03 / Walk guide
Where to Look: Head and Gaze on the Runway
Your head leads your whole model walk. Drop your eyes and your chin, shoulders and stride all follow. Get your gaze right and half the work is done.
Save this guide to PinterestChin, eyes, drill
- 01
Chin level, not lifted
Your chin should sit level, as if it rests on a flat shelf. Lifting it reads as arrogant and shortens the back of your neck; dropping it rounds your shoulders. Aim for the middle.
Photo to comeNot thisChin dropped, eyes on the floor, shoulders rounding forward. Photo to comeThisChin level, eyes on a point at the end of the room, long neck. Why it happens. We look down to check where we are stepping, especially when nervous or in heels. Once the eyes drop, the head follows, because it is heavy and the neck lets it tip forward.
Drill
- Stand side-on to a mirror. Nod your chin down, then up, then find the point where your ear sits over your shoulder.
- Hold that position and pick a point at eye level on the far wall.
- Walk towards it slowly for five steps without letting your eyes leave it.
- Repeat five times, speeding up to your normal pace by the last one.
- 02
Eyes on one point
Choose one real point at eye level at the end of your walk and keep your eyes on it. Your peripheral vision will handle the floor. A fixed gaze keeps your head still, and a still head is what makes a walk look smooth.
TipIf there is no obvious point, use the corner of a picture frame or a door handle.
- 03
Crown up
Imagine a string lifting the very top of your head, not your forehead. This lengthens your neck without tipping your chin up, and it stops your head from bobbing as you walk.
- 04
Soft eyes, no stare
A fixed point does not mean a hard stare. Relax the muscles around your eyes and let your eyelids feel heavy. Models call it an unfocused focus: you are looking at the point, but not glaring at it.
TipBlink normally. Holding your eyes open wide makes the whole face tense.
Why gaze matters so much
Your head weighs roughly as much as a bowling ball. When it tips forward even a few centimetres, your neck and upper back work harder to hold it, and your shoulders roll forward to balance. From the front, a dropping head also makes your walk look hesitant, because the viewer sees the top of your head instead of your face.
That is why the gaze comes first in almost every runway coaching session. Fix the eyes and the chin corrects itself. Fix the chin and the shoulders have something to settle under.
Practising with heels or a real runway
Heels make it tempting to look down. Practise your gaze in flat shoes first until it is automatic, then move to heels. If you are walking a real runway or an aisle, walk it once before the event and choose your point: often a camera, a light or the end of the room. Knowing it in advance means you won’t search for it on the day.
Check it on video
Film yourself from the side walking past the camera. Pause it mid-stride and check that your ear sits roughly over your shoulder. Then film from the front: your head should stay at the same height in the frame from the first step to the last. If it bobs, look at your stride length next.
Questions
Should I smile on the runway?
For most fashion runways, no: a neutral, relaxed face is standard. Commercial and pageant walks often include a soft smile. Either way, relax the jaw first.
How do I see the floor if I don’t look down?
Your peripheral vision takes care of it. Practise on a familiar floor until you trust it, then on new ones.
Common mistakes
- Lifting the chin to look confident. It reads as the opposite.
- Glancing down every few steps to check your feet.
- Choosing a point that is too high, which tips your head back.
- Staring so hard your forehead creases.
- Turning your head to look at people on the way. Eyes forward, then look at them at the end.
Défilé · Alignment score
Is your head really level? Film your walk and check your alignment score.
Film a walk and Défilé scores it out of 100, shows you the one thing holding it back and gives you a short drill to fix it. Your video never leaves your phone.
On Android? Défilé is coming soon to Google Play.
