Your glass distinction: How you hold a drink gives away your personality

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Your glass distinction: How you hold a drink gives away your personality

 

By Fiona Macrae

Last updated at 11:27 AM on 29th May 2009

 

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Forget the stylish outfit, the expensive coiffure and the witty chat-up lines.

That all-important first impression comes from how you hold a drink.

The way a person clutches or caresses their glass offers an insight into their personality, a study has found.

An observer can tell whether you’re a playboy or a fun-lover, a flirt or a an ice queen simply by watching the way you swig a pint or sip your wine.

 

Expansive and gesturing: Lily Allen

 

 

Confident and tactile: Jack Nicholson

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Seeing someone in this light also allows a person to judge the best way to make an approach.

After studying more than 500 drinkers, psychologist Glenn Wilson has split them into eight categories.

The ‘flirt’ – usually female – will hold her glass daintily, splaying her fingers and perhaps running one around the rim.

Flirts may also tease admirers by peering the over the edge of their glass while taking a sip.

Dr Wilson advises: ‘The best way to approach the flirt is with reciprocal flirtatious gestures.’

At the other end of the scale the ‘wallflower’ will hold her glass protectively.

The drink acts as a social crutch and so she will never quite finish it, keeping a mouthful left in the event of unwelcome social interaction.

 

Chatty but cliquey: Kate Moss

 

 

Cold and defensive: Madonna

 

 

 

 

 

 

The cold and defensive ‘ice queen’ makes it clear that any such advances are unwelcome by holding her glass, firmly across her body.

The ‘gossip’ will be chatting – most likely about others – in a small group of female friends.

She will use her wine glass to gesticulate and make points in conversation. Kate Moss personifies such a drinker, said Dr Wilson, of King’s College London.

But he warns: ‘This person already has a close-knit social group. Therefore advances from outsiders are not usually welcome.’

The ‘fun-lover’ tends to drink from a bottle, holding it loosely. Swigs taken are short, so they don’t miss a chance to chip in to any conversation.

The ‘playboy’, typified by Jack Nicholson or David Walliams, will be a lively, self-assured seducer and tactile with their drink.

 

 

Quick sipping: Prince Harry

 

 

Teasing gestures: Katie Price

 

 

 

 

 

‘Jack the lad’ will drink bottled beer or cider – or maybe chardonnay for the ladettes, such as Lily Allen.

 

 

‘They will expansive of gesture, dominating as much space as possible.

‘Finally, there is the browbeater, a pugnacious type who firmly grips large glasses or bottles and uses them to gesticulate aggressively.’

Dr Wilson, who was commissioned by the Walkabout chain of bars, says these perceptions can be used to advantage.

By adapting our body language we can create an impression of warmth, or play down domineering instincts, he said.