Loving Yourself or is Cockiness?

I notice more and more just how much (besides myself) people put themselves down. I mean really. Confidence is not only healthy for ones self but it also projects an image of you on to others. I'm no master at this, I have my good days and bad days. but I tend to find if your confident in yourself people see that and respect it. Do people with low self esteem see your confidence in yourself as being cockiness or coincident?
This all started when I was at an unpleasant place, well its unpleasant to me, that someone said "Well don't you look all dolled up and hot today" then I thought to myself wow, why do people say stuff like that? Do I really have to have a reason for this so called dolled up hotness? Does there have to be a reason? Or can I just do it for myself? If you know me, then you know I chose the last one. MYSELF. I simply replied back with a pleasant smile and said "That's absolutely right I am." and the reaction I got was in fact the one I had predicted...the aren't we all cocky look. They don't have to even say it because I can see it all over their face, but I say this for peace of mind for them and to myself of course. "I tell him its not cockiness, its acceptance and love for ones self."
Like I said we have our good days and our bad days, but my god, the good days that do come around you bet your ass I'm going to run with them and be so called "cocky" and if you feel good about yourself why should you shy away from saying so? Be proud of who you are. Realistically, I can't say I do this for myself everyday I doubt any one can, thats why I say good days and bad days. It can't hurt though. Go ahead be "cocky"