When someone's in need of expert etiquette, they call Myka Meier. The following excerpt from Meier's new book, Modern Etiquette Made Easy, offers readers a template for good standing posture—with a little help from the royals.
People often think that posture is only when you are sitting, but it's actually important to practice while you are also standing, walking (especially if wearing heels), getting in and out of a car, descending a staircase, standing still, or even taking a photo. If you are standing, you should have a slight curve of your spine inward so that your shoulders and your bum are the two parts touching a wall if you were to stand against it. Here are three pose options to try that demonstrate excellent posture while standing still or taking a photo:
Sussex Stance
Exhibited by the Duchess of Sussex during countless photos, and also while standing to speak, notice the chin is parallel to the floor, hands gently relaxed to the side (not clenched) and shoulders rolled back. Legs are together and one foot crosses over the other with toes pointed toward the camera. Keeping your body in a cylindrical shape elongates your body, and notice there is no hand on hip with an oddly angled elbow jutting out. Often taking a photo straight-on may not be your most flattering position, so feel free to keep your feet planted and turn your body slightly to the angle you prefer toward the camera, toes always pointing to the lens.
Cambridge Carry
Often exhibited by the Duchess of Cambridge, the toes are aligned, and shoulders are rolled back, but hands are in front of the body. Instead of clenching fists or intertwining fingers together, which sometimes can make you look tense, she is often holding a handbag in front of her. Holding a handbag, tablet, notebook, etc. is a good solution for those who never know what to do with their hands.
Duke Demeanor
The Duke of Cambridge absolutely knocks it out of the park with his posture, always looking poised yet powerful. The common go-to-we often observe him practicing is standing tall, feet firmly planted side by side, and his hands in what I call a double clasp (notice the fingers are not intertwined but instead one hand is over the top of the other hand with the back of both hands facing the camera and fingers out of view).
Excerpted from Modern Etiquette Made Easy: A Five-Step Method to Mastering Etiquette by Myka Meier. © 2020 by the author and reprinted by permission of Skyhorse Publishing, Inc.
Chloe is a News Writer for Townandcountrymag.com, where she covers royal news, from the latest additions to Meghan Markle’s staff to Queen Elizabeth’s monochrome fashions; she also writes about culture, often dissecting TV shows like The Marvelous Mrs Maisel and Killing Eve.
