MANILA, Philippines - It pains me that Glamour.com does not know what a selfie is — or could it be that I am mistaken (all this time) in thinking that “selfie†is like “autobiography†in that it should be taken by the subject? In any case, the website’s gallery on Hollywood-style selfies deconstructs those taken by celebrities and offers enough inspiration for us common people to give it a try. The selfie has gotten so much flack in the past, I guess because ancient selfies were of subjects doing the “duck face,†which is not flattering or adorable from any angle, except maybe when shot with the intent of irony or by Miranda Kerr. But now, selfies are getting better and it’s not a crime to take one. Remember, the only time you could get cuffed for taking a selfie is if you take one while driving. It’s your Instagram; you can do what you want. If, however, being in front of your phone’s secondary camera gives you a bad case of stage fright (blame it on the lens’ uncanny ability to widen our faces to Jollibee proportions), keep calm. We at YStyle have a few tricks of our own. Here are a few pointers, some selfies and some portraits, to get you started. Go forth and practice — just don’t post everything, okay? Have mercy.
Go mock yourself
I’m giving in to the whole idea of a selfie not being taken by the subject and adding @emmaroberts6’s photo beside her We Are the Millers poster. If you have your own poster, I guess you reserve the right to have your photo taken beside it.
Throw in an accessory
Take the pressure off yourself by adding a cute accessory to the picture — like a super model human! @nevillejacobs a.k.a. Marc Jacobs’ dog is seen here with Jessica Hart. Humans may do the opposite.
@heidiklum is not Queen of Selfies for nothing. While she obviously has someone to take photos of her all the time, this one shows her human side, taking mirror selfies just like the rest of us. Bonus points for her iPhone case, which has photos of her kids, as well as the BTS-feel of her backdrop, and the obligatory Starbucks “mug†shot.
Crop with style
Leave a little mystery by partially cropping your face. Here, Taylor Tomasi Hill (@ttomasihill) gives us a peek at her fashionable world through her bling and trademark mane.
And I mean your made-up pretty face, because let’s, um, face it, we all need a little help sometimes. Take Iggy Azalea (@thenewclassic) here, whose done-up brows compensate for the minimal eye makeup and subdued (by Iggy standards) lips.
Lit it up
People have been covering their faces with books since the dawn of Instagram. It’s another way of saying, “Hey, look at my outfit,†“Hey, this is where I am,†and “Hey, this is what I’m reading†all in one go. The @manrepeller a.k.a. Leandra Medin takes this to a whole new level by using her own book. Live long and repel!
This is basic, but basic works. Show off your sunglasses, angle your face, do a little pout, and — bam! — a classic, easy and natural-looking selfie. Dazed and Confused November cover girl Chloe Moretz (@cmoretz) is the master of this technique.