The way you hold your coffee cup says a lot about you

Forget manicures, chignons and caramel cashmere, a takeaway coffee cup is now the ultimate female power move. Nothing says “I’m bossing it” more than hurrying to work with an Americano in hand or posing on Instagram with a post-yoga cappuccino.

Everyone from Hollywood stars such as Reese Witherspoon and Laura Dern to tween school girls in Starbucks clutch one on social media. “It’s a status symbol: you’re on your good game,” explains body language expert Adrianne Carter. “And you’re holding the money. Coffee isn’t cheap – when you read articles on how to save, cutting takeaway coffee is always top of the list.

“Holding a coffee also makes us feel less awkward and seem more warm and approachable to others. If you want to come across well in a client meeting – always take the hot option when you’re offered a drink.”

But it’s not as simple as just picking up a cup. How you hold it is also important. The most powerful trend, at least on social media, is the “Hot Girl Hold” – invented by Californian influencer Mia Lind, creator of the “Hot Girl Walk”, who films herself strutting through LA in the mornings holding her coffee cup between thumb and forefinger, leaving her other fingers free to gesticulate to the camera.

At the bottom of the pile, meanwhile, according to Henry Hayes, a social commentator who has devised a list of coffee grips (see below), is the “Balancing Act”, when you’re struggling not to spill a tray of coffees for your office superiors. “It’s hard to do this and look powerful. The only way is to balance the tray on the palm of your hand but it’s a high-risk strategy,” he says.

When you’re investing nearly £1,400 a year on your coffee power play, which is the cost of a £3.70 flat white each day, you’ll want to work the returns. So what does the way you hold your coffee cup say about you?

The hot girl hold

To channel Mia Lind’s “hot girl hold” you need to grip your cup between thumb and forefinger and fan your remaining fingers as you talk. Now think about three things: how grateful you are, today’s goals and how hot you are.

Body language expert Adrianne Carter says: “This hold radiates self-assuredness and a curated sense of mindfulness. The fanned fingers create an open, expressive posture that draws attention, signalling confidence and charisma. The focus on gratitude and goals suggests someone deeply aware of their inner and outer world, projecting an intentional balance of self-love and ambition.”

The don’t mess with me

You’re gripping ferociously, sipping as you walk – no, you can’t stop to talk. The coffee might drip down your face occasionally or splash on your coat, but this is just what happens when life is so busy.

AC: “This hold suggests someone driven and highly focused. They prioritise efficiency and are likely juggling multiple tasks, but the occasional spill hints at a vulnerability behind their tough exterior.”

The stroller coaster

Your coffee is a grown-up treat to get you through a morning’s parenting but, no, you’re not holding it, as that wouldn’t be safe while you’re pushing the pram; it’s neatly in the bottle holder attached to the handlebar (and liquid keeps sloshing out the hole in the lid when you turn corners).

AC: “You’re practical and resourceful. You’re navigating the chaos of parenting with a sense of order, but the sloshing liquid suggests a willingness to embrace imperfection.”

The commuter grip

Your backpack is on and you’re holding your takeaway cup like everyone else walking to the train – out in front of you with a bent arm and a stiff wrist, as if you’re in an egg and spoon race.

AC: “You’re striving to conform and stay within the flow of societal norms. The stiff wrist and bent arm reveal a need for control and a sense of purpose, even if it’s tinged with tension. Work is important and treated seriously as is the morning commute.”

The hawk

You’re jutting a hip and cocking your wrist as you sip a takeaway coffee after yoga. (Imagine you’ve got a hawk perched on your wrist.) You’re showing everyone what a cultured coffee drinker you are: you work hard but appreciate that making space to enjoy a takeaway coffee is an important part of self-care.

AC: “This hold exudes a subtle performance of sophistication. The poised wrist and deliberate stance show a desire to communicate self-assuredness and a focus on self-care, though it can verge on being a performance.”

The double cup

You’re nonchalantly carrying an extra-hot double Americano in the palm of your hand, which the uninitiated might mistake for a cappuccino, overlooking the all-important double cup, which proves that you are the kingpin of coffee drinkers.

AC: “Carrying the cup this way signals confidence and authority. The double cup hints at experience and expertise, and the choice of drink reflects someone with clear priorities and a bold personality.”

The balancing act

You’re carrying a cardboard tray of coffees, which immediately gives you away as an intern or dogsbody. The only way to look respectable with a tray is to balance it on your hand but it’s a high-risk strategy.

AC: “You’re dutiful and possibly overburdened, trying to manage others’ needs. Balancing the tray on one hand adds an element of risk, signalling a tendency to take on too much.”