The secret signals celebs send out in their break-up ‘thirst traps’ – Kim K, Kendall Jenner & Arabella Chi all do it
HOLLYWOOD and reality star romances are nothing short of a rollercoaster ride, keeping fans eagerly glued to the latest updates.
Staying on top of who has split from who, why and when, can lead to an endless amount of scrolling.
But just like us mere mortals, celebrities have their ways of getting over a heartbreak – and they’re often quite unusual.
One tactic is a ‘thirst-trap photo’ – the name given to a social media post, usually featuring a photo or video, that’s intended to attract attention and desire whilst showing an ex just what they’re missing.
And there’s something strategic in the pose that the likes of Kim Kardashian and Arabella Chi adopt following a split from a partner.
Put simply, it involves said celebrity looking sultry in a thong bikini and while they face away from the camera, their bottom is in full view of the lens – topped off with a cheeky glance back over the shoulder.
And according to body language expert Judi James, the celebrity’s expression is known as the ‘Resting Beach Face’.
She says: “It’s like a thirst-trap pose but with a difference.
“It’s more about sending out signals of ‘I am so over you’ to their ex than just looking fabulous for their fans.
“More like ‘thirst entrapment’ than ‘thirst trap’, the messages sent out suggest they’re suckering their exes into studying their hot pose which is then full of projected signals of how well they’re doing without them and how hot, or even hotter, they look now they’re enjoying life alone and single.
“It sends out messages of ‘I’m so much better without you.’
“It’s also a smart message of warning to any girls who might be thinking of dating their ex.
“By showing they’re better off without the guy these women will make anyone picking them up next feel or even look like suckers.”
Here, Judi reveals the meaning behind these celebrity snaps which were all shared after a break up with an ex.
‘Some of me’
Earlier this month Kendall Jenner, 28, shared several bikini-clad photos just days after rumours surfaced about the Kardashians star splitting from her on-again, off-again boyfriend Bad Bunny.
She captioned a series of images and videos of herself on Instagram, captioning the collection, “some of me.”
Judi says: “Kendall’s Resting Beach Face poses are sultry and smart.
“She opts for a sophisticated, languorous look with a stunning thong bikini making her body look as elongated, fluid and as bare as possible.
“She totally owns the space in the poses here and the way she stands at the prow of the boat as it sails into some caves signals she’s all about moving forward and trying things that are new.
“Her eye expression is the strongest signal here though as it combines sexy with strength as though she’s also not to be messed with.”
‘Follow me’ flirty
Paige Thorne turned up the heat by donning a tiny bikini during her sun-drenched getaway in Florida.
The 26-year-old former Love Island shared the pictures of her doing the ‘resting beach face’ in August after the news of her breakup with rapper boyfriend Josh Foreman.
Judi says: “Paige’s pose could be done to mislead her ex here as on the surface it could look ‘follow me’ flirty.
“But by featuring her bum looking sensational in the thong while throwing a backward, over-the-shoulder glance she’s created a classic ‘kiss my ass’ pose.
“It’s her eyes that seem to show this is less about ‘follow me’ and more about ‘farewell’.
“Her feet are even taking a step away forward as though she can’t wait to put distance between them here.”
A formalised farewell
Just a few months after she filed for divorce from her rapper husband Kanye, Kim Kardashian, 43, headed to the beach to show off her best angles – and what her ex was missing.
Judi says: “Kim knew what she was doing when she posed for this pic seen after her split with Kanye.
“Her black thong bikini and simple, severe bun show she’s not celebrating the split.
Her back is arched proudly to show resilience and her bum protrudes to show off her famous features.
“But her legs are splayed and her arms held at her sides in a gesture of high levels of inner confidence and power, hinting she’s stronger alone.
“Her eyes are away from the camera suggesting no desire to communicate directly but those non-verbal signals suggest a formalised farewell.”
Chi-eky surprise
Model Arabella, 33, flaunted her impeccably toned physique and radiant tan in a rear-view shot following her split from former Love Islander Adam Maxted, 31, in March.
The pair split five weeks after leaving the Love Island’s All Stars villa.
Judi says: “The thong is pulled high for maximum bum reveal here and her bum is held close to the camera as her featured body part.
“As she glances over her shoulder at the camera her brows raise and her mouth falls open as though in surprise.
“She looks rather haughty and classy here with a rather dismissive-looking ‘Oh are you still here? I’ve moved on’ message to her ex.”
Serious business
Actress Sofia Vergara captivated social media after sharing some breathtaking photos from her vacation in Italy.
The 52-year-old actress shared her thirst-trap picture in July, which was the same month as the unexpected announcement to end her seven-year marriage to Joe Manganiello.
Judi says: “Sophia’s face is hidden by curtains of hair here but there’s nothing shy-looking about this cut-off concealment.
“She’s chugging happily from a glass and her pose and setting look like she’s only moved off her sun-lounger for long enough to grab the bottle of water she’s holding before getting back to the serious business of flipping through a glossy mag.
“This looks like she’s re-charging on a spa break rather than sobbing on her pillow.
“Her rounded bum in the thong looks almost like an accidental reveal but there’s clearly nothing casual about this pose that ignores the camera.”
Pouting postcard
TOWIE stunner Amber Turner showed her ex Dan Edgar what he’s missing as she stripped down to a black thong bikini.
The 31-year-old shared the pictures and could be seen as an attempt to show ex-boyfriend Dan what he’s missing following their split in May after five years together.
Judi says: “Amber’s selfie is like a postcard from the beach, not so much ‘wishing you were here’, more ‘having the best time without you’.
“She’s got the sun lotion props here to suggest lots of lolling by the pool and her kiss ritual looks emphatic.
“With her eyes closed and her lips pouted this looks like a long-distance kiss goodbye.
“Her arched back pose looks almost ecstatic as though she’s blissful about the break triggering a new stage in her life.”
Naughty but nice
Back in 2022, former Love Islander Millie Court showed her ex Liam Reardon what he’s missing with her sizzling beach snap.
The pair, who won the 2021 series of the ITV2 show, shocked fans in July 2022 when they decided to go their separate ways.
But fast forward a year, and the pair are giving it another go – proving that the picture may have just worked.
Judi says: “In her dazzling, eye-catching pink thong Millie shows off a pert body and a rather naughty facial expression here.
“Her gaze looks level and rather knowing as she poses in the surf and her eyes do seem to be quite seriously hammering home a message of ‘goodbye’, while her featured bum is a ‘look what you’re missing’ detail.
“This is a smarter, more serious and sexier girl than the girl-next-door we saw on Love Island and that sense of emotional maturity looks like a message she’s keen to send to her ex.”
How are the celebs doing the Resting Beach Face
By body language expert Judi James
The exotic beach setting is a key factor with these poses, with its sense of expensive luxury and pampering.
The bikini is sexy but cool and only selected parts of the body are featured to give a look of control.
The sense of vast distance and being out of reach both physically and emotionally looks equally important, revealing ‘I’m not sitting around waiting or moping.’
Many Resting Beach Faces involve the celebrity posing with their back to the camera, looking back over their shoulder.
This is a very cheeky signal of farewell.
The bum might be the sexiest signaller of the body but it also has connotations with messages of demeaning and shocking someone when it is aimed specifically in a mooning or ‘kiss my ass’ gesture, which is the classic ritual of a lack of respect.
So, the Resting Beach Face pose ticks multiple post-break-up boxes, with its hints of revenge, strength or toughness all relayed in a very cool and classy way.
These celebs are luxuriating, stretching, showing sensual glances or body parts to highlight their beauty to the camera and above all they look confident and very much in control.
They are rewarding themselves with the exotic dream holiday rather than sobbing into their pillow eating chocolate chip ice cream and watching rom-coms.