Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-10-25
TO WALK WITH EASE AND GRACE.
What Women Should study II They
Wish to Appear Mt Their Hest.

A writer has written a chapter for the |
Philadelphia Record as q result Of observa- !
ton taken of a throng of women walking |
in the street. You win observe" he says, |
that nearly every woman walks far too |
rapidly for anything like grace to enter into |
her movements. Tall women. for some rea- !
son. walk more slowly than little ones.
Perhaps the short woman gets into the habit
of hurrying from trying to keep up with her
willowy sister. Then there is the jerky wo-
man. and there is unfortunately. only too
many of her. Her elbows, shoulders and
hips move from side to side with every
movement Of her feet. If you are acquain-
ted with her, you will find that she has
usually a nervous temperament. Some wo-
men have a gait that is hard to describe.
If they were to walk in the snow. or some
place where their footsteps would be visible,
there would be two tracks parallel to each
other and about foot apart This Is
particularly ugly walk, though not nearly
SO common as the jerky variety.
These are by no means exceptional cases.
Put these same women in a ball room and
their every movement in dancing would be
full of grace and spring. 1t Is because they
have been taught to dance. while the ordi-
nary means of locomotiOn, complex though
1t Is, are left to chance.
AN easy graceful walk is not impossible
| of requirement. though, like all things that
are worth having. 1t takes time and pa sence:
Julia Marlowe, when about fifteen years OF
age was afflicted with a most ungalnly
walk To cure herself of this she used to
walk for miles along the seashore every day.
with her hands on her hips, to keep them
motionless Whether she succeeded. no one
who has ever seen her on the stage need
ask.
Zone of the most graceful women I have
| ever seen told me the other day. when l
asked for her secret: L have no secret
When 1 was a child my mother impressed
on me most firmly that / was always 70
turn my toes out. This keeps The knees
straight. so that all the movement comes
from the hips. 1 keep my chest and chin
well up and make 1t a rule never to hurry.
though. as 1 never mince my steps, get
over the ground more rapidly, perhaps, IMAM
those who seem to walk faster
in learning to walk 1t Is best to begin. as
Herbert Spencer says about style, with
knowledge of what constitutes beauty ano
what blemish. a good walk Is, however
about as elusive and hard to define as good
style. Still, there are some very imperative
'don'ts' that are well to remember.
Don't for instance, look at your fee'
: when walking. but hold your head well w
in the air.
Al Don't shuttle your feet. A little thought
fulness and little practice In high step
ping will soon break up this ugly habit.
Don't bend back at the waist under
the impression that you are thereby walk
ing erectly. 1t throws the stomach forward
: and is almost as inimical to grace as ROUND
i
: Finally. don't allow yourself to wall
'pigeon-toed.' that is, with the toes turne'
in or straight. You can never be gracefu
in movement while you do.
IAN ideal place in which to practice walk
ing would be Il long room with a mirror
each end. Though this Is usually impractic
able you should by all means practice Il
: front of a mirror, or you may only accentu
= ate bad habits. 1t is unnecessary to sa
q that heavy skirts and tight corsets are quit
!, incompatible with freedom of motion. ID
not bother about the shoulders. Hold tn
| chest well forward. and they will take car
| of themselves. Then, with the chin we'll u
!. | and the toes turned out, you may literall
, walk chalk line.
1T is always hard to tell what to do wit
| the hands 1t il said that no woman undo
twenty-five has ever learned how to carr
4 these offending members. But this thin
a was written of English women. The natu
v al way to have them hanging at the SIDE
: or loosely clasped in front, Is not considere
5 elegant. And to have them glued TO tf
n sides as far as the waist line, and then bel
it at the elbow, is not only awkward in !
SELF but it elevates the shoulders In n
most unlovely way. Therefore. most wome
= try to obviate the difnculty by carryin
= something in the hands. 1t does see1
! strange that the most useful members
l. the body should be so unpleasantly In ev
- ! dence when they are not in use. But, hoy
n ever you elect TO carry them, remember tn
- the first and last rule in good walking
=, not to hurry"