choices that she has made, again, respecting and remarking on her agency, where she has done something.
- Harios are great. Cheers to great coffee
