We all love heels–that is, we all hate to love heels. We can look at them all day, collect them, talk about them, and wear them…but walk in them? That is the painful part. What is love without pain? Love is not enough! Okay, okay…I got a little carried away, but it’s true. No pain, no gain. Heels can make us look taller, can make our posture look sexier, can bring us confidence, and they are so much fun to wear. The problem is clear though, all those feelings can go away if we do not know how to properly and gracefully walk in heels. Here are a few secrets to walking in heels the right way—because walking gracefully in heels is an art.
Heel, Toe, Heel, Toe
This is the most basic step and a very crucial one too. An error most girls commit is putting their whole foot down every step of the way. When wearing heels, in order to have a smoother transition that looks natural, is to walk with your heel down first followed by your toe. Make sure not to walk only by your tip toes either as it’ll seem like you are literally tiptoe walking. Just remember follow the clacker of your heels– Heel, toe, heel, toe, heel toe.
Small Steps
When wearing heels be sure to stride shorter, as walking in heels is not the same as walking in flat shoes. Your feet are restrained and shorter steps will look more graceful and natural, than walking forced long strides. Always start off slow, and once you get into the flow you can increase the speed a little bit once you are more comfortable. A cue to follow is the taller the heel, the shorter the stride will be.
Don’t Rush
Like previously mentioned, rushing and walking fast will only make your walk forced and awkward. Small and slow steps allow you to find your balance and therefore look more graceful.
Lean Back
Leaning forward seems like the more comfortable thing to do when your strides are larger and your steps are faster, but please don’t do that. If you want to avoid looking unattractive when you are walking in heels make sure you lean back just a little bit so that when you accidentally do lean forward, it doesn’t look like you are walking with your head first.
Imagine Walking Along an Invisible Line
Pretending like you are walking an invisible line helps so much! You know those models at NYFW walking that long strand of runway? Yeah, they visualize an invisible line, that is why they can walk so straight. Having that line can help you find an endpoint and indirectly focusing on a goal point.To look a little more natural doing this, make sure you put your feet in front of the other as to make your hips sway as they meet that goal line (just like the models do). One foot in front of the other makes you look so sexy anyway!
Posture!
A key ingredient to walking gracefully is maintaining a posture. Stand tall, shoulders back, suck in your stomach a little, chin up, relax your knees, arms moving naturally. Do NOT slouch when you walk it will make you look super weird and you are going to feel uncomfortable. Remember; keep your posture in mind.
Well-Fitted Shoes
This cannot be stressed enough; you will never be able to walk in heels gracefully if your shoes do not fit correctly. If you see super cute heels and they end up not being your size, don’t take them! Find a pair that fits better instead.
Be Confident
Believe it or not, this is a make or break it moment. If you need to pretend like you are Beyonce in her Crazy In Love video—do it! Trust me that helps!