Victoria Beckham's 'uncomfortable' reason why she refuses to smile in public


The Spice Girls star has made her Posh Spice pout her USP – and we love it for her


Victoria Beckham is seen at the  'Today' Show on October 13, 2022 in New York City© Getty
Kate ThomasWebsite Editor
July 21, 2025
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We can count on two hands the number of times we've seen Victoria Beckham smiling. While the former Spice Girl is loyal to her Posh Spice pout and presents an aura of seriousness in public, she's actually incredibly funny behind the scenes and always cracking jokes.

But why does Victoria never smile? The 51-year-old star has previously made light of the fact she refuses to flash her pearly whites, donning a T-shirt bearing the slogan, 'Fashion Stole My Smile'.

She memorably joked about her lack of flexing her face muscles, telling VOGUE in a quick-fire interview that it’s all part of her image, darling.

"I’m smiling on the inside, I feel that I have a responsibility to the fashion community," she said

Deep-rooted insecurity

© Variety via Getty Images
Victoria Beckham famously said that fashion 'stole' her smile - but why does she never show her teeth?

It turns out that Victoria’s refusal to smile is a lot more deeply rooted than that. At its heart is the mother of Harper, Cruz, Romeo and Brooklyn's struggle with her body image when she was first propelled into the spotlight as one-fifth of the Spice Girls.

Reflecting on feeling self-conscious about her looks in the early days of her career, Victoria told The Telegraph last year: "I probably did look stern in a lot of pictures, but I was so uncomfortable."

She also added that her famously strict diet – which involves eating the same grilled fish and steamed vegetables dish daily – also stems from how she felt during her Posh Spice days.

"It was because of my skin that I became very careful about what I ate", she said, cutting out meat and wheat in a bid to improve the way she looks in photos.

© Getty
Victoria’s refusal to smile in public stems from her Spice Girls days

Fashion comes first

The reason for Victoria never smiling is also in part due to her carefully curated image."I want to be honest. In the past, I’ve probably hidden behind my armor," Victoria previously told Glamour.

"The not smiling publicly, for instance. There’s less of that now," she added, explaining that her confidence is growing with age.

HELLO!'s Fashion and Beauty News Editor Laura Sutcliffe – who also happens to be our resident number one Beckham fan – explains why the star refusing to ditch her trademark Posh Spice pout has made her nothing short of "iconic".

"She's been loyal to not smiling for the entire duration of her time in the public eye. Keeping that level of seriousness takes quite the effort," Laura says, adding that it’s a calculated business move, too.

© GC Images
VB has made it her mission never to smile in public, a crafty PR move that has made her 'iconic'

She explains: "Victoria entered the world of high fashion around a decade ago and fashion circles, particularly high-end ones, are known to be much more serious than the world of music.

"VB not smiling is a nod to her stylish place in the fashion world and is the reason she comically (but truthfully) uttered the iconic words: 'Fashion stole my smile'."

Keep scrolling for all the most memorable photos of the fashion designer's rarely-seen smile…

© Getty

Posh grin

An early photograph of Victoria in her Spice Girls days shows the pop princess caught off-guard onstage at the Billboard Music Awards alongside her bandmates.

Taken in 1997, it's plain to see how uncomfortable Victoria looked while smiling. We think she looked fab!

© Getty Images

Loved up

How cute is this early snap of Victoria with her long-term love, David? 

As the pair left a date night at Claridges Hotel in London in April 2004, the Wannabe hitmaker was smiling like the cat who got the cream - and she certainly was!

© Getty

Fashion week

A 2005 appearance at Mercedes-Benz Spring 2005 L.A. Fashion Week saw Victoria grinning as she arrived at the Cadillac Presents Rock & Republic showcase.

Clad in a pinstripe look and wearing her hair in bouncy ringlets, it's a style unlike any we've seen the A-lister rock since!

© Getty

Cheesy smile

VB couldn't help but flash her pearly whites during a visit to the Good Morning America set in Times Square back in October 2021. 

David Beckham's wife showed off her beautiful smile in a candid moment - before quickly recovering herself. It's a shame we hardly get to see her smile these days.

WATCH: Victoria Beckham's smile transformation - what has she had done?

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