Manly way of walking in heels?

[shirazmn]

For days I've been reading comments to the articles about men in heels. A lot of them, when written by a girl, focus on how the think it would be ridiculous to see a man walking in a feminine way. We all know that there are good and bad ways of walking in heels. Even some women look like spastic penguins when walking on 4 inch or more. But the point is: is there a particupar portment that would be considered masculine and so more acceptable? With heels it's easy (if not better) to swing your hips. But men don't have "hips" and I don't think anybody would be interested in seeing a man flaunting a flat bottom. I think it's cute to see a girl taking very short steps in 5" party platforms, but I believe that a man with a broad constitution woul look weird doing so. Walking like ducks with the toes pointing out is always wrong. And it's impossible to take "manly" wide steps if you want to land properly on the sole of the shoes instead of breaking a heel. What do you think? Have you developed a walk that you think would be better than another?

[Tacchi Alti]

Is it not just a function of the height of the heel? In flat shoes, most women walk in a similar way to men (this is a generalisation, not a scientific study!), but you have to shorten your stride in heels to avoid the bent knee syndrome. Just walk like you would normally - unless you normally walk like a gorilla - only with shorter steps. Anyway, you should land on the heel, not the sole.

[Shafted]

You'll know when you're doing it right. It will feel right. People may even tell you, you walk better than most women in those.

[LiveAndLearn]

You'll know when you're doing it right. It will feel right. People may even tell you, you walk better than most women in those.

This is so true. It took me all of 2-3 days of constantly walking around on my heels to find the perfect way of walking. Unfortauntly I had to walk on carpet, so when I went onto a hard floor it was tricky to say the least, but I have the hang of it all now, especially as my first pair of heels were 6 inch platforms! - I DONT reccomend it kids! Not unless you've been walking on tip-toes like me and Mariah Carey for years!

[hoverfly]

Heel height, for men keep the heel height bellow 4" out in public, so it does not alter your walking stride that much.

[at9]

...... look like spastic penguins....... ......Walking like ducks with the toes pointing out is always wrong.....

That's managed to offend 3 groups with a single post. First and worst, those with cerebral palsy, secondly those whose feet are natually splayed to some extent and finally our lovely chilly friends the penguins.

Tacchi_Alti is correct in saying you should normally land on your heel first. This may be difficult in very high hels but the remedy is practice. If you're walking across soft ground in stilettos then of course it may be necessary to walk on your toes but that's the exception.

[HappyinHeels]

I think Tacchi_Alti is correct in the mechanics of walking under general circumstances otherwise, if say attending a Halloween party or other event fully en-femme, then walk on your toes like a woman since that's the image you want to project. I think your walk, or gait, will be a direct reflection of your confidence which is determined by your comfort level. If one is confident AND comfortable in their presentation then one's gait will naturally reflect this and the world will tend to accept AND respect that. Happy Thanksgiving fellow Americans, Have a pleasant weekend to all others, HappyinHeels:yummy:

[jwhite44]

I've heard the recommended way for women to walk in heels is to pretend you heel has to hit a center line of your body (like you were doing a sobriety test on a road). I'm sure walking this way contributes to "swaying hips". On the other hand, if you keep your feet straight while walking, it's likely to look a lot more natural.

[shirazmn]

That's managed to offend 3 groups with a single post. First and worst, those with cerebral palsy, secondly those whose feet are natually splayed to some extent and finally our lovely chilly friends the penguins.

Tacchi_Alti is correct in saying you should normally land on your heel first. This may be difficult in very high hels but the remedy is practice. If you're walking across soft ground in stilettos then of course it may be necessary to walk on your toes but that's the exception.

I am speaking in general. There are even peole in a wheelchair if you want to know and i don't mean to offend anyone. I am talking about finding a way to define a masculine walk in heels that would not look wrong.

If you see some guys dressing up for fun during halloween that are just in heels because it's part of the outfit, they will walk with bent knees and feet pointing out just to nalance themselves. That is what I call ridiculous and I am dure that's what the girls referred to when commenting on the articles. I am NOT talking about people with a medical condition!

With "landing on the sole" I meant "not falling". But I am quite happy with the fact that this misunderstanding generated a discussion about portment that is what my post was all about.

[Trolldeg]

then walk on your toes like a woman .

Man OR woman, never EVER walk on your toes. Always heel first! And never ever try to walk "on a line". That hardly looks good on the catwalk. It won't look better out in the street.

[Foxyheels]

Practice, practice, practice add a large slice of confidence. You will walk differently in heels you can't change the physics but the more comfortable you are the more natural you will appear to those around you. Personally i think the 'manly' bit is more to do with the overall perception you emit to others rather than just the way you walk. An example, like him or not, is Simon Cowell, watch him carefully and you will see the man in High heel walk but nobody calls him feminine.

[MSpookshow]

Yeah, I don't think there is really any way to change / butch up walking in heels without it looking silly. Personally, I really try not to worry about masculine / feminine labels, so I just walk the way it feels natural. Hip swaying or walking a line will certainly look a bit more feminine to most people, so that should be avoided if that isn't what you are going for. Oddly, I find that walking in heels just feels pretty natural to me, and I don't feel I have any overtly feminine movements when doing so.

[Shafted]

Keep in mind that although the heels may force a certain amount of hip swig, it won't be as extreme as the ladies. This is due to us guys having proportionally narrower set hip joints than the ladies.

[StormClaw]

Well we already look feminine when we put on heels,I normally just try and walk the way that feels most comfortable to me. Wich is like most of the guys here suggested, land on the heel,dont bend knees to much,dont walk on a line.I dont swing my hips though,that helps for a masculine look. And ofcourse your outfit.If your outfit isnt too feminine you can get away with the walking.Just dont stomp around, Ive seen many women that stomps around, doesnt look too good.They land on the sole and heel at the same time.Probably still getting used to heels. Just practise your walking, look at your reflections when passing windows or mirrors to see what others see.

[evoviii]

I know that I'm no where near accomplished in walking in heels, but walking in heels is part of the experience of wearing heels, so it is part of my interest. I some day I can walk in heels as gracefully as a woman, than I would consider that an accomplishment. For now I'm willing to learn and enjoy the experience.

[Tacchi Alti]

Have a look at what Jenny said about walking in high heels:

http://netdump.com/users/jenny/wearing.htm

[JeffB]

Manly way of walking in high heels? Don't think that exists as I see that as a true oxymoron. To throw in my two cents worth, I don't worry about that sort of thing, if my hips sway when I'm in heels, or I look feminine when walking, no big deal, hell, I actually prefer to walk that way, especially when I'm wearing a short skirt or tight jeans. That just doesn't bother me, I walk the way I want and let the rest of the world offer its judgment.

[Tom-NL]

Have a look at what Jenny said about walking in high heels:

http://netdump.com/users/jenny/wearing.htm

Jenny has said more on the subject than is listed on the above version of her wearing guide. The most recent version can be found here.

[roniheels]

Practice, practice, practice add a large slice of confidence. You will walk differently in heels you can't change the physics but the more comfortable you are the more natural you will appear to those around you.

Personally i think the 'manly' bit is more to do with the overall perception you emit to others rather than just the way you walk.

An example, like him or not, is Simon Cowell, watch him carefully and you will see the man in High heel walk but nobody calls him feminine.

Manly way of walking in high heels? Don't think that exists as I see that as a true oxymoron. To throw in my two cents worth, I don't worry about that sort of thing, if my hips sway when I'm in heels, or I look feminine when walking, no big deal, hell, I actually prefer to walk that way, especially when I'm wearing a short skirt or tight jeans. That just doesn't bother me, I walk the way I want and let the rest of the world offer its judgment.

I really identify with what both of these gentlemen are saying on the subject. When I walk in 5" stiletto high heels I wouldn't say it is necessarily feminine, but it is a different stride than when wearing lower or no-heeled shoes. Again as said above, experience and confidence are the keys to walking comfortably in high heels. Just ask the ladies.

[leyland1]

I think that the way many (not all) business type women walk in heels is a masculine way to walk - big strides, land on the heel very loudly, and walk quickly, legs straight - no centre line stuff, not much hip swinging, just marching along! That's how I walk in 3 inch heels, and how I intend to walk in 4 inch heels. No one has ever said I look feminine, only than my Cuban heels make a thunderous noise (I am quite heavy at over 17stone).

[Guest]

Good points across the board there, little to add is if you are doing thin heels then expect some flex in the shaft itself. It can be very offputing even scary when a bit of a "hurry up" is required. Certainly the heel height will slow and shorten the pace. Keep practicing Al

[Heel-Lover]

Hi All, I think some great comments have been passed thus far. As Roniheels and Jeff B have said, let your walk be what feels right, and if it becomes more 'feminine' looking then so be it. As long as you look good, and feel confident then you will portray this, others will notice this confidence. I don't think you can loose. I think the risk of trying to walk in a studied way - would likely appear more 'unnatural'. I think higher heels require a more 'feminine walk' because it just feels right. I like to be able to strut a bit (if I feel like it). If I wanted to have a covert walking style then I wouldn't wear heels, I think the way I walk in heels is a key piece of my image, and I know I am good in heels, and this also gives me more confidence. Cheers all. Heel-Lover

[scrappycoco]

Ok I guess I'm going to sound mean again. I know we are just making general talk about walking heels. Which can be quite difficult to do but I really think we are make more of it than there should be. Lets face it women walk differently than a man not because of shoes but because of how there body's are. I have seen a lot of women that walk with more hip sway than others even when not in heels. Then there are those women out there that when they do wear heels, which may not be that often, over exagerate things. Is it to get are attention? Maybe, but then again they may not be sure of how to even walk in them. I can always tell them women that wear heels a lot and those that don't. The ones that wear heels a lot are those that just walk, the ones that don't (In my oppionion only) tend to over think the shoe. So as far a man is concerned no to men walk a like. I have seen some that have more hip sway than others, and no it's not because of there shoes, me for example i have a little more hip sway than some others because I meesed my back up at a young age so my back bothers me a lot when I am walking. So depending on which side is bothering me will depend on which side I favor more which in turn causes me to sway. As far as being a man in heels and walking I just walk. I have heard both men and women say that I handle my self quite well in heels. I guess what it comes down to is just walk and don't over think the shoe!

[Shafted]

Doesn't sound mean to me at all scappy.

[CRabbit]

Sounds spot on to my Scrappy. I agree and recall a time when I "over-thought the shoe" as you've noted there. I realized I was trying to master the shoes - trying to consciously walk properly in them. It doesn't work. When I gave in and just walked and let my mind think of the billion other things that float around in my consciousness (even those voices!) then I walked just fine and as quickly as that I noticed high heels hurt my feet a lot less too, because I was walking properly. As shafted said in his first post on this thread, it'll just feel right when you walk. What you have to accept then is your walk will almost certainly differ from everybody else - including your normal 'flat-soled' walk, so stop worrying about how masculine your walk is! While ever your goal is a "masculine" walk in high heels, your still focusing on the fact that high heels are a "feminine" thing, and they're not. They're shoes. They have no gender. Chris

[Heelster]

I just spent three days in a couple different pairs of high heeled boots doing an excessive amount of walking in some inconsistent terrain. The wife mentioned that I did walk a bit differently at that height (bit of a sway) but the only time I started to have any problems was when the balls of my feet started to get sore. I'd guess I put at least ten miles or more on these two pairs over the three days, and more like fifteen in all actuality. Going from a stacked heel western boot to these was a somewhat natural progression, which helps somewhat. I did notice a somewhat shorter stride, but then again I wasn't in much of a hurry most of the time. As a side line note, I wore out the heel to the point of needing to get them replaced on one pair.

[hhboots]

A couple of years back, I posted some youtube videos here with me walking around in 4.5" (with .75" platform) slingback wedge heels. After seeing this thread and looking back on those videos, I think I walk pretty close to what I normally would walk like, but perhaps I might look a bit odd to others?

Note, I am holding a phone camera aimed at myself and its hard to walk too smooth while doing that, here is one of the videos, for example: http://www.youtube.com/user/hhshoeguy#p/u/1/j0anuLTA9v4

[tallguyinheels]

Lot's of experienced input here. So I'll add mine. I find that my natural stride in any shoe is pretty much one foot in front of the other. No more than 10cm left or right of the path I'm moving. When starting out in heels I tried the "runway" crossover stride with or without letting my hips sway. Neither method felt as comfortable in the long run as keeping my standard stride, shortened a bit or a bit more depending on heel height. Perhaps resulting in half the L-R variation from center. More important is that you learn to have confidence in planting the heel first. And keep your eyes and head high. Shoulders square and though I've tried a feminine "elbows in" arm swing, I feel much more at ease in my normal walking arm position. Now that I've been wearing skirts more, I find I might be using the slightest crossover step, especially in the tighter pencil and mini skirts. The most important thing is that I try to think (or feel) about the enjoyment I get walking in heels.