Walking the Fashion Runway

The (meeeeow) Walk. What I KNOW you’ve all been waiting for! Yes, it’s the catwalk, the strut, the runway, The Walk. There are videos online to help as you learn how to walk like a fashion model on the runway, but if those aren’t for you, listen up and I’ll give you some insider modeling secrets.

In my last blog, you learned about being confident on the fashion runway and in front of the camera. And as I wrote, I was thinking about the fashion model runway walk. Strut like there is no other. You are the most gorgeous model in the world: Let that confidence show in your runway walk and in your face.

Step 1. Look straight ahead; look fierce!

Step 2. Take long, graceful/strong/fierce steps. The “crossover” isn’t so popular with me. Don’t actually cross your legs over to the other side as you’re walking. I’ve never really seen any fashion models do this. Do walk in a very straight line, with one leg in front of the other. Keep your knees bending at a minimum. You want to be as tall as possible.

Step 3. Hips forward, shoulders up, back straight. Keep great posture, while kind of sticking out your hips. As Nick Casaus says, “Walk as if you are pushing a shopping cart with your hips.” It gives a nice curve to your body.

Step 4. Let your arms swing loosely, but controlled, with them almost behind you. Straighten your fingers a bit so they don’t curl and look shorter than they really are.

Step 5. Don’t be timid in your steps. Heels are loud (depending on the surface you’re walking on). One thing that held me back for a short time was being timid with my steps. Your steps are going to be loud, so let them be loud and clear, and strong.

Step 6. If you mess up, make the audience think you messed up on purpose. Don’t look embarrassed. Messing up never looked so smooth and good.

There are different kinds of turns for when you come to the end of the runway (and the beginning of the runway, for that matter). I suggest slowing down your runway walk slightly before the turn. Now, the turns are hard to describe through writing. I highly suggest watching professionals on the runway. A great website to watch fashion shows online is http://www.frillr.com. What I can tell you about turns is that your head should be the last thing that turns. Maybe even strike a dramatic pose at the end of the runway for the fashion photographer.

The whole idea is to really sell the garment you are wearing when it comes to fashion shows. For hair shows, it’s all about the hair. You want everyone to want what you have, even if it looks silly (because we all know that high fashion may look a little ridiculous and out-there at times). Whatever you have, you have to work it. Bad hair day? Work it. Bad hair is in style, haven’t you heard?

One video that really helped me when I was still learning can be found at this link (I’m surprised I found it so easily after a year): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EprBn84dCcw&feature=related. It covers anything else I can think of that I missed in here. I highly suggest watching it.

OH and Step 7. PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE!

Good luck!

Thanks for reading,

Briauna Mariah :)