About Opentopia
Opentopia Directory Encyclopedia Tools

Shoe

Encyclopedia : S : SH : SHO : Shoe

For other uses, see Shoe (disambiguation)}}}.
Women's shoes on display in a shop window, July 2005
Enlarge
Women's shoes on display in a shop window, July 2005

A shoe is an item of footwear.

Contents

Parts of a shoe

Sole

The bottom of a shoe, which supports the wearer's foot, is named the sole. It usually consists of several layers, and is usually a separate piece from the upper shoe (though not always, as in the case of wooden shoes).

Insole

The insole is the interior bottom of the shoe, which sits directly beneath the foot. Many shoes have removable and replaceable insoles, and extra insoles are often added for comfort or health reasons. (To control the shape, moisture, or smell of the shoe, for example.)

Mid-sole

The mid-sole is a layer situated between the in-sole and the out-sole, found in some shoes. Often it will provide cushioning and shape to the in-sole.

Shoes made from real crocodile skin, in a conservation exhibit at Bristol Zoo, England
Enlarge
Shoes made from real crocodile skin, in a conservation exhibit at Bristol Zoo, England

Outsole

The outsole is the layer in direct contact with the ground. The material of the outsole varies depending on the function, dressiness, and quality of the shoe, but is generally very durable material, since it experiences the most stress. Dressier shoes have leather outsoles; casual or work-oriented shoes have outsoles made of natural rubber or a synthetic imitation. The outsole may comprise a single piece, or may comprise separate pieces of different materials. Often the heel of the sole is rubber for durability and traction, while the front is leather for style. Specialized shoes will often have distinct modifications on this design: athletic cleats have spikes embedded in the outsole to grip the ground; many kinds of dancing shoes have much softer or harder soles.

Some shoes have a distinctive raised heel; often this is a separate piece from the outsole and can be replaced. Leather was used in the past, and is still used in some performance tennis shoes, but harder materials are usually more desirable. Plastic, rubber, or polymer materials are now also used. Some shoes, such as the vivo barefoot use a Kevlar sole for high flexibility. Fortified cork is sometimes used in heels or soles so the shoes are lightweight. Although higher heels are usually only worn by women, a surprising number of men wear heels, as they have since approximately 1500, first to keep their feet in the stirrups, then for fashion, predominantly throughout the counts in the 1600s and 1700s. Wear of heels by men resurfaced briefly in the 1970s, and has again resurfaced, not only in fashion shows, but on the streets in major cities.

Vamp, or upper

Any shoe also has an upper part that separates the foot from the air, and helps hold the shoe onto the foot. In the simplest cases, such as sandals or flip flops, this may be nothing more than a few straps for holding the sole in place under the foot. Closed footwear, such as boots, sneakers and most men's shoes, will usually have a more complex upper.

Laces

A shoelace is a long piece of string or cord that holds a shoe closed. Usually it is attached by being threaded through a series of small holes in the shoe, called eyelets. To aid this, many shoelaces are tipped with small solid plastic bits called aglets.

Tongue

In some shoes and boots the tongue is a flap-like, usually flexible, part that goes underneath the laces.

Accessories to shoes

*shoe polish - a material spread on leather shoes to improve appearance, glossiness, and protection
*polishing cloth - a piece of fabric, often cotton flannel, used to apply polish to the shoe
  • overshoes - a rubber covering placed over shoes for rain and snow protection
  • orthotic insert - inserts for cushioning, improved fitting, or reduced abrasion. These include padding and inner linings. The insert may also be for the correction of foot problems
  • shoe bag - a bag, generally of a flannel fabric, that protects the shoes against damage when packed in the bag

    • Types of shoes

    Shoes fall into one of the following categories: dress, casual, work, snow, athletic and boots.

    Dress and casual shoes

    Leather shoes
    Enlarge
    Leather shoes

    Dress shoes are categorized by smooth and supple leather uppers, leather soles, and narrow sleek shape. Casual shoes are characterized by sturdy leather uppers, non-leather outsoles, and wide profile.

    Dress shoes are commonly made to be worn by one of the sexes but some designs can be worn by either. The majority of dress shoes have an upper covering, commonly made of leather, enclosing most of the lower foot, but not covering the ankles. This upper part of the shoe is often made without apertures or openings, but also made with openings or even a connected series of straps, e. g. an open toe feature in women's shoes. Shoes with ankle length (covering the ankles) upper bodies are also available. Such shoes often have zippers to open them.

    Men's shoes

    Women's shoes

    Multicolor Sandals
    Enlarge
    Multicolor Sandals

    *ballerina shoes - mimicking the appearance of ballet shoes, pointe shoes.
  • Medium height heels ("kitten" heels have less than 2 inches of height)
  • high heels
    • *stiletto heels - high heels
  • open-toed shoes
  • strap upper body shoes
  • Mary Janes
  • espadrilles - a casual sandal, with a canvas top and a rope sole
  • mule (footwear) - an open-toed slipper

    • Either sex

    Good examples of unisex shoes include Vans Slip-ons & Converse All-Stars.

    Athletic Shoes

    shoe for right foot
    shoe for right foot

    Men's and women's athletic shoes and special function shoes often have less difference between the sexes than in dress shoes. In many cases these shoes can be worn by either sex. Emphasis tends to be more on function than style.

    Dancing shoes

    Work shoes

    Work shoes are designed to stand heavy wear, to protect the wearer, and provide high traction. They are generally made from sturdy leather uppers and non-leather outsoles. Sometimes they are used for uniforms or comfort by nurses, waitresses, police, military personnel, etc. They are commonly used for protection in industrial settings, construction, mining, and other workplaces. Protective features may include steel-tipped toes and soles or ankle guards.

    Snow shoes

    Snowshoes are special shoes for walking in thick snow. In temperate climates, snowshoes are used for mostly recreational purposes in winter.

    Boots

    Boots are special shoes that are used in times of bad weather, or simply as an alternate style of casual or dress wear. Styles include rubber boots and snow boots, as well as some boots that work as work shoes.

    Maintenance

    An abandoned shoe, Kåre Sand, Wadden Sea, Denmark
    Enlarge
    An abandoned shoe, Kåre Sand, Wadden Sea, Denmark

    Someone who makes or repairs shoes in a shop could be called a cobbler.

    Shoe etiquette

    In most parts of the world (Asia, Eastern Europe, parts of the Middle East and Africa, much of Northern Europe and Canada, as well as Alaska) it is customary to remove shoes when entering a house. In the US it is not customary nor is it common among most caucasian Americans although common among Asian Americans. People do this to avoid bringing dirt, mud or snow into the house. For some societies, including those in Asia, indoor footwear may be provided for guests.

    In the Middle East, parts of Africa and Thailand, it is considered rude to show the soles of the feet to others (even accidentally, such as by crossing the legs). In addition, in Thailand, it is an extreme insult for the foot, socks, or shoes to touch someone's head or be placed over it. Although feet touching heads is an extremely rare occurrence in any society, some Muay Thai boxers insult each other by "kicking" the opponent's head with their foot (most Muay Thai kicks are executed with the shin).

    See also dress code.

    Sizes

    Shoe companies

    See the category for a list of shoe companies.

    Bibliography

    See also

    Shopping for shoes
    Enlarge
    Shopping for shoes

    External links

     

    From Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. Original article here. Support Wikipedia by contributing or donating.
    All text is available under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License See Wikipedia Copyrights for details.

    Search Titles
    0123456789
    ABCDEFGHIJ
    KLMNOPQRST
    UVWXYZ?

    E-mail this article to:

    Personal Message: