Peacock Pose: The New Photogenic Trend Taking Over Instagram

Last summer we introduced you to a pose we dubbed Barbie feet, a photogenic craze embraced and posted by dozens of celebs, models, and Instagrammers. As someone who is critical of the way I look in photos and frequently says, “Ugh, let’s try another,” after almost every photo I take, I’ve learned the biggest factor in taking a good photo is, in fact, knowing how to pose. I’ve shared a few of my favorite tricks along this journey, like the pose I use in every photo and how to pose in a swimsuit. I’ve also tried Eva Chen’s go-to pose, the baby giraffe, a stance to try the next time you’re taking a full-length mirror selfie (see it here). 

Today, though, I’m slightly shifting gears and sharing the poses girls in Europe swear by. After all, the power of a foolproof pose is international—and truly life-changing. It’ll make someone who feels awkward in front of the camera look like a natural and save some precious minutes the next time you’re snapping photos for a friend or vice versa. Below, you’ll find a handful of new poses (one being the peacock pose—see slide 11) to add to your rotation courtesy of some of the most fashionable and photogenic women from all over Europe. Try these poses on your feed and show us by using the hashtag #WhoWhatWearing on Instagram.

1. Patricia Manfield's Sleepy Pose

Give Patricia Manfield a follow (if you're not already) and you'll quickly learn the London-based Italian is super passionate about her music with Hēir and that she never takes a bad photo. As an avid follower, I've taken note of a few of her go-to poses and am sharing one of my favorites below. I'll call this the sleepy pose (not to be confused with Instagram's headache pose). I'd say it's a signature Manfield stance where she kind of cuddles her face with either her hands or arm, lending an adorably photogenic angle. Not following? Scroll down to see how the artist nails it every time.

2. Caro Daur's Sit & Pop Pose

Caroline Daur is one of my favorites to follow for many reasons. Stating the obvious here, but her style is impeccable, she always has an entertaining IGS rolling where she gives her followers a behind-the-scenes view of her busy lifestyle, rotating speaking in German and English. Along with Manfield, Daur has a few signature poses. The one I'm highlighting today is the sit and pop pose, where she takes the photo seated and then pops one knee. Simple as that, and it lends itself to a casual and cool photo. See what I'm talking about below.

3. Sabina Socol's Peacock Pose

Sabina Socol is another Who What Wear editor favorite. In fact, we adore her style so much we gave her a monthly column on the site. She's the quintessential effortlessly chic Parisian and, as I learned while scrolling her IG feed, has a handful of photogenic tricks up her sleeve. One that particularly caught my eye is a pose where she pops her elbows out by either putting her hands on her hips or resting her arm on something. I named this the peacock pose because it reminded me of the ostentatious bird flexing its feathers. This is a flex I can get behind—thank you, Socol. Scroll down to see what I'm talking about below.

Up next, learn about the posing mistakes photogenic models never make.