STANDING TALL:  POSTURE
Walking

If you’re accustomed to wearing a backpack or carrying a heavy tote bag, you probably
have assumed a posture that is slightly hunched. Your shoulders tend to tuck forward to
support the weight you’re carrying, and you probably also lean forward to align the
weight over your natural center of gravity. You probably have a heavy tread because of
the extra weight you carry. This is a useful adaptation but it should be limited to only
when you’re actually carrying a backpack or tote bag.

There are few more effective ways to ruin your impression by walking as if you’re always
carrying a heavy load. Take time to be aware of how you walk the next time you’re empty-
handed: Are you still hunching your shoulders and leaning forward? Are you still
stomping each step? These habits can be broken.

Models on a runway exaggerate the swing of their hips and thrust their hips far too
forward to be natural, but notice how they keep their chin up and look straight ahead.
This is how you want to hold your head when you walk.

Try not to swing or pump your arms when you walk. Arm motion often helps propel you
forward when you’re in a hurry, but to cultivate a sophisticated walk, minimize how much
you swing your arms. Taking shorter strides will help you keep you arms from pumping.

Make your step softer by landing toe-first rather than heel-first. The fashion preference
for flat shoes has made millions of women comfortable but has resulted in women
forgetting how to walk softly. Take small steps and do not rush.

I think knowing how to walk in high heels is an essential skill for every woman. I like to
wear high heels because they tighten the muscles in my legs and make them look
fabulous, and the secret to wearing heels is that you don’t try to put all your weight on
your heels. High heels can be painful if the toebox of the shoe squeezes the ball of your
foot and discourages you from landing toe-first. Heels also demand that you slow down
when you walk.