Comfort: We tend to cross our legs when we feel comfortable, confident, and relaxed. For some people this is a naturally comfortable posture, and women who wear short skirts will often cross their legs. Others will cross to shift their weight if their legs are feeling tired.
(Bonus tip: if you're sitting next to a girl and she crosses her legs toward you, it's a sign she's interested in you and engaged in the interaction. If she crosses her legs away, she's putting up a barrier and isn't quite comfortable with you yet.)
People usually cross their legs when they feel uncomfortable and insecure. It's a 'closed' body language gesture that closes you off from other people. Imagine talking to someone with their legs crossed versus talking to someone with their legs uncrossed.
' Women and girls tend to cross their legs while sitting for a variety of reasons. It can be a sign of modesty, comfort, or even a way to make ones self appear more attractive. Crossing one's legs while seated can also be used as a form of body language, conveying elements such as respect or non-threatening emotions.
“Crossing our legs allows our muscles to relax so it feels good,” Barbara Kerr, founder of Transform Body and Mind, tells Stylist. “It takes the pressure off the abdominals and core, so it can feel pleasant.”
"Manspreading" or "man-sitting" is a pejorative neologism referring to the practice of men sitting in public transport with legs wide apart, thereby covering more than one seat.
A man in love tends to lean his shoulders towards his love interest. It is one of the indications of adoration. If he leans his shoulders towards you when he's close to you, he's romantic and cares about what you have to say. He will lean in and create a space that incorporates you two.
Touch her knee against yours.
Slowly move your knee toward hers until they touch lightly. Make sure that you touch her knee gently and then linger, so she doesn't think that you are bumping her leg because you need more room for your legs. Flirting by accidental touch helps build attraction because it creates tension.
Paying attention to a man's body language clues can help you decipher whether he is interested. If a man likes you, he may sit facing you with his legs spread open. This indicates that he is open and receptive to you.
Men might grab a woman's shoulder or pat a hand. Women might brush their hands or give a playful tap and a laugh. Touching shoulders or legs (if seated), ever so slightly, is another flirtation cue.
More often than not, touching women's thighs is part of foreplay and becomes a huge turn on for both partners. It creates sexual tension and gets you both excited for what's to come. So if you feel like a guy is trying to seduce you in this way, there's a good chance that's exactly what he's doing.
Look out for body language cues that signal that he is uncomfortable or disinterested in your interactions. He may try to move away from you, cross his arms in front of him, or turn away from you while you are talking. He may also try to avoid physical contact, like a hug or you touching his arm, he is not interested.
Depending on the context, sitting cross-legged can mean a person is either relaxed or defensive. Body language experts note that if you see someone sitting this way in a meeting, it may indicate they have emotionally withdrawn from the conversation.
The standing leg cross symbolizes denial to access to the genitals. This is the reason why this posture is considered to be defensive in nature. Hence, such a gesture shows that the person is not confident of oneself, or in other words, lacks self-confidence.
Crossing your legs.
Some say it demonstrates open relaxation, others say it shows the person is defensive," Keyl told INSIDER. "The truth is that it depends on the context and positioning. A person standing with their legs cross and weight shifted on one leg is typically projecting an attitude casual relaxation.
According to a new study by the University of Kent, men can differentiate between the smell of a woman who's turned on and one who's not into him. Moreover, findings have proven that, in turn, men are more attracted to those women who find them attractive.
“If someone secretly likes you, they may tilt their head as you speak, which is a sign of engagement,” Dr. Hafeez shares. They'll turn to you when you speak and will keep their body language open. “Their legs will be crossed in your direction and their arms won't be folded with 'closed' body language,” she adds.