The Walk

I recently read an article called “What your Walk says about you” and there was one called The Strut.

When I was in fashion college, our final was a fashion show where we had to model our own clothes. I have a way of walking that was not considered good runway because I swung my arms too much. My modeling instructor told me so, but when the owner of the college saw my ‘walk’ the next day, she praised it. The fashion world is so fickle. It really is true that one day you’re in and the next day you’re out.

My grade eight science teacher rode his bike past me on the way to school every day. He told me I had “quite the stride”. Ewwwww, I know. It was the eighties, so teachers got away with being creepy a lot more than they do now.

When I was eleven, my cousin Cyndi had given us a bunch of clothes. In the box was a pair of Navy blue sandals with wedge heels. I was elated when they fit me because they were so cool. My mother insisted I learned how to walk in heels before I went out in public (i.e. church) wearing them. So she had me march around the townhouse between the kitchen and the living room chanting “Heel, toe, heel toe”. I can still hear her voice echoing in my head.

When I was in the MTC (Missionary Training Center, or Empty Sea, whichever), the elders in my district would hum this tune as we would walk anywhere.

Why? “Because, Sister Dixon, you walk just like John Travolta!”

It’s not like I’ve never been compared to sexy men before. Michael Hutchence and Eddie Vedder come to mind. I’m not offended by it. Sexy is sexy in my book. It’s gender neutral.

I was taught to walk tall and not to be ashamed of my height. I was taught to hold my head high and my back straight. Sometimes when I walk tall and hold my head high, I don’t see the root/crack/uneven section/pebble in the sidewalk and I trip. I’m certain it’s hilarious to see this tall, confident woman in stilettos/platforms/awesome cowboy boots walking past, only to stumble and look like a baby giraffe ten seconds later.

So I strut. It’s the way I walk, and I’m proud of it. Trips and giraffe impressions and all.