DEAR MISS MANNERS: What is the proper response for, “Does this dress make me look fat?”
I was confronted with this a while back, and believe me -- the wearer’s looking fat had nothing to do with the poor dress.
Had I said “yes,” she would have had a fit. Had I said “no,” I would have been lying. I said, “What a lot of pretty colors in that dress,” which I’m sure masked nothing. What should I have said?
GENTLE READER: “No.” Common kindness and courtesy aside, Miss Manners notes that you admit this would not be a lie. To wit: “The wearer’s looking fat had nothing to do with the poor dress.”