In the Minds of Men: The #1 Most Dreaded Question

Anyone who's ever watched a sitcom or picked up a chick-lit novel is familiar with the scene: A woman getting dressed tries on an outfit and asks her significant other, "Do I look fat in this?". He looks anxious as he answers, and no matter what the response, she rolls her eyes and the bickering begins. The audience laughs. Sterotypical? Yes. Maybe even cliché. But the truth is, this no-win question is a common occurrence in many relationships, and may cause annoyance on both ends every single time it is brought up.

What does your man's answer reveal about him? And- perhaps more importantly- what does your question reveal about you?

John from Massachusetts writes:

I've definitely had girlfriends ask me "Do I look fat in this?" or "Does this make my thighs look huge?". I don't mind the question so much, but my answer is pretty much always the same- No! Even if I don't think the outfit is very flattering, I would never say that. If a woman is asking me that I'm going to assume that she's not necessarily looking for an honest answer... I would guess she's probably hoping for some reassurance. And I don't mind giving it to her. We all need some positive reinforcement sometimes.

Jake B. from Washington disagrees:

I hate when women ask me that because I feel like it's just telling me they are insecure, which I don't find attractive at all. Especially saying it like that- "Do I look fat in this?". It's just negative. It's already projecting insecurities on to me. And there's nowhere to go from there. I say "no" and she says I'm not even paying attention. And of course I can't say yes. I would much rather she approach me like "What do you think of this outfit?". Then I could be helpful, like "I think your red top would look better with that skirt."

And Mike from Rhode Island has the last say with:

I think when you're with someone that you're really close with, there should be a level of honesty, to where she can ask "Do I look fat in this" and you can respond "No, but I don't think those jeans are really working for you" without it turning into an epic battle. My partner has no problem telling me that she thinks my favorite Hawaiian shirt is hideous. But I love it, I'll never stop wearing it. And I would expect her to have just as strong a sense of self. If a woman freaks out because you answer the "Do I look fat in this?" question wrong, there are other issues. She's just waiting to freak out about something. And that's a huge turn-off- a sign of things to come, really.