2008 | JulyFifteenth
A lot of times, I see people walking around school or the mall in strange gaits. No, they don’t have any artificial limbs or sprains - the guilty party is usually the fact that they are wearing heels that they have not yet learned to walk in yet. Or at least not walk prettily in, and trust me, walking in heels and walking with poise in heels are not the same thing. The latter can cause major wincing of any pair of eyes which manage to catch you.
So here’s some quick instruction on how to fix that:
- Lift your foot completely off the ground
- Set your foot down heel first
- Walk in a straight line
- Throw your hips into it
- Short strides get the job done
1. Lift your foot completely off the ground every single step.
A girl who attends my school regularly wears heels. Now, it’s not that heel-trotting is uncommon there, but you can always tell when this particular girl with coming up behind you, because mixed in with the soft clicks of heel hitting ground will be this strange shuffle and scrapping. Heels are not slippers, flip-flops, or even chucks: don’t drag your feet. Now, it’s not that heel-trotting is uncommon there, but you can always tell when this particular girl with coming up behind you, because mixed in with the soft clicks of heel hitting ground will be this strange shuffle and scrapping. Heels are not slippers, flip-flops, or even chucks: don’t drag your feet.
2. Set your foot down heel first.
When walking in heels, the rule is to put your foot down in a heel-to-toe motion. Your heel will hit the ground at an angle and then be set down in a fluid follow-up. As a person who regularly goes around in four inch heels, I’m going to be the first to admit that during the early stages of my courtship, I was definitely one of those people I now wince at seeing. Somehow, I’d gotten the “heel-to-toe” rule flipped and tried for a “toe-to-heel” stride. It was the most ridiculous thing I didn’t get to see (having had no out-of-body experiences).
3. Walk in a straight line.
Pretend you’re walking on a tightrope, only at ground level. Your right foot must be aligned in front of your left foot with you step and vice versa. Why? Because you’re neither a teenage boy in too-large trainers, sagging ripped jeans all the way down at your knees nor are you a penguin. Trust me, one foot in front of the other is a very wise saying that should be taken quite literally, no salt included.
4. Throw your hips into it.
When you step with your right foot, your weight should automatically shift along that foot and end at your hip (which yes, will naturally shift out a bit in that direction). The same goes for when stepping with your left foot - weight at left hip. It’s natural and actually will make balancing and walking in heels much for comfortable and smooth. Just don’t exaggerate it purposefully. I will assure you that it may reach the point of comedy or that of a hooker in spandex and leather.
5. Short strides get the job done.
Unless you’re in some huge rush. Then it’s better to stride than to run. 
I totally needed that lesson! I cannot seem to get the hang of walking in heels, possibly because I don’t do it very often, and I am certain I am the kind of girl you wince at because I’ve definitely heard my own shuffling as opposed to the confident click click click one is supposed to hear. Yikes!