c




From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

A woman wears a pair of ballet flats

c


 are derived from a woman's soft ballet slipper, with a very thin heel or the
appearance of no heel at all. The style usually features a ribbon-like binding around the low tops
of the slipper and may have a slight gathering at the top-front of the vamp (toe box) and a tiny,
decorative string tie. Ballet slippers can be adjusted and tightened to the wearer's foot by means
of this string tie.

The essence of the ballet flat has existed since at least the 16th century, in which men wore a
similar shoe, then known as pompes. In medieval times ballet flats were popular with both men
and women. They only came out of fashion in the 17th and 18th centuries when the high-heeled
shoe came into fashion after Catherine de' Medici requested that her cobbler add two inches to
her wedding shoes. Heels went out of fashion quickly after Marie Antoinette walked to the
guillotine in a pair of heels. Functional shoes: sandals, boots, and flat shoes prevailed in the
1800s. Ballet flats took off again when Audrey Hepburn wore them with skinny jeans in ?


? in 1957.

More recently, variations of ballet flats have returned as a current fashion trend, often referred to
as R

  or R


  and designed for outdoor wear, using a variety of fabrics and
usually with a rubber sole.

Ballet flats are popular with girls and women of all ages. They are also a great alternative to
heels, and they are seen with many tweens and teens at school dances and proms instead of heels.

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¢  
¢   (British English) or   (American English) are shoes with usually no fastening
and a low cut front. However, some have anklestraps. They are usually worn by women now, but
are still traditional menswear in some formal situations, when they are sometimes called  

 or  
 .

 
 

A pair of circular-head court shoes in black leather with 8 cm (3.14") stiletto heelsCourt shoes for women
are usually heeled. The heel and toe can be any shape as dictated by the fashion of the time. In the UK, in
2007 a closed toe and wide (non-stiletto) heel were worn by the very fashion conscious, but most still
wore stilettos of mainly 'kitten' height to medium height. Outside the fashion trade in the UK, the term
"pumps" would normally imply flat or low heel dancing or ballerina pumps, or even rubber soled canvas
plimsolls.

The shoes can be made from any material, but traditional patent leather is popular. Court shoes
are mostly worn with a suit or a uniform, but are also worn with formal and informal dresses,
skirts, trousers, and jeans. White stiletto heeled court shoes are the standard attire with swimsuits
in beauty contests.

Court shoes are also part of the costume of a ballroom dancer. They are made of satin, usually
tan, though other colors are made as well, and worn on both the competition and practice floors.
]

 

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 are typically low, lace-less shoes. The style most commonly seen, known as a
 in
American culture, has a moccasin construction. First appearing in the mid-1930s from Norway,
they began as casual shoes, but have increased in popularity to point of being worn in America
with city lounge suits, though these still require lace-up shoes in more conservative locations
such as Britain[



6. They are worn in many situations in a wide variety of colours and
designs, often featuring tassels on the front, or metal decorations (the 'Gucci' loafer).

A less casual, earlier type of slip-on is made with side gussets (sometimes called a
 ).
Made in the same shape as lace-up Oxfords, only lacking the laces, elasticated inserts on the side
allow the shoe to be easily removed, but remain snug when worn. This cut is unusual and has its
greatest popularity in Britain.[16

w

 


The Norwegians producing leisure slippers of the moccasin style in the 1930s began exporting
these to the rest of Europe where they were taken up by visiting Americans,[26 and championed
by the American £  magazine. Some photographs included with the Esquire feature were of
Norwegian farmers in a cattle loafing area.[36 The Spaulding family in New Hampshire started
making shoes based on this design in the early 1930s,[



6 naming them , the
general term for slip-on shoes that remains still in use in America. In 1934, G.H. Bass (a
bootmaker in Wilton, Maine) started making loafers under the name 
 (sounding like
Nor
).[46 The distinctive addition was a strip of leather across the saddle with a diamond
cut-out. Initially only worn in the summer at home, the shoe grew in popularity in America to
become a significant part of men's casual shoe wardrobe, though back in Europe its ubiquity has
never reached the same degree. When American prep. school students in the 1950s wishing to
make a fashion statement took to inserting a penny into the diamond-shaped slit on their
Weejuns, the name a

  came to be applied to this style of slip-on and has since stuck,
though the practice itself does not continue.[16

In the mid-1950s, further continental influences brought a more elegant image to light, lower-cut
slip-ons, which moved from purely casual use to being paired with suits in the 1960s (but still
only in America).[56 In 1966, Italian designer Gucci made the further step of adding a metal strap
across the front in the shape of a horse's snaffle bit. These    (now a general term
referring to shoes of this style by any manufacturer) also spread over the Atlantic and were worn
among by 1970s business men, becoming almost a Wall Street uniform, until reaching
widespread use by the 1980s, mainly because of singer Michael Jackson wearing them
everywhere he went.

Another variation on the basic style is the tassel loafer, which emerged in the 1950s. Again,
though casual, their gradual acceptance among the American East-coast prep.culture as
equivalent to brogues (wing-tips),[56 has led to them being worn there with suits, and they have
gained an association with, for example, business and legal classes.

There is also a bespoke shoe company based in London that was established in the 1800s who
developed a penny loafer as a country house shoe for the landed gentry and the Royal family.
The 'Wildsmith Loafer' made by Matthew Wildsmith& Co of Duke Street, was designed for
George VI as a casual house shoe. The shoe has subsequently been marketed and sold by other
London shoe firms and dubbed µthe Harrow¶. [66

ÿ

In America and less formal European countries, such as Italy, the loafer enjoys general use as a
casual and informal shoe worn for work and leisure, though lace-ups are still preferred for more
formal situations.[16 The general popularity of brown over black extends to loafers, and more
exotic leathers such as suede and cordovan are worn (the latter restricted to America).

Though originally men's shoes, some styles of loafers, such as casual tassel loafers, may be worn
by women.

   

Having an entirely different evolution to the loafer, Chelsea boots were invented by J. Sparkes
Hall for Queen Victoria in 1836. The stretchable rubber produces a comfortable shoe combining
the ease of putting on of lace-less shoes with the profile of lace-ups. Its feminine image was soon
lost, and was dubbed ¢
 and  
  in America. Rare even in Britain, its
country of origin, it is still the only style of slip-on worn with a suit in some of the highly
conservative working environments in the City of London.[76 With such a background, their use
mimics that of Oxfords, so they are worn in brown with broguing as a country shoe, or in plainer,
black styles with suits


]

R 
A 

R  is a type of woman's shoe that is backless and is characterized by a strap that
crosses behind the heel or ankle. A slingback is distinguishable from an ankle-strap shoe in that
the latter has a strap that crosses around the front of the ankle as well as the back.

Slingbacks come in a wide variety of styles from casual to dressy, with heel height ranging from
none to high, and they may be either closed- or open-toe. They have been fashionable since the
1930s and continue to be popular today. One reason for slingbacks' wide appeal is that they
allow the wearer to slip her foot into the shoe easily without needing to make major (or any)
manual adjustment to the strap or buckle, while still holding the foot in the shoe relatively
securely. The buckle can be made of metal, plastic, or even sometimes stone. Nevertheless, when
engaging in more vigorous activity such as ballroom dancing, women often find that they need
shoes that are more secure than slingbacks. Alternatively, slides are preferable for some women
who find that the sling, or back ankle strap, produces blisters.


  

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, a French word, is a style of shoe that is backless and often closed-toed. Mules can be any
heel height - from flat to high. The style is predominantly (but not exclusively) worn by women.

The term derives from the Ancient Roman„     a red or purple shoe worn by the three
highest magistrates[16, although there is little indication of any structural resemblance.

 


High-heeled mules were a popular indoor shoe style of the 18th century, influenced by the
patten, a backless overshoe of the 16th century. By the early twentieth century, mules were often
associated with prostitutes[26.
In the early 1950s, Marilyn Monroe popularized the shoe[16 and helped to break its poor
reputation.

Mules experienced some popularity in the 1950s and early 1960s, and were seen in 1970s almost
exclusively in the form of open-back Scandinavianclogs, but then re-emerged in the early 1990s,
especially in its open-toed form (the "slide"), and began to dominate[



6 the shoe market
for women.

M



| | |
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18th century Woman's loafer Woman's Maryjane
mules A pair of green style mules with a style mules with a
Red mules (front)
mules flat heel wedge heel

 
 

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 is an American term (formerly trademarked) for a kind of strap shoe or sandal that
typically has low heels, broad and rounded closed toes, and a single-buckle strap across the
instep and/or around the ankle. They are traditionally made of black patent leather, although
some current incarnations can be in a wide array of colors and leathers.

Traditionally Mary Janesare a variety of shoe worn mainly by young girls. In modern times they
are worn by women of all ages. Mary Janesare typically considered formal for girls and informal
when worn by women.
£
  


Mary Jane was a character created by Richard Outcault for his comic strip,   
, which
was first published in 1902. She was the sister of the title character, Buster Brown.

In 1904, Outcault traveled to the St. Louis World's Fair and sold licenses to up to 200 companies
to use the Buster Brown characters to advertise their products. Among them was the Brown Shoe
Company, who later hired actors to tour the country, performing as the Buster Brown characters
in theaters and stores. This strategy helped the Brown Shoe Company become the most
prominently associated brand with the Buster Brown characters. The style of shoe both Buster
Brown and Mary Jane wore came to be known by her name, Mary Jane.

¢ 


While the classic Mary Jane still retains its wide popularity and appeal, today's more stylish
Mary Janes tend to be platform styles,[



6 with half-inch to one-inch soles and three- to
five-inch "chunky heels", often with exaggerated grommets or buckles. These styles were
especially popular in the United States in the late 1990s and early 2000s, within punk rock,
psychobilly, and goth subcultures. Many times the wearers would accent the look with knee-high
knit socks in dark-colored stripes or patterns and/or some form of hosiery (stockings/pantyhose),
and often complete the look with a plaid, pleated schoolgirl-style skirt.

Mary Janesare a popular part of kinderwhore and Lolita fashion. A pump with a strap across the
instep may be referred to as a "Mary Jane pump", although it does not have the low heels or wide
toe of the original Mary Jane (and a pump is generally strapless by definition).

ï 
 

In the ]horror-filmseries, Billy the Puppet wears a pair of red Mary Janes. Stacy Ferguson
AKA Fergie has an ode to these soles on her debut solo album,  . Velma Dinkley in
the ]  animated series usually wears a pair of Mary Janes, as well as Eleanor of the
Chipettes.




 is a generic name of handcraftedethnicfootwear produced in India and Pakistan. These
are made by artisans mostly using vegetable tanned leather. The uppers are made of one piece of
leather or textile embroidered and embellished with brass nails, cowriesshells, mirrors, bells and
ceramicbeads. Even the bonding from the upper to the sole is done by cotton thread that is not
only eco-friendly but also enmeshes the leather fibers with great strength. Some product range
also uses bright and ornate threads.

In ancient times these were worn by multitude and royalty. As it evolved through the centuries
and is being produced by individual artisans, products vary in designs and colours. It
encapsulescultural diversity, local ethos and ethnicity.
The ethnicity of the traditional skills accentuate into poetry when intermingled with the
contemporary colours and designs. Applique in form of differently designed figures are cut out
of leather and sewn on the vamp manually. The design would dictate the nature, colour and
shape of the appliqué. It could range from an intricate appliqué which itself could incorporate
other design features like embroidery, punches, weaves, etc., to a simple cut out shape from any
material like leather, textile, synthetic, etc.

 


India has a very long tradition of leather crafts ranging from handbags, leather stools to Mojaris,
Khussa, Kolhapuris and Jootis centered at Rajasthan, Delhi, Karnataka&Punjab. The production
of these heavily embroidered juttis date back to the period of Kings and Queens. In those times,
these juttis were embroidered with real gold and silver threads and decorated with precious gems
and pearls. But, with the passage of time, these were replaced by artificial materials, beads, bells
etc, in order to make them affordable for everyone. These juttis&mojaries are made of buffalo,
cow or camel leather soles, while the upper part comprises leather or simply textile. Both the
parts are joined together by a paste and then stitched by white cotton threads.

Mojari is referred to a man's closed shoe with an extended curled toe, while as juttis have flat
fronts. In juttis, rear is normally covered but mojaris have an open look from behind. Produced
mainly in Jaipur and Jodhpur, cities of Rajasthan, these juttis are sure to enchant you and provide
that royal touch to your attire. These shoes were flat soled and there were no left-right distinction

] 
 

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The ] 
  is a low-heeled, oxford, casual shoe characterized by a plain toe and distinctive,
saddle-shaped decorative panel placed mid foot. Saddle shoes are typically constructed of leather
and are most frequently white with a black saddle, although any color combination is
possible.[



6

Saddle shoes are worn by both men and women in a variety of styles ranging from ultra high
platforms to golf cleats.

Saddle shoes were popular with girls in the 1950s.[




6

In the United States, Saddle shoes have recently been enjoying a comeback among males in their
teens, twenties, and thirties. The new trend is particularly prevalent in New York City, Los
Angeles, Tokyo and the southwest region of the United States.[16

[


 


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[


  (i



) are mid-heel slippers with an upper or top part
that is slightly open to the kick of the foot and the ankle bone (OQLF). The slipper is comparable
to the profile and style of a Venetian bark ("Vénitienne") (OQLF). The venetian style shoe and
its lack of ornamentation contrasts with the loafer which may have slotted straps, vamps and
even tassels. The term came from Great Britain (OQLF).

Loafers are "Slip on shoes with a moccasin toe construction and slotted straps stitched across
vamps" (Drummond). A loafer may even be "decorated with metal chains or tassels"
(Drummond). A penny-loafer has a "tongue and strap" (Jackson 7).

By the 20th century, the slip-on loafers were common male footwear. During this period other
popular shoes included low, laced oxfords in various leathers, ankle boots, and specialized sport
shoes. During World War II, or circa the 1940s, the loafer, along with the aloha shirt, argyle
(pattern), beanies, Bermuda shorts, culottes, crew cuts, teddies, windbreakers, flight jackets,
halter neckline, cummerbund, platform shoes and sportswear, became fashionable (Drummond).

›



!
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›

 (also known as ›

) are a style of shoe or boot worn from the 1950s
onward by male and female Britishrock and roll fans. The feature which gives both the boot and
shoe their name is the very sharp and quite long pointed toe, reminiscent of medievalfootwear
and approximately the same as the long pointed toes on some women's high fashion shoes and
boots in the late 2000s. The pointed toe was called the 
 a  because in England
periwinkle snails or winkles are or were a popular seaside snack, which is eaten using a pin or
other pointed object to carefully extract the soft parts out of the coiled shell, hence the phrase:
"to winkle something out", and from that, winkle-pickers as a humorous name for shoes with a
very pointed tip.

 



Winklepicker shoes were a conspicuous contrast to the brothel creepers worn by Teddy Boys.
The male shoes were lace-up Oxford style with a low heel and an exaggerated pointed toe. A
Chelsea Boot style (elastic-sided with a two-inch, and later as much as two and one half inch,
Cuban heel ) was notably worn by the Beatles, but although it had a pointed toe, was not
considered to be a Winklepicker. Winklepicker shoes from Stan's of Battersea were also worn by
the Teddy Girls as well as being a fleeting fashion for young women generally.



In the early 1960s the winklepicker toe was popular with modernists, the forerunners of the
mods. In the early 1960's the point was effectively chopped off (they hung on for longer than that
in the UK) and gave rise to the "chisel toe" on the footwear of both genders. However,
winklepickers with traditional sharp-point styles made a comeback of sorts in the late 1970s and
early 1980s (either as previously unworn old-stock, second-hand originals, or contemporary-
production attempted copies) when they were sold at London indoor markets like Kensington
Market and Chelsea's Great Gear Market and worn by several subculture groups including Mods,
Rockabillies, Punks, Rock'n'Roll Revivalists, and in the goth scene, where they are known as
"pikes".

Winklepickers with stiletto heels for women swept the UK in the late fifties and at one stage the
High Street versions were worn by virtually all the female English population who wore high
heeled shoes. They were often manufactured in Italy, but the handmade versions, notably those
from Stan's Shoes of Battersea were the most extreme, if somewhat bulky-looking at the toe
compared with the Italian styles.

The original 1960s winkle picker stilettos were similar to the long pointed toe which has been
fashionable on women's shoes and boots in Europe of late. The long sharp toe was always
teamed with a stiletto heel (or spike heel) which, as today, could be as low as one and a half
inches or as high as five inches, though most were in the three to four inch range. The stiletto
heels on the original 1960s styles were, however, much more curved-in at the rear (also
sometimes sharply-waisted and slightly flared out at the top piece) than most of the recent
pointy-toed fashion shoes, which often have straighter, thicker, more set-back heels, rather at
odds with the look of the pointed toe. In most cases, too, the modern shoe toes lack the length of
the true 1960s winklepicker, and bear more resemblance to the less pointed mass-produced
versions of the era.

They attained some notoriety, when they first appeared, as a result of being worn in gang fights
(sometimes by both sexes) though it seems that contemporary newspaper reports of such clashes
were, as ever, sensationalised flights of the imagination on the part of bored journalists with
nothing better to write about. In fact, although the Winklepicker looks lethal, it would be far
more likely for damage to be caused to the delicately pointed shoe than to the opponent in any
serious kicking incident, and it would be highly unlikely that a fashion-conscious person of the
1960s would have subjected a prized pair of expensive Italian imports or custom-made Stan's
originals to this sort of abuse.

þ 



Winklepicker boots are very popular among the modern Vogue Goth and Punk sub-cultures.
They are worn by many band members, such as the members of Kings of Leon, Kaiser Chiefs,
The Kills, Mod Fun, Neils Children, Klaxons and Daniel Johns. The shoes are closely related to
British Garage Rock band The Horrors who even went as far to have a wincklepicker boot with
three buckles on their official merchandise t-shirt along with the words "I am a horror"
FarisBadwan has personally endorsed Paolo Vandini Veers.

They are also worn by English comedians Russell Brand and Noel Fielding; English DJ and TV
presenter Alex Zane. They are often informally called "Pointies" in Britain, while in German
speaking countries they (at least the Gothic models) are often referred to as "Pikes".
Although slightly pointed toes are often a feature of women's fashion shoes, they are usually
nowadays "tamed down" or shortened (often with a sacrifice of comfortable toe space) for mass
market appeal.

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, 

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,[16 ,


 or
slippers are an open type of outdoor footwear, consisting of a flat sole held loosely on the foot by
a Y-shaped strap, like a thin thong, that passes between the first (big) and second toes and around
either side of the foot. Unlike sandals, flip-flops do not secure the ankle.[26

 


The traditional woven soled Japanese zōri had been used as beach wear in New Zealand in the
1930s.[36 In the post war period in both New Zealand and America, versions were briefly
popularized by servicemen returning from occupied Japan. The idea of making sandals from
plastics did not occur for another decade.

The latest design was invented in Auckland, New Zealand by Morris Yock in the 50s and
patented in 1957[



6. However, this claim has recently been contested by the children of
John Cowie. John Cowie was an England-raised businessman who started a plastics
manufacturing business in Hong Kong after the war. His children claim that it was Cowie that
started manufacturing a plastic version of the sandals in the late 1940s and that Yock was just a
New Zealand importer.[46 The children also say that their father claimed to have invented the
name "jandal" from a shortened form of "Japanese Sandal". John Cowie and his family
emigrated to New Zealand in 1959.

Despite 'jandal' being commonly used in New Zealand to describe any manufacturer's brand, the
word Jandal is actually a trademark since 1957, for a long time owned by the
Skellerupcompany[



6. In countries other than New Zealand, jandals are known by other
names. In Australia they are known as thongs. The first pair were manufactured there by
Skellerup rival Dunlop in 1960.[



6 Thongs became popular there after being worn by the
Australian Olympic swimming team at the Melbourne Olympic Games in 1956[



6. In
the UK and U.S. they are most commonly known as flip-flops.

Flip-flops may have been familiar in the United States in the mid-19th century. An 1861 letter to
the editor of  „ mentioned poorly equipped troops in the Seventh Regiment
Volunteers wearing "flip-flaps": "The men were not in uniform, but very poorly dressed, ² in
many cases with flip-flap shoes. The business-like air with which they marched rapidly through
the deep mud of the Third-avenue was the more remarkable." Later the letter reads: "The men
have not yet been supplied with shoes, and yet still march flip-flop. Why?"[56 The letter does not
describe the men's shoes in detail, so it is not clear whether it is referring to footwear of the flip-
flop style, or perhaps to the poor state of their shoes.

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Flip-flops now come in a variety of shoe styles other than the traditional flat sandal, such as
women's heels, slides, and wedges.

ÿ

 

Flip-flops are a common type of footwear. They are a thin rubber sole with two straps running in
a Y shape from the sides of the foot to the gap between the big toe and its neighbour. The
popular use of flip-flops as beach or outdoor wear has spread through much of the world,
although it is most common in Pakistan and India (where it is immensely popular and is called a
Äaa ), Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, USA, Brazil, Panama, the Pacific
Islands, and Southeast Asia.

In most developing countries, rubber flip-flops are the cheapest footwear available, often costing
less than a dollar. Measures have been made to reduce cost, such as making them out of recycled
tires.[66 Because of their low cost they are very widely used in these countries as typical footwear
instead of as fashion wear. Despite their disposable design, street vendors will repair worn
sandals for a small fee.
However, in many developed countries flip-flops are typically treated as annual or seasonal,
short lasting footwear. Depending on the material makeup of the shoe, some pairs of flip-flops
last a year or less. The strap between the toes can snap after moderate use, and although this
problem can be solved by using replacement straps that are easily "snapped" into the flip-flop,
most people in developed countries do not bother to repair flip-flops because they are very
inexpensive and easily replaced.

These disposal habits may pose an environmental problem because most flip-flops are made with
polyurethane, which comes from crude oil. This material is a number seven resin and cannot
usually be recycled in small amounts.[76 Because of growing environmental concerns, some
companies have begun to sell flip-flops made from recycled inner tubes or car tires, as well as
sustainable materials like hemp, cotton and coconut.

Flip-flops are also popular with those who enjoy being barefoot but need to wear shoes, because
they allow the foot to be out in the open but still constitute a shoe for wear in places such as
restaurants or on city streets, and can be quickly and easily removed. They are also popular
because they are easy to carry and come in an assortment of colors and patterns.

On July 19, 2005, some members of Northwestern University's national champion women's
lacrosse team were criticized for wearing "flip-flops" to the White House to meet with President
George W. Bush. The women pointed out that their shoes were not "beach shoes," but were
dressier thong sandals.[86

The use of flip-flops has also been encouraged in some branches of European and North
American military as sanitary footwear in communal showers, where wearing flip-flops slows
the spread of fungal infections. Following on from this, some soldiers and other trampers or
hikers have begun carrying flip-flops, or a pair of flip-flop soles sewn to socks, as a lightweight
emergency replacement for damaged boots.[



6

The Indian manifestation of the flip-flop, the aa , has even been known to be deployed as a
weapon, both as a truncheon and a missile, although it is more commonly merely a threat. It is
not unheard of for people to whip off their chappals in the heat of an argument, in order to make
their aggravation more palpable to the other party.[



6.



 

While widely regarded to be comfortable, flip-flops do not provide ankle support, and can cause
many foot-related problems[



6. Some flip-flops have a spongy sole, so when the foot
hits the ground, it rolls inward and the sponge allows it to roll even more than usual.[96 This is
known as overpronation and causes many problems in the foot.[106 Each time a foot hits the
ground, the arch is supposed to be locked to absorb shock. But during overpronation, the arch
opens and releases this locking mechanism, leading to problems such as pain in the heel, the
arch, the toes and in the forefoot. Overpronation of the foot also results in flat feet, especially if
flip-flops are worn throughout childhood and adolescence when the muscles, bones, and tendons
of the feet are growing and developing. Exacerbating this, some flip-flops force a person to
overuse the tendons in the foot, which can cause tendinitis[



6.
Ankle sprains are also common due to stepping off a curb or stepping wrong; the ankle bends,
but the flip flop neither holds on to nor supports it.[96 The open nature of flip-flops also makes the
wearer more susceptible to stubbed toes, and exposes the foot to the environment. The toe grip
can be useful for preventing the foot from slipping forward in a convenient sandal, but flip-flops
with bands across higher areas of the foot or the arch are recommended for support and keeping
the shoe on the foot. Thong sandals are also popular with the same proportions and structures of
flip-flops, but with the addition of a slingback or an ankle strap that holds and supports the foot
in a stable position.[116 Arch support is also found in many more expensive and better made flip-
flops rather than the ubiquitous foam materials. Spending more on a better quality, better created
shoe can influence the wearer's health and safety. Such shoes are also more commonly endowed
with rubberized soles and better cushions.

In 2008, Auburn University researchers found that wearing thong-style flip-flops can result in
sore feet, ankles and legs. The research team, who presented their findings at the annual meeting
of the American College of Sports Medicine in 2008, found that flip-flop wearers took shorter
steps and that their heels hit the ground with less vertical force than when the same walkers wore
athletic shoes. When wearing flip-flops, the study participants did not bring their toes up as much
during the leg¶s swing phase, resulting in a larger ankle angle and shorter stride length, possibly
because they tended to grip the flip-flops with their toes. This repeated motion can result in
problems from the foot up into the hips.[126[136

Ú 



Along the east coast of the US so called flip-flops are sometimes referred to as "zories". They are
known as 

  in New Zealand, 
 in Australia,  a a (or just  a) in South
Africa, and  
 in the South Pacific. In parts of Texas they are known as clam diggers
because of the way they flip sand on a beach. In Hawaii, the Philippines, and several other places
around the world, they are called "slippers".

þ

 

In recent years, most mass production of flip-flops has moved to developing countries with low-
cost labor. Brands still manufacturing in Brazil such as Havaianas ( São Paulo Alpargatas) and in
the United States include Okabashi (based in Buford, GA) and Island Slipper (based in Pearl
City, HI).[



6

 

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In Japan tabi are a traditional sock with a slot for the thong, and toe socks (with separate
compartments for each toe) also mate with flip-flops.

M
 


|

M
  (from French:  ), also known as R  , 

, or i , are a
type of rubberboot that is slipped over shoes to keep them from getting muddy or wet. The word
  might be used interchangeably with boot, especially a rubberized boot. Properly
speaking, however, galoshes are synonymous with rain boots often reaching heights just below
the knee.

 


The term may trace back to the Middle Ages, from the Gaulishshoe or gallicae. This shoe had a
leather upper and a sole carved of wood. When the Romans conquered Gaul (France), they
borrowed the Gaulish boot style. Nobles would wear a red leather boot with ornately carved
wooden soles to display their station.

The term originally referred to wooden shoes or patten, or merely a wooden sole fastened to the
foot by a strap or cord. Pattens were overshoes with tall, shaped wooden bases and mules or
slippers into which one could slip their indoor shoes. In this respect, they could be considered
similar to galoshes.

In Turkey the word refers to a polythene overshoe that is worn temporarily when visiting homes
or offices, to protect the floors against dirt from the outside.

"Goloshes" appears to be the older spelling of   used previously in Great Britain. The
spelling perhaps changed around 1920 to the present-day spelling. A discussion took place in
November 2007 on the Victoria Web Discussion group.[16[26[36
! 



In modern usage, galoshes are outer shoes worn in inclement weather to protect the inner shoes
and keep the feet dry. Galoshes are now almost universally made of rubber. In the bootmakers'
trade, a "galosh" is the piece of leather, of a make stronger than, or different from that of the
"uppers", which runs around the bottom part of a boot or shoe, just above the sole.

A more modern term for galoshes is overshoes. Overshoes have evolved in the past decades and
now are being made with more advanced features, such as high traction outsoles.

The transition from a traditional wooden sole to one of vulcanized rubber may be attributed to
Charles Goodyear and LeverettCandee. The qualities of rubber, though fascinating to Goodyear,
were highly dependent on temperature: it was tacky when hot, brittle when cold. Vulcanization
of rubber tempered its properties so that it was easily molded, durable, and tough. A rubberized
elastic webbing made Goodyear's galoshes (circa 1890) easy to pull on and off.

An unconfirmed legend states that an Englishman named Radley invented galoshes. He suffered
from rheumatism and wanted to keep his feet dry. While reading De Bello Gallico by Julius
Caesar he noticed a description of protective cloth overshoes "gallicae" and decided to capitalize
on the idea. He patented cloth overshoes reinforced with rubber to keep the feet dry.

There are also records of a black inventor by the name of Alvin Longo Rickman, who received a
patent for an overshoe in 1898.[46

There are two basic types. One is like an oversize shoe or low boot made of thick rubber with a
heavy sole and instep, designed for heavy-duty use. The other one is of much thinner, more
flexible material, more like a rubber slipper, designed solely for protection against the wet rather
than for extensive walking.

In Russia, galoshes have been an indispensable attribute of i 
.

In the upper U.S. Midwest, school children know the black rubber, over-the-shoe boot as "four-
buckle arctics".

In Quebec, they are called "claques". They were also used by the public, in the
LigueNationaled'ImprovisationLNI, to indicate discontent.

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M ( ) are a form of traditional Japanese footwear that resemble both clogs and flip-flops.
They are a kind of sandal with an elevated wooden base held onto the foot with a fabric thong to
keep the foot well above the ground. They are worn with traditional Japanese clothing such as
kimono or yukata, but (in Japan) also with Western clothing during the summer months.
Sometimes geta are worn in rain or snow to keep the feet dry, due to their extra height and
impermeability compared to other shoes footwear such as zōri.




There are several different styles of geta. The most familiar style in the West consists of an
unfinished wooden board called a
 (;, stand) that the foot is set upon, with a cloth thong
(
, 
 ) that passes between the big toe and second toe. As geta are usually worn only with
yukata or other informal Japanese clothes or Western clothes, there is no need to wear socks.
Ordinary people wear at least slightly more formal zori when wearing special toe socks called
tabi. Apprentice geisha, also called "maiko", wear their special geta (see below) with tabi to
accommodate the 
 .
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The two supporting pieces below the base board, called teeth (€), are also made of wood,
usually very light-weight  (—, paulownia) and make a distinctive "clacking" sound while
walking:
 or 
 
. This is sometimes mentioned as one of the sounds that
older Japanese miss most in modern life. A traditional saying in Japanese translates as "You
don't know until you have worn geta." This means roughly, "you can't tell the results until the
game is over."

¢    

The
 may vary in shape: oval ("more feminine") to rectangular ("more masculine") and color
(natural, lacquered, or stained). The  may also vary in style; for example, tengu-geta have only
a single centered "tooth". There are also less common geta with three teeth. Merchants use(d)
very high geta (two long teeth) to keep the feet well above the seafood scraps on the floor. The
teeth are usually not separate, instead, the geta is carved from one block of wood. The tengu
tooth is, however, strengthened by a special attachment. The teeth of any geta may have harder
wood drilled into the bottom to avoid splitting, and the soles of the teeth may have rubber soles
glued onto them.

The 
 can be wide and padded, or narrow and hard, and it can be made with many sorts of
fabric. Printed cotton with traditional Japanese motifs is popular, but there are also geta with
vinyl and leather 
 . Inside the 
 is a cord (recently synthetic, but traditionally hemp)
that is knotted in a special way to the three holes of the
. In the wide 
 there is some
padding as well. The 
 are replaceable. It sits between the two first toes because having the
thong of rectangular geta anywhere but the middle would result in the inner back corners of the
geta colliding when walking. Recently, as Western shoes have become more popular, more
Western looking geta have been developed. They are more round in shape, may have an
ergonomically shaped
, a thick heel as in Western clogs, instead of separate teeth, and the
thong at the side as in flip-flops. According to Japanese superstition, breaking the thong on one's
geta is considered very unlucky.
¢ 
M


Maiko (geisha in training) wear distinctive tall geta called   which are similar to the
chopines worn in Venice during the Renaissance. Also very young girls wear "okobo", also
called "pokkuri" and "koppori", that have a small bell inside a cavity in the thick "sole". These
geta have no "teeth" but are formed of one piece of wood. The middle part is carved out from
below and the front is sloped to accommodate for walking. Pokkuri are usually red in color and
are not worn with yukata, but a very fancy kimono (such as at shichi-go-san festivals).

 

Japanese professional sumo wrestlers in the lowest two divisions of Jonokuchi and Jonidan must
wear geta with their yukata at all times. The clacking sound that geta make when walking are
consequently something aspiring sumo stars wish to leave behind as soon as possible.

  


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A  
is a slipper made of deerskin or other soft leather, consisting of a sole and sides
made of one piece of leather, stitched together at the top, and sometimes with a vamp (additional
panel of leather). The sole is soft and flexible and the upper part often is adorned with
embroidery or beading, et cetera. Historically, it is the footwear of many Native American
peoples; moreover, hunters, traders, and European settlers wore them. Etymologically, the
„ 
derives from the Algonquian languagePowhatan word „
(cognate to
Massachusett„ 
/ „  
, Ojibwa„
, Mi'kmaq„8
), [16[26 and from the Proto-
Algonquian word *„
 (shoe).[36
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Moccasins protect the foot while allowing the wearer to feel the ground. The Plains Indians wore
hard-sole moccasins, given that their territorial geography featured rock and cacti. The eastern
Indian tribes wore soft-sole moccasins, for walking in leaf-covered forest ground. Moccasins are
usually all brown, the same color.

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Today, moccasins usually are part of a Native American regalia, e.g. a powwow suit of clothes.
The most common style is that of the Plains Indian moccasin. In New Zealand and
Australiasheep shearers' moccasins are constructed of a synthetic, cream-coloured felt, with a
back seam and gathered at the top of the rounded toe. These moccasins are laced in the front, and
the lacing is covered with a flap fastened with a buckle at the shoe's outer side. The fastener
arrangement prevents the shearer's handpiece comb from catching in the laces. [46 Shearers'
moccasins protect the feet, grip wooden floors well, and absorb sweat. [56

The word „ 
might also denote a shoe of deer or of faux leather adorned with laces;
recently, the moccasin shoe has resurged as a popular form slipper shoe for men.


   

    (also known as  c ) are shoes, boots, or sandals with thick soles at least
four inches in height, often made of cork, plastic, rubber, or wood (wooden-soled platform shoes
are technically also clogs). They have been worn in various cultures since ancient times for
fashion or for added height.


 

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After their use in Ancient Greece for raising the height of important characters in the Greek
theatre and their similar use by high-born prostitutes or courtesans in Venice in the 16th Century,
platform shoes are thought to have been worn in Europe in the 18th century to avoid the muck of
urban streets. Of the same practical origins are Japanese. There may also be a connection to
the buskins of Ancient Rome, which frequently had very thick soles to give added height to the
wearer. In ancient China men wore black boots with very thick sole made from layers of white
clothes, this style of boots are often worn today on stage for Peking opera[16 . During the Qing
dynasty, aristocrat Manchu women wore a form of platform shoe similar to 16th century
Venetian chopine. [26

Platform shoes enjoyed some popularity in the United States, Europe and the UK in the 1930s,
1940s, and very early 1950s, but not nearly to the extent of their popularity in the 1970s and
1980s, when the biggest, and most prolonged, platform shoe fad in U.S. history began at least as
early as 1970 (appearing in both advertisements and articles in 1970 issues of ]i


magazine), and continued through the late-1980s. (This is thought not to be the case in Europe or
the UK, where they had all but died out by 1979.) At the beginning of the fad, they were worn
primarily by young women in their teens and twenties, and occasionally by younger girls, older
women, and (particularly during the disco era) by young men [16[36, and although they did
provide added height without nearly the discomfort of spike heels, they seem to have been worn
primarily for the sake of attracting attention. Many glam rockmusicians wore platform shoes as
part of their act.

While a wide variety of styles were popular during this period, including boots, espadrilles,
oxfords, sneakers, and both dressy and casual sandals of all description, with soles made of
wood, cork, or synthetic materials, the most popular style of the early 1970s was a simple
quarter-strap sandal with light tan water buffalo-hide straps (which darkened with age), on a
beige suede-wrapped cork wedge-heel platform sole. These were originally introduced under the
brand name, "Kork-Ease," but the extreme popularity (perhaps fueled by their light weight and
soft leather) supported many imitators. Remarkably, even including all of the knock-offs, and
given that they are said to have never been formally designed there was very little variation in
style, and most of that variation was limited to differences in height.

In February 2006, a Texas-based company opened a website, claiming to be the legitimate

successor to the original Kork-Ease company. Their site claims that the original company had
been founded in 1953, implying further that their platform sandals also originated in 1953. This
is somewhat suspect: aside from being less than entirely consistent with Linda O'Keeffe's book,
]  !¢ 
 " „a#]

 #] aa$%  (New York: Workman, 1996), pp
388±9, it further implies that the footgear in question was introduced just as the last gasps of the
brief 1930s and 1940s platform shoe fads were waning, survived for a decade and a half in
almost complete obscurity, then rocketed to ubiquity at the beginning of the 1970 platform fad,
only to be forced into obscurity, and near-total extinction by successive waves of the fad by the
late 1970s.

As the fad progressed, manufacturers like Candie's stretched the envelope of what was
considered too outrageous to wear, while others, like Famolare and Cherokee of California,
introduced "comfort" platforms, designed to combine the added height of platforms with the
support and comfort of sneakers, or even orthopedic shoes, and by the time the fad finally fizzled
in the late 1980s, girls and women of all ages were wearing them. It may also be a by-product of
this fad that Scandinavianclogs, which were considered rather outrageous themselves in the early
1970s, had become "classic" by the 1980s.

Vivienne Westwood, the UK fashion designer, re-introduced the high heeled platform shoe into
high-fashion in the early 1990s; it was while wearing a pair with five inch platforms and nine
inch heels that the super model, Naomi Campbell, took a tumble on the catwalk or runway at a
fashion show. [26 However they did not catch on quickly and platform shoes only began to
resurface in mainstream fashion in the late 1990s, thanks in part to the UK band the Spice Girls,
whose members were known for performing in large shoes.

The United Kingdom (and European) experience of platform shoes was somewhat different from
that of the United States. Britain generally is not as concerned with women's feet appearing as
small as possible; the long pointed shoes of the early 2000s, that give an elongated look to the
foot, were and are still more popular in the US than in the UK.

Platform shoes took off in a very big way amongst most age groups and classes of UK men and
women in the 1970s. Whilst wedge heels were popular on platforms in the summer, high thick
separate heeled platform boots and shoes were 'all the rage'. Many of the shoe styles were
recycled 1940s and early 1950s styles, but both shoes and boots were often in garish
combinations of bright colours.

The trend firmly re-established itself in the Developed World fashions of the late 1990s and very
early 21st century with a much higher threshold of what was considered outrageous: mothers and
fathers of 1997 to 2004 typically think nothing of buying their preschool-age daughters and sons
platform sandals that US parents of 1973 would not have wanted their high-school-age daughters
and sons wearing and UK parents of 1973 would not have wanted their prepubescent daughters
and sons wearing, and the Walt Disney Company has licensed Mickey Mouse cutouts and
"Disney Princess" and "Action Man" images on footwear that in earlier decades would have been
considered totally inappropriate for the company's "wholesome" image.

Buffalo Boots is a brand which platform models were popular, especially in Europe (notably
Germany and Scandinavia), from the mid 1990s to the early 2000s.

Elton John has a large collection of platform shoes, many of which he auctioned off for charity.

]



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 are an open type of outdoorfootwear, consisting of a sole held to the wearer's foot by
straps or thongs passing over the instep and generally, but not always, around the ankle. While
the distinction between sandals and other types of footwear can sometimes be blurry (as in the
case of  ²the woven leather footwear seen in Mexico), the common understanding is
that a sandal leaves most or all of the foot exposed. People may choose to wear sandals for
several reasons, among them economy (sandals tend to require less material than shoes), comfort
in warm weather, and as a fashion choice.

Usually, people wear sandals in warmer climates or during warmer parts of the year in order to
keep their feet cool and dry. The chances of developing athlete's foot is lower than with enclosed
shoes, and the wearing of sandals may be part of the treatment regimen for such an infection.

 


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The oldest known sandals (indeed, the oldest known footwear) were discovered in Fort Rock
Cave in the U.S. state of Oregon; radiocarbon dating of the sagebrush bark from which they were
woven indicates an age of at least 10,000 years. [16

The ancient Greeks distinguished between  (sing. ), a sandal made of willow leaves,
twigs, or fibres worn by comic actors and philosophers; and the   
, a boot sandal that
rose above the middle of the leg, worn principally by tragic actors, horsemen, hunters, and by
men of rank and authority. The sole of the latter was sometimes made much thicker than usual by
the insertion of slices of cork, so as to add to the stature of the wearer.[26

The ancient Egyptians wore sandals made of palm-leaves and papyrus.[36 They are sometimes
observable on the feet of Egyptian statues. According to Herodotus, sandals of papyrus were a
part of the required and characteristic dress of the Egyptian priests.

¢    

A sandal may have a sole made from rubber, leather, wood, tatami or rope. It may be held to the
foot by a narrow thong that generally passes between the first and second toe, or by a strap or
lace, variously called a latchet, sabot strap or sandal, that passes over the arch of the foot or
around the ankle. A sandal may or may not have a heel (either low or high) and/or heel strap.



 

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]
 is a common term that refers to a shoe that is backless and open-toed, essentially an open-
toed mule. Generally, all slides are a type of sandal. Thongs and flip flops are normally classified
separately. Slides can be high-heeled, flat-heeled or somewhere in between, and may cover
nearly the entire foot from ankle to toe, or may have only one or two narrow straps. They usually
include a single strap or a sequence of straps across the toes and the lower half of the foot to hold
the shoe on the foot. The term is descriptive in that this shoe is easy to 'slide' on and off the foot
when the wearer wants to do so.

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A 
 or   is a semi-closed type of indoorfootwear, consisting of a sole held to the

wearer's foot by a strap running over (or between) the toes or instep.[16 Slippers are soft and
lightweight compared to other types of footwear. They are mostly made of soft or comforting
materials that allow a certain level of comfort for the wearer. This can range from faux fur to
leather.

Most slippers are worn in late fall and winter and on occasion in other seasons.

!


There are many different types of slipper in the world today, each with varying styles, materials
and purposes.

]


; These slippers are usually made with a fabric upper layer that encloses the top
of the foot and the toes, but leaves the heel open, allowing the wearer to slip into them casually.
They are most likely the most common type of slipper as they are quite easy to put on.

]
R ; These slippers are made to look like boots. oftenfavoured by females, they are
typically furry boots with a fleece or soft lining, and a soft rubber sole. These slippers sometimes
are worn outside of the house, as they resemble the sheepskin boots that have been the fashion
lately.

 i

; These slippers are typically made to resemble a character to novelty item. The
slippers are usually made from soft and colorful; materials and commonly come in the shapes of
animals, vehicles, cartoon characters etc.

]


; cushioned sandals with soft rubber or fabric soles. They are designed to be
worn like sandals, but are made of fabric which indicates their use as house shoes.

  
; These slippers closely resemble shoes, and are often made of a soft leather or pelt.
They are typically found to have a hard rubber or leather sole,The slippers often have beads and
are quite often made to look tribal and indigenous. These slippers seem well suited to outdoor
usage as they are associated with the outdoors and are designed to do so.

¢

; The slippers closely resemble open slippers, only these have a heel guard that
prevents the foot sliding out from the slipper.

] 
 
; The slippers are made entirely of pliable materials, such as
cotton, leather, or suede. The name is typically associated with children's indoor footwear since
medical research suggests that a rigid sole is less advantageous to the proper development of
newborn, infant and toddler feet. These slippers are also commonly referred to as bootie slippers
(booties), padders, or treadders.

There are many different categories and subcategories one could place slippers in. The above are
the most common.


 ï

There are certain issues with wearing slippers that can arise in some situations. Some people also
find slippers to be a type of safety footwear if they are the large overstuffed novelty variety
because the stuffing can preclude injury from stubbing one's toe while walking in a dark room at
night. Another form of safety can come in the protection from pathogens on the walking surface.
Wearing slippers can be used as a way of keep feet clean.

There is also a sizing issue, as novelty slippers do not usually come in individual sizes, merely a
sizing guide (e.g. 9-12). This can cause issues when trying to find a pair that fit properly. Also,
the sheer size of the slippers can cause issues when walking.


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A popular style of novelty slippers displays a camper van design, which includes a large amount
of stuffing and an abnormally large size. The Slippers are manufactured by Animal. While the
size and stuffing of this particular slipper offers a great deal of comfort and warmth, it can cause
large issues when walking, or attempting stairs. The slippers actually carry warning that advices
the removal of the slippers prior to ascending and descending stairs.
Most styles of slipper offer little or no support for the tender arch of the human foot. This is
essential to children, whose young feet are still developing. The lack of support can allow the
foot to roll inwards during walking, which can cause many health issues. Of course, opposing
studies suggest that the introduction of rigid heels in slippers and shoes of infants and toddlers
can actually inhibit a child's ability to learn to walk as quickly as they would otherwise.

Some British schools have rules that enforce the wearing of slippers indoors. While this is a good
method of regulating hygiene, some rigid-soled slippers can inhibit the correct growth of the
child's developing foot. This has caused some concerned parents quite some grief. While wearing
slippers can offer comfort, it can also be a danger, in both terms of walking and movement, as
well as the development of the young foot.

Slippers can also be essential to the health of the foot. Some Diabetics may be advised to wear
slippers, as diabetes can have effects on blood flow to the extremities of the body. Wearing
slippers can offer warmth and comfort that will allow a good flow of blood

ï 
 

The fictional character Cinderella is said to have worn glass slippers; in modern parlance they
would probably be called glass high heels. However, this is generally acknowledged to be a mis-
translation into English of "fox fur".

Derek "The Slipper Man" Fan holds the Guinness World Records record for wearing a pair of
dress slippers for 23 years straight as of June 30, 2007.[26 Surprisingly, Derek had very little
success in achieving sexual congress due to his odour. People do not generally wear slippers for
more than a few hours at a time.

The ruby slippers worn by Judy Garland in The Wizard of Oz sold for a record $165,000.[36

Some schools in the UK have a slipper rule, where children must remove outdoor shoes upon
entering the school, and wear slippers. This is mainly to encourage the children to protect the
flooring, but could also be due to the dirt being brought into the classrooms on the outdoor shoes.

Some households in certain cultures, like in Japan, operate a "shoes off at the door" rule. This
may be simply the removal of outside footwear and/or socks. Though it can also include the
forced wearing of slippers.

In certain cultures it can be a social obligation to remove shoes and wear slippers when entering
a place of residence. This is due to tradition and respect for the house.

[
 

[
 
 (or i
 
, alternately i
 
 or i
 
; pronounced "FELL-skoons")
are South African shoes made from untanned leather or soft rawhide uppers attached to a soft
sole without tacks or nails.
Their name comes from Afrikaansi ("hide") and  
("shoe"), and their design is believed to
be based on the traditional Hottentot footwear observed by the first Dutch settlers in South
Africa.

They are sometimes considered light boots, although their topline is considerably lower than
those of chukka boots or desert boots, which are otherwise similar. Veldskoen soles are
sometimes cut from old car tires[16 rather than crepe rubber.

Veldskoens are familiarly referred to as "vellies" in South African slang.

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training as opposed to during parades and other ceremonial duties. Modern combat boots are
designed to provide a combination of grip, anklestability, and footprotection suitable to a rugged
environment. They are traditionally made of hardened, and sometimes waterproofedleather.
Today, many combat boots incorporate many technologies originating in civilian hiking boots,
such as Gore-Texnylon side panels, which improve ventilation and comfort.[16 They are also
often specialized for certain climates and conditions, such as jungle boots, desert boots, and cold
weather boots as well as specific uses, such as tanker boots and jump boots.[16[26[36

 


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The first soldiers to have been issued boots were the foot soldiers of the Assyrians, the Roman
legions, who wore hobnail boots called caligae to war.

During the English Civil War each soldier of the New Model Army was issued three shoes or
ankle boots. After every march the soldier would change them round to ensure they received
even wear. Following the Restoration shoes and uniforms followed the civilian pattern: shoes
with buckles were used by most armies from 1660 until around 1800. Hessian boots were used
by cavalry from the 18th century until World War I.

Late in the Napoleonic Wars the British army began to be issued lace-up boots that replaced the
older buckle shoes. These "Blucher" boots remained in use throughout the 19th century and were
used in conflicts that included the Crimean War, Zulu War and Boer War. By World War I, they
had been replaced with the Galosh pattern or "George" boots. These in turn were replaced by
ammunition bootswhich were used from World War II until the 1950s.

Rifle units of the US military were equipped with calf-high boots in the War of 1812.[46 From the
1820s until before the American Civil War soldiers were issued ankle-high boots which were
made on straight lasts. There was no "left" or "right" boot: instead they shaped themselves to the
wearer's feet over time. Needless to say, until they were broken in, these boots were very
uncomfortable and often resulted in blisters. These were replaced in 1858 with an improved
version used until the 1880s, known as Jeff Davis boots after Jefferson Davis the secretary of
war who re-equipped the army in the 1850s.

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The = =
 
 c  was an adaptation of the boots American manufacturers were selling to
the French and Belgian armies at the beginning of World War I. In American service, it replaced
the Russet Marching Shoe. The boot was made of tanned cowhide with a half middle sole
covered by a full sole. Iron plates were fixed to the heel. It was a great improvement, however it
lacked waterproofing.

It soon evolved into the = = 

 c , also called the  
c  after General John
Pershing, who oversaw its creation. It used heavier leather in its construction, and had several
minor changes from the 1917 Boot.

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The first true modern combat boots in the US Army, officially called the "Boots, Combat
Service," were introduced in conjunction with the M-1943 Uniform Ensemble during World War
II.[56[66 They were modified service shoes, with an extended, rough-out or, more commonly, a
smooth leather high-top cuff added.[56 The cuff was closed using two buckles, allowing the boots
to replace the existing service shoes and leggings worn by most soldiers with a more convenient
and practical solution.[56 The boots, and the service shoes they were made from, had a one piece
sole and heel, made from molded synthetic or reclaimed rubber.[56[66[76 These "double buckle"
boots were worn through the Korean War as a substitute for the Boots, Russet, Leather Lace Up
introduced in 1948. The first type of Combat Boots, or Combat Tropical boots were based on the
"buckle boot" design and worn during the early parts of the Vietnam War.[86

|
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In 1957, the US Army switched to shined black combat boots, although the transition to black
boots was not completed until late in the Vietnam War, which also saw the introduction of the
jungle boot.[36[86[96 Both of these boots had a direct molded sole.[106 The jungle boot had a black
leather lower and an olive drab nylon upper.[116 Black boots continued to be worn following
Vietnam, with the M81 BDU, although non-shine boots were considered by the
Army.[36[126[136[146[156 As the BDU was replaced with the MCCUU, Army Combat Uniform, and
Airman Battle Uniform the services transitioned to more practical, non-shine
footwear.[36[166[176The only current military service mandating shined black combat boots is Civil
Air Patrol, the Auxiliary of the U.S. Air Force, in conjunction with the BDU utility uniform.[186

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As the United States Marine Corps transitioned from its utility uniform to the MCCUU, they
discarded shined black combat boots, and switched to more functional tan rough-out (non-shine)
combat boots, with either hot weather or temperate weather versions. The standard-issue boot is
the Belleville 500 Waterproof USMC combat boot. Commercial versions of this boot are
authorized without limitation other than they must be at least 8 inches in height and bear the
Eagle, Globe, and Anchor on the outer heel of each boot.

The United States Army followed suit in 2002 with the introduction of the Army Combat
Uniform, which also switched to tan rough-out combat boots, called the Army Combat Boot, and
moisture wicking socks.[16[36 Commercial versions of this boot are authorized without limitation
other than they must be at least 8 inches in height and are no longer authorized to have a 'shoe-
like' appearance.[196 Two versions exist, a 2.5 lb temperate weather boot, and a 2 lb hot weather
(desert) boot.[16 Current manufacturers are Altama, Bates, Belleville Shoe, McRae, Rocky,
Warson Brands/Converse and Wellco.[16[206

The US Air Force uses a foliage green suede combat boot with its Airman Battle Uniform,
although a tan version is authorized until 2011, when the green boot will become mandatory.[216

¢ ÿ "  
 

In 2006, the British Army elected to replace both the "combat assault boots" that were in general
service and the desert boots issued for operations. They conducted trials in Iraq, Afghanistan and
Cyprus during autumn of 2007, and are now issuing new boots made by Meindl and Lowa
(including boots specially designed for women's feet) for operational purposes.[226[236 British
soldiers still use the CAB for combat training and general service although privately purchased
boots are often deemed acceptable as long as they are made of black leather. The Guards
Regiments in the Household Division still use modified Ammunition boots. The Boots being
primarily made of leather can be brought to a high shine for the ceremonial purpose, although the
boots used as every-day military footwear, tend to be left comparatively dull, but clean.

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The military started using boots 1779.[246 The current model is m/90 that is designed to be both
comfortable and light as well as giving ankle support. They are made to be used as ski boots as
well. Part of the m/59 uniform. They were also used by the British SAS during the Falkland war
since they worked better in a damp climate than their ordinary boots.[256
¢ 
 

 

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Combat boots are also popular as fashion clothing in the goth, punk, grunge, heavy metal,
industrial, skinhead, and BDSMsubcultures, however, they are becoming more and more
mainstream.[266 Beyond fashion as such, many individuals choose to wear combat boots simply
due to durability, comfort and other utilities, as the boots are specifically designed to be
comfortable to wear in a variety of changing conditions for long durations without significant
long-term wear. Combat boots have a longer lifespan than fashion boots, which can give them a
vintage feel, even after recrafting.[276 For these and other reasons, they can be purchased in
almost every moderately sized city at military surplus stores.

c 
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c 
R  are a style of boot that have been worn since the 1960s. The boots are tight-fitting,
Cuban-heeled, ankle-high boots with a sharp pointed toe, made popular by the English rock
group The Beatles, for whom they were originally made. The style can feature either zipped or
elastic sides.[16 Beatle boots saw the reintroduction of high-heeled footwear for men.[26

Beatle boots are a direct descendant of the Chelsea boot, from which the pointed toe and centre
seam stitch (running from ankle to toe) was derived, and the Flamenco boot, from which the
Cuban heel was derived.[36 Beatle boots originated in October 1961, when English musicians
John Lennon and Paul McCartney saw Chelsea boots whilst browsing in the London footwear
company Anello&Davide, and consequently commissioned four pairs (with the addition of
Cuban heels) for the Beatles, to complement their new suit image upon their return from
Hamburg.[46

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R ) are tight-fitting, ankle-high boots that originated in
the Victorian era, and were originally associated with horse riding. The most notable feature of
the Chelsea boot is its elastic siding, running from just above the welt to the top of the shoe. The
design began as a type of riding boots known as a

  or 
a  . Chelsea boots
were considered an element of the 1960s mod scene, and they have recently become in fashion
again amongst men as well as women. Similar boots are the heavier Australian work boots such
as those made by Blundstone, which are popular in Australia.

Charles Goodyear's development of vulcanised rubber enabled Sparkes-Hall, bootmaker to

Queen Victoria, to invent the elastic gusset boot in 1837. The advantage of elasticated boots
meant they could be easily removed and put on again, which appealed to busier and more
demanding lifestyle of Victorian women. By the late 1840s, the fashion began to catch on. This
became a prominent style in the West until the onset of World War I.[16
The boots were featured in the first three Star Wars films, worn by the stormtroopers of the
Empire. The stormtrooper boots were standard black Chelsea boots which were stained white


  R 

||


  R  are boots that rise to the knee, or slightly thereunder. They are generally tighter
around the leg shaft and ankle than at the top. Mostly made of a synthetic rubber (PVC,
Neoprene, etc.), they are used by fishermen, dairy workers, stable hands, duck hunters,
clammers, etc. to protect the feet from water, mud, manure, etc. and to provide traction on
slippery surfaces. Most slip on, but there are varieties with buckles and those that lace up.

Knee-high boots have existed in the fashion world since at least the 1950s. The fashion boot
article discusses this in depth.

Certain types can also be known as  or  

R .

M  R 
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M  R  are a low-heeled style of women's fashion boot worn since the mid-sixties when
fashion silhouettes focused on accentuating the leg. They first appeared in the 1960s.

Nowadays "go-go boot" is often used to describe any style of knee-high boots regardless of heel
height, but this article mainly describes the original boot of that term.

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The term   is derived from the French expression &  , meaning "in abundance,
galore",[16 which is in turn derived from the ancient French word    for "joy, happiness".[26
The term "go-go" has also been explained as a 1964 back construction of the 1962 slang term
"go", meaning something that was "all the rage"; the term "go-go dancer" first appeared in print
in 1965.[36

In 1958, the first Whisky a Go-Go in North America opened in Chicago, Illinois, on the corner of
Rush Street and Chestnut Street.[46[56 It has been called the first real Americandiscothèque. In
Paris, the original accented Whisky à Go-Go opened in 1947.




Go-go boots are either calf-, knee- or above knee-high boots with a low or flat heel. The style is
a very simple shape with a chiseled, rounded or pointed toe. The boot was usually fastened onto
the foot by a side or back zipper, although by the Seventies it was not uncommon to find lace-up
versions which accommodated a wider variety of calf sizes. Heel height ranges from flat to low
1" shaped, with the occasional two-inch Cuban heel also known as the "kupfer or Trani" (as on
Beatle boots).[



6
Materials were either synthetic or natural, with the oldest designs being made from plastic or
vinyl of various colors, the most popular being white. Women's styles tended to be taller, tighter
and with a slightly higher heel than girl's styles.[66

 


The idea of a woman's mainstream fashion boot was revolutionary. Before the introduction of
go-go boots, women's boots were generally worn during only inclement weather, rugged
activities, or horseback riding, but not as street shoes.

This new style of footwear was designed for to complement the shorter hemlines of the new,
modern look. Go-go boots drew attention to the legs, accentuated the simple A-line silhouettes
but also offered some modest coverage for the less daring but fashion-minded women.

André Courrèges is often cited as the originator of the fashion go-go boot: a low-heeled, calf-
high boot made of white plastic with a clear cut-out slot near the top was featured as part of the
"Moon Girl" look featured in his Fall 1964 collection.[76

Manufacturers began mass-producing runway knock-offs in contemporary colors and materials.

These knock-offs were extremely popular with teenagers, who could be seen wearing go-go
boots on both the street and television dance shows. They were often seen worn by "Dolly Birds"
in London during the 1960s. The boots usually had a zipper in the back although some styles
featured the zipper on the side or with no zipper at all.

Girl dancers on the TV shows, "Hullabaloo" and "Shindig" also wore the short, white boots. As
such, those came to be called Hullabaloo Boots and Shindig Boots.

Nancy Sinatra's 1966 number-one pop hit "These Boots Are Made for Walkin'" helped
popularize go-go boots, and the Space Age boots worn by Jane Fonda in 1968's science fiction
film   were a nod to their erotic past.

Other designers (including Mary Quant) designed their own versions of go-go boots. As
hemlines rose, so did the height of the boot, and the heel height dropped proportionately,
culminating in a pair of thigh-high garter boots designed by Yves Saint-Laurent which clipped
up underneath the tiniest of skirts. [86

Fashion trends progressed and as women's trousers and maxi-length skirts where only the foot
showed became popular, legs were de-emphasized. By the early seventies, go-go boots were
referred to simply as boots, and the emphasis shifted to the height of the heel and the
development of the platform. Many women also wore them in the 70s.

M   !)
 

Go-go boots share some history with the UK's "kinky boots", a style of calf- to knee-length pull-
on black leather boots with 3-4 inch heels and pointed toes. The term kinky boots referred to the
style's Dominatrix and fetish origin and alludes to the perception that women in boots are
powerful (i.e. like a Dominatrix.) Kinky boots broke into mainstream UK fashion in the early
sixties and were seen on Honor Blackman and Diana Rigg in the original "Avengers" television
series.

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Many versions of go-go boots are still worn today, although "go-go boot" is often used to
describe any style of knee-high boots worn with a dress or miniskirt regardless of heel height. in
the USA NFL Cheerleaders, including the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders, Scottish Rockettes and
the Oakland Raiderettes often wear go-go boots as part of their squad's uniform; high-heeled
versions of go-go boots are still worn by exotic and go-go dancers; and reproductions are
available from many costume and specialty stores.


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  R  are boots with thick wedge soles or a combination of thick soles and high heels
that are similar in some respects to the platform shoe. They were seen as the cutting edge of
fashion in the UK during the 1970s and during the British invasion. They were worn by both
men and women.
(
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Since the 1970s ended, the platform boot declined in popularity. However, some music artists
have worn them in music videos and on stage, such as Lenny Kravitz, Mick Jagger of the Rolling
Stones, and Stevie Nicks from the rock band Fleetwood Mac. The rock band Kiss is known for
their outrageous platform boots as well.

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Marilyn Manson wore platform boots on the %
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tours.
His main outfit was a black mesh jumpsuit with feathers on the ends of the sleeves and collar, a
black thong with about 6 rivets or possibly diamonds on the front, as well as black platform
boots.

For his     tour and associated promotion, Manson, as well as most of the other band
members, wore platforms²²most notably in the shots taken by Perou and Gottfried Helnwein.
For live performances, the prominent wearers were Manson, Skold, John 5, and Pogo. Ginger
wore them too, but most of the time they were hidden behind his drumset. They were only
viewed when he stood up on the drums, trashed the set, then jumped off and ran offstage. These
styles of boots are also popular in the goth fashion.

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Richard, the lead guitarist, has worn stylized platforms for the sehnsucht tour.

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Dani Filth, as well as other members of the band, notably Paul Allender, can be seen in platform
boots with large sheet metal razorblades screwed into the front on stage.[edit6Lordi

Many members in the band lordi also wore platform boots such as Kita, Ox, and Mr.Lordi
himself.

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Specialized platform boots manufacturer is MINGI LTD., design by JoelenMingi of the German
Goth-Rock band The Angina Pectoris . Their styles are often combined with stylish metal plates
and patent leather coated platform soles.
¢
 

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A 
 is a type of footwear traditionally worn by workers as protective clothing in factories,

mines and farms.

There are various types of clog. Traditional clogs are shoes or sandals made predominantly out
of wood, and are associated with the Netherlands, Belgium, Denmark, Galicia, Lithuania and
Sweden. They can also be a type of heavy boot or shoe with sides, uppers and typically thick
wooden soles, and may have steel toecaps and/or steel reinforcing inserts in the undersides of the
soles.

A clog can also be a special kind of shoe worn while clog-dancing (clogging). They are similar
to tap shoes, but the taps are free to click against each other, therefore producing a different
sound than tap shoes.

Nowadays, "clogs" also mean comfortable slip-on shoes. They are often made out of leather, but
some clogs keep the bottom part out of wood. All-rubber clogs are often worn while gardening,
because they can be easily hosed off and allowed to air-dry. Some clogs come with heels, and are
usually distinguished from mules by their higher vamp. It is commonly accepted that men and
women can wear low-heeled or high-heeled clogs.[



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Traditional clogs are made out of many different species of wood (willow, poplar, birch, beech,
alder wood).

They are associated with the Netherlands, Belgium, Denmark, Lithuania and Sweden (though
Swedish clogs do not resemble Dutch clogs) as part of the touristic "Holland"/Sweden image,
where they are seen as a form of national dress.
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Because of the long association of Dutch people, especially rural workers, and clogs, Dutch
people are sometimes nicknamed  or  .[



6 The traditional all-wooden
Dutch „a
( ) have been officially accredited as safety shoes with the CE mark and can
withstand almost any penetration including sharp objects and/or concentrated acids.[



6
The long association of Dutch with wooden clogs can be traced to the traditional creation myths
of ancient Germanic tribes who originally occupied modern Holland. Today, Dutch clogs are
primarily a beloved tourist souvenir.[



6 Despite the fact that most Dutch no longer wear
 „a
for everyday use, clogs remain popular among people working in their gardens and
farms and among planters. Some of the Dutch also consider wearing clogs as being healthy for
the wearers' feet.
ÿ " 

In England, slats of wood held in place by thonging or similar strapping were known as "Pattens"
and they were usually worn over leather or fabric shoes to raise the wearer's foot above the mud
of the unmade road, not to mention commonly dumped human effluent and animal dung. Those
too poor to afford shoes wore wood directly against the skin, and thus the clog was developed,
made of part leather and part wood. The English tended to employ Welsh and West Country
alder, Scottish birch and Lincolnshire willow for the soles. The Welsh favouredalder,
birch&sycamore.[16for their clog soles.

The wearing of clogs in Britain really took off with the Industrial Revolution, when workers in
the mills, mines, iron, steel, and chemical works, workshops and factories needed strong, cheap
footwear. The heyday of the clog in Britain was between 1840s and 1920s and, although
traditionally associated with Lancashire, they were worn all over the country, not just in the
industrial North of England.[26




| ||

The French wooden shoe or clog ( ) was, in the 18th and 19th century, associated with the
lower classes. During this period, the years of the Industrial Revolution, the word  
gained currency. Allegedly derived from  , sabotage described the actions of disgruntled
workers who willfully damaged workplace machinery by throwing their sabots into the works.
However, according to some accounts, sabot-clad workers were simply considered less
productive than others who had switched to leather shoes, roughly equating the term "sabotage"
with "inefficiency".[36

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Clogs are traditional also in northern Italy and southern Switzerland, where they are part of the
traditional local costumes. In Friuli, clogs are called, a ,   or
 „
. They are
traditionally made with an upward-pointing wooden sole and a leather hood.



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In Asturias, Cantabria and Galicia, the self-governing territories in northwestern Spain, there is a
long tradition of clog-making and wearing. These Asturian and Cantabrian clogs are unusual in
that they have two 'feet' on the ball of the foot (see picture of the Cantabrian clog, below); so that
with the heel, the whole clog is elevated from the ground as a short elevated tripod. This is said
to be useful when working outside or in the barn.[



6 These clogs are still worn in many
rural northern Spanish a   today. Traditionally, this form of clog is worn as a patten-type
overshoe: the dirty clog kicked off at the door before entering the house (a slipper is worn inside
the clog).

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There is a theory that  
 or clog dancing arose in these industrial textiles mills as a result
of the mill workers entertaining themselves by syncopating foot taps with the rhythmic sounds
made by the loom shuttles. Clog dancing became a widespread pastime during this period in
England. During the nineteenth century, competitions were held and professional clog dancers
performed in the music halls.

Clog dancing is a continuing tradition in Wales. The difference between Welsh clogging and
other step dance traditions is that the performance will not only include complicated stepping,
but also 'tricks'. For example, snuffing out a lit candle with the dancer's feet,  aa
 -
similar to Cossack dancing² and high leaps into the air.

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Clog fighting, known in Lancashire as 'purring', was a combative means of settling disputes.
Clog fighting and its associated betting by spectators was illegal.

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Pattens are an overshoe variant of sandals or clogs meant to protect other footwear by either
covering or elevating it above the street. Geta are Japanese elevated-sole wooden-shoes worn
outside the house, and are also worn in Korea and elsewhere.

 

Swedish clogs became popular fashion accessories in the 1970s and 1980s for both sexes. They
were usually worn without socks and were considered suitable attire for the i

 man.

Based on the clog model, platform clogs or sandals, often raised as high as 6 or even 8 inches
right through between sole and insole, were another fashion of the 1980s and 90s in many
western countries for women. This large mid layer was often made of solid cork, although some
were merely of plastic with a cork covering. The sole, more often than not, was made of a light
sandy-colored rubber. Some of the platforms of these clogs were encompassed about with a
string-laced effect.

In 2010, clogs returned to the fashion world, and were featured on the likes of Chanel's and
Louis Vuitton's Spring / Summer 2010 catwalks
D   

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An D   is a style of laced shoe characterized by shoelace eyelet tabs that are stitched
underneath the vamp, a construction method that is also sometimes referred to as "closed lacing".
Oxfords first appeared in Scotland and Ireland, where they are occasionally called c

. In
France, Oxfords are better known under the name of ! 
.

Oxfords are traditionally constructed of leather and were historically plain, formal shoes but are
now available in a range of styles and materials that complement both casual and formal forms of
dress.

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Oxfords, characterized by shoelace eyelet tabs that are stitched underneath the vamp contrast
with Derbys, characterized by shoelace eyelet tabs that are sewn on top of the vamp.
The meanings of the terms D 
and  „  vary geographically; in the U.S., "Balmoral" is
synonymous with "Oxford", while "Oxford" is often used to refer to any "dressy" style of shoe,
including the Blücher (Derby); elsewhere, especially in Britain, the Balmoral is a particular type
of Oxford where there are no seams (apart from the toe cap) descending to the welt, a style
particularly common on boots.

Oxfords can be made from a variety of materials including leather, patent leather and canvas
based on considerations of function or fashion. These are commonly black or brown, and may be
plain or ornately styled Brogues.

c

R 
c

c  is the widely-used nickname for the "  ¢
[  c c  (Type
II) used by the United States armed forces. The liner-less bulbous boots retain warmth by
sandwiching up to one inch of wool and felt insulation between two layers of rubber and are
typically worn with one heavy wool sock.

Originally a military equipment, such boots have become staple cold weather gear both in
civilian work and recreational environments. Bunny boots are very popular in Alaska.

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The black pairs, sometimes called Mickey Mouse boots, weigh 44 oz. apiece and are rated for
temperatures down to -20 degrees F and is made with oil/diesel resistant rubber to keep oil or
diesel from eating the boot. They are less common than the white pairs that give the boots their
name.

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The white boot is designed for use in extreme cold weather from -65 F . It also is a little bigger
and heavier (~8oz. per boot) than the black boot because of the extra insulation.

White bunny boots

Both Mickey Mouse boots and Bunny Boots have an air valve on each of the boots. These air
valves must be opened prior to flying, to ensure that the air pressure differential between the
walls of the boot and the outside air does not cause the boots to rupture. The Snow Shoe Rabbit,
a common resident Ft. Greely AK, is responsible for the nickname. During the fall the Rabbits
furr changes color from brown to white allowing it to blend in with its winter surroundings. As
winter gets closer, more and more rabbits appear with their new white "boots": hence the name
bunny boots.


 

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physical exercise.

They are also known as  

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English), 


 , 

 or  (Canadian English, Australian English, Hiberno-

English), 
 , 

  (North American English, Australian English),   ,



,   , 

 ,  [16 (South African English and Hiberno-English), RR
  (Philippine English) or 
i (Nigerian English).

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The British English term "trainer" derives from "training shoe." There is evidence[26 that this
usage of "trainer" originated as a genericizedtradename for a make of training shoe made in 1968
by Gola.

Plimsolls (English English) are indoor athletic shoes, and are also called 
 in American
English and
a in Welsh English. The word "sneaker" is often attributed to Henry Nelson
McKinney, an advertising agent for N. W. Ayer & Son, who, in 1917, coined the term because
the rubber sole made the shoe stealthy. However, the word was in use at least as early as 1887, as
the  
) 
  £

made reference to "sneakers" as "the name boys give to tennis
shoes."

 


The idea of a "sneaker" did not come along until an American inventor, Charles Goodyear,
patented the process for the vulcanization of rubber.[36
While many believe that the first basketball shoe was the famous Converse All Stars (developed
in 1917), this is mistaken. The Spalding company produced shoes specifically for the game of
basketball as early as 1907.[



6

By the early 1900s, sneakers were being produced by small rubber companies who specialized in
the production of bicycletires. U.S. Rubber, introduced Keds in 1916, about the same time that
Converse was marketing its All Star. Other companies, including B.F. Goodrich and Spalding
Co., were producing tennis shoes and smaller family-owned companies were manufacturing
early cleated shoes. At first, the market for sneakers was small and practically invisible, but after
World War I, the U.S. turned to sports and athletes as a way to demonstrate moral fiber and
patriotism. The U.S. market for sneakers grew steadily as young boys lined up to buy sneakers
endorsed by football playerJim Thorpe and Converse All Stars endorsed by basketball
playerChuck Taylor.

As the 1920s and 1930s approached, these companies added traction, and also started marketing
them for different sports. A huge breakthrough of this time was the separation of designs for men
and women. At this time, sneakers were used strictly for athletic events. When the Olympics
were revived, this attracted more fans not only to sports, but to sneakers as well. In 1936, a
French brand by the name of Spring Court[46 was born as the first canvas tennis shoe featuring
signature 8 ventilation channels on the vulcanized natural rubber sole.

The 1950s gave American families more leisure time, and as the baby boom started, more
families chose to dress their youth in sneakers as school dress codes relaxed. Sneaker sales in the
United States soared to six hundred million pairs a year in 1957, which led leather shoe makers
to claim that "sneakers are bad for children's feet" to which sneaker producers replied "sneakers
cure the syndrome of Inhibited Feet."

In the early 1960s, sneakers were imported to the United States from Japan, but accounted for
only a small portion of the market until Nike founders Phil Knight and Bill Bowerman began
importing Tiger shoes under the name Blue Ribbon Sports.

In the 1970s, sneakers led their own way as jogging quickly became popular and so did the
necessity to have a pair of shoes for the occasion. Until this time, factories had been concerned
with high production, but now the companies started to market their products as a lifestyle
purpose. Soon there were shoes for football, jogging, basketball, running²every sport had its
own shoe. This was made possible by podiatrist development of athletic shoe technology.

By the 1980s, sneakers were everywhere; Woody Allen wore them to the ballet, Led Zeppelin
wore them in their 1976 documentary, and Dustin Hoffman wore them while playing reporter
Carl Bernstein in the movie All the President's Men. The shoes originally developed for sports
became the mainstay for most people. Nike and Reebok were among the market leaders. Newer
brands went in and out of fashion, and sneaker companies started shelling out major
endorsements to players. One of, if not the largest, endorsements was to Chicago player Michael
Jordan, for a contract with Nike to make his own signature line of shoes and apparel.
During the 1990s, shoe companies perfected their fashion and marketing skills. Sports
endorsements grew larger and marketing budgets went through the roof. Sneakers became a
fashion statement, and definition of identity and personality rather than humble athletic
aids.[



6http://www.drpribut.com/sports/sneaker_odyssey.html[56 Athletic shoes are also
often worn by children to school.

ÿ  

The term    is typically used for running in a marathon or half marathon, basketball,
and tennis (amongst others) but tends to exclude shoes for sports played on grass such as
association football and rugby football, which are generally known as "Studs," or in North
America as cleats.

Attributes of an athletic shoe include a flexible sole, appropriate tread for the function ability to
absorb impact. As the industry and design have expanded, the term "athletic shoes" is based
more on the design of the bottom of the shoe than the aesthetics of the top of the shoe. Today's
designs even include sandal, Mary Jane and even elevated styles suitable for running, dancing
and jumping.

The shoes themselves are made of flexible compounds, typically featuring a sole made of dense
rubber. While the original design was basic, manufacturers have since tailored athletic shoes for
the different purposes that they can be used for. A specific example of this is the spiked shoe
developed for track running. Many of these shoes are made up to a very large size because of
athletes with large feet.

High-end marathon running shoes will often come in different shapes suited to different foot
types, gait etc. Generally, these shoes are divided into
  , ia

and


a

* a

+ running shoes to fit the respective foot strike of the runners[66. As
running shoes become more advanced, amateur joggers, as well as marathon runners, are
beginning to purchase shoes based on their running style and foot arch. This is often important
for injury prevention, as well as to increase running efficiency. [76

There are a variety of specialized shoes designed for specific uses:

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Sneaker collectors, called "Sneakerheads", use sneakers as fashionable items. Casual sneakers
like the Air Force One (Nike) or Superstar (Adidas) have become icons in today's pop culture.
Artistically-modified sneakers can sell for upwards of $500. In more recent years, the classic
shoe Nike Dunk has come attention to sneakerheads. During the release of these shoes people
often line up several hours before the shops while open patiently waiting to get their hands on the
shoes. There artistically-modified sneakers can sell for up to $500 depending on its popularity.
The opening day cost for these shoes can range from USD $60-300.

 M


The "Shoe Games" is a termed used by many people who buy and sells shoes for profit. This
type of buying and re-selling started to become popular during the early 1970s when Nike first
started to make basketball shoes, and began to rise with the introduction of "Air Force 1". In
1984 the Shoe Game took off with the introduction of Nike's "Air Jordan". As the years went on
Nike Came out with many shoes, naming them after basketball players, and maximizing their
profits by doing limited releases, meaning a store would only carry a certain amount of shoes and
once all stores are out, no more reproductions are made, and that is how many "Sneakerheads"
make their profits. Each year after the introduction of the first style of shoe Nike would name the
next years version two, three, and so on. For example, one of the most profitable shoes was the
Nike Air Jordans XXIII, the twenty third release of Nike's Air Jordans. Twenty-three was a big
deal because Michael Jordan's number is Twenty-three. People camped out hours sometimes
days before to buy these limited edition shoes. The "Shoe Game" became very popular and
productive in the late 1990s' and continue to be very profitable until about 2010. This was mainly
because the drop in the American Economy.




Large brands include:

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¢ R R  refer to a specific style of riding boot, historically worn by cowboys. They have a
high heel, rounded to pointed toe, high shaft, and, traditionally, no lacing. Cowboy boots are
normally made from cowhide leather but are also sometimes made from "exotic" skins such as
alligator, snake, ostrich, lizard, eel, elephant, sting ray, elk, buffalo, and the like.

There are two basic styles of cowboy boots, western (or classic), and roper. The classic style is
distinguished by a tall boot shaft, going to at least mid-calf, with an angled "cowboy" heel,
usually over one inch high. A slightly lower, still angled, "walking" heel is also common.
Although western boots can be customized with a wide variety of toe shapes, the classic design
is a narrowed, usually pointed, toe.

A newer design, the "roper" style, has a short boot shaft that stops above the ankle but before the
middle of the calf, with a very low and squared-off "roper" heel, shaped to the sole of the boot,
usually less than one inch high. Roper boots are usually made with rounded toes, but, correlating
with style changes in streetwear, styles with a squared toe are seen. The roper style is also
manufactured in a lace-up design which often fits better around the ankle and is less likely to slip
off, but these two features also create safety issues for riding.

 


Riding boots had been a part of equestrian life for centuries. Until the industrial age, boots were
individually handmade in many different styles, depending on culture. Early cowboy boot
designs, along with other cowboy accoutrements, were also heavily influenced by the vaquero
tradition imported from Spain to the Americas, dating back to the early 16th century. Military
boots designed for cavalry riders also had an influence.
Later, the industrial revolution allowed some styles of boots to be mass-produced. One mass-
produced boot style, the Wellington boot, (a shorter but cavalry-oriented boot) was popular with
cowboys in the USA until the 1860s.

During the cattle drive era of 1866±1884, the cowboy was not apt to ruin a good pair of dress
boots while working, but some owned more decorative dress boots to wear in town. The basic
style elements permeated even working boots, and made the Wellington obsolete. Fashion
magazines from 1850 and 1860 show the cowboy boot with topstitching, cutouts of geometric or
other natural elements and underslung heel.

The American-style boot was taken up by bootmakers in the cattle ranching areas of Texas,
Oklahoma, and Kansas.[16 Two of the best known early bootmakers of the era were Charles Hyer
of Hyer Brothers Boots in Olathe, Kansas, and H. J. "Big Daddy Joe" Justin of Justin Boots in
Spanish Fort, Texas and later Nocona, Texas. After Justin moved closer to Dallas where shipping
was easier, the Nocona brand of cowboy boots was made by Enid Justin Stelzer, eldest daughter
of Joe Justin, who stayed in Nocona with her husband, and the couple continued the family
business.[26 After the couple divorced, the Olsen-Stelzer brand was started by Stelzer.

G

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When mounting and, especially, dismounting, the slick, treadless leather sole of the boot allowed
easy insertion and removal of the foot into the stirrup of the Western saddle. The original toe was
rounded and a bit narrowed at the toe to make it easier to insert. While an extremely pointed toe
is a modern stylization appearing in the 1940s, it adds no practical benefit, and can be
uncomfortable in a working boot.

While in the saddle, the tall heel minimized the risk of the foot sliding forward through the
stirrup, which could be life-threatening if it happened and the rider were to be unseated. There
was often considerable risk that a cowboy would fall from a horse, both because he often had to
ride young, unpredictable horses, but also because he had to do challenging ranch work in
difficult terrain, that often meant that he could accidentally become unseated by a quick-moving
horse. If a rider fell from a horse but had a boot get caught in the stirrup, there arose a very great
risk that the horse could panic and run off, dragging the cowboy, causing severe injury and
possible death.
The tall leather shaft of the boot helped to hold the boot in place in the absence of lacing. The tall
shaft, comfortably loose fit, and lack of lacing all were additional features that helped prevent a
cowboy from being dragged since his body weight could pull his foot out of the boot if he fell off
while the boot remained stuck in the stirrup. While mounted, the shaft also protected the lower
leg and ankle from rubbing on the stirrup leathers, as well as fending off brush and thorns,
particularly if also worn with chaps or chinks. While dismounted, the shaft helped protect the leg
and foot from rocks, brush, thorns, and rattlesnakes. In wet weather or creek crossings, the high
tops helped prevent the boot from filling with mud and water.

The modern roper style boot with a low heel and shorter shaft emerged from the traditional
design in response to the needs of modern rodeo, particularly calf roping, where the cowboy had
to run to tie the calf as well as to ride. The lower shaft resulted in a less expensive boot, but also
allowed the boot to be more easily removed. A laceup design for roper boots became popular as
it prevented the boot from falling off too easily and provided more ankle support when on foot,
though the lacer also has safety issues because it will not fall off if a rider is hung up in a stirrup,
and, lacking a smooth upper, the lacings themselves may make it easier for the boot to become
caught in the stirrup in the first place.

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Decoration varied widely. Early boots were cowhide leather pieced together with single rows of
top stitching, but as custom boots were made, cowboys asked for decorative stitching, cutouts in
the high tops (early on, often Texas stars), and different materials. The interaction of wild west
shows and later, western movies, influenced styles that working cowboys at times adopted.
Modern cowboy boots are available in all colors and can be made from just about every animal
whose skin can be made into leather, including exotic materials such as alligator and ostrich.

One accessory used with cowboy boots are spurs, which are sometimes attached to the heel of
each boot for the purpose of cueing a horse while riding.

 

Many cowboy boot companies have been in operation since the 19th century. Each manufacturer
has developed its own proprietarylasts for producing boots, which are considered trade secrets
and are highly guarded. Because of this, standardization has been slow, and fitting between
companies is not always consistent. When considering wearing a cowboy boot from a different
manufacturer, it is recommended to seek assistance from a knowledgeable merchant who
specializes in cowboy boots if a person cannot try them on in person. Some wearers will swear
by one manufacturer's fit, while others will not perceive any difference between brands.

The fit will vary depending on the type of toe that is sought. Pointed toes leave a narrower space
between the toes and the tip of the boot which may cause discomfort, though can be minimized
by selecting a half size larger than the wearer's normal size. A rounder toe (like a roper or a
Wellington) will fit more like a regular shoe. Another factor is leather. A cowhide or kidskin
boot will become softer with wear, molding to the wearer's foot. That is why it is recommended
to select a snug size because the boot will eventually "break in" and a loose fitting boot at the
time of purchase will become sloppy.

However, some individuals also are unaccustomed to the slight slippage of the heel in a new,
non-laced cowboy boot, particularly with a cowboy heel, and buy a too-small boot in an attempt
to stop this slippage. But a small amount of slippage is also normal at first. As the boot breaks in,
the slippage will stop.

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Boot hooks are often required to put on a new pair of boots until they soften in the arch and
break in. A boot jack is recommended for removal, though care must be taken not to damage the
heel of the boot when using a jack.

Ä


 


A 
 
is a short, slender heel, usually from 3.5 centimeters (1.5 inches) to 5 centimeters
(2 inches) high with a slight curve setting the heel in from the edge of the shoe. The style was
popularized by Audrey Hepburn[16. It is particularly common on sandals. They are sometimes
worn by women who are especially tall, who want the curve and sex appeal of a high heel, but
not the added height.

G  

A kitten heel is a stiletto heel of 5 centimeters or less in height; some are as low as 3 centimeters.
They are classified as stiletto heels and despite their lack of height are generally classified as
'high heels' because of their sex appeal; particularly when teamed with a sharp pointed toe or
long 'winklepicker' toe. This is an anomaly because a shoe with regular wide heels of 3.5
centimeters high would normally be considered a flat shoe; it is the addition of a stiletto heel,
however short, that turns it into a sexual accessory.

 


They were introduced in the late 1950s as formal fashion attire for young adolescent teenage
girls as higher heels would have been considered unseemly for girls as young as 13 because of
the sexual connotations and unease of walk. They were sometimes referred to as "trainer heels"
in the USA indicating their use in getting young girls used to wearing high heels. However by
the early 1960s they became fashionable for older teenagers and eventually for women of all
ages until the demise of the stiletto heel in the late 1960s. They emerged again in the 1980s and
have become once again fashionable since 2003. ManoloBlahnik has added kitten heeled shoes
to his collection, saying that his famous high stilettos have been so often copied that he was
inspired to create a heel at a new, shorter height

]
 

A 
 
is a heel that is wide at the top and bottom and narrower in the middle,[16 so
resembling a cotton reel.[26 Spool heels were fashionable in Europe during the Baroque[36 and
Rococo[46 periods. Other periods of popularity include the 1860s[56 and the 1950s.[66 Spool heels
are characterized by sand-clock shaped heel .i.e., thick at both ends and thin in the middle.

]
  



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A 
  
is a long, thin, high heel found on some boots and shoes, usually for women. It is
named after the stilettodagger, the phrase being first recorded in the early 1930s.[16 Stiletto heels
may vary in length from 2.5 centimetres (1 inch) to 25 cm (10 inches) or more if a platform sole
is used, and are sometimes defined as having a diameter at the ground of less than 1 cm (slightly
less than half an inch). Stiletto-style heels 5 cm or shorter are called kitten heels. Not all high
slim heels merit the description stiletto. The extremely slender original Italian-style stiletto heels
of the late 1950s and very early 1960s were no more than 5mm in diameter for much of their
length, although the heel sometimes flared out a little at the top-piece (tip). After their demise in
the mid-late 1960s, such slender heels were difficult to find until recently due to changes in the
way heels were mass-produced. A real stiletto heel has a stem of solid steel or alloy. The more
usual method of mass-producing high shoe heels, i.e. moulded plastic with an internal metal tube
for reinforcement, does not achieve the true stiletto shape.

 


|

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Relatively thin high heels were certainly around in the late 19th century, as numerous fetish
drawings attest. Firm photographic evidence exists in the form of photographs of Parisian singer
Mistinguett from the 1940s. These shoes were designed by Andre Perugia, who began designing
shoes in 1906. It seems unlikely that he invented the stiletto, but he is probably the first firmly
documented designer of the high, slim heel. The word stiletto is derived from stylus, meaning a
pin or stalk. Its usage in footwear first appeared in print in the New Statesman magazine in 1959:
"She came ...forward, her walk made lopsided by the absence of one heel of the stilettos".[26

High heel shoes were worn by men and women courtiers. The design of the stiletto heel
originally came from the late Kristin S. Wagner but would not become popular until the late
1950s.[



6 The stiletto heel came with the advent of technology using a supporting metal
shaft or stem embedded into the heel, instead of wood or other, weaker materials that required a
wide heel. This revival of the opulent heel style can be attributed to the designer Roger Vivier
and such designs became very popular in the 1950s.[36

As time went on, stiletto heels became known more for their erotic nature than for their ability to
make height. Stiletto heels are a common fetish item. As a fashion item, their popularity was
changing over time. After an initial wave of popularity in the 1950s, they reached their most
refined shape in the early 1960s, when the toes of the shoes which bore them became as slender
and elongated as the stiletto heels themselves. As a result of the overall sharpness of outline, it
was customary for women to refer to the whole shoe as a "stiletto", not just the heel, via
synecdoche (pars pro toto). Although they officially faded from the scene after the Beatle era
began, their popularity continued at street level, and women stubbornly refused to give them up
even after they could no longer readily find them in the mainstream shops. A version of the
stiletto heel was reintroduced as soon as 1974 by ManoloBlahnik, who dubbed his "new" heel
the Needle. Similar heels were stocked at the big Biba store in London, by Russell and Bromley
and by smaller boutiques. Old, unsold stocks of pointed-toe stilettos, and contemporary efforts to
replicate them (lacking the true stiletto heel because of changes in the way heels were by then
being mass-produced) were sold in street fashion markets and became popular with punks, and
with other fashion "tribes" of the late 1970s until supplies of the inspirational original styles
dwindled in the early 1980s. Subsequently, round-toe shoes with slightly thicker (sometimes
cone-shaped) semi-stiletto heels, often very high in an attempt to convey slenderness (the best
example of this being the shoes sold in London by Derber), were frequently worn at the office
with wide-shouldered power suits. The style survived through much of the 1980s but almost
completely disappeared during the 1990s, when professional and college-age women took to
wearing shoes with thick, block heels. However, the slender stiletto heel staged a major
comeback after 2000, when young women adopted the style for dressing up office wear or
adding a feminine touch to casual wear, like jeans.

Stiletto heels are particularly associated with the image of the „„ . They are often
considered to be a seductive item of clothing, and often feature in popular culture.

ï


Stilettos give the optical illusion of a longer, slimmer leg, a smaller foot, and a greater overall
height. They also alter the wearer's posture and gait, flexing the calf muscles, and making the
bust and buttocks more prominent.

G
!



All high heels counter the natural functionality of the foot, which can create skeleton/muscular
problems if they are worn excessively. Stiletto heels are no exception, but some people assume
that because they are thinner they must be worse for you. In fact, they are safer to wear than the
other extreme of high heel fashion, the platform shoe.[



6 Despite their impracticality,
their popularity remains undiminished - as Terry DeHavilland (UK shoe designer) has said,
"people say they're bad for the feet but they're good for the mind. What's more important?"

Stiletto heels concentrate a large amount of force into a small area. The great pressure under such
a heel (greater than that under the feet of an elephant.[46) can cause damage to carpets and floors.
The stiletto heel will also sink into soft ground, making it impractical for outdoor wear on grass.

¢
  

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¢
  
, w 
, sometimes referred to as   are high-heeled footwear
made from a transparent material. They may be used to contain novelty items such as flashing
lights, liquids or even fish. The materials which may be used for these include polycarbonate,
PVC, Lucite and acrylic resin.[16[26 Alternatively the transparency may be used deceptively with a
ballerina style to give the flattering appearance of standing on tiptoe or 
a 
.[36

The style may be used to evoke Cinderella's glass slipper when worn at a formal ball such as a
prom.[26[46 As high heels, the style may be overtly erotic and they are worn by pole dancers,
striptease artistes and pornographic actresses.[56 Pole dancers prefer heels of four to seven inches
in height.[66[76

Popular brands include Pleaser and Luscious.[66 In 2009,  %
 indicated that the
style was "on trend" for the Spring 2010 shows, notably in Milan at Dsquared2, Prada,[86 and
Fendi.[96[106 The association with erotic performers has led to criticism of celebrities for wearing
the trend.[116 In an interview teenage actress and singer Taylor Momsen noted she liked
performing in a pair that had a slot for tips, "fans started putting money in them, so now they are
filled with tons of bills".[126[136

   R 
   R , known also as   

 R  or simply   R , are boots that
extend above the knees. Other synonyms include over-the-knee boots (OTK boots), and
especially when cuffed, pirate boots. Lengths vary from reaching just over the knee to reaching
almost to the crotch (referred to as crotch boots).
Like all boots, thigh boots are made of different materials ranging from various leathers, to
various synthetic materials (vinyl, polyurethane, or latex), to various fabrics (silk, polyester
microfiber). Many are constructed with zippers for ease of entry, but some are constructed as
pull-on boots. Heel heights vary, but the majority are sold either as flats or with heels greater
than three inches (7.5 cm). Heel styles vary from metal spikes to chunky. Like other boots, they
can also have platform soles.

Thigh boots are considered by many to be erotic or kinky. They are used as fetish clothing in
boot fetishism and shoe fetishism. Cheaper thigh boots are often worn by prostitutes and
professional dominatrices, so many people consider them icons of such trades. Because of the
latter they are often associated with sadomasochism. Nevertheless, they are frequently sold by
couture designers, perhaps because of the implied eroticism.

ï
 

In the world of women's fashion, thigh boots run through cycles in both popularity and design.
As referenced by several authors, the popularity of the motion picture " „
hurt the
credibility of thigh boots as wardrobe staples.[16 Nevertheless, in any fall fashion season, at least
one or more designers and retailers will take a chance on their appeal.

Like shoes in general, fashion thigh boots are marketed through several different channels:

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A key differentiator between these channels is the price point and the construction.

Couture fashion designers marketing thigh boots will vary from year to year. Introducing a boot
model is typically tied to the designers theme for the line. These boots will typically be marketed
at the highest price point for thigh boots and usually for shoes, in general. Fashion designers
market similarly, though at a lower price point.

A number of couture shoe design houses regularly include thigh boots in their collections, and
the price point will be at a premium, just as with the couture fashion designers. Example
designers include:

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Couture fashion designers regularly use the shoe design houses to design the boots and shoes for
their collections.

Thigh boots are a regular staple of several Italian boutique brands. Examples of such brands
include the following:

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The price point for these boots can be very high, particularly at retail boutiques, but will vary
more than for couture designers. Some brands are available through eBay sellers and clearance
sellers (e.g., Yoox) at discounted prices.

The lowest price tier is typically the fashion retailers. Examples of retailers who regularly market
thigh boots in their line include:

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In Autumn 2010, thigh-high boots repeated as a fashion highlight from Autumn 2009. Designers
and fashion houses who showed them with their designs included the following:

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The Autumn 2009 fashion season featured thigh-high boots as a key fashion accessory for the
season resulting in the style being declared a fashion trend in early 2009. Reaching a wider
audience through fashion magazine editorials, the footwear style was shown in two different
feature layouts in the September 2009 issue of US [  .[56[66 Numerous high-street fashion
stores featured thigh-high boots in their Autumn 2009 collections, with many fashion designers
also featuring them in their ready-to-wear collections.

Miuccia Prada pushed the margins of fashion with her thigh boots designed after hip boots for
fishing.[76 One version even featured garters to suspend the tops from a belt. Right behind her
was Stella McCartney,[86 featuring three crotch-length boots with synthetic uppers, per her usual
animal-friendly practice. All three had snipped toes and extreme stiletto heels, and one featured a
multi-patterned, pierced upper.
Other design houses showing thigh boots in their Autumn 2009 lines included the following:

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As for the couture shoe designers, Christian Louboutin marketed no less than four different
styles in Autumn 2009 ² a front-lacing mid-thigh length with sculpted heel and hidden platform
(Supra Fifré), a crotch-length, skin-tight boot with hidden platform, a chunky mid-thigh boot
(Contente), and a chunky platform mid-thigh boot. In addition to one heeled thigh boot featuring
an elastic cuff just above the knee and two pairs of flat over-the-knee boots in their couture line,
Jimmy Choo's limited-edition capsule collection for H&M[156 featured a mid-thigh length, black
leather, thigh boot with four-inch heel.

#

Givenchy[166 kicked off the thigh boot trend early in 2009, and conspicuously out of season, with
a western-style thigh boot in black leather.

 #1

Fendi[176 supported the thigh boot cause in Autumn 2008 with a chunky suede boot that featured
a metallic leather accent around the ankle of the boot and at the top of the heel. The boot was
carried by several different retail outlets, and was available in black, brown, taupe, and gray.

 #2

Burberry Prorsum[186 championed the thigh boot in Autumn 2007, with a black patent leather
model, that was shown with several pieces from their medieval-knight-inspired line. The boot
featured a four-inch heel and pointed toe.

 #

Karl Lagerfeld styled all of his designs in the Autumn 2006 Chanel collection[196 with thigh
boots. The boots were finished in a variety of materials, including black suede and different
shades of blue denim.

 #3

Karl Lagerfeld showed the Chanel[206 black leather thigh boot with many of his Autumn 2005
designs that actress Anne Hathaway later wore in i "
, which made her a
fashion icon.
 #/

NarcisoRodriguez[216 created a stir in Autumn 2003 when almost half the models in his ready-to-
wear show were wearing his thigh boots with his clothing line. The boots featured four-inch
heels and pointed toes. Phoebe Philo at Chloé[226 showed leather and suede thigh boots in several
colors, including red and green, in addition to the more typical black and brown.

 #

Roberto Cavalli[236 showed many of his designs in Autumn 2001 with his thigh boots. The boots
featured four-inch heels and pointed toes.

(   

Thigh boots are popular with a number of female pop stars as part of their costuming. Stars who
have worn them in their acts or on album covers include:

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Thigh boots as articles of fetish clothing date back at least to the 1950s when Irving Klaw used
them in the costuming of the women in his erotic photography. Since that time, they have been a
staple of fetish and adult photography. For instance, Bob Guccione photographed the 1982
"
  Pet of the Year, Corinne Alphen, in a pair of black leather thigh boots for her feature
layout. Similarly, Dwight Hooker photographed the "   25th Anniversary Playmate, Candy
Loving, in white leather over-the-knee boots for her layout[246

Until the 2000s, fetish thigh boots were generally distinguished from fashion boots by being
more extreme in many design dimensions, particularly heel height and platform height. In the
late 2000s, this trend began to change as couture designers, particularly Christian Louboutin,
began to experiment with more extreme designs with their shoes. Consequently, the difference in
the two now is more a function of the materials used. In particular, fetish thigh boots tend to be
constructed of polyurethane (PU) or vinyl (frequently referred to incorrectly as patent leather).
Also, they are generally produced in China and sold at low cost. An example line of inexpensive
fetish thigh boots is sold under the brand name Pleaser.

A select group of European cobblers have specialized in higher-priced thigh boots for the fetish
market. Legendary among these was the London-based Little Shoe Box, which crafted both
ready-to-wear and custom thigh boots in leather and real patent leather. The Little Shoe Box,
however, ceased operations in 2005, after 40 years of operation. Two other cobblers,
Leatherworks (London), Ltd. and Jean Gaborit of Paris have continued the tradition of producing
higher quality fetish thigh boots. Jean Gaborit also specializes in custom boots.

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Motion pictures where thigh boots were prominent in an actress's wardrobe include the
following:

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