15 Types Of Selfies And What People Think When They See Them

Can we all agree the kissy face has got to go?

Last updated on Jan 11, 2023

three girls taking a selfie in a bathroom Raisa Kanareva / Shutterstock
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We may think of selfies as a modern phenomena, but the first known person to take one was actually American photographer Robert Cornelius way back in 1839.

Self portraits like his weren't easy to capture, though. So it wasn't until the inventions of both the front-facing camera and social media that selfies as we know them now really took off.

It's tough to pinpoint the exact origins of viral terms in the age of the internet. Some say the term "selfie" was coined by Australian man named Nathan Hope when he shared a drunken photo of himself back in 2002. Hope denies this however, insisting the word was "something that was just common slang at the time, used to describe a picture of yourself."

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Regardless of how they earned their name, selfies are now pretty much a way of life.

People of all shapes and sizes, in every corner of this earth, now take and, most importantly, post these in-your-face-look-at-me pixilated gems all the time.

Selfie was awarded Word of the Year by the Oxford Dictionary in 2013, and for that we can probably thank selfie queen, Kim Kardashian. She’s posted thousands of the little suckers: in her bathing suit, getting her makeup done, on dream vacations and with her adorable flock of kids, going so far as to have released a book of her selfies aptly titled "Kim Kardashian Selfish."

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RELATED: The Odd Effect Selfies Have On Your Chances Of Finding Love (And How To Take Better Profile Pics)

As social media explodes and the world gets smaller and smaller, we are all (thankfully?) constantly updated on everyone’s lives. Your neighbor, your brother-in-law, the guy on the news — even your doctor takes selfies.

Here's a break down of 15 common types of selfies people love to post, and what everyone else is thinking when they do (with celebrity selfies as examples).

You’re welcome.

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Warning: When taking a selfie, proceed with caution. Objects on Instagram can and will appear more filtered and awesome in your mind then they are in reality.

1. The "I'm On A Plane, NBD" selefie

 
 
 
 
 



 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Hi @dannyzuker! I'm flying too! Hi! Hi! Hi! Notice me!

A post shared by Eric Stonestreet (@ericstonestreet) on Apr 8, 2014 at 11:07am PDT

Oh, you travel by airplane? Cool. FYI: So does everyone else.

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We get it, you're so excited about this trip that you won’t tell us about because you are trying to stay somewhat mysterious (vaguebook, much?) by just giving us a glimpse into your ultra-fabulous-airplane-traveling life. #bringmesomepeanuts​

2. The "Belfie" selfie

 
 
 
 
 



 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

#NoFilter

A post shared by Kim Kardashian West (@kimkardashian) on Oct 16, 2013 at 11:41pm PDT

Who knew the Belfie — shorthand for "butt selfie" — even existed? The Kardashian sisters, that's who! They practically invented the genre.

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Pro tip: If you've got a nice donkey booty, go ahead and snap a quick shot! Everybody likes some junk in the trunk. #welikebigbutts​

RELATED: How To Take A Good Selfie: 8 Tips To Help You Look Your Best In Pictures

3. The "Bromance" selfie

 
 
 
 
 



 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Poor little guy fell asleep in the 11th

A post shared by Jimmy Kimmel (@jimmykimmel) on Oct 26, 2018 at 9:48pm PDT

Rarely do you hear the words "adorable" and “selfie” in the same sentence, but alas the bromance-selfie hits it on the head. Guys can be super cute when they huddle in for a smile session! #weapprove​

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4. The "I'm In A Car" selfie

This selfie is taken in the car, on the way to some place where you had to shower and actually put on makeup.

This photo is posted to tell us that you're either waiting on someone to hurry it up, or to notify the world that you in fact took a shower today. We're not sure. #sofreshandsoclean

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RELATED: What Happened When I Stopped Taking Selfies

5. The "Dog Lover" selfie

 
 
 
 
 



 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

My bed is certainly not my own. @kyle_newman and the Shiba Inu hog.

A post shared by Jaime King (@jaime_king) on Jul 7, 2013 at 12:36am PDT

We love every animal, the smaller the better. Bring on the cute!

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You could even just snap a pic of the animal alone, we're okay with that too. #welovepuppies

6. The "Kissy Face" selfie

Also known as ‘duck face.’ Either way, can we stop this one, like forever? #gross

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RELATED: People Who Make These 8 Selfie Faces Age Faster Than Everyone Else

7. The "I'm In Love" selfie

 
 
 
 
 



 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

My quarantine partner

A post shared by Justin Bieber (@justinbieber) on Mar 18, 2020 at 3:06pm PDT

Be careful with this selfie.

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Playing kissy face with your new crush can go from adorable to gag-worthy with one slip of the tongue. #keepitclassy

8. The "No Makeup" selfie

As we become more confident in our selfie-taking skills we become experts on lighting.

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The right lighting can make everyone look good, even without makeup. (To those of you who just wake up like a Neutrogena ad, we half hate you and half love you, FYI.) #lovetheskinyourein

RELATED: How To Pose For Selfies & Instagram Pics, According To TikTok

9. The "Shirtless Guy" selfie

 
 
 
 
 



 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

#kylorenchallenge

A post shared by John Mayer  (@johnmayer) on Dec 30, 2017 at 7:00pm PST

We love these. We can't wait to see another.

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If you work out, it's even better. #nicepecs

10. The "We're Having SO Much Fun" selfie

The selfie you take with all of your friends at that really cool party, you know, the one that everyone was talking about, but only some of you were invited to.

RELATED: 12 Types Of Selfies That Basically Tell The World You're A Narcissist

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11. The "I'm A Vacationing Fool" selfie

Oh, boy. We see that cool place you're visiting and we want to be there, too. It's a beach right?

We couldn't tell from your feet in the sand, or your long tan legs on a beach chair.

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12. The "Weather Report" selfie

Just in case we somehow forgot how to check the weather on our smartphones, or worse, lost the remote to the TV to check the news, you have us covered!

Show us that adorable coat that's half off, or the cute new cut-offs that we've been dreaming about. #fashionshow

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RELATED: When You Tell Me Not To Take Selfies, I'm Going To Take Even More

13. The "I Woke Up Like This" selfie

Do we believe you woke up looking semi-decent without even a smattering of product on your face?

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Maybe ... but we are definitely skeptical. #imtryingtobelieveyou

14. The "I'm Hard At Work" selfie

This selfie usually doesn't include your face, but it does include your super cool, super hip environment.

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Thanks for reminding us we work in a cube the size of a dog crate. #wewantyourjob

15. The "I Work Out" selfie

 
 
 
 
 



 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Some things you can’t unsee. #celestechallengeaccepted #celestebarber #funny #izabelgoulart

A post shared by Celeste Barber (@celestebarber) on Nov 25, 2019 at 10:53am PST

We get it. #noonecares

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Mary Rose Mielcarek is YourTango's Photo Editor.