Every fashionista should own a killer pair of heels.
Like these.
:: cue drooling ::
But what’s the point if you can’t strut your stuff in them?
For me, walking in heels is like second-nature. I would attribute most of this ability to the fact that I was a dancer growing up, so being up on my toes isn’t anything new. But to some, learning to walk in heels can be daunting, uncomfortable and just plain clumsy. So I thought I’d share a few tips to help you get up on those heels and strutting your stuff like a model!
1) If you’re just starting to walk in heels, start low. Not kitten heel low, but about 2 inches. Work your way up to the towering 3-4 inch heels. Make sure they fit snugly and your ankle is not slipping out of the back. If you’re wary of starting out with a pair of stilettos, then try wedges and work your way up to them.
2) Look in the mirror and check your posture. When you walk in heels it’s important that you are standing with your shoulders back and your spine pulled straight. This centers your weight and keeps you from feeling off centered. Hunching forward will pitch your weight towards your toes, and eventually you’ll end up face-first.
3) Start with the heel! Even though your instinct is to walk toe-to-heel or put your foot down all at once, resist. You’ll end up on your face that way too. You should still be walking heel-to-toe as you would in any other shoe. Do not shuffle your feet, make an effort to roll through your foot as you would in other shoes.
4) Walk the line. This is how those runway models look so easy-going. Pretending you’re walking on a straight line will keep you from swaying side to side. And it gives your tush that nice little ‘swish’.
5) Take smaller steps than you would wearing flats. Your feet are up higher so naturally your stride is going to be shorter. This also helps keep your balance centered underneath you. Expect to walk a bit slower, at least until walking in heels becomes second nature. Then you can sign up for the Running-in-Heels races that everyone raves about.
6) Practice makes perfect! Your kitchen makes an excellent runway. As does your living room, stairs, sidewalk, etc. Every surface will be a different experience to walk on, plenty of practice will help you uncover how to stride on cement, carpet, wood and tile.
**A quick trick if you are sliding too much on a surface is to take your heels outside and scuff them a bit on your driveway. Enough to make the sole a bit rough so that it’s more stable on slippery surfaces.
Finally, accept that everyone had to go through this at one point in their life. Everyone has fallen, everyone trips, even celebrities that wear heels 24/7 end up sitting on the sidewalk sometimes. It’s a different type of walk that you have to work at. But once you do, take those killer heels out for a test drive!
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