Preening Body Language: One of The First Signs Someone Likes You

Preening is basically the act of wanting to look good for someone. When we see someone we like, our body language gives us away by double-checking our makeup or fiddling with our hair, straightening a tie or adjusting cufflinks.

According to How To Read A Person Like A Book by Gerald I. Nierenberg and Henry H. Calero, “Preening gestures are those actions performed by the male or female, usually for the benefit of the opposite sex. After researching people’s actions in situations where they wanted to look their best and convey a good first impression, we recognized that there are few people in our society who do not perform preening gestures, although the extent to which they do so varies greatly.”

Some people are more obvious than others, as Nierenberg and Calero pointed out. One man might look at a woman and run his hands through his hair like he’s The Fonz, while another might simply pull up his socks when he sits down. The same is true for women. One woman might touch up her lipstick for a crowd of admirers looking on, while one who isn’t as bold might merely brush imaginary lint from her skirt.

“Grooming and personal appearance plays a major part in the body language department,” writes Dr. G. A. Anderson in the article, Understanding a Guy’s Body Language. “If a man seems to be fixing his hair, his tie, his collar, or any of his other clothing, he’s preening. It seems to go back to the wild, when the alpha male of a species preens for the females. It’s a way of suggesting he wants to look good for you.”

Of course, preening gestures don’t always mean someone is interested, as author Tonya Reiman had mentioned in her book, The Power of Body Language, “Sometimes a woman can even preen when she’s not interested in a guy – she might just want him to be interested in her: ‘Look what you can’t have!’”

While this is true, not to mention vanity and/or insecurity playing a part in some preening moves, preening is still one of the most notable first signs of male or female interest. It doesn’t guarantee a blooming relationship ahead, but when you learn to read the signals, it can definitely help if you’re ever unsure about approaching someone.

If she gives you a hair flip and a smile, or if he sucks in and stands up straighter, it could very well be the start of something new and exciting.

Read more about how you can tell if a guy likes you. Learn how he really feels by noticing some interesting things he does.

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