Aibu to think as you get older being a bit fatter looks better?

It very much depends on the individual, how they carry their weight, whether their face does fill out when heavier etc - not everyone's does. No hard and fast rule - I think as long as your weight is within the healthy range for your height, you should try to maintain the weight at which you look and feel your best in your own judgement.

I don't care about weight. Toned is the measurement for me on people. Slim with muscle definition, not body builder definition, just that nice sculptured look. It works for me at all heights.

Being underweight makes you look older from 20s up in my opinion.

I've (40+) recently unintentionally lost a few pounds (still within my BMI range but near the bottom), ironically as a result of hitting the gym to try to get a bit more muscle and it has definitely come off my face. I am considering trying to gain a bit back. On the plus side my body looks good!

So how do skinny men look?

How old are you? I can understand feeling that way up to about your mid thirties, for sure.

I would rather be very slim and look my age/older, than be even slightly fatter and look more youthful. Just personal preference.

On some people, to some people.

As a man in his late 50s yes people of both sexes look better with fuller faces. Skinny women look scrawny over about 50 with tendons and muscles showing under loser skin

@ywllowcomercio oh just saw that you were underweight before 5.6 and 7.5-8 st. At 40 you can't be underweight without looking miserable and gaunt in your face. No need to be overweight though- just healthy weight. Do you have an eating disorder?

It looks better to be a healthy weight; not gaunt and not overweight. I'm 5.7 and weigh around 9 stone. If I go under that my face immediately looks awful- like 15 years older.

Most people think that being “a bit fatter” is more attractive than being very slim. But people who like being very slim don’t typically do it to be attractive, it’s probably because they’re into fashion, and clothes fit better when you’re thin. At 5ft6 and 8.5 stone though you’re on the slimmer side of healthy, which is what most people agree is the peak zone for sexual attractiveness, if that’s important to you.

I am 5'7 and 9st 6 and wear size 8. So based on that, I can only assume that you were quite underweight before (by conventional standards anyway). So yes, I can totally see how having more weight on you looks better regardless of your age. However, there is a more important factor that you also need to move better, have better muscle and bone health as time goes on and being underweight puts you at risk of frailty, sarcopenia and osteoporosis. So it's less about looks for me, as I age and more about keeping my body strong into older age.

You were underweight by a fair bit before with a BMI of between 17 and 18. Hardly surprising you look better having put a little on but you are only just into healthy weight at 8 and a half stone.

Yup. ‘Face or figure’ my plump but gorgeous grandma used to say.

Same. I am 5"0 and had always been very slim. Naturally a 4/6 rather than anything nefarious. After about age 38, and my children were getting bigger I suddenly felt seld conscious about being so slim so I've worked at building some muscle and maintaining a size 8/10 and I feel a lot more in place rather than the smallest and skinniest everywhere I go. I find clothes aimed at my age group fit better. My face isn't dropping either and the few lines I'd developed before I put on weight have stayed static at age 43... yet. I expect it will catch up sooner or later.

Also fashions change. When I was teens to early 20s, it was fashionable to have the short bob and be very skinny, its all curves and long hair now. The young women I know aren't super skinny and all have ultra long flowing hair.

I tend to look best around 25-26 bmi as I’m quite muscly and have a gaunt face. Any slimmer I look unwell.

Well you were mostly underweight before, so it makes sense you'd look better heavier, no matter what age you are!

I think being very thin can be ageing and being overweight can also be ageing. There's definitely a sweet spot, that varies for each person.

I totally agree. I'm five eight and for the first time in my life, I weigh more than nine stone. At first I was a bit taken aback and thought I should fix it, but I actually think being a bit fuller suits me quite well. I am 43 and I had noticed last year that my face was looking a tad gaunt, and it has softened down a bit and I think I look younger and prettier. I wouldn't like to gain a great deal more, but I am happy as I am.