Body Language of Uncrossing and Re-Crossing Legs
Cue: Uncrossing and Re-Crossing Legs.
Synonym(s): Re-Crossing The Legs, Thigh Exposure.
Description: When the legs are uncrossed and re-crossed in the presence of men.
In One Sentence: Uncrossing and re-crossing the legs is a female sexual signal aimed to arouse or to make the body more comfortable.
How To Use it: Women can use the cue most effectively. In a dating context, slowly uncrossing then re-crossing the legs whilst making eye contact, is a powerful message few men will mistake for general affect. As the cue is normally used to make the body more comfortable, women may wish to repeat the cue and pause slightly with the legs open. To add even more allure add eye contact with a slight lick of the lips to accompany the movement.
The cue is most sexual with a skirt, particularly a short one. However, it can also work with pants as there is more freedom to sitting with legs open when everything is covered. Teasing can be done when in a private location by exposing the underwear either briefly or fully. If you wish to be sexually obvious, the cue without underwear is your answer.
If women wish to avoid appearing sexual, keep the hand on the lap while re-crossing, avoid eye contact, and do the movement quickly and efficiently without any notable pause.
Context: a) General b) Dating.
Verbal Translation: a) “I’m uncomfortable and need to adjust my sitting position.” b) “I’m sexually available and wish to demonstrate my inner thigh to arouse through a quick flash and tease.”
Variant: See Leg Crossing and Leg Crossing Direction, European Leg Cross, Leg Spreading.
Cue In Action: a) She quickly uncrossed and re-crossed her legs with her hands over her lap. She was trying to maintain her comfort by shifting her body into a new position. b) She made eye contact with an attractive man, dropped her head and lowered her eyes, smirked, uncrossed her legs to reveal the skin of her thigh, wiggled to the music, then re-crossed her legs and took a sip of her drink.
Meaning and/or Motivation: Crossing and uncrossing the legs in the presence of men, especially if done slowly is a demonstration of interest or availability. It becomes particularly salient if the inner thigh is exposed or the legs are momentarily left uncrossed.
Leaving the legs uncrossed altogether, while sitting or standing, or massaging them so as to draw attention to them, can add intensity to the sexual invitation.
Another leg crossing variation happens when the leg is tucked under the body and sat on with the knee pointing toward her interest. This also leaves the inside of the thigh exposed and is particularly alluring when wearing a skirt – especially a short one!
Other times, leg crossing and re-crossing has no meaning at all and simply serves to make the body more comfortable. This is the case when men uncross and re-cross their legs. When done by men, it almost always means that he is shifting to increase his comfort.
Cue Cluster: In order for the cue to have meaning it should be accompanied by other sexual cues such as flirty up-cast eye contact, head lowered, shoulders rounded, wrist exposure and so forth. The more cues in cluster, the more salient the sexual message. When the uncross and re-cross cue is not a sexual message, then eye contact will be avoided, the legs will be held tightly together, the motion will be done subtly so as to avoid detection and hands will be firmly planted over the mid-section to hide the skin from view.
Body Language Category: Adaptors, Amplifier, Courtship display, Indicators of sexual interest (IOsI).
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