A Body Language Expert on What Taylor Swift’s Signature Bag Hold and Stance Mean

When you compare snaps of Taylor Swift side-by-side, it becomes clear, super fast, just how much the star has a look going on. From her favorite outfit combo to the particular way she carries her top-handle bags, it’s a signature she’s repeating too much for it to be total coincidence—right? We connected with Tonya Reiman, author and body language expert, at an event for Caress, and asked her all about it.

“It’s a very demonstrative pose,” Reiman told us of the way Swift carries her Prada and Michael Kors bags. “She is quite proud of her bag and wants the world to see it as evidenced by the way she holds it, dangled on her forearm, slightly away from her body and allowing both body and bag to be on full display. In doing so, she demurely suggests power and pride.”

Beyond the positioning of her bag below the actual crook of the elbow, there’s the intriguing matter of how her hand always seems to be resting on the edge of it (or in the general area if the shape of the bag doesn’t allow for actual contact). According to Reiman, the reasoning for that is twofold.

“Two goals are accomplished. Her hand draws additional attention to the bag, and it appears that her bags are very important to her. By holding them, even slightly, she offers protection for the bag and its contents.”

Purses aside, there’s also something to be said for the singer’s leggy stride (shown off by the tiny skater skirts she favors).

“She’s confident and comfortable with who she is,” Reiman says when quizzed about what that walk means. Through her study of body language, she’s found that most women automatically shorten their stride in heels as a safety precaution, but not Swift. “The fact that she wears high heels and still takes long strides shows her dominance and that she’s worry-free.”

Her perfect posture, reminiscent of an off-duty ballerina, also holds some bodily clues to what she’s really like. “It sends a positive vibe,” explains Reiman. “When you hold your posture in a strong, upright position, you’re more likely to remember positive memories and think more positive. Strong posture also changes our hormones, getting more oxygen to the brain and putting us in a better place mentally.”

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