Five ways ‘glamour girl’ Maura Higgins is the ULTIMATE sex symbol – but why it plays havoc on her love life
SHE’S a no-nonsense woman who cuts straight to the chase, never mincing her words.
Maura Higgins stormed into Love Island as the ultimate Bombshell, and now she’s set her sights on I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here, hoping to snag the crown as Queen of the Jungle.
At 33 years old and worth an impressive £3.2 million, Maura’s shown she’s got both brains and beauty when it comes to raking in a pound or two.
By shedding her ‘reality star’ image and transforming into the ultimate sex symbol that leaves men utterly intimidated, Maura, who is dating Pete Wicks, oozes confidence.
Body language expert Judi James believes Maura’s power tool is always coming across as a “unique blend of woman”.
She says: “While the typical Love Islander might be all lip-filler pouts and boob and bum implants, Maura’s fine features mean she can switch effortlessly between girly glamour and a more remote, elegant, high fashion look that could come from the pages of Vogue.
“But this could also make her look aloof and intimidating.
“She seemed to see men as sport and she’d be the girl you’d want in your corner when it came to any battle of the sexes.
“It’s this side of Maura’s personality that can confuse and intimidate the men though.
“Her dating history includes reality boys with a narcissistic streak and big egos, who are used to getting their own way with girls.
“Maura’s style of celebrity is more about getting the men to do all the running though and that enviable, uncompromising level of self-esteem can often seem to be her downfall with dates.
“Maura’s style of beauty and her body language are also borderline unique in the celebrity world.
“Her looks help prevent her from being typecast.
“As she goes into the jungle now though, we’re about to see a new side to Maura that should be less about glam or even high-end red-carpet chic and more about being tough, funny and resilient.”
Here, Judi reveals to YASMIN HARISHA the five ways Maura is the ultimate sex symbol and what her power plays are.
Female strength
Maura rarely sticks to one signature brand or looks to gain instant recognition.
She regularly switches up her image in a way that signals confidence and a desire not to be stereotyped, either by men or by casting agents.
She will also flex her body language to make any new look appear congruent, and this ability to act the new style as well as wear it makes her look like a fashion model rather than a glamour one.
Her type of body language rituals in front of the camera raise her professional status levels, but they can also intimidate any date who might feel he’s meeting up with a stranger every time and needs to start from zero again when it comes to doing all the dating graft.
Relationship status
Maura’s body language here shows she’s nobody’s plus one, despite Pete’s current profile on Strictly.
She could have just trailed behind him, but her cheek-rounded, cat-got-the-cream secretive-looking smile shows she knows exactly how to upstage a fellow reality star date and get maximum press attention.
Her avoidance of any street-based PDA with Pete allows her ‘sole trader’ status.
She is presenting as a star in her own right here, as well as avoiding looking clingy or possessive and then turning into a one-woman celebrity pity party if the relationship doesn’t work out.
She makes her date nights look fun, rather than fraught.
The ‘Broken Wing’ Gesture
Maura often poses using the ‘broken wing’ technique, which is where one or both wrists will be bent to signal a suggestion of vulnerability and agreeability.
It’s a rather old-fashioned gesture from a very modern girl and while other girls would get the irony of the look, which often comes with a coy facial expression, guys risk getting suckered into thinking Maura is a very sweet, cute push-over.
It’s a gesture and pose that acts as a ‘stroke’ to a guy’s ego. We know she’s joking but the men are often in for a shock
Dominant physical power
This is Maura showing high levels of capability and physical strength.
Once she drops any flirty behaviour in the jungle and starts to invest in this look she should begin to win respect from some of the more alpha males in there like her ex Shane’s dad Barry McGuigan
Leadership traits
Maura’s Instagram posts don’t just show her looking like a Vogue model or a flirty reality star; they also tend to send out secret signals of a talent for leadership that could help her take control in the jungle.
Posing in full A-list glory, she is shown standing regally elegant with her chin raised to suggest power and a tendency to lead.
Her poses suggest her natural personality is to be the Queen Bee in a group without flexing any power muscles.
This might help with some of the jungle challenges, but it could add to any air of intimidation as far as the guys are concerned, either in the jungle or just with her dating history.
What will she be like in the jungle?
By Judi James, body language expert
Back on the dating show, her confidence was obvious.
But it came with an amused twinkle in her eye that suggested that, unlike most of the other contestants, she didn’t take the guys or even herself too seriously.
Maura’s flirting was as accurate and determined as a drone missile.
She came across as a unique blend of a woman who would take your man off you in an instant but who was also, and primarily, a girl’s girl.
Her sense of humour should make her popular with the viewers but her straight-talking could mean she bumps up against other contestants.
Viewers love a reality queen who can go into the jungle and prove they have courage, stoicism and physical power or strength.
Maura should tick all those boxes and she seems smart enough to understand the winning formula.
Hopefully she’ll leave all talk of Pete Wicks etc behind and focus on showing us what she is capable of in terms of wit, heroics and endurance.
Fans will be wanting to see her knock it out of the park in terms of competing with all the men and if she does she could emerge wearing that jungle crown.