Wearing a floor-length dress might seem strange or difficult for most women these days, as they are more comfortable wearing jeans and trousers. However, floor-length dresses were the norm for women up until the 1920s. Today, women usually wear such gowns at special occasions such as weddings or proms. It's important to practice walking in a gown before the event so you don't trip, which could damage the fabric or lead to injury.
Put on the heels and the gown you plan to wear and hold onto a wall or table.
Stand on one foot and swing your free leg back and forth. Repeat with your other leg. This will give you a sense of how much freedom you have when taking each step and how narrow or wide to make it.
Stand with good posture and your pull your shoulders back. Swing one foot in front of the other, leading heel to toe as you walk forward. If you're having trouble, lift the dress from the floor slightly to prevent yourself from tripping.
Repeat these movements until you feel confident. Your steps should be graceful and softly glide over the floor. After you have gained confidence, take your hands off your dress and continue walking across the floor in the heel-to-toe movement.
Practice sitting in your dress and heels after you have mastered walking. Before you lower yourself into a chair, lightly lift the back of your dress, the area by your hamstrings, up from the floor. This will prevent you from tripping as you sit down.
Lift the front of your dress slightly from across your thighs as you rise from the chair. This will prevent you from stepping on the dress.
Practice these movements daily until they're second nature and you don't have to think about them when you're wearing your dress.
References
- "How to Walk in High Heels: The Girl's Guide to Everything"; Camilla Morton; 2006
Writer Bio
Lane Cummings is originally from New York City. She attended the High School of Performing Arts in dance before receiving her Bachelor of Arts in literature and her Master of Arts in Russian literature at the University of Chicago. She has lived in St. Petersburg, Russia, where she lectured and studied Russian. She began writing professionally in 2004 for the "St. Petersburg Times."