Anna Wintour is known for rarely showing a full smile, which is widely seen as part of her controlled public image rather than anything to do with her teeth. Her neutral expression has become a defining part of her personal brand.
Smiling is often seen as instinctive. Something natural, effortless, and automatic, but in reality, many people don’t smile as freely as they think they do.
In this article, we will go into more detail on Anna Wintour’s signature expression, why some people choose not to smile naturally, and how Bespoke Smile can help.
Anna Wintour, and the “Miranda Priestly Effect”
In The Devil Wears Prada, Miranda Priestly’s character has inspiration from Anna Wintour; Her expression is controlled, minimal, and intentional. It communicates authority without the need for words.
While most people are not consciously adopting that kind of presence, there is an interesting parallel in how expression is perceived.
When someone smiles less or holds back their expression, they can be read as more serious, more reserved, or more difficult to approach.
In certain environments, this can project confidence or composure. In others, it can unintentionally create distance.
The key difference is intent. Miranda Priestly’s expression is deliberate. Most people’s hesitation to smile is not.
How Dentists See Expression and Personality in Smiles
One of the most common observations we make at Bespoke Smile is the disconnect between how someone is perceived and who they actually are.
Many patients are naturally warm, engaging, and confident, but their smile doesn’t fully reflect that.
And that changes not just appearance, but expression itself.
Is Smiling Something You Can Manage?
Yes! You can manage your smile, but for many people, the decision not to smile is not a conscious one.
It develops gradually through small, repeated habits. Covering the mouth when laughing. Smiling differently in photographs. Keeping a more neutral expression in social settings.
Over time, these behaviours become automatic. And often, they have very little to do with personality.
They tend to stem from how someone feels about their smile—particularly how their teeth look when fully visible.
When Smiling Stops Feeling Automatic
There is an important distinction between a controlled expression and a restrained one.
A controlled expression is intentional. A restrained expression is limited.
When someone feels self-conscious about their smile, they often move into that second category without realising it. The smile is still there—but it’s reduced, shortened, or hidden.
And gradually, it becomes something they manage rather than something they simply do.
Remove Smile Anxiety with Bespoke Smile
At Bespoke Smile, the goal is not to encourage people to smile more.
It is to remove the reason they feel they need to hold back.
Through our Smile Sculpting approach, we design smiles by hand that are tailored to facial structure, proportions, and expression – so the result provides confidence.
Our Trial Smile process allows patients to experience and refine their new smile before final treatment, with no guesswork and completely customisable.
The most significant change is rarely just visual. It’s behavioural.
Patients stop thinking about how their smile looks mid-conversation. They stop adjusting their expression in photos. They stop holding back without realising they were doing it in the first place.
And gradually, expression becomes natural again. Because ultimately, the goal isn’t to create a different smile. It’s to restore the confidence to use your own.
Contact us today to talk about your options with our free consultation appointment