Justin Bieber and Hailey Baldwin Bieber are definitely the type of couple you invite to your summer pool party, a cooler-than-cool rooftop happy hour, or your friend's indie rap show. Baldwin has the whole sweet, off-duty model vibe down pat, and of course, Bieber has a long-held a reputation of not giving a f*ck. Together, they are the embodiment of chill, and their Instagram feeds — featuring rappers, cars, fellow models, and designer clothes (like Bieber's Drew House line) — are no exception. When it comes to Justin Bieber and Hailey Baldwin's most recent body language on Instagram, I asked a behavioral psychologist to analyze a few key moments from their feed.
Six months after Bieber and Baldwin's Vogue cover story, and coming up on a year of marriage (the two got married at a courthouse in September 2018), their body language indicates they're still super into each other. Phew! However, there are a few moments where they seem a little off-sync.
In Bieber-Baldwin pics from late 2018 and early 2019, Baldwin seemed "way more into" Bieber than he was into her, according to body language expert Traci Brown. Brown picked up on cues like how Baldwin was "draped all over him," and how she both figuratively and literally leaned on Bieber for support. Now that they've probably settled into their marriage a little bit more, their body language has evolved right along with them. Here's what behavioral psychologist and communication expert Dr. Denise Dudley picked up on Baldwin and Bieber's most recent Instagram pictures together.
What are Baldwin and Bieber conveying in this "alone time" desert selfie? In this picture from June 2019, their head positioning and facial expressions are mismatched. "He’s saying, 'Hey, check this out: Just me and Hailey, the rocks, the sand, the sunset… it’s cool, right? And she’s calmly saying, 'Yep, here we are, chilling together…'" Dudley tells Elite Daily. "He’s looking for validation. She’s just happy to be there."
This reading of this Baldwin-Bieber Instagram pic is only supported by the caption:
These are the moments I live for... alone time with you refreshes my soul. You are so out of my league and I’m OK with that! You are mine and I am yours. #ForeverAndEver #TilTheWheelsFallOff
"He wants to solidify their relationship by talking about how close they are," Dudley says. "I get the feeling it’s a bit like 'whistling in the dark,' where you do your best to make something be true by insisting it is."
Looking at this Insta post, Dudley gets a more positive read than from their earlier summer pics. "He’s definitely on top of her and he’s wrapped around her — which would be uncomfortable and smothering if you didn’t in fact have a good relationship," she explains. "I think it shows that they’re actually happy together, which is a nice thing, since they’ve known each other for so long, and have been through so many ups and downs before their marriage."
All in all, it's a good look, especially with Bieber's cute caption: "New nickname for her every day. Today, she’s my goo goo." As Dudley points out, "He’s not afraid to be seen as a romantic and just a little bit silly!" Overall, this post is very sweet.
Again, the cool, street-wear-rocking, stylish couple leaps out. Observing their body language here, Dudley notices that Bieber gave Baldwin the position near the rails, a gesture that gives off "total gentleman" vibes. As Bieber's leading her up, Dudley says, "You can see that his left foot is one stair tread above hers, and he’s looking slightly downward, as if he’s 'clearing' the space ahead of her to make sure there are no obstacles."
Dudley gets the sense that this photo is a reflection of their relationship, as opposed to a staged one. "It looks to me like he’s protecting her and being a good, caring mate," she says.
Similar to the desert pic, Dudley reads this Baldwin-Bieber selfie as a reminder that Bieber fans (and anyone who's scrolling through his account) only get to see what he allows us to see.
"So what do they want us to think? That they’re hip, confident, in charge of their lives. Let’s face it, we’d love to be either one of them, and they know it," Dudley says. "I think they’re having fun with this photo, showing off their self-possessed coolness. I think they’re also showing the world that they’re a team, inseparable, invincible, and totally into each other."
Point blank, Dudley says, "I love this photo." Often, celeb kisses can look staged, as if the couple "isn’t even sure where each other's lips are." But in the case of this Baldwin-Bieber picture, Dudley explains, "It looks like that kiss has been expertly planted in just the right place, and it looks like Hailey is really enjoying it. Sure, they’re probably aware of the cameras around them, but that doesn’t mean they’re not enjoying a great kiss, for a kiss’ sake."
Overall, considering both common Baldwin-Bieber knowledge and looking at their body language, Dudley says, "My overall impression is that they have some real challenges ahead of them. Knowing their background, I think it’s going to take some work for the marriage to last very long." It's not necessarily a question of commitment, but temperament.
Bieber is emotional, whereas Baldwin is "grounded, calm, logical, and seemingly secure," Dudley says — a vibe that you can definitely catch in the photos. Yes, opposites attract. Still, she explains, "Sometimes, those differences can weigh on the relationship and become a source of frustration if the couple can’t figure out how to recognize and deal with the elephant in the room."
As fans know from their Vogue story, Baldwin and Bieber go to marriage therapy. Plus, Bieber is very close with his pastor, Judah Smith. And on top of everything, based on body language and gooey Instagram captions, these two really do seem to be in love. It looks like Baldwin and Bieber are young and trying too figure it out, just like the rest of us.
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