An Expert Decodes Taylor Swift & Travis Kelce’s Body Language

If you’re a major Swiftie, there’s a solid chance that pictures of Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce out in New York City have been living in your mind rent-free since they were published. For those not in the loop: The singer and football star were photographed holding hands outside the Saturday Night Live afterparty at Catch Steak on Oct. 14, and again leaving the Waverly Inn the next night.

This marked a major moment in a story that pop music stans and football fans alike have been following closely, ever since Kelce revealed he’d tried (and failed) to give Swift a friendship bracelet with his phone number on it at her Eras Tour concert. Kelce’s admission was followed by rumors of a budding romance, and just as the gossip reached a fever pitch, Swift was spotted cheering Kelce at his football games in September. Now, they’ve all but confirmed their relationship, and even dropped by SNL to poke fun at the NFL’s obsession over their romance.

The photos of the couple together in public may come as a surprise to those who’ve been following Swift for a while, as her previous relationship with Joe Alwyn was kept extremely private. And naturally, seeing Kelce and Swift out and about only further fuels fans’ desire to know as much as possible about what’s going on behind the scenes.

It’s this intense desire — nay, need — to glean as much information as possible from these pictures that inspired Bustle to contact body language expert Blanca Cobb.

Thankfully, Cobb assured us there is plenty to read into in these images. Observing how two people act with one another can offer insight into a private relationship, she says. For example, couples show PDA (public displays of affection) to express their feelings for each other. “With a romantic couple, you definitely want to see a lot of engagement and closeness and openness in their body language,” Cobb says. On the other hand, if things aren’t going well, the pair can show “separation, some distance, some tension in the muscles.”

So... what does Swift and Kelce’s body language reveal? Below, what fans can — and can’t — conclude from the duo’s recent sighting.

Travis Holds Hands Like A Football Player

According to Cobb, there could be a reason why Kelce seems to fully envelop Swift’s hands — a somewhat uncommon gesture. “Notice how she’s coming to the car closer to the car and you see that hold. It’s almost like he’s cradling. And since he’s a football player, what does he do?”

Reader, he holds a football — the most important thing to him — in his hands like so. “This is part of who he is ... I love that cradling,” Cobb adds. “Perhaps to him right now, Taylor’s the most important thing.” Swoon.

New Love Looks Different

Since Swift and Kelce’s relationship is in its earlier stages, it’s more difficult to interpret their body language and non-verbal communication. Over time, patterns of their behavior will reveal more about what they’re saying with their physical cues.

At this point, “You would expect to see some lovingness, some appropriate physicalness out in public,” Cobb says. She encourages curious fans to keep their eyes peeled for more photos of the couple, which will over time reveal if they seem consistently cozy. “Even if it’s one event like this, if you can get a series of pictures, it really gives you a sense of what’s happening.”

Chivalry Isn’t Dead

In the photos of Kelce and Swift leaving the Waverly Inn, Cobb notes that Kelce’s facial expressions are telling. “He’s protective, he is very chivalrous,” she says. “He’s a very confident man, but he has a confident, smug look on his face.”

“Smug” here, however isn’t necessarily a negative thing: “He knows he has her back, he knows that she is in good hands, which are his hands, and he’s displaying it. And I think he’s awfully proud too.”

Proximity Is Significant

Cobb points to the images of Swift and Kelce leaving the SNL afterparty. “There’s an emotional connection, and when you feel emotionally close or connected to somebody, you tend to get a little closer,” she says.

She also notes that Kelce’s proximity could give Swift reassurance and emotional support. “Having him there and closer to him might give her a sense of, ‘I can do this, it’s not that bad. [Even if] I haven’t been in front of cameras with a significant other in so long.’”

What About Donna Kelce?

Swift has been also photographed with Kelce’s mom Donna at Kelce’s Kansas City Chiefs games. And in some shots, they seem to be getting along quite well — such as in one image taken at the Oct. 12 game, which shows Swift leaning toward Donna.

Cobb says this dynamic could indicate that “Taylor feels more comfortable and relaxed and closer to Donna perhaps at this stage of the game than she does.”

Regardless, the pair appears to be excited about the game. “You can tell by [Taylor’s] facial expression that she’s enjoying explaining whatever it is that she’s explaining as they’re both looking, I’m assuming, on the field.”

Kindness Counts

In a photo that went viral, Kelce can be seen holding Swift’s purse. What can fans take away from that? That he’s being kind.

“It’s a nicety, you’re helping out your partner,” Cobb says.

Celebs Aren’t Like Us

Sometimes with celebrities, it’s harder to break down their body language — both because at any given time, they have public personas to maintain, and they may be excited (or irked) by the flashing cameras.

There could be many reasons that Kelce smiles more than Swift in some of these images, Cobb notes, but it’s not a bad thing.

“It could just be she doesn’t want all the attention,” Cobb explains. “She really just wants to walk into wherever they’re walking into without attracting so much attention.”