Walk Like a Woman

[Krisi]

That's my latest challenge, to learn how to walk like a woman. It's not easy. I try to sway my hips but it's not natural. Any hints?

Of course I have to be able to turn it on and off. I don't want to be walking through the mall with my wife with our hips swaying in unison.

[mechamoose]

After wearing heels for a while, I walk toe-heel and 'in line' in flat shoes. I correct after a while, but swapping the walking style isn't as easy as I would have thought. Swishing the hips is just part of that.

- MM

[Marcelle]

Hi Krisi,

The best thing you can do is watch how women walk. Albeit they do not all walk the same way as I have seen some manly walking gals out there. However, I guess your question is how to walk more feminine with a slight sway. Hip sway is going to be difficult for us as "we don't have the same weight distribution" but you can mimic by how you walk. Try crossing your feet in front of one another when walking as that will force a sway but don't over exaggerate or it will look very odd. Walk more with your thighs forward. As men we tend to walk with our shoulders (leaning slightly forward). In addition, shorten and quicken your pace . . . don't race like a runway model on a caffeine high, light and airy but slightly quicker than you would as a guy. Arm position will also be a factor . . . swing your arms more gracefully than you would in guy mode (but not like a whirligig). Arm movement in rhythm with your pace will help to keep your sway in a natural gait vice a forced gait.

Like I said though, not all women walk this way so I would look around and see what works for you and work on those movements.

Hugs

Isha

[Chari]

Good advice from previous posts! Walking as a woman does take observing them, especially those in your age group and size. Do not try to overplay the hip wiggle, but please do stand up straight, shoulders back, head up, arms/elbows close to your body, and begin with smaller steps keeping your toes pointed forward. Lots of practicing walking in 2"-3" heels can also improve your movement as the body weight is shifted higher and to the front. Enjoy.

[Kiva]

http://www.biomotionlab.ca/Demos/BMLwalker.html

I know this has been shown here from time to time, but here ya go.

[sherri]

Great advice from Isha and Chari. The most common mistake I see is guys being too rigid from the waist up, which restricts how much the hips can sway and how natural that sway looks. It's easy to focus on the hips and not realize a fem walk is a head-to-toe proposition. If your back isn't straight and your shoulders aren't relaxed and moving in concert, your "wiggle" is gonna look forced and constricted. Be careful not to overdo that runway walk of feet in front of each other thing, it's not very natural. And yeah, it is an acquired skill, so practice practice. Start in bare feet or flat sandals until you establish some muscle memory, then practice in different heel heights.

[Trishpdxcd2]

Yes, good advice. I would just add a couple of things. First, when in heels I land on the ball of my feet instead of the heal as a typical guy might do. Second, just feel like a woman when you walk. By that I mean just let yourself be feminine inside and that will translate to your walking.

[suchacutie]

The Biomation video is good for seeing the goal. In my experience, very high heels help to focus the needed body movements. To me the key was to lead with my upper thighs, almost dancing. Also, don't underestimate the role of strong abs. Stong abs can help control the movements. It's no accident that runway models work their abs hard.

P.S. there is nothing equivalent to doing it. Heels help my back so I walk in them every morning as I get ready for work...about 40 min per day. They, and walking like a women is now simply natural.

[Beverley Sims]

It will become natural with practice.
I do it regularly.

[Ericaxd]

A couple of things come to mind: lead with your hips and think about keeping a narrow profile. Women tend to take up less space then men.

[ClaireCole]

Loads of people told me that girls take up less space, so I squashed myself up and looked like I was perpetually frightened. Don't worry about trying to look tiny; that's silly, you're whatever height/size you are. I reckon the best tip is to look like you'd never punch anyone (and you never have).
Oh, and be sexy.

[Dena]

It might help to keep your knees closer together than you do as a guy.

[Adriana Moretti]

this is right off my blog I did an article on it a few months back for fun


1. Practice Walking In Your Heels
Practice makes perfect right? So spend your entire day in heels ( If your feet can bare it). Do your daily household chores in your heels. One thing I love to do is dance in mine. If you can dance...you can walk, both take a bit of getting used to, and a little wine does not hurt to loosen you up.

2. Relax...
Speaking of loosening up, you need to be relaxed, and not so stiff. Feminine movements will come alot easier to you if you are not so tensed up.

3. Head Up
Keep your head up high and look straight ahead

4. Keep Your Back Straight
Don't be a slouch, keep good posture arch your back a bit but do not over do it either

5. Keep Your Elbows At Your Sides.
Do not swing your arms, Keep your elbows tucked in around your waist

6. Hips don't lie
This step is very important NOT to over do. Sway your hips slightly with each step.

7. Smaller Steps
Keep in mind to take smaller steps. Step straight ahead.

8. Film Yourself Walking
I wish I could find my old VHS tape with me prancing around in 7 inch stripper heels, a mini skirt and my mothers wig on...actually...no I don't...but this is a great way to study what you are doing right, and what you are doing wrong.

9. Confidence
Own it girl...you need to have confidence ( I can be your cheerleader)

10. Observe
Without being creepy, observe the way women walk. Head to the mall or the beach and study women's movements

[Chickhe]

Ever watched a disney movie? Pick one of the princess characters and imagine you are that character...if you watch young girls, they almost fall forward all the time and they lunge around like monkeys...i think its an attitude from when you are young that you move in almost dancing and skipping and so take that experience and use it to create a feeling for how you want to move, but make yourself look like a grown up. It's a feeling flowing around to get somewhere...its not a feeling of just getting it done.

[MssHyde]

a lot of good advice here,, set your high heeled shoes down sort of flat not a heavy heel down first.. the steps will have to be short to do this.. toes pointed ahead,,, even slightly one foot over the others line or close to it,, it helps the natural sway effect.

as has been mentioned too, elbows to your side.. I notice women seem to keep a light foot stance, like pumping gas or standing talking to some one you may notice one shoe maybe toe down heel up or heel down toe up.

[Jamie Lynn]

Isha......!!!!!!!!!!!!! THAT'S why I'm having trouble passing.....I've got the "whirlygig" motion goin' on!!! Dangit! ;)

[Teresa]

Krisi, Your walk will be dictated very much by your physical shape, if you're a muscular guy with broad shoulders, slim hips and thick upper thighs you are going to have to compromise, a real girly walk is never going to happen. I practice the walk when walking the dog even in wellies, slippery mud is great to get the rotation right. Interesting point about watching GGs walk, if you see a mum pushing a push chair they walk more like a man, longer strides and less wriggle.

[CassieD]

Look where you're going and not at the floor in front of you.
The key for me was moving my hips instead of walking like a robot. That, posture and practice.

[BLUE ORCHID]

Hi Krisi, I have to be careful not to walk like a woman while en-drab.

[Krisi]

Thanks everyone for the help and advice. I've been trying to do the female walk when dressed. I did notice though, I can do it more easily in flats than in heels although I have no trouble walking in 3" heels. I'm too old for anything higher.

[Lexi Moralas]

Tons of great advice here Adriana in particular nailed it. I add a few thing that would add that made it easier for me when I was developing my walk. Practice in flats ,bare feet and sky scraper heels so you he a full spectrum of experience.
2 ) and this really worked for me with the hips thing I modeled it after a girl I dated in high school.
Don't try to sway your hips side to side but rather rotate them from the waist as if you are reaching forward with your hip bone ( but don't over do it ). And as far as switching back and forth a will. When ever no one is looking switch to your girl walk for 10 feet or so. GG's walk fem no matter what they are wearing on there feet so don't think you can only practice your walk in heels. And if you can practice on the treadmill. That's how I learned to walk in my sky scrapper stripper heels , and it's a great work out too lol , hope this helps. But with all the advice given I think you are sure to find something that works for you. Good luck

[DesireeFl]

This may sound stupid..but it seems to work for me. Have you ever watched a cat (the animal) walk, they tend to put their back foot in the same print that the front foot just made, I try to imagine my feet doing the same with my feet landing in the same print as if I had a front foot in other words when I walk I make a consious effort to place each foot directly in front on the other... not completely criss crossing..but almost... and that creates the hip swaying action, that combined with just staying a little loose up top but keeping your arms from swaying and tucked to the side, it works for me anyhow. Good luck and have fun practicing!!

[celeste26]

FWIW female hips are wider than male hips for a given height and weight. So at rest their thighs are angled more directly inward than a male. It is this that causes the "swaying."

Given any sort of high heel, it is frankly dangerous to walk by planting the heel first, it will end you up on the floor until you get over that technique. By planting the shoe on the floor both ends at the same time (flat) it will produce the sway and it is easy to maintain it when you're not in heels by using the same motion.

btw my wife is a perpetual heel striker, I hear her pounding the floor with her heels all the time. She doesn't even own a pair of high heels and would not know how to walk in them if she did.

[Laura Collette]

The most valuable advice here for me is to avoid coming down on my heels first. That's natural for me but dangerous, as I've fallen backwards on ice many times resulting in a broken arm once and a shoulder dislocation before that. If I can keep myself safer by walking like a lady I'll be happy to do it in drab too. Merci bien!

[StephanieDragg]

the best advice given to me was shorten the stride, women take smaller steps and dont walk quickly.. knees closer together

[NicoleScott]

I thought I had the walk nailed, having years (ok, decades) of practice in high heels. That is, until I took a video of myself walking.
So, observe how women walk, video your walk, compare, and adjust.

[Nadine Spirit]

FWIW female hips are wider than male hips for a given height and weight. So at rest their thighs are angled more directly inward than a male. It is this that causes the "swaying."

This is exactly why women walk the way they do. I find it funny as to other explanations offered. Like women growing up and learning some sort of feminine walking technique.

I do agree though that men that want to look more feminine while walking do need to learn techniques. The one that I use the most is to try and brush my ankles together as I walk. It makes it so that my feet are closer together. Another one is to take smaller steps.

[Christen]

Ok, not that I'm brilliant at this but I'm comfy in 4" heels.
Centre of gravity - we have a high centre, real girls have a point much lower. You really have to work on relaxing your upper body, shoulders especially. Feel your weight lower.
Heels first - I know some advice has been don't, but girls who can walk gracefully in heels go heel, toe, heel, toe. Girls who look look awkward in heels walk flat, heels and toes hitting at the same time. Makes for awful bends in the leg.
Legs straight - almost, move from the hips, don't lock your knees, but don't bend them much. See above.
Muscles - front lower abdominals, get 'em tight. Hold yourself. Posture, posture, posture!
Straight line - walk along an imaginary line. Don't splay your feet, unless you're a professional ballerina, then it's OK.
Eyes up - eyes and chest up, don't slouch. Posture, again!
Elbows in - Yep, Adriana's right, as always! Girls tend to shrink themselves, guys tend to expand themselves. Try little things that decrease your physical outline.
Don't wiggle - it just looks silly.
Have fun - I mean it.

Christen x

[Ezekiel]

I suggest getting used to walking in heels, but start first with shorter ones. When you get used to it, your walk then becomes more graceful. Its not just about this, but getting used to walking in heels does help.

[mikiSJ]

I try to walk in a feminine manner dressed or not. I stand straight, keep my elbows against my waist, shortened step and the footprint as close to the line you are walking.

It has been my observation that most males walk with semi-clinched fingers. I try to keep my fingers straight or tuck the tip of my fingers into an opened palm - more like a karate punch than a boxing punch. Also, I try to swing my arms from the elbow and not the shoulder. By keeping your elbows in tight, it tends to balance a smaller waist against male shoulders.

Practice, practice, practice...

[edith]

Love this thread, lots of great advice here. This is something I've been paying attention to a lot lately and trying to subtly practice as a I walk throughout the day. It's hard to say how good I am at it, but I think I've got the subtle sway thing more or less down (I have wide hips for a guy, which helps).

In watching how women walk in person and films, I think arm movement is actually a bigger indicator than hip movement. As others have said, keep your elbows in and let your arm swing start more from the elbow than the shoulder.

[Genifer Teal]

Leading with your hips is the key but this is not as obvious as it sounds. You need to relax your core muscles and sort of let your belly (not suggesting it is large) hang forward like it is limp. When you get the posture right, the "sway" will happen. it happens because of the posture not because you are forcing the sway. It is hard to fully understand until you experience it and have the ah ha moment. It is also hard to maintain at first. Men naturally tense their core. For me, relaxing it is not natural. Practice will get you there.

I watched my niece walk at a very young age and she already had the female walk. She was too young to walk a certain way on purpose. Just walking was enough challenge. It is mechanics and posture, anything else is just to exaggerate it. I believe much of it come from wider hips, placing the legs further apart.

[mechamoose]

It has been my observation that most males walk with semi-clinched fingers. I try to keep my fingers straight or tuck the tip of my fingers into an opened palm - more like a karate punch than a boxing punch. Also, I try to swing my arms from the elbow and not the shoulder. By keeping your elbows in tight, it tends to balance a smaller waist against male shoulders.


Non sequiter, but your post still made me smile..


When she walks
She swings her arms, instead of her hips
When she talks she moves her mouth, instead of her lips
I've waited for her for so long
I've waited for her for so long
I've wondered if I could hang on
I've wondered if I could hang on

"Let me go," she said
"Let me go," she said
Let me go and I will want you more

- Cake "Let Me Go"

[RenneB]

Here's one that doesn't appear to have been mentioned. Take two kitchen chairs to the living room. Pick up one in each hand. Extend your arms a little and walk. The chairs will change your center of gravity and make you put your feet in a motion that allows your hips to sway.

Hope this helps....

Renne.....

[Sometimes Steffi]

Good advice from previous posts! Walking as a woman does take observing them, especially those in your age group and size. Do not try to overplay the hip wiggle, but please do stand up straight, shoulders back, head up, arms/elbows close to your body, and begin with smaller steps keeping your toes pointed forward. Lots of practicing walking in 2"-3" heels can also improve your movement as the body weight is shifted higher and to the front. Enjoy.


I've been told to walk straight and tall. Or the way she put in, "Enter a room breasts first."

[lynnef]

I've been playing some of the "perfect World" MMO games (Ether saga online, Jade Dynasty, & Perfect world international ) (as a girl of course :P )

if you set your char to walk instead of run, they do a fairly accurate walk (in heels), and I have used it with moderate success :) (must post video someday...)

[Eryn]

I've discovered that GGs have as many walks as GMs do, even when they wear heels. There is no one right way for a woman to walk. Tall, athletic women walk differently than short full-figured women.

I find that when I wear "walkable heels" like 2-3" wedges I seem to adopt a natural feminine gait. I try to develop a kinesthetic memory of this for other occasions.

How one holds one's arms is also important. GGs tend to hold their arms with a greater angle at the elbow and with forearms farther from the body than males. Keep the elbows in, but open the forearms and hands a bit as they swing. Women tend to leave their fingers out rather than ball them into fists like men. My experience is that if the arms are moving correctly the rest of the body will follow.

Another thing: Holding a shoulder bag or purse accentuates the motion of the other arm. When a woman has to walk fast suddenly she tends to straighten and stiffen her arms, but in a sustained run female runners switch to male gaits and arm motions.

[cdkateinboston]

I have to say the "walk into a room breast first" comment to me is pretty spot on. I have a pair of 5.5" heels I adore and they are the best to walk in when your back is straight and you walk with your chest sticking out. Something about the weird powers breasts give you I figure :)

[sometimes_miss]

Here again is the link to the bio walker; examine it, compare what you're doing and then gradually change it. And when playing with it, please note that real women DO NOT cross one foot over the other when walking; that's a specific behavior of runway models in very high heels, which no man can do and appear normal. If you really still believe that, get out into the real world and watch women from the front and back, and you'll see the reality. When people mention the crossing over of the feet while walking, it's the FEEL of almost doing that, it isn't actually happening other than the fashion shows. Good luck. http://www.biomotionlab.ca/Demos/BMLwalker.html

[Genifer Teal]

There is no one right way for a woman to walk.


I agree with your point, however it is wrong to walk like a guy in a dress. Maybe I have become hyper sensitive to how people walk. The first think I notice as a CD approached me is a manly walk and a person's silhouette. These are features that can be noticed from a distance long before we see a persons face. They are strong gender cues because they are the first information our brain receives to determine a person's gender. This is why I feel a proper walk is important.

I met a new girl out for the first time and we met on the street outside the event. We were on the cell. She is walking across the street telling me she's here. From half way down the block I could pick this stranger out in a second. Not an earth shattering discovery but is made a lasting impression. Avoiding the male waddle (neanderthal walk) will serve you well.