I think that the term is disinformation... Mostly false info with a little bit of truth. And I never allow them to rattle me.

I just stare, without blinking.

I don't see anything wrong with your response. Nor is it inappropriate that there was annoyance in your voice. His question was impertinent.

Where does the short skirt come into it? Actually it gave me what Daffy Duck once called "pronoun trouble". I wondered at first why you were returning a skirt you were wearing ... and why you were carrying a flower while doing so

Personally I enjoy the opportunity to be as rude as I like. "Your opinion is neither needed or wanted" and "Don't you have a life of your own? Why are you concerned with what everyone else is doing?" Are two of my favs. People who don't know how to leave others alone annoy me to no end.

I would not have found that nosey. I would imagine he was and old guy in a wheelchair, who saw a girl in a short skirt and a flower. Maybe he doesn't have many people to talk to. He sounded pretty harmless to me. It is pretty hard to offend me or make me mad though, so I usually just chat a few minutes then leave. No if someone was intentionally rude, like telling me I'm fat, or whatever, I would say, "Why on earth would you ask me something as rude as that? ". I have no problem calling out rudeness, but I don't try to find a reason to.

Like you, I've found that a determined expression, slight squint, combined with "WhyEVER do you ask THAT?" works well.

For those of you focusing on my short skirt.

[titlenine.com]

I was wearing this Title 9 skirt with little shorts built in. Great for windy days.

Usually (assuming I cannot functionally ignore them altogether) I deal with nosy people extremely directly. I let them know it is none of their business & then ask them if there is anything else I can help them with.

But then again - I am an older dude - so I can get away with statements like that pretty easily.

I don't mind much . Some x people lonely and just want to talk . I don't mind ?
If something they ask is too personal for my standards , I just say " ah , too long to explain , some other time / some other talk "?

I like talking to everybody, so maybe I am that nosy person to someone else...I am genuinely curious about people I see out and about...I usually can tell if they want to be left alone, and I am never rude, so if others treat me the same, I have no problem and actually like to engage...

Not having access to the tone of his or your voice, body language, and other visual and audio cues, I have no idea if he or you were rude, except from your own perception that you iterated...knowing you, you probably responded accordingly to his comments, so don't worry about it...you did what you needed to do...

"Why are you concerned, is something wrong?" Usually that throws them off enough they walk away or the tone of the conversation changes to being friendlier.

If I am at the store, which ever one I am in, I will ask questions to whomever is doing or has something interesting. Conversation is just a way to make contact, to show yourself your alive. Though many conversations go into the mundane at least you have shown someone they are alive, I always feel that one should be kind. As I walk around town there are many people who call me by name, I have no idea who they are, but I always return at least a smile.

"Abner! There's something strange going on at the Steven's residence!"