You’re All That and a Super-Size Bag of Chips
Social behavior and what is deemed as appropriate or not appropriate constantly changes. Plus, every woman is different and likes different types of compliments – it depends on the type of attention they need, appreciate and respect. It also depends on the environment and the context (is this at work? in a social setting? at school? or at a bar?) and the relationship between the compliment giver and the compliment receiver.
As a general rule of thumb, I think complimenting someone on their achievements or something they did well is a great option. Complimenting someone on something that is their choice (like a great haircut or nice earrings) is better than complimenting on something the person is born with – AKA their body. I don’t think that all things related to appearance are off-limits, but it’s better to compliment things related to appearance that are a style choice – like cool shoes – than say something like “nice legs.” That’s really cringeworthy.