Body language can reveal many truths about relationships — but only if you know how to read it. In Celebrity Couples: Decoded, an expert interprets A-listers' interactions to shed light on their IRL dynamic.
Kim Kardashian began dating Kanye West nearly six years ago in April 2012 while still legally married to Kris Humphries. The divorce was finalized in June 2013 — the same month, Kim gave birth to her first child with Kanye, daughter North West. The couple got engaged the following October, and married in May 2014. In December 2015, they welcomed son Saint, and became a family of five when their daughter Chicago was born via surrogate in January 2018.
Here, Blanca Cobb, a North Carolina-based body-language expert examines the duo from afar, revealing a bond that's remarkably stable for a couple constantly in the spotlight:
They canoodle at a basketball game.
Here, Kim encircles Kanye's arm with her two hands. "Touch is a way of maintaining your connection, a silent way of saying, 'I like you, I want to be with you, you mean something to me,'" Cobb says. "You use two hands when you feel extra affectionate toward a person." While Kanye doesn't appear to be reciprocating with his hands, his right shoulder is slightly lower than the left, suggesting he enjoys Kim's touch, Cobb says, also noting the way both Kim and Kanye's cheeks are raised, hinting at genuine smiles.
Kim hangs onto Kanye.
Here, Kim's double grip strikes again — but this time, there's tension in her fingers, evidence of applying pressure to Kayne's arm while strangers surround them, according to Cobb. "It's grounding," Cobb says of Kim's behavior. "You can tell by the way her feet are right beside each other that she's somewhat uncomfortable. She's literally leaning into Kanye as a pillar of strength, saying, 'This is my security.'" Meanwhile, Kanye crosses his left arm over his body, toward Kim, making himself smaller — but also, Cobb says, indicating he's in protective mode.
Kim poses with Kanye with her hands in pockets.
Everything about Kim's pose screams self-assurance, from the thumb poking out of her pocket to her left-leg pop and smug smile, according to Cobb: "When you're proud of who you're with, you can draw confidence from both your partner and from within," she says.
Kanye also drops his right shoulder and leans toward Kim, a nonverbal way of getting closer to her. His fingers are curved without tension, which tells Cobb he's comfortable regardless of his stoic facial expression.
Kanye sneaks a kiss.
Here (and on many red carpets) you'll see Kanye stand behind Kim. "He poses behind her to give her the limelight — it's not as important to him," Cobb says, noting the way his left fingers form a fist at his side — a sign, she adds, of discomfort.
Still, Kanye's stance shows Kim literally and figuratively, "I've got your back," according to Cobb: "If the person you love is in front of you, you can scan the environment to see what's going on and be protective. Being protective is one way to show your love."
Kanye also dips down to kiss Kim's bare shoulder. "It's a romantic gesture that shows he's thinking of her," Cobb says.
Kanye holds onto Kim's skirt during a basketball game.
Here, Kanye both leans toward Kim and holds onto her via her skirt, curling his fingers under for skin-to-skin contact with her calf. "He's maintaining their connection despite focusing elsewhere to show he's still with her in that moment," Cobb says, pointing out the way Kim reaches toward him to reciprocate. "When you love someone, you naturally want to touch them to keep the spark alive. Foreplay can last all day long and include non-sexual, innocent touch like this."
Kim gets a kiss.
"He didn't want to wait!" Cobb says of the kiss above, which appears so sudden that neither John nor Chrissy, who pose next to Kim and Kanye, had time to notice or respond. "You can tell she's enjoying it from the look on her face — she's holding back a smile as she puckers up," Cobb says. "She could have stood up, but Kanye finds her instead, showing he was really feeling love for her in that moment."
Kim crosses her arms.
Without context, Cobb says it's tough to tell whether Kim's crossed arms and tense hands hint at conflict in her relationship or an unrelated source of discomfort. Meanwhile, Kanye rubs his hands together, a habit used to relieve anxiety and self-soothe, she says. Although both Kim and Kanye seem to keep to themselves in this photo, "their body language is in sync," Cobb says, highlighting their similar expressions and the way they subtly lean toward one another. "When you're close to someone, you mimic each other."
Kanye and Kim lock eyes.
Here, Kanye holds Kim from behind, which requires a high level of trust and comfort on Kim's part, according to Cobb, who sees this as an intimate moment. After all, Kayne's hands rest on Kim's lower abdomen, nearing her pleasure zone. Meanwhile, Kim smiles widely — a sign she's enjoying his touch, according to Cobb — and Kanye couldn't look happier. "This is one of the few photos where I've seen him with a big genuine smile," she says. "All these little moments are about intimacy and connection, want and desire."
Kanye poses behind Kim.
Although Kanye stands behind Kim, letting her do her thing, he plants a hand on Kim's hip to assert himself in their relationship. "The way he touches her is part of who they are as a couple," Cobb says. "It's very intimate."
Again, he drops his right shoulder toward Kim as a way to get both physically and emotionally closer, according to Cobb, who also sees this couple's bond in the placement of their feet. See how both Kim and Kanye's left toes point outward, and their right toes point forward at nearly identical angles? "They're mirroring each other again — they're emotionally in tune," Cobb says.
The family of four takes a stroll.
Holding children on opposite hips helps Kanye and Kim communicate openly, since it's easier to chat without children physically in the way, Cobb says. Nonetheless, the couple looks a little off: Kim's stride is shorter than Kanye's, and they lead with opposite feet. "It can be stressful to hold kids who are unhappy, and North definitely isn't happy here," Cobb says. "Typically, they're more in sync."
The Bottom Line:
"They really enjoy each other's company and dig each other a lot," Cobb says with conviction. "Kanye is a bit protective, but supportive and affectionate, and Kim relishes in it."
Get all the health and fitness news directly in your feed. Follow Facebook.com/CosmoBod.
Follow Elizabeth on Instagram and Twitter.
Elizabeth Narins is a Brooklyn, NY-based writer and a former senior editor at Cosmopolitan.com, where she wrote about fitness, health, and more. Follow her at @ejnarins.
