The holiday season is a busy, busy time. You have gifts to buy, parties to go to, reunions to attend -- the list just seems to be longer at this time of the year. When you think about it, the point, really, is to spend time with the people we love and be with them at this special time. And because these gatherings are few and far between, the "groufie" is a must -- taken from our prettiest angle, of course.
It's only natural that we want to look good in those photos because merely seconds after the first shot is taken, a friend has already uploaded it on her social media, and it won't appear just once. Oh no. Thanks to technology, it can appear five, ten years from now, yearly, in fact, because your social media likes to "look back" and will even make a video out of it. We definitely don't want to like we enjoyed ourselves on that roast pork belly.That's why we were so entertained by this book entitled The Soshal Network's Etiquette for the Soshal Climbers from the ladies of the blog The Soshal Network. Camille Buhain, Faye Condez, and Vivian Dela Cruz, know the "picture, picture" situation so well that you will laugh and vigorously nod your heads with their humorous yet very practical tips on how to look skinny on photos. Here's an excerpt (in quotation marks) with few comments of our own (tip: the book has a chapter on "10 Ways to Style a Daster" -- we love!)
1. "Ipangharang ang mga kasama o ikubli ang tyan."
It's true! You or your friend (or everyone?) hurriedly go to the last row during a group photo. Another option is to carry your bag in a way that hides your tummy.2. "Lean forward at ilabas ang collar bone."
We agree: the illusion of seeing your collar bone will help make you appear thinner than you really are. Try to slightly elongate your neck without looking up. And as the girls wrote, "E ano kung lumabas na ang litid mo sa paninigas. Bottomline, mukha kang skinny."ADVERTISEMENT - CONTINUE READING BELOWWhat other parents are reading
3. "Pumunta sa kabilang dulo ng kabisera."
We all know the closer you are to the camera, the bigger you'll appear. The girls' advice: "Eh ano naman kung 'di ka na mamukhaan sa photo. Hayaan mo yung legit na payat ang nasa harap." On that note, maybe ask a waiter to take a photo of your group rather than a selfie or groufie.4. "Gawing best friend ang crop option."
That's the trick in social media -- crop flabby arms or big thighs if you can. "Best friend ng mga hindi ala Kim Chiu ang katawan tulad ni D, ang crop option."5. "The top view technique comes in handy para iwas sa double chin."
Raise the camera when taking groufies. Another way to get rid of double chin in snaps is by pressing your tongue on the roof of your mouth while smiling.6. "Create an illusion."
It's all about posture. Keep your arms away from your torso. Angle your face. Stand in a 45-degree angle. Cross your ankles. Stomach in!CONTINUE READING BELOWwatch nowWhat other parents are reading
7. "Tumabi sa mas mataba sa 'yo."
Ouch! "Kung friends talaga kayo, 'di siya magagalit sa 'yo. In the same manner, kapag ikaw ang parating tinatabihan ng friends mo sa picture, #alamnaAt the end of the day, photos are just photos. It's but one tool to help you remember those precious moments. The key is to just enjoy your time with family and friends. A bad photo would be just another funny story to tell after a few years or so.
ADVERTISEMENT - CONTINUE READING BELOWThe Sochal Network's Etiquette for Soshal Climbers, P250, is published by Summit Books and is now available at bookstores nationwide.
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