Fashion week is an exciting time in every young fashion lover's life. With hundreds of designers to follow and thousands of new garments to ogle, all eyes are on the runway. But while everyone's busy pinpointing their favorite outfits and copying makeup looks, we're paying about as much attention to another type of fashion week coverage: street style. Though the culture surrounding street style has changed in recent years, perhaps resulting in a less organic photo set, we still look forward to seeing what everyone wears to take in the shows. The clothes are our first focus when it comes to street style, but once you've been following it long enough, certain patterns emerge. While some street style models go stoic and matter-of-fact—much like the runway professionals—others go smiley or blogger-influenced. After some rigorous research (read: checking out our favorite street looks) we've come up with the 15 most usual suspects when it comes to street style poses. Is your personal favorite on the list?
Street Style Power Poses
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Too Cool for School
Ah, the "too cool for school" poser. Er, too cool for Fashion Week, more like. While tons of bloggers and voracious magazine readers would probably kill for the chance to be snapped while attending any fashion show in the four big cities, these street style stars are pretty much over it. The semi-smile and inability to end a phone conversation for a quick photo are key indicators of those who have totally been there, done that.
Image: IMAXtree
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Too Cool for School
Image: IMAXtree
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Meh
Similar to the too cool for school poser, this street style model is kind of over the idea of street style photography itself, but is still willing to pose, just this once. How can we tell? Their face looks a little deflated, a little matter-of-fact, their stance is straightforward and frill-free. It's a look that has "ugh" written all over it.
Image: IMAXtree
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Meh
Image: IMAXtree
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Walking on Street Style Sunshine
While this may speak more to the photographer's timing, we especially like to see photos of show-goers en route to some place. Fashion Weeks are really trade events and to see people who seem like they're busy and working—instead of just gape-mouthed, taking in all the amazing sights—is a rather refreshing change.
Image: IMAXtree
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Walking on Street Style Sunshine
Image: IMAXtree
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Bird Arms to Hold Statement Bags
Ah, the statement bag. As there is a new crop of them every season, eager picture-posers scoop them up by the armload. They've learned from fashion blogs and the like the "proper" way to carry their handled handbags: in the crook of the arm so that you don't muss your outfit. Seems they take on a whole different—a little too serious—personality when they do this, and the statement bag is (often rightfully) front and center.
Image: IMAXtree
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Bird Arms to Hold Statement Bags
Image: IMAXtree
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Clutch Cool
Just like a statement bag with handles tends to completely affect stance, so does the clutch. However impractical (assuming the show-goer is actually there to work, thus needs to cart plenty of things), the clutch makes the poser look just a little bit cooler, with just a little more attitude. It's a look that says, "I'm suffering for fashion, because this clutch is not at all the answer to my things-carrying prayers."
Image: IMAXtree
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Clutch Cool
Image: IMAXtree
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Crossed Legs = Ladylike
Another blogger-perfected pose, street style modelers who choose to cross their legs at the knees seem to be going for a kind of elegant ladylike look. Sometimes it works, other times, not so much.
Image: IMAXtree
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Crossed Legs = Ladylike
Image: IMAXtree
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Perched Jacket
Another "suffer for fashion" pose, folks pose with their needed winter coats draped delicately on their shoulders, instead of being worn properly. It's a way to give the under-jacket outfit its due while also showing off the fabulous outerwear. But, we have to wonder, just how much of a chill can you catch while finagling this wonderful look?
Image: IMAXtree
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Perched Jacket
Image: IMAXtree
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Somewhere Over the Shoulder
Sneaking a peek at a street style photographer over the shoulder isn't exactly sly—but it is a tried and true pose. Another look that's uber-popular among fashion bloggers, this pose puts the shoulder in the limelight (finally, right?). It can be a cute look but when you have multiple photographers on the ground, the wrong angle can be published (read: nonsensical and from the side) and well, that's a significantly less cute look.
Image: IMAXtree
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Somewhere Over the Shoulder
Image: IMAXtree
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Kooky With and Without the Camera
Some of our favorite street style looks are when people put together totally bananas outfits. Not only are the looks nutty, but the people wearing them are super matter-of-fact about dressing a little crazy. It's a pose that says, "I dress like this everyday, cameras or not."
Image: IMAXtree
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Kooky With and Without the Camera
Image: IMAXtree
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All Smiles
Believe it or not, smiling is not every street style model's first thought. So when it happens, it's such a pleasant surprise. And while we like the stoic look as much as anybody, there really is something so refreshing about someone actually smiling while being photographed—like they really enjoy Fashion Week and are probably flattered by the attention.
Image: IMAXtree
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All Smiles
Image: IMAXtree
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Who Me?
An offshoot of the smiling look, we love people who seem rather genuinely surprised to be chosen for a street style photograph. The sly, side-mouthed smile and humble body stance are the give-aways. It's like seeing someone blossoming into a street style star right before our eyes!
Image: IMAXtree
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Who Me?
Image: IMAXtree
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Cell Phone Peepers
Some people are genuinely more concerned with what's going on with their cell phones than following the hubbub of Fashion Week. Or so we think. It's more likely that they're tweeting updates, texting their pals and (most likely) looking up directions to confusing show locations.
Image: IMAXtree
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Cell Phone Peepers
Image: IMAXtree
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Hip Hands: Confidence Incarnate
While it's clear that many street style posers are rather confident in their outfits and in themselves, there's one pose that really relays that feeling: hands on hips. Nothing says, "I look really good and I know it," than posing with a hand squarely on the hips. It's the ultimate glamour pose—young girls tend to do it when they're feeling particularly sassy. For some reason, it helps if the model's facial expression is mostly blank.
Image: IMAXtree
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Hip Hands: Confidence Incarnate
Image: IMAXtree
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Ready for My Closeup
While most of the poses featured here are just variations of the typical "stand here for the camera" pose, sometimes street style posers choose to get a little more creative. These models choose to pretend they're being photographed for Vogue's feature spread—not a part of the magazine's website street style roundup. The look is at once more exciting and a little giggle-inducing.
Image: IMAXtree
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Ready for My Closeup
Image: IMAXtree
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#menswear
Hopefully you're familiar with the whole #menswear world—the somewhat satirical, online-heavy movement where dudes are like, very concerned with how they look. Naturally, these fashion-focused fellas are attending the shows and because they looks so great, they're photographed. The #menswear folks tend to be turned out impeccably, and their stance (and facial expression) is extremely matter-of-fact.
Image: IMAXtree
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#menswear
Image: IMAXtree
