How To Walk In High Heels: The Girl's Guide To Everything Read Online Free PDF Page A

method.

    How to aisle glide
    When a very stylish lady sweeps into the room, as if she were walking on air – like Ginger Rogers herself – remember that they all started somewhere. Practise. Practise. Practise.
    Once you’ve got the heel, tried it on and know the basics it’s time to take your new shoes to the nearest supermarket.
    Fact: supermarket aisles are the perfect place to practise your glide. Not only do you get to stock up on all your groceries and wow the locals but you can get up to twenty-four aisles’ worth of runway-smooth surface to practise on, while being supported by a trolley, the ultimate stabiliser for the novice stiletto wearer.
    Ignore any funny looks, they are either jealous they didn’t think of this idea, or mystified why someone so glamorous doesn’t have ‘hired help’ to do their shopping.
    Trainers off, heels on, clutch the trolley handle bars and you’re off! Right foot, left foot, right foot, left . . . A natural rhythm should be developing regardless of the tinny musak .
    Use aisles as follows:
    1–5: Establish your walk and your rhythm. Get comfortable and confident. If you put any relevant produce into your trolley this is a real bonus.
    6–10: Start to vary speeds, stops and starts, perhaps even a corner – but NEVER let go of the trolley. Careful, let’s not rush things.
    11–16: Now you can practise developing wiggle and character steps, such as bends and turns and perhaps little heel kicks.
    Final aisles: Be creative, and do a total routine, showcasing your newfound stiletto confidence. Queuing at the checkout can be a time to rest on the hips.
    Packing your bags and getting them to the car? I would be very surprised if by now you didn’t have a handful of drooling helpers on hand. But if not, don’t worry, the bending will be good practice too.
    If things are going really well you could even try to walk to vehicle sans trolley, using the bags as balance weights.

    How to walk in heels on all surfaces
    The trick is to know what you are dealing with .

    Carpet
    The deeper the pile, the greater the danger. Go for shallow patches and, like punting, stab the heel in good and deep for balance. BUT, if it’s your carpet, put on a thicker heel; spikes can destroy a shag pile.
    Pavements
    In London, stay on the inside (near shop windows) and avoid the cracks. In Milan, it’s the reverse. Walk on the outside, or risk getting heels trapped in the grating. In Paris, walk in the road and don’t attempt picturesque cobbles. In New York, just hail a cab like everyone else.
    Tarmac
    Great in the winter, but sticky in high summer. When you’re sticking demand a piggyback, or radio for immediate back-up.
    Marble
    TAKE CARE. One slip and you’re floored, literally. It looks good, but in reality it’s like a sheet of ice. If in doubt, go round the edges, near walls and objects you can casually cling to. If you decide a room-cross is really necessary soles of shoes can be scored, rubbed with sandpaper or scuffed to create a grip. If you don’t want to do this you can dab resin (wax used by cellists/violinists on their bows) or some seriously dry and spongy Pritt Stick to the soles for added grip; just don’t do this with really good Manolos on their maiden voyage. If in doubt, get a walker to cling to.
    Cobblestones
    The HORROR of all HORRORS. Uneven, small and slippery, impossible to keep an even footing on, or, even more crucial, find your centre of gravity. There is no easy way of doing them, and when it is wet and icy, forget it. Walking in roads is fine. Stopping traffic an added bonus.
    Wood slats
    It’s best to stick to the centre as decaying wood tends to crumble from the outside first. Walk tall and fast, and in a straight line. Get your heel jammed in a gap and you could be there all night. When in Paris, avoid ‘romantic strolls’ or shortcuts going across pedestrian wooden bridges, such as the Pont Neuf, unless you intend to carry your heels, in a nonchalant way,