Hey Shannon,
How do you walk in heels without looking stupid?
– Fashionably Curious
Dear Fashionably Curious,
Ahh, the great challenge. I don’t know how many times I have bought shoes with high heels only to have my Mom say “you will never be able to walk in those.” I love you Mom, but that is simply not true. Walking in heels is a skill that every woman must learn.
Start small. If you’ve never walked in high heels before, don’t start out learning with 5-inch stilettos – that’s a recipe for disaster! Try something smaller, like a 2-inch heel or wedge to get used to the feeling. You can always work your way up to your most killer heels.
Walk heel to toe, not toe to heel. While it might be tempting to put your whole foot down at once, don’t do it – it makes your walk look strange when you’re wearing high shoes. Instead, put your heel down first, followed by your toe. This will give you more balance and make your stride look more natural.
Take small steps. Wearing heels naturally makes your stride shorter, so you’ll need to take more steps than usual. Don’t expect to be able to walk as fast as you normally do in high heels.
Step as if you were walking on a straight line. When you walk with one foot in front of the other, it gives your hips the sway that models are known for. Pretend you’re walking on a line on the ground, one foot in front of the other, or practice on an actual straight line at a basketball court or on a line in the floor.
Practice… Then practice some more. At the end of the day, the best way to become a pro at walking in high heels is to do it as often as possible. Practice walking on carpet, slippery floors, up stairs, and outside. No amount of reading how to do it will make a difference if you don’t work at it. Walking in high heels is like any other skill – you need to do it a lot to get good at it.
Sincerely, Shannon