Travis Kelce has officially broken Taylor Swift’s cycle of having to ‘suppress her confidence’ to ‘false fit’ with her partners, according to a leading body language expert.
The loved-up couple, both 35, announced their engagement on Tuesday after two years of dating, much to the delight of fans across the world.
Before falling in love with Travis, Taylor had multiple high-profile relationships, including Joe Alwyn, Harry Styles, and Calvin Harris, to name but a few.
According to body language expert Judi James, her quest for a ‘perfect love match’ only ended when she ‘stopped dating her visual twin and tried a contrast’ male instead.
Examining Taylor’s past romances, Judi exclusively told Daily Mail that the Love Story singer had previously dated men that were similar in height, size and style to her but who ‘she often eclipsed professionally.’
As a result, the pop icon seemed to make ‘compensatory rituals from her body language states and poses’ when she was photographed out and about with them.
According to Judi, these ‘Taylor twin’ guys ‘seem to have made her a chameleon dater: someone who suppresses their own confidence and individuality to create a false fit with the person they’re dating.’
Travis is the antithesis of Taylor’s exes. He, Judi points out, is a hulking sportsman with an almost equally successful career – and they seem like the perfect match.
Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce are engaged following a secret proposal two weeks ago
According to body language expert Judi James, Taylor’s quest for a ‘perfect love match’ only ended when she ‘stopped dating her visual twin and tried a contrast’ male instead’
Speaking exclusively to Daily Mail, Judi observed that the couple’s proposal photoshoot illustrates a ‘rare sense of non-verbal complimentary.’
She notes that there is a clear lack of insecurity on Travis’s part – something that appeared to be lacking in Taylor’s previous relationships.
Judi explained that with her past romantic interests, Taylor has appeared to ‘lower her own status signals which can be an attempt to boost their egos rather than her own.’
Upon analyzing Taylor and Travis’s loved-up engagement shoot, Judi said: ‘Travis is seen on his knees at her feet, clutching the ring and gazing up into her face in a very happy state of compliance and expectation. He shows no sign of wanting to assert his own fame status here or to flex his macho credentials.
‘Taylor towers over him, looking down and touching his face as though offering loving reassurance. Most normal engagement photos show the woman a few feet away from the man in a state of relief and excitement at the proposal, but here we see a very confident, calm Taylor pressed close to a rather nervous-looking Travis.’
Judi notes that Taylor looks very much ‘in control’ in the celebratory photos.
‘Even when they stand nose-to-nose its Travis’s hands placed politely on Taylor’s waist while she cups his face in another tender, nurturing gesture,’ she said.
‘Travis is a big guy but Taylor’s touch rituals make him look like a besotted teen and she even closes her eyes as she smiles in a maternal-looking gesture of affection.
She notes Travis ‘clearly feels unthreatened by her level of fame and success. His responses suggest he cherishes them, meaning a lack of insecurity’
‘With Travis her “wholesome” image can blossom happily but with some of her ‘cooler’ dates she seems to have tried to mirror their look, often appearing subdued and uncomfortable in the process.
‘Travis clearly feels unthreatened by her level of fame and success. His responses suggest he cherishes them, meaning a lack of insecurity.’
Taylor and Travis both appear to be bursting with love for each other in their engagement shoot, which is worlds away from how Taylor seemed in previous outings with former flames.
Here, Daily Mail and Judi takes a look at how Taylor’s body language presented itself in her previous romances.
Taylor and Joe Alwyn
Taylor dated actor Joe Alwyn for six years between 2016 and 2023
Taylor began dating the Conversations With Friends star Joe Alwen in late 2016 after they were rumored to have crossed paths at that year’s Met Gala in New York City.
The Lover singer reportedly kicked off her romance with Joe just months after her shock split from Loki actor, Tom Hiddleston, in September 2016.
Taylor gave fans insight into their burgeoning romance by alluding to Joe in lyrics on her hit 2017 album Reputation, including the song Gorgeous where she recalls ‘making fun of’ his English accent.
The Grammy Award-winner opened up even more on her 2019 album Lover, where she gushed about her ‘London boy’ on multiple tracks.
But, on April 3, 2023, it was claimed by ET that – despite reports they were ‘doing fine’ – Taylor and Joe had decided to call it quits after six years together.
According to Judi, this relationship was the most severe example of visual ‘twinning,’ with Taylor dating a guy a similar in height, shape, hair color and even beauty as herself.
‘But while Taylor has shown with Travis that she adores showboating a romantic relationship for the cameras, having fun and being playful together, a date with Joe seemed to involve signals of being way too cool to pose for the press,’ she said.
‘His hand on top of hers here suggests he was in control and her demure smile with her eyes cast downward looks way too compliant for the Taylor we’ve now met with Travis, who smiles and chats happily for the cameras and for whom ‘demure’ is happily a thing of the past.
‘She’s now swapped that shy downward glance and ice-blue satin for a confident, relaxed air of happy enjoyment plus a love of wearing the brightest shades of red, including of course her signature red lipstick.’
Taylor and Calvin Harris
Taylor appeared ‘deeply uncomfortable’ in this picture with her former flame Calvin Harris, according to body language expert Judi
Taylor is rumored to have started her relationship with Calvin Harris after meeting the hunk at a BRIT Awards after party in London in February 2015.
However, the couple ended up splitting in 2016 after a very public romance.
Judi describes Calvin’s body language as ‘cold and impassive’ here and Taylor’s non-verbal response ‘suggests she’s caught his chill.’
She added: ‘Her choice of sexy catsuit with the revealing plunging neckline might have fitted Calvin’s DJ/Dance music maestro credentials but Taylor is showing three key body language signals that suggest she’s deeply uncomfortable here.
‘Her pose is self-diminished. This occurs when someone tries to look smaller than they are, which is usually prompted by fear or anxiety.
‘Her shoulders are hunched upward, which suggests discomfort and a lack of confidence, and her fingers are bent at the knuckle with one hand grabbing the index finger of the other in a self-comfort, self-reassurance ritual.’
Taylor and Harry Styles
Judi described Taylor and Harry’s body language as ‘the most car-crash’ of all
Taylor dated Harry Styles from November 2012, with a source telling The Sun at the time: ‘Harry is head over heels for Taylor and even admitted he loves her while they were in the Big Apple.’
They split just three months later in January 2013.
‘Theirs was probably the most car-crash body language of Taylor’s dating history,’ Judi said.
‘She put in maximum effort here to create a “fit,” swapping prom-queen for distressed casuals and serious knitwear but Harry always looked like a very reluctant date.
‘He tended to be photographed ignoring her in public, slouching scowling and unsmiling while she trotted along behind him with her hands stuffed into her pockets, looking like a girl yearning for some attention or tactile behavior from a guy who is maybe not that into her.
‘Harry might have been a PR attempt to shore up the “cool” side to her personal brand but he never seemed keen to play ball and she was just left looking unhappy in his wake.’
Taylor and John Mayer
Judi believes Taylor tried hard to make her romance with John Mayer in this photo look ‘right’
Taylor and John Mayer reportedly dated from December 2009 through February 2010 when he was 31 and she was 19.
They originally met when she collaborated on his song Half of My Heart.
The romance seemingly ended on bad terms based on her scathing song Dear John, which many people believe is about him.
‘Having dated a string of A-list women, Mayer looked pretty casual about dating another one in the shape of Taylor,’ Judi observed.
‘His attention is on the camera here, with Taylor posing at his side, appearing to enhance his brand rather than him showing interest in her.
‘The way she tilts her head in towards him suggests a desire to make this look like a romantic match but her sweet smile of what looks like desperation to look “right” together isn’t a good fit to her own profile.
‘She seems to be trying too hard here, which in turn looks like a lack of confidence.’
Taylor and Taylor Lautner
After analyzing the body language in this photo, Judi deduced the ex-couple did ‘not matching levels of romantic interest’
Taylor and Taylor Lautner dated back in 2009, having first met while filming the upcoming ensemble romantic comedy Valentine’s Day, where they shared an on-screen kiss.
She described the moment as ‘life-changing,’ and he appeared equally smitten, saying he definitely considered her ‘his type.’
When quizzed about their relationship on a U.S. radio show at the time, the Love Story singer played it coy.
She said: ‘I don’t know, he’s an amazing guy and we’re really close… and ah… yep.’
However, it was a mere two months before their relationship was over.
‘Matching names but not matching fame and certainly not matching levels of romantic interest,’ Judi said.
‘Lautner might have performed some gallant dating gestures like the one arm extended to usher Taylor out into the street here, but it’s hardly Travis levels of gentlemanly behavior.
‘Taylor’s head is bowed here as though avoiding the cameras and she looks unhappy or uncomfortable.’
Taylor and Joe Jonas
Taylor and Joe Jonas were romantically linked at the beginning of her career
Taylor dated Joe Jonas in the early days of her singing career back in 2008 but sadly split after only a few months together.
The singer revealed that she was dumped over ‘phone call’ and their relationship was inspiration for the star’s much-loved album Fearless.
According to Judi, Taylor once again appears to be putting in all the hard graft in terms of producing a romantic pose in the above photograph.
‘She’s in full prom-queen mode, sitting in a tentative pose with a coy smile and ringlets while Joe almost turns his back on her to pose for the cameras,’ she said.
‘He’s posing like the star here while she sits indulgently behind him.’
