The question is, "Where do you wheel?"
For some stuff -- soft, like sand -- I'd go wide. For some stuff -- mud, where you're looking for bottom, snow, etc., I'd go narrow.
For rocks, narrow is better, as long as the hub is protected, as you won't be denting up the rim so often. Narrow also tends to stay on the bead (as mentioned above) better.
Traction wise, putting the most rubber on the surface is not always the best thing. For flotation, yes, but for ultimate bite, no, as you are lowering the pounds per square inch as you add more rubber to the road.
If looks are your major hangup, do what looks right to you. Its not as if wheels and tires are a once in a lifetime purchase. They can be changed. People will sell or swap out one size wheel for another if you ask around. Seems like everyone wants something different than the other guy these days.
In any event, all of what I said above has someone else that disagrees... That is the nature of the game. So ultimately, run whatcha got and have fun with it.
