Mortified - what do you mean if you say someone "looks well"?

[munemema]

I say it a lot. And I mean what it says, a genuine compliment.

I might mean that they seem happier or less tired than usual or that the haircut/make up suits them but I haven't been able to put my finger on the change, maybe they've lost some weight and their clothes fit better or perhaps they have a bit more colour in their cheeks.

Someone has just told me it's a universal euphemism for "you've gained weight"

I take it to mean ‘not knackered’ ‘content looking’.

I too use this in an honest way - usually means someone looks rested and not stressed.

you look well ( fed )

It just means someone is looking well? Anyone who is interpreting it as weight gain is just projecting their own personal insecurities.

Each to their own on meanings. It's 50/50, you could always add more to the comment next time you use it to avoid misunderstandings!

I hate that it's synonymous with "you look fat" and if anyone here uses it that way then you're a jerk!

I used to think it was a nice thing but then i read it as "you look well [fat]".

Either way, not much I can do about it there and then, so...

It means you’ve stacked the weight on, sorry.

I think it should mean they look healthy but I don’t say it because apparently it means they look as if they’ve gained weight.

I never understood it to mean you look fat until I saw it on here. Why would people go around generally insulting each other as a greeting and telling people they look fat, you wouldn’t say it in any other way so I don’t why “you look well” would suddenly mean that.

“You’re looking chunky today Claire”
“Some extra rolls on that belly today Emma”

No one says that. But people do say “you look nice” so I’m sure it’s just that, and not an insult.

I use it honestly. Normally related to their skin/eyes/hair looking brighter/healthier/shinier.

I've never meant it as "you've gained weight"

But because of arseholes who do use it in a shitty way I'll always qualify my "You're looking really well today" by stating specifically why.

I've never been one for passive aggressive insults...only direct ones!

Its not universal, I use it as you do.

Because I'm not a passive aggressive judger.

cross post Jenna.

I've never come across it used as "you look fat".

In my experience it's actually been the opposite. I LOST a significant amount of weight and lots of people who hadn't seen me for a while said "you look well". I always laughed and replied "you mean I'm not fat anymore" and that broke the ice and we could talk about it openly then.

I've only ever known it to mean that you are actually looking well, not tired, stressed etc.
This just goes to show that some people can twist anything into a dig, i wouldn't worry about it op.

I don't mean it as a euphemism for gaining weight, I mean they look nice, smart, not tired, scrubbed-up, well presented.

Exactly that. That they look well, good, happy. It is a compliment. People are just looking to be insulted sometimes.

I don't use it routinely, but the one time I did, I genuinely meant the person I said it to looked well as in healthy - because she was recovering from serious illness at the time and the previous time I had seen her, she looked dreadful, really ill, and then I saw her again and she looked much much better, so it seemed like a natural thing to say.

This thread clearly indicates that it is not a universal euphamism for 'you've got fat'.

I would always use it and take it as a compliment. Not sure how or why it would be taken any other way tbh.

I’ve only seen it meaning “you look fat” on here. If I say it it means you don’t look tired or pale or stressed or unhappy. I’m not sure how else to express this. Of course, there are plenty of people here who believe you should never comment on other people’s appearance at all.

I never say it, as I'm aware it's said in the context of "you've gained weight". But if I did say it, I would mean the person looks healthy, glowing, happy etc.

I mean it the same way you do, because I honestly think someone looks well- maybe tanned and relaxed and happy. I think the other option is just mean 😕 I'd feel mortified if someone took it in that way. But maybe it says more about the person receiving the comment or maybe it really is understood as that in some places?

It means you look like you’ve put on weight.

A few people have said this to me recently...I've lost about 2 stone. But I still have a fair bit to loose, I think they haven't necessarily noticed that I've lost weight but that I'm just looking a bit better in general?

Or maybe they still think I'm a fat cow and it's a back handed compliment.