Cheeks in, lips parted! As the 'fish gape' takes over the red carpet, FEMAIL offers a masterclass in how YOU can perfect the photo-friendly look

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New expression involves sucking the cheeks in and parting the lips slightly
Less of an exaggerated pout than the infamous duck face
Lily Donaldson, Lily Rose Depp and Lady Gaga have all adopted the look

By Annabel Fenwick Elliott for MailOnline

Published: 06:22 EST, 7 October 2015 | Updated: 06:31 EST, 7 October 2015

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It's official. Ever since FEMAIL spotted the A-list trend for the 'it' photo face the 'fish gape', it has spread like wildfire.

Stars on the red carpet and lining the front row of Paris Week ditched the infamous 'duck face' this week in favour of a more refined version.

Here, using photos of A-listers from the last few days, FEMAIL examines just how these professional posers suck in their cheeks and part their lips the minute the cameras start flashing.

Duck face is out! Gone are the days of the poofy-lipped pout (left) but model Stella Maxwell gets it right when she opens her mouth and adopts a doll-like gaze (right)

The fish gape seems to shoot for the same purpose as its pre-predecessor the duck face - which is to pouf up the lips and make the wearer appear sexually alluring.

Unlike the exaggerated smooch effect of the duck face, the fish gape takes a more subtle approach.

It also naturally draws the cheeks in and the chin down, giving the illusion of a slimmer face.

FEMAIL spoke to Harley Street psychologist Dr Becky Spelman about the ever-changing vortex of photo faces.

'Because of the way today’s spotlight shines on celebrities, the red carpet is a daunting place for even the most confident and experienced individual,' she said.

Don't purse your lips: Lily Donaldson has mastered a particularly strong fish gape (left) but loses it when she tenses her mouth (right)

Go for subtle: Sarah Jessica Parker has nailed it in one photo (left) but too much teeth and she loses the quintessential look (right)

Keep it natural: Cara Delevingne (left) inadvertently achieves the perfect fish gape, but musician Janelle Monae (right) looks a tad too dead in the eyes and a little too open-mouthed

Sharpen your features: Drop-dead gorgeous as Lily Rose Depp is whatever face she pulls, the slightly open mouth (left) accentuates her cheekbones even more

Dr Spelman continues: 'For a long time, the fear of giving too much of the artist’s personality away on this public platform kept a relatively narrow set of rules; stand like this, keep your face like this etc.

'However, the development of the social media generation, and particularly the rise and rise of the selfie, has seen these rules be widened, as this next generation are far more used to exposing their personalities through playing around on camera.

'This has led to a trend whereby, rather than be sullen and still, celebrities are being more playful in public.'

Try not to look too startled: Arch your eyebrows too much, like Spain's Queen Letizia (left) and Marie-Ange Casta (right), and you slightly resemble a fish that's seen a shark

Watch your blinks: As Jennifer Metcalfe (left) and Jorgie Porter (right) prove, it is of course nigh impossible to avoid this sort of shot, but it does greatly diminish the fish gape's appeal

You don't have to look gormless! Shay Mitchell (left) and Liu Wen (right) demonstrate that you can appear vaguely happy and still achieve the look

Leave the theatrics at home: True to form, Lady Gaga does neither the duck face (left) nor the fish gape (right) by halves

Relax the jaw: Rhea Bailey's mouth may be slightly open, but her lips are still too pronounced, whereas French it-girl Ilona Smet scores gold with a looser version of the same expression

Merge with a smile: Cindy Crawford (left) and Dasha Zhukova (right) suck their cheeks in, open their mouths and show a twitch of a grin

She added: 'The duck face was widely used, but as with many things in life reached a saturation point, whereby it became a negative thing to be associated with by many who wish to retain their edge.

'To be at the forefront of a new trend allows the individual to be seen as an innovator, which breathes life into their coolness.'

Scroll down for more of the best fish gapes, from recent times and yesteryear...

The fish gape, seen on Ellie Goulding (left) and Abbie Clancy (right) seems to shoot for the same purpose as its pre-predecessor the duck face - which is to poof up the lips and make the star appear sexually alluring

Little Mix's bandmates Jesy Nelson (left) and Perrie Edwards (right) both adopted the expression - lips slightly parted - on the red carpet at the Pride of Britain Awards earlier this week

It also naturally draws the cheeks in and the chin down, giving the illusion of a slimmer face. Seen on Miley Cyrus (left) and Victoria Beckham (right)

Unlike the exaggerated smooch effect of the duck face, demonstrated here by Kendall Jenner (centre left), the fish gape takes a more subtle approach, as seen on Kim Kardashian (centre right)