Moving with grace

[Laraquan]

I've always been a clumsy child watching the lovely ladies movie with such grace and ease on the silver screen. How does a girl move like a lady? How should one sit? Not all the time, most likely, I doubt I have the fortitude to make this my new way of moving but I would like to know how to enter a room, sit, all that jazz, in a ladylike way.

The only thing I know is that, where possible, a lady puts both feet on the ground before getting out of the car to allow for a more graceful exit.

Please help me, ladies, there's no point dressing like a lady for a romantic evening out when you clop around like an average dame on the way to some factory somewhere.

 

[Kim_B]

I don't know how much it would help, but you might want to search YouTube for some etiquette videos that might be posted. I've seen some from the 50's and such, but don't have the links handy. HTH!

 

[Grnidwitch]

Hmmm. Watch your posture. Stand tall, shoulders down, chin up, tummy in and smile. Slow your steps. Walking in heels is an art. You want to glide when you walk. Don't be in a hurry to walk anywhere. If you are going to a place that has valet parking, the attendant should offer his hand to help you out of the car or the gentleman with you should come around and offer his hand. Lean forward just a touch, swivel in your seat, place both feet on the ground, with one slightly ahead of the other, and lean forward just a bit, you don't want to bump your head as you get out, and then use your legs to lift yourself out of the car. It should be a fluid motion.

I hope this helps.

 

[KittyT]

I second the note about your posture (I've found a girdle naturally helps my posture, and yoga helped my posture too) and about slowing your steps. This will help prevent you from clunking around when you wear heels.

When you sit, try to only cross your legs at the ankles. Crossing your legs at the knees has not only traditionally been viewed as unladylike (depending on the length of your skirt, you can end up showing off a bit too much), but it can contribute to spider veins.

 

[Fleur De Guerre]

Yoga has done wonders for my posture and deportment!

 

[Foofoogal]

What a nice thread. Brought back sweet memories for me. One of my most treasured items is an etiquette book my mom gave me for Christmas when I was 12. She made me spend hours walking around with books on my head for posture. lol
Never bend at the waist to pick up an item.
So funny but the one most memorable to me to this day is a man shaking a womans hand which is a different scenario than the driver one. Drives me nuts when I see this because of my mom but a gentleman will never extend his hand out to a lady. She is supposed to always extend hers first and if she doesn't neither should he.

 

[Sunny]

Great topic! I don't know if I'm an expert - my posture's certainly not what I want it to be - but I took dance lessons (tap and ballet) for years and I've never had trouble tripping over my feet. I also like to watch people, and I've noticed what's attractive and what's not.

Posture is great! Here's a tip from my mother: Imagine a string attaching the top of your head to the ceiling. It pulls your head up, and everything else comes up into the right position naturally. I like this one, because it's simpler to remember than pull in and holding up all the different things.

Walking is the clearest indicator of grace, or the lack thereof.

Don't swing your arms vigorously. A little movement is natural, but don't act like you're on dress parade or you're working out and need the momentum. Holding a handbag helps; when its weight begins swinging wildly or hitting me, I know I need to settle down.

Don't lumber like a wrestler. Keep your movement forward and don't rock side-to-side. You don't have to walk a line, but try keeping your feet close to that center line. Otherwise you'll lumber or waddle.

Don't lean forward. Remember the "I Love Lucy" episode when they go to charm school? The lady demonstrated how the hips go first, not the head and not the shoulders. Maybe her ultra-sophistocated saunter is best for making an entrance into the ritziest of night clubs, but just trying for the hips to go first keeps everything else back where it should be.

Grnidwitch said it about walking: Glide. Quick, neat steps ("tripping" is the word) are good for some; keep it from being jerky. For me, though, I have very long legs and a long stride, and shortening and quickening my pace would be "mincing." So instead I slow down, shorten the stride just a little, make sure I'm not windmilling my arms, and walk smoothly with a bit of a swing. Keep your head up - make it "float" above the rest of your body. You'll know the feeling.

The leg movement is particularly important with heels. The goal is to keep the knee at most only slightly bent. Swing the leg straight from the hip and let the foot always go heel-toe. Do NOT pick up the feet and set them down flat, like you're squashing bugs. At best you'll look like you're marching; at worst, like a wrestler again or a woman who's expecting the pavement to crumble beneath her.

The heel-toe movement itself is vital when wearing heels. And yes, that means your stride will be even shorter. Don't expect to walk as fast wearing three-inch heels as in half-inch flats. It's physically far more difficult. Allow a little more time to get from the car to the buidling. Just keep those legs swinging and set that heel down first. If you do have to go fast, a little short-gaited "run" on the toes is fine. Stay off the heels in that case! They can slip.

 

[Miss Brill]

I thought this was about changing houses moving.