There’s no denying that Kate Middleton is one classy lady. And of course, no one is surprised when the Duchess is able to consistently look flawless in photos. It’s kind of just what Duchesses do, you know?
There’s a trick to how she always stays so poised, especially when sitting. It’s called the “Duchess Slant.”
In fact, this way of sitting with the knees touching and ankles crossed is a time-old tradition, especially among royals. If you watched Princess Diaries, then surely, you know that.
“Typically ‘the Duchess Slant’ is used when a lady has to sit for an extended amount of time while keeping poise and posture,” Myka Meier, royal etiquette expert and founder and director of Beaumont Etiquette, told People magazine.
Comfy and classy. That seems like a good fit for a Duchess, now doesn’t it?
Not only is this a comfortable way to maintain your posture, it also isn’t bad for posing purposes.
“It is the perfect pose for when a camera is shooting directly in front of you because by slightly slanting the knees to create a zig-zag effect when wearing a dress or skirt, your legs are angled so that the camera only shoots the sides of your legs and protects your modesty,” Meier told the magazine.
So, there’s a very good reason for sitting this way, and if it’s good enough for Middleton, it’s good enough for the rest of us.
Now, for the rest of our etiquette lesson…
Don’t worry. You’ll get the hang of it.
[h/t: Good Housekeeping]