Walk like a penguin, look like Hepburn

How to walk on ice without slipping, from the penguin shuffle to soles that actually grip, with enough film-star poise to enjoy the view.

By jelli.world, the bag brand. Our styling advice, with sources linked in the text and jelli.world products offered for sale.

In the first scenes of Charade, shot over five days in January 1963 at a ski resort in Megève, Audrey Hepburn appears in what one film writer describes as head-to-toe slim brown knit, topped with "a furry sweater and chapeau". The clothes are by Givenchy. The poise is all hers. Of course, it's easy to look composed when someone else has cleared the set. The rest of us, out on a frozen pavement at eight in the morning with a coffee and a phone, have a harder job.

The good news is that poise on ice is a technique, and a slightly comic one. To walk on ice without slipping, take short, shuffling steps with your feet pointed slightly outwards, bend a little forward and walk flat-footed with your weight centred over your feet, and keep your hands out of your pockets. Wear boots with deep, soft rubber tread. It's called the penguin walk, and it's endorsed with a straight face by several university safety teams. It looks far less silly than the alternative.

How to walk on ice without slipping

The University of Nebraska Medical Center's winter walking advice is the clearest version: "Take short or shuffling steps and point your feet outwards," "Bend slightly forward and walk flat-footed, centering over your feet," and "Keep hands free and outside any pockets to help balance." The logic is simple. A long stride lands you on the heel, which is exactly the moment a foot skates. A short, flat step keeps your weight over the foot that's already planted, so you never commit to a foot that might slide.

Two refinements from experience. Soft knees absorb small slips that stiff legs turn into falls. And slow down: hurrying for a bus is how a great many winter tumbles begin. If you do go, the same UNMC guidance advises against "using your arms to brace or ease the fall". Beyond that, try to fall to the side, tuck your chin and let your body take it rather than a locked wrist. If you hit your head, get it checked.

Where ice hides

It's rarely where you expect. Shaded pavements that never see sun stay icy long after the rest of the street has thawed. Steps and kerbs, especially metal or polished stone, freeze first. Car parks and driveways refreeze overnight as meltwater settles. Black ice often looks like nothing more than a wet patch on dark tarmac. Doorways and shop floors gather meltwater from everyone's boots, so the most treacherous surface of the day might be indoors. And cobbles, uneven and worn smooth, are tricky even when dry. Early mornings and evenings are riskiest, as temperatures dip and wet ground turns hard.

What makes a boot grip

Turn your boots over. That one gesture tells you most of what you need to know.

Old favourites lose their grip as soles wear down, so check yours before the first frost. For genuinely icy spells, slip-on traction cleats, stretchy rubber with metal studs, fit over most boots and come off at the door.

Warm feet matter too, because cold feet walk stiffly. Wool socks rather than cotton, a lining that's insulated right into the toe, a shaft above the ankle, and enough room to wiggle your toes all help. Sheepskin boots are wonderfully warm in cold, dry conditions; jelli.world's Sherpa boots, colourful snow boots in real sheepskin, are built for exactly that kind of crisp day. The same rule applies to them as to any boot: check the sole for the conditions, add cleats on sheet ice, and keep sheepskin for dry cold rather than long walks through slush.

Dressing for the walk

Hepburn had Givenchy and a film crew. You have a commute. But there's a lesson in that Charade look all the same: slim, close-fitting layers under one soft, warm piece is a silhouette that moves well, and on ice, movement is everything.

Start with the hem. Trousers should either sit cleanly over the top of the boot or be narrow enough to tuck in. Long, wide hems drag through slush, wick up water and can catch under a heel. Ankle-grazing slim trousers, leggings or straight jeans with a clean break are best.

Carry a cross-body bag. It keeps both hands free for balance and doesn't swing you off-centre the way a heavy shoulder bag does. A small fluffy bag worn across the body is a cheerful way to do it; a wipe-clean jelly bag shrugs off the splash from passing cars.

Wear something bright as the light goes. Winter afternoons are short, and a coloured coat, hat or boot helps drivers see you on dim streets. This is the rare case where the cheekiest colour in your wardrobe is also the sensible choice.

Choose gloves you'll actually keep on. Touchscreen tips mean you won't pull a glove off to answer a message mid-pavement, which keeps your hands warm and free.

And let the boot be the statement. If the weather forces you into a chunky, grippy boot, make it one you love looking down at. A bright pair turns the most practical part of a winter outfit into the best part.

Stairs, cars and buses

Use the handrail on stairs and place your whole foot on each step. Getting out of a car, swing both feet out and plant them before you stand. On buses and trains, wipe your boots as you board; wet soles on hard floors are slippery. And if you're carrying shopping, split it between two hands or use a backpack so your balance stays even.

Step carefully, look up

Get the walk and the tread right, then have fun with the rest. If you'd like boots that make an icy morning look brighter, you'll find Sherpa boots at jelli.world.

Common questions

What is the safest way to walk on ice?

Short, shuffling, flat-footed steps with your feet turned slightly out, your body bent a little forward and your weight centred over your feet. Keep your hands free, go slowly and use handrails.

What boots are best for walking on ice?

Boots with deep, multi-directional lugs and a soft rubber sole that stays flexible in the cold. For sheet ice, add slip-on traction cleats.

Are sheepskin boots good on ice?

They keep feet very warm, but grip depends entirely on the sole. Check the tread and add cleats on icy days.

Last reviewed: 15 October 2026