Honesty is the Best Policy?

By: Lianna Hursh

A true friendship blossoms the moment a friend asks your opinion on how they look. Naturally, when this dreaded question arises, we all revert to panic mode. How the fuck is any decent human being supposed to look into an innocent girl’s baby blue eyes and break the news that her denim jacket looks like it escaped from Lizzie McGuire’s closet? Let’s be real, even Gordo didn’t think that was cute.

We all ask our friends for wardrobe advice, but truth is, if we were to be brutally honest with our each other, we’d all stop asking. Thankfully, there’s a way to break the news without breaking the spirits of our loved ones

The following code applies to various scenarios. These are ideal “honest” answers that lie somewhere in between “You look downright majestic” and “You look entirely homeless.”

Scenario #1: What you’re thinking—“That outfit is heinous.”

What to say: Instead of blurting out what, quite frankly, is the truth, go with something along the lines of, “I think this would look better.” Pick something out of your friend’s closet that will compliment her more, or recommend a trendy outfit she’s worn in the past.

Scenario #2: What you’re thinking— “I love ya, but ya look fat.”

What to say: “I don’t think that’s the most flattering.” What better way to say something is the least flattering than to say it’s simply not the most? Seriously though, even someone who begs for your honest opinion doesn’t want to hear they look fat. Banish the word from your vocabulary—unless you’re referencing the word “phat,” in which case you’re fucking hilarious and I salute you.

Scenario #3: What you’re thinking—“Hookers aren’t cute.”

What to say: Now this is a toughy. In today’s society, girls think the less material they wear, the better reaction they’ll get from guys. With that said, there’s a fine line between “rockin’ ya body” as Pitbull would say, and just showing too much skin. Tell your friend, “You look too hot.” Talk about a backwards compliment.

All in all, just remember to be gentle when advising your friends. Honesty isn’t the best policy if it makes you sound like an asshole.