Knowing how to decipher a woman’s body language

Ever caught yourself watching a woman and wondering what’s going on inside her head? While you can't always read her exact thoughts, you can pick up on plenty of clues just by paying attention to her body language and gestures.

Watch her reactions

Believe it or not, roughly 70 to 90% of all human communication is visual rather than verbal. When you're checking out a woman, running the "eye test" is a great move. Simply look at her and wait to see if she catches your eye.

Now, how does she react? Does she instantly look away, or does she hold your gaze for a few beats? Does she glance at you for a second and then start playing with her hair? Does a smile slip out when she notices you looking? Does she lean over to whisper something to her friend—does she look amused or annoyed? Read the room and take your cue from there.

Check her vibe

A woman's behavior goes beyond just her initial reaction when she spots you. Take a second to see if she looks rushed or busy.

If she's constantly checking her watch or staring at her phone, there's your answer—don't bother approaching. Knowing how to flirt also means knowing when not to flirt.

Since women are often out with friends, try to wait until she's flying solo before you swoop in. It avoids making things awkward and makes her way more receptive to your approach.

Once you've cleared that hurdle, you can strike up a conversation and build a little rapport. During this conversation phase, you'll be able to read her body language up close to gauge your chances.

Decoding eyes and body language

Usually, it's pretty easy to tell if a woman is genuinely into you. Her eyes and posture will give her away:

If she maintains steady eye contact while you talk, that's a stellar sign. If her eyes keep wandering to everything happening around the room, on the other hand, she'd probably rather be anywhere else.

Similarly, if she keeps glancing at her watch or phone, it's a clear hint she's looking for a way out or an excuse to cut your chat short. Crossing her arms is another classic tell that she's putting up a wall to "protect" herself from you.

Conversely, if she’s tucking her hair behind her ear or smoothing down her outfit, those are subtle hints she’s fixing herself up because she likes what she sees.

A smile that speaks volumes

Another major green light: she’s smiling. If she keeps a straight face the entire time you're talking, it generally means one of two things—either she's bored out of her mind, or she's totally distracted by something else.

You'll find it's usually pretty easy to tell if there's chemistry between you, but you still need to keep your eyes peeled for non-verbal cues.

This is crucial so you don't end up wasting your energy on someone who's simply not interested. At the end of the day, knowing when to walk away is just as important as knowing when to make a move.