Interesting... I've thought about this sort of situation, but really never used that tactic before. I have noticed, however, that a LOT of women use this tactic when hitting on men... e.g., making a point of talking to you, then critiquing clothing choices, hair, etc.... It's a turnoff for me (though maybe not a deal-breaker), even if the woman is hot, because I know what they're doing with the game, especially if *they* initiated the contact/conversation... my immediate thought is usually..."out of all the men in this place, you chose to step and talk to me - and then you criticize me?" - so I say something like - "so maybe you should find someone whose hairstyle you like better"... I tend to find it most annoying when they say these types of things in front of others....
So, based on how I've felt as the recipient of some negative hits, and some of the other good comments made earlier in this thread, if I were to use them on a woman, I'd be sure to be very subtle and tactful, and to especially make sure to avoid saying things in front of other people so as not to embarrass her... a bit of indirectness might be the key... maybe hint or allude to something rather than confronting it directly and more confrontationally. I also wouldn't use them early in the conversation, but maybe later on if/when things are rolling along and she's a bit more confident about my interest in her... and her interest in me.... finally, for a negative hit to work, she actually has to care about my approval/opinion... none of it matters if I have no chance from the outset (it happens)
A woman did this to me about 6 weeks ago... I didn't really like it when she did it, and although I thought she was very attractive, I remained somewhat aloof and not too interested (yeah!), and even told her that I would not have said something to her like she said to me, just out of politeness... I let her 'walk' that night and did not engage in seeking her approval (which seems to be what the neg hit idea is all about?). Her friend later called her from the club after she'd left - and tried to put me on the phone with her (I politely declined) ... and then offered to give me her phone number when she found out that I didn't 'go for the digits' (and I politely refused to take her number - kind of proud of myself on that one!). A couple of nights ago, the woman who provided the neg hit on me came over to me out in a nightclub to say hello once again. I was polite but reserved - again, not too interested (eager). I'll see her again soon, and we'll see how it goes from here.