How bad is being skinny for your image?

[Brighty]

I'm a tall guy (6'3) and I do attract a lot of attention from women because of it... but unfortunately it also means I have a fast metabolism and its hard for me to gain a lot of weight. Right now I'm teetering around 175-180 lbs and I'm a little self conscious. I'm not deathly skinny at all, you can't see my ribs or anything, but I'm self conscious about it so much that I won't wear just a short sleeve shirt - I've got to have a long sleeve or something covering my arms which is going to be a problem now that summer is coming up.


I know girls prefer more muscular guys, but am I being too hard on myself? Do I immediately get written off because I'm not "buff", or does my height help balance that out a little bit? I'm 18 years old, if that helps at all.

 

[S.Y.L]

Go to the gym, get a weight gainer, and lift and eat like crazy.


You will gain 20lbs of muscle in a few months.

 

[MisterMcGee]

Honestly skinny is fine so long as youre fit. there are ways to pull off the ripped-skinny style (muscular but skinny) and ways to pull of the balanced skinny (have some bodyfat that softens your body). So long as you arent 'bony' hen being thin is totally cool. Work on your posture, fitness, wardrobe, and especially your WALK so you don't feel and act LANKY.
LANKINESS is the death of skinny guys, but you can be skinny and tall and not lanky. It's all in how comfortable you are in your clothes and how your body feels overall.

And there's nothing unattractive about skinny men. It's not something that strikes as unappealing to women, unlike being fat. There are plenty of skinny men (I'm talking about ones I know) who get a lot of attention from women based on solely their looks.
Typical 'lanky' or 'bony' skinniness is bad and sends out a low value vibe, as do other weight and behaviour types. If you're a lanky goofy type of "skinny guy" then yeah, it'll hurt your 'image' and 'social proof'. But if you're a great guy who just happens to be skinny, nobody cares. At all.

Also, skinny guys can pull off tons of different awesome looks and NOT come across as tryhard, bimbo-esque, intimidating, or shallow (girls have their own precautions when dealing with buff guys on a purely visual level).
If you don't have much muscle but you're still rounded out as a thin dude, you can look really sharp, really "chill" (indy style), or really... 'whatever'. You'll also stand out if you're skinny, believe it or not, as it's something different than typical "hot" guys who concentrate too much on appearance.
Meanwhile I personally find that muscular guys who try to look sharp, relaxed, or whatnot give off a funky tryhard vibe. I usually find this with guys who are really cut and have low bodyfat. I don't know why I think this, it must be the strange effects of first impressions.


Pull your shoulders back and down, and pump your chest out a bit. You'll feel great.

 

[Brighty]

Honestly skinny is fine so long as youre fit. there are ways to pull off the ripped-skinny style (muscular but skinny) and ways to pull of the balanced skinny (have some bodyfat that softens your body). So long as you arent 'bony' hen being thin is totally cool. Work on your posture, fitness, wardrobe, and especially your WALK so you don't feel and act LANKY.
LANKINESS is the death of skinny guys, but you can be skinny and tall and not lanky. It's all in how comfortable you are in your clothes and how your body feels overall.

And there's nothing unattractive about skinny men. It's not something that strikes as unappealing to women, unlike being fat. There are plenty of skinny men (I'm talking about ones I know) who get a lot of attention from women based on solely their looks.
Typical 'lanky' or 'bony' skinniness is bad and sends out a low value vibe, as do other weight and behaviour types. If you're a lanky goofy type of "skinny guy" then yeah, it'll hurt your 'image' and 'social proof'. But if you're a great guy who just happens to be skinny, nobody cares. At all.

Also, skinny guys can pull off looks that buff guys can't. If you don't have much muscle but you're still rounded out as a thin dude, you can look reallly sharp or really "chill" (indy style).Meanwhile I personally find that muscular guys who try to look sharp, relaxed, or whatnot give off a funky tryhard vibe. I usually find this with guys who are really cut and have low bodyfat. I don't know why I think this, it must be the strange effects of first impressions.


Pull your shoulders back and down, and pump your chest out a bit. You'll feel great.

Can you go into a bit more detail about appearing "lanky"? Like maybe a picture of some dude who's lanky? I've got good chest muscules, just that I'm primarily worried about my biceps and triceps being too "not buff" - I wouldn't say skinny, but just not buff.

 

[Obey Propaganda]

I'm 5'8" 140 lbs, never stopped me.

the stubble rules all.

http://img98.imageshack.us/my.php?image=p5050011.jpg

 

[chad2k5]

lmao you look like George Michael

 

[Prodigy746]

i am too skinny ... i am 6'5 150!!! Does it lower my value .... hell no! I walk with confidence ....walk upright with a swagger..I work out so my body actually looks pretty good. I have never had any girl say i am skinny or seem turned off by my weight. Only people that have commented on my weight is older people and friends that might be trying to **** block me. Recently i had a friend say that i was too skinny in front of a girl. My response is always "i might be skinny but i am 100% muscle baby"... I than proceed to show my biceps for laughs and they actually look pretty good because i lift weights and do pusups 4-5 days out of the week. I have a great personality and lot of friends. I would like to gain weight but i am sure you know that no matter how much or what we eat it is very hard to put on weight. We can only put on muscle if we work hard enough...

There is another skinny guy that i work with but he hunches down and walks like he has low confidence. He is a very nice guy but ive had girls and guys point out how we are both skinny but so much different. I had a guy actually point out how i walk streight up and he hunches over and how it looks bad for him.

 

[MisterMcGee]

Exactly.
If you want to know what lanky is, look at most average dudes at school, on campus, or at work. Also look at guys who are attractive but arent very social or whatever, their body language (as well as many other things) are their downfall. These gus walk like its a chore; if youre fat it looks like a sluggish walk, and if youre skinny it looks lanky (with your warms waving about as if theyre simply strings attached to your body).
You should google lankiness. Think "lanky" from donkey kong 64. Yes, the orangutan.
Meanwhile Chunky the gorilla has swagger.
Yeah, I went retro.

And yeah, if youve got a facial structure like yours, "obey propaganda", then stubble works great. I've got a similar facial structure and it works for me. (minus the moustache with no centre, i dont like that lol)

 

[PRMoon]

Skinny, fat, It don't matter. You just gotta be ready to party man! When you throw down correct, people notice and you live a good life cause you're having fun.

 

[Obey Propaganda]

And yeah, if youve got a facial structure like yours, "obey propaganda", then stubble works great. I've got a similar facial structure and it works for me. (minus the moustache with no centre, i dont like that lol)

what do you mean my facial structure?

 

[Bible_Belt]

I am 6' 2" and 165. I think about half of women like muscle, and the other half like a guy to be toned. You can be toned at any weight.

 

[Captain]

Looking skinny won't kill your game, like someone above said, it's not really a big turn off like being fat is. Being buff and strong is better, though.

It helps a lot in your initial approach, if a woman finds you physically attractive, she'll be more receptive to your initial approach. If you're at the beach, you'll get women checking you out, which means you've got a little attraction before you've even approached her.

I used to be really thin, and now I'm the same weight as you, but I'm 5"8.

 

[MisterMcGee]

what do you mean my facial structure?

Jawline, square shape, prominent eyes, european/italian/spanish look.

 

[Exhumed]

Well i'm 6'0 and 115 lbs and eat and lift like a champ...oh well?

 

[S.Y.L]

I am 6' 2" and 165. I think about half of women like muscle, and the other half like a guy to be toned. You can be toned at any weight.

Toned is a dumb word, it doesnt mean anything. WTF do you mean you can be toned at any weight, so if your 225lbs at 6ft tall, and all muscle and no fat, is that toned, or is 125lbs with no fat either "toned". I think you mean low BF%, but you can be muscular and have low BF.

All girls like muscle, is masculine. Being a little skinny ***** doesnt, it hurts your game.

 

[Bible_Belt]

All girls like muscle, is masculine. Being a little skinny ***** doesnt, it hurts your game.

My girlfriend does not like muscleheads at all. Some do, but not all. "Toned" is a word she uses, along with "cut" and "ripped." You get the point. Or if you don't, here is a pic of me at my last cage fight:
http://i186.photobucket.com/albums/x252/dotheopposite/shove.jpg

I know a lot of mma fighters who weigh 160 and under. None of us get called "skinny little b!tches," at least not to our faces. And all of us get laid like mad.

 

[MisterMcGee]

Toned is a dumb word, it doesnt mean anything. WTF do you mean you can be toned at any weight, so if your 225lbs at 6ft tall, and all muscle and no fat, is that toned, or is 125lbs with no fat either "toned". I think you mean low BF%, but you can be muscular and have low BF.

All girls like muscle, is masculine. Being a little skinny ***** doesnt, it hurts your game.

Toned simply means your muscles are very visible and you've got little fat that softens them up, thus you look more ripped and such. You can be slender and "toned" or big and "toned".
However, saying someone is toned usually infers that they're muscularly fit and don't work out to get "mass" but to get "in-shape", so to speak. A tone body is usually the result.

 

[djinhell]

Interesting thread. Im 6'5, 168lbs and I would say im more toned than skinny. I dont think being slim (not very buff) is a big problem for guys. posture is a huge thing though, and as previously mentioned, try not to move lanky. Its easier for a short stocky person to carry their body confidently, but us tall dudes need to do it too, walk like your in control of your body, dont let it control you (swinging lanky arms etc). Head high, and be proud baby!

 

[Mr. Bond]

Well, your weight obviously bothers you, and it probably will to a degree no matter what we say. So do something about it! Hit the gym religiously and you'll reap all the benefits of being in shape - being noticed by women and feeling good about yourself are just a couple of them.

 

[pua1989]

theres one solution to this problem: a needle in your ass