How to Not Trip in a Floor Length Dress

Co-authored by Jordan Stolch

Last Updated: December 7, 2021 References

A long dress can be the perfect way to add a bit of glamour to your look. But how do you walk in a floor-length dress without tripping over the hem? To avoid embarrassing (and potentially dangerous) trips, make sure your dress fits you correctly. If your skirt’s too long, it could easily send you into a tumble. Be sure to also avoid trip-inducing situations (like escalators and bicycles) while wearing your floor-length dress.

1

Put the dress on without shoes to see where it falls.

This will give you a benchmark for where the dress hits. While you probably won’t be wearing it barefoot, you also don’t want to have to wear five-inch heels to lift it off the floor. A trip-proof dress should be just hitting the ground even when you’re not wearing shoes.

2

Walk around to see if the skirt tangles.

Take a few steps back and forth. The skirt should allow you to move around the room easily. Unfortunately, some fabrics may stick to your legs, making it much more difficult to walk without tripping. If this is the case, spray some anti-static product on the inside of the dress.
- You can buy anti-static spray at local retailers or online.

3

Lift the hem with heels if you need to.

Wearing heels can keep the hem of your dress from dragging. Even if it’s just hitting the floor, you might still feel that it’s too long for you. Start with a one to two-inch (2.5 to 5.1-cm) kitten heel. If you need an extra bump, move up to a three to four-inch (7.6 to 10.2-cm) heel. This should lift the dress so it’s a few inches (or several centimeters) above the ground.^{[1]
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Jordan Stolch
Image Consultant & Style Advisor
Expert Interview. 3 November 2020.}^{[2]
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- Only wear heels that are higher than four inches (10.2 cm) if you’ve had some practice walking around in high heels. You don’t want the heels to add to your tripping problems!

4

Wear comfortable and safe shoes.

If your feet get tired and sore, you’ll be more likely to trip. Test out the shoes you plan on pairing with your long dress with another outfit first. If they give you blisters or -- even worse -- cause you to trip, they’re definitely not a good choice for your floor-length dress.^{[3]
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- Your shoes should also have a good tread on the bottom to prevent them from slipping across floors.

5

Practice walking in your dress-and-shoes combo.

Wear them around the house to get used to them. Once you’ve got a pair of shoes (or even several) picked out to go with your dress, take some time to get used to walking around while wearing them. This will allow you to see how big your steps should be in your dress. It’ll also help you feel more confident that you won’t trip when you leave your house.

6

Hem the dress if it’s still dragging.

If a heel can’t solve your problem, it’s time to look for other solutions. If you know how to sew, hemming your dress will be pretty easy. If you’ve never really sewn before, take your dress to a professional tailor. They shouldn’t charge you too much, and the dress should be ready to wear again in just a few days!^{[4]
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- It’s much better (and safer) to hem an overly long dress than to chance going out in it. You’re asking to trip if you decide to just go for it!
- If you can't hem the dress, try using double-sided wardrobe tape to hem it. Fold the dress under to the length you want it to hang, then place the tape inside the fold to stick the two sides together.^{[5]
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  Jordan Stolch
  Image Consultant & Style Advisor
  Expert Interview. 3 November 2020.}
- Another way to shorten the dress a little might be to put on a belt, then pull a little of the fabric over the top of the belt.^{[6]
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  Jordan Stolch
  Image Consultant & Style Advisor
  Expert Interview. 3 November 2020.}

7

Choose a backpack instead of an over-the-shoulder bag.

Backpacks evenly distribute the weight of what you’re carrying. If you carry your bag on just one shoulder, it could cause you to take uneven steps or even lose your balance. You may also walk faster because you’ll be less comfortable.^{[7]
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- You can look for “fashion backpacks” if you’re hoping to find a bag that’s attractive but still practical.

8

Practice good posture to center your weight over your feet.

Stand up straight and keep your shoulders back and together. Pull in the muscles of your abdomen to support your spine. This will keep you balanced, helping you avoid tripping and falling no matter what you’re wearing!^{[8]
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Harvard Medical School
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9

Lift your dress when going up stairs.

Stairs can be a major obstacle when you’re wearing a floor-length dress. Go slowly, using one hand to gather the skirt and pull it up and off to the side. Use your other hand to steady yourself on the banister or side of the stairwell.^{[9]
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- Make sure your skirt is high enough that you can easily bend and lift your legs. You should also be able to see your feet so you can put them down on each stair safely.

10

Ensure that no one steps on your skirt when going downstairs.

Gather the skirt in your hand while you go down the stairs. While going downstairs isn’t usually as much of a hazard in long dresses, the back of your skirt may drag behind you. If you’re in a crowded stairwell, lift and gather your skirt and bring it to your side. Use the banister to steady yourself as you walk down slowly.

11

Lift your skirt before you sit in or get out of a chair.

You're more likely to trip when you sit down or stand up. Place both hands on your mid-thighs. Gently lift your skirt a bit as you sit down. This will keep the hem from catching on the floor as you pull your chair in or out. When you stand up again, lift your skirt in the front to keep from tripping on it as you rise.

12

Avoid situations where your dress could get caught.

Bikes, escalators, and moving sidewalks are all bad ideas. Unless you have no other choice, skip escalators. These could snag your long skirt and quickly leave you tripped up and stuck. You also shouldn’t ride your bike while wearing a long dress, as the skirt might get caught in the gears or pedals. This could cause a truly epic kind of trip.^{[10]
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13

Be especially careful on uneven or slippery surfaces.

If it’s raining or snowing, the floors and roads will be treacherous. Go slowly and take small steps. Be sure to also take your time if you’re walking in an area that isn’t very well-lit or has lots of obstacles in it. While this would be important even if you were wearing jeans, your long dress adds an extra complication.^{[11]
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14

Put away distractions while you’re walking.

Don’t pull out your cellphone to answer that last text. Focus on the path in front of you so you can see any obstacles or dangers.^{[12]
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Trustworthy Source
Harvard Medical School
Harvard Medical School's Educational Site for the Public
Go to source} This will also give you time to lift up your long dress if you need to step over something or go up a few stairs.

Expert Q&A
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What are some ways I can quickly shorten a dress that's too long?

Jordan Stolch
Image Consultant & Style Advisor
Jordan Stolch is an Image Strategist, Style Advisor, and the Founder of MiKADO - a concierge personal styling firm. With over a decade of experience, Jordan specializes in helping people eliminate the confusion and insecurities associated with how to dress in order to build a powerful image and use clothing to their strategic advantage. Jordan trains entrepreneurs, business leaders, and corporate executives in the foundations of "power dressing", from some of the country's preeminent companies such as Morgan Stanley, Deloitte, Berkshire Hathaway, Universal Music Group, Starbucks, and Disney. She works with clients both in-person and virtually, teaching them how to take the confusion out of style so they can operate at a higher level. Jordan earned her BA in Psychology from the University of Waterloo and studied Merchandise Marketing at the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIDM).

Jordan Stolch

Image Consultant & Style Advisor

Expert Answer

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An easy way is to put on high heels so you're a little taller. If that doesn't work, you might put on a belt, then pull a little fabric over the belt to shorten the dress. You can also use double-sided tape to create a temporary hem.