How to walk in a gown with a train

There are a few little tricks to walking in a long gown with a train. You want to look graceful and effortless, and it’s possible!

First, don’t look down. Your full-length gown is hemmed to just touch the floor when you walk. If you look down at your feet while you are walking, you will lower the front of the gown, making it harder to walk and more likely that you will step on the front of your gown. Walk with your chin up and your back straight and trust that your feet will know what to do. 

If you need to pick up the front of your skirt, to step up a stair, for instance, or to walk on the sand, use one hand to pick up the center front of your skirt just enough to clear your feet. I’m entirely opposed to the thigh grab!

When your gown has a train, you cannot successfully walk backwards. I repeat, you cannot step backwards without stepping on your skirt. The best way to turn around is to walk in a circle around the imaginary line created by the edge of your train. The bigger your train, the bigger your circle will be.

If you need to walk with your train and you don’t want it to drag behind you, the best way to pick it up is from a single point in about the center of the back of the train, caught in one hand, which is held relaxed at your side. 

Again, think graceful and elegant. We’re going for Audrey Hepburn in My Fair Lady.