Observed mannerisms #37

[Helen_Highwater]

I was out and about (drab) the other day doing what we've all been told to do and that's observing GG's. While doing so I realised there was a GG doing what I'd seen many others do but never really been conscious of. Namely holding one arm up across the chest so that the hand lays on the top of the chest bone such that fingers point to one side of the neck, the thumb to the other.

I realised I'd seen GG's do this so many times before. Sometimes when window shopping or just browsing, other times while in conversation, often while listening to another's bad experience. A sort of, "I feel your pain" gesture.

So I guess that's just one more subtle nuance I need to add to the repertoire of femme gestures.

[Nikkilovesdresses]

I've always associated that mannerism with insecurity, discomfort, self-consciousness. I see women doing it when they're listening to somebody, as if comforting themselves, protecting their throat. Yes it's mainly a female gesture, but do you really like what it's saying?

[pamela7]

i often find myself with a hand in that area, i'm not sure i believe its a negative or protective thing though

I also realise the bare-chest tops of ladies T's and so on, make that part cold, and i find myself putting my hand there to warm it up ... it might be a simple form of self-warming? I didn't need to do that before i shaved the rug!

[CarlaWestin]

Is it somewhat of a gesture of, "Oh, that takes my breath away!" A response of, "OMG! No way!"
And what are the first 36 mannerisms? This is intriguing. I'm in need of more body image gestures for still and video shoots.

[Nikkilovesdresses]

Carla and Pam,

My feeling is that any form of covering or concealing is protective, to one degree or another.

I certainly wouldn't describe Helen's mannerism as either "Oh, that takes my breath away!" or "OMG! No way!", both those reactions might include briefly covering a wide-open mouth, but Helen is describing a more fixed position, a longer term gesture, possibly held for minutes rather than moments.

It compares closely to cradling the (eg) left side of the neck and lower jaw with the left hand, heel of hand pressed against left side of windpipe, another common protective mannerism, also very common in women.

Why women favour these mannerisms over men I can't begin to imagine - it isn't that I think women are more insecure than men.

[pamela7]

then back to Adam and Eve naked with no clothes, and while that's great, where's the fun without the dress?

[Krisi]

Yes, I also need to add to my repertoire of femme gestures. It's amazing how differently males and females act and move once you start to notice. Someone ought to write a book with pictures.

[Kate Simmons]

Makes me wonder if F T M folks go around observing men to see what gestures they have.

[Helen_Highwater]

I've always associated that mannerism with insecurity, discomfort, self-consciousness. I see women doing it when they're listening to somebody, as if comforting themselves, protecting their throat. Yes it's mainly a female gesture, but do you really like what it's saying?

I'm not sure it's about comforting themselves it's more a way of saying, Look I'm not a threat; a way of empathising with the speaker, yep go on I'm listening.

Is it somewhat of a gesture of, "Oh, that takes my breath away!" A response of, "OMG! No way!"

Yep I've seen GG's do that. Usually coupled to an open mouth and intake of breath. Often it's only the tips of the fingers that then make contact as opposed to the flat of the hand.

When I've seen GG's doing it while say window shopping, it seems more of an indication that they're pondering, the "will that go with my..........?"

I'm sure a psychologist could explain the myriad of different subtleties and nuances displayed in the overall body signals we all give out and how even small changes in a gesture say different things. But for me it takes us back to the question, passing or blending and for me blending is as much about the signals I give off by way of mannerisms as it is about dressing appropriately for the time/place/age. So if I can incorporate as many GG mannerisms into my behaviour when out and about then all the better.

[Heidi Stevens]

For the last year or so there has been an ad running on U.S. television where a young couple over acts in the background while two vampire puppets explain what bloodsuckers credit card companies are. The young couple frets over their bills. Near the end of the ad they have gotten word they are approved by the service that the vampires have been talking about the whole time. The woman hears the good news and places her hand on her chest as described by Hellen. She is expressing relief I guess that their bills are consolidated. Since all of the acting by the live actors takes place en mime, all expressions are over done. But she clearly does the chest/hand gesture for effect.

[rachael.davis]

A friend of mine commented a while ago that I do the index finger to earlobe "are my posts in?" gesture fairly routinely - I hadn't thought about it up till she said something

[Amy Lynn3]

I may get kicked into the ocean for this, but I can't help it. Talking about gestures of women reminds me of the old, old joke........when driving why do women always pat their hair at stop lights ? Answer, they don't have any b*lls to scratch. Sorry, was not attempting to distract from the thread.

The gesture the OP outlined I have noted it many times by GG's. Never really understood why. One of my thoughts,,,,they were covering the cleavage area from being seen by men.

[Barbara Black]

LOL to Rachael, oops, caught feminizing again!! I think any sort of movement in front of one's self is a defensive reaction, even the OMG is a protection against embarrassment showing. My opinion though, I ain't no doctor.
Oh, I almost forgot Helen, I'd like to know the other 36 gestures as well. ha ha

[AngelaYVR]

Gesture #1 is walking around with elbow bent and palm up, lightly grasping a phone with a cracked screen.

[Pat]

From a body language perspective, the hand over the heart can be a self-comforting gesture, a defensive gesture or a gesture of (usually insincere) sincerity. You have to decide based on the context. I don't think it's an especially feminine gesture -- I've always done it as a male in it's self-comforting mode, especially when reading (either that or the thumb-on-chin, index-finger-on-lips "thinking" gesture.) The sincerity pose is often adopted by sales people as if they're swearing they are giving you the best deal their manager will allow.

[sometimes_miss]

Gesture #1 is walking around with elbow bent and palm up, lightly grasping a phone with a cracked screen.

That's not fair, you made my soda come out my nose! Ohhh, the bubbles, the bubbles.

[AprilMayy<3]

I got a good laugh out of that one LMAO

[pamela7]

the longer i've gone with a shaved chest, with above-bra-line open tops the colder that bit gets, and the more i find myself covering it up, simply to replace lost heat - in a very similar way to described, cos thats how my hand best covers the area. Are we over-complicating a cigar that sometimes just is a cigar and at other times protective or defensive, and the particular context will reveal.

[Helen_Highwater]

I've always done it as a male in it's self-comforting mode, especially when reading

That made me think that's it's the sort of thing you find in those rubbish articles in the tabloids, the 10 signs that your gay nonsense.

[Sarah-RT]

There are so many mannerisms they do that differ from men, I've certainly noticed the hand on the chest, and that's the chest, not their breasts too, it's easy to think of that region as just boobs.

Some of the other ones I've noticed is if they are smoking they will drop the arm with the cigarette to the side but half raise their hand up and away from the body, or (might be subtle 'stay away from me pose') they will bend their arm up parallel to their head and flex their wrist perpendicular to their body and then support their elbow with their other arm running across their stomach.

When standing still a lot of girls keep their feet together rather than taking a wide stance, or sometimes they'll stand cross legged.

When sitting their hands are usually always open palmed and rarely in a fist or a ball and they often place them flat on their thighs

Sarah x

[BLUE ORCHID]

Hi Helen, Just another reason why I love watching women.