Death to the dinosaur-walk...again?




Swarovski studded <3

Every girl, woman (and some boys), at some point in their lives, love to admire or wear a gorgeous pair of high heels. As little girls, most of us grew up watching our mothers, aunts, sisters or a female figure we admired, getting ready for work or a night out, rocking their favourite pair of high heels! I always knew to wait in the lounge for my mom, because she'd sometimes walk in, and say goodbye, as she was about to leave, which was my chance to catch a glimpse of her shoes.

Funny enough, I was a tom-boy that hated wearing dresses or 'girly' looking shoes, and of course, my mom used to dress my little sister and I in the girliest of outfits & shoes, especially for church on Sundays. This childhood contributed tremendously to how I dressed myself, when I was finally afforded that right, and thus began my love for jeans, slacks, sneakers and anything as far from the frills and florals of my toddler and puberty years. That, and also the sight of women on our family trips to town, where I'd witness women looking very beautiful AND equally uncomfortable walking in their high heeled shoes.



Red bottom glitz <3

 

I did grow out of my tom-boy sense of style, to a certain extent, because I'm still a jeans, slacks, sneakers kind of girl most days. However, I did also develop a keen interest in womens beautiful shoes, and not right away, it was a gradual liking. I was introduced to my first pair of high heels, when my mom had entered me in the Face of Africa model search in 1999, and one of the requirements for a model search competition; was obviously to wear high heels at some point during the contest. I made it through the casting process to the semi-finals in Swaziland that year, and God knows how terrified I was when I was given my 1st pair of heels, EVER!

I'd done two photoshoots as a model already, before the competition, but neither had required me to wear high heels in the shots. The reason I was sweating bullets at the semi-finals, was because I felt I would have been exposed for the un-girly nature I so comfortably had had all my life, by the catwalk training session we had to attend during the contest. This was the beginning of the love-hate relationship between me and stilettos.

I was glad to discover, that I wasn't the only '1st timer' and we appreciated the lessons in walking in high heels so much, we didn't complain too much. What got us few amateurs through that process, was simply laughing at each others awkward, dinosaur-walk kind of strides, because honestly, it was ridiculously unatural and a funny sight to see. On top of our strides resembling those of pre-historic creatures, our long limbs amplified the awkwardness.

It would be years later, after my umpteenth time of doing my thing on the ramp, for a fashion show or a Fashion Week somewhere in the world, did I find my comfort zone and catwalk stride. Even in the most highest of stiletto heels, I've developed a 'natural' skill most professional models acquire from years on the runway, and if my feet could talk, they would cuss me out over the years of torture they've endured. Most of the shoes I've walked in have been a few sizes too small or had an unstable, weight sensitive pencil heel, that should one set one foot wrong, one would be kissing the ground involuntarily.

I've had my fair share of slips and trips on the catwalk, but have never had a tumble, thank God. If you ever wondered what goes through a models mind as she walks down the ramp in a breathtaking designer garment, accessorized with a gorgeous pair of killa heels, it's more often than not, a hope and prayer that we don't trip or fall flat on our faces while looking hot and strutting our stuff. The catwalk has seen many victims tumble, even the most famous of supermodels has kissed the ground they walk on, but the show must go on.

All that, to say something that has bothered me for quite a number of years now, and that is the dinosaur-walk I witness everyday, not on the ramp but in the streets and malls. I see women everywhere, walking ever so awkwardly in the loveliest of shoes, that make one watching them walk by; cringe out of pity with every step they take. The thought that follows the cringing is usually a question to; the universe I guess, as to WHY anyone would torture themselves, by wearing heels they obviously aren't comfortable in, or perhaps even don't know how to walk in? (The universe never answers back of course!)

 

Like I said before, most of us love a good looking pair of shoes, and like looking at them, or trying them on at the shoe store, and definitely enjoy purchashing the trendy stilettos we see out there these days.

One thing I am sure about; is that not all of us should be wearing our stilettos out in public, and have come to the conclusion that; if one really does have a fetish for ultra sexy and gorgeously crafted 6inch heels(1 inch = 2 centimetres #FYI), one should be able to walk well enough, or at least look convincingly comfortable in them in public....and if not, one should make a shrine in their home, that is dedicated to shoes, instead of humiliating ourselves, whether they're aware of it or not, and to finally put an end to the dinosaur-walk! Those pre-historic creatures were extinct, as far as I thought. *shrugs*

 

Death to the dinosaur-walk...again?! -__-