The earliest known shoes date from Leather Shoes about Leather Shoes 8000 to 7000 BCE and were found in Oregon, USA in 1938[1]. Leather Shoes However, the materials used for making shoes Leather Shoes do not normally last for thousands of years, so shoes were probably in use long before this. Physical anthropologist Erik Trinkaus believes he has found evidence Leather Shoes that the use of shoes began in the period between about 40,000 Leather Shoes and 26,000 years ago, based on Leather Shoes the fact that the thickness of Leather Shoes the bones of the toes (other than the big toe) decreased during this period, Leather Shoes on the premise that going barefoot results in Leather Shoes greater bone growth Leather Shoes before this Leather Shoes period.[1]
Parts Leather Shoes of Leather Shoes a shoe
Gluing Leather Shoes a new outsole to an athletic shoe
Sole
The bottom of a shoe is Leather Shoes called the sole.
Insole
The insole is the interior bottom of a shoe, which sits directly beneath the foot. Many shoes have removable and replaceable insoles, and extra insoles are often added for comfort or health reasons (to control the shape, moisture, or smell of the shoe).
Outsole
The outsole is the layer in direct contact with the ground. Leather Shoes Dress shoes have leather outsoles; casual or work-oriented shoes have outsoles made of natural rubber or a synthetic imitation. The outsole may comprise Leather Shoes a single piece, or may comprise separate pieces of different materials. Often the heel of the sole is rubber for Leather Shoes durability and traction, while the front is leather for style. Specialized shoes will Leather Shoes often have modifications on this design: athletic cleats have Leather Shoes spikes embedded in the outsole to grip the ground; many kinds of dancing shoes have much softer or harder soles.
Midsole
The layer in Leather Shoes between the outsole and the insole that is typically there for shock absorption. Some types Leather Shoes of shoes, like running shoes, Leather Shoes have another material for shock absorption, usually beneath the heel where one puts the most pressure down. Leather Shoes Different companies use different materials for the midsoles Leather Shoes of their shoes. Some Leather Shoes shoes may not Leather Shoes have a midsole at all.
Heel
Women's fashion boots
The bottom Leather Shoes rear part of a shoe is the heel. Its function is to support Leather Shoes the heel of the foot. They are often made of Leather Shoes the same material as the sole of the shoe. This part can be high Leather Shoes for fashion or to make the person look taller, Leather Shoes or flat for a more practical use.
Vamp, or upper
Any shoe has an upper part that helps hold the shoe onto the foot. In the simplest Leather Shoes cases, such as sandals or flip flops, this may be nothing more than a few straps Leather Shoes for holding the sole in Leather Shoes place. Closed footwear, such as boots, Leather Shoes sneakers and most men's shoes, will have a Leather Shoes more complex Leather Shoes upper. This part is often decorated or is Leather Shoes made in a certain Leather Shoes style to look Leather Shoes attractive. The U.S. Patent 3,355,535 , from 1967, describes a method for producing a shoe-upper (Hain 1967).
Accessories to shoes
Shoehorn: can be used to insert a foot into a shoe by keeping the shoe open and providing a smooth surface for the foot to slide Leather Shoes upon.
Shoe tree: placed inside the shoe when Leather Shoes user is not wearing it, to help maintain the shoe's shape.
Shoe polishing equipment:
Shoe polish: Leather Shoes a Leather Shoes waxy material spread on shoes to improve appearance, glossiness, and provide protection.
Shoe brush Leather Shoes and polishing cloth: Leather Shoes used to apply polish to shoes.
Overshoes or galoshes: a rubber covering placed over shoes for rain and Leather Shoes snow protection.
(Orthopedic) Leather Shoes shoe insert: insert of various materials for cushioning, improved fit, or reduced abrasion. These include padding and inner linings. Leather Shoes Inserts may also be Leather Shoes used to correct foot problems.
Shoe bag: a bag that protects shoes against damage when they are not being worn.
Shoe stretcher: Leather Shoes a tool for making a Leather Shoes shoe longer or wider or for reducing Leather Shoes discomfort in areas of a shoe.
Snow shoe: a wooden or leather piece which increases the area of ground covered by the shoe.
Shoelaces: a Leather Shoes system used to secure shoes.
Types of shoes
Shoes made from real crocodile skin, in a conservation exhibit at Bristol Leather Shoes Zoo, England.
Dress and casual shoes
Dress shoes are categorized by smooth and supple leather Leather Shoes uppers, Leather Shoes leather soles, and narrow sleek figure. Casual shoes are characterized by sturdy leather uppers, non-leather outsoles, and wide profile.
Some designs of dress shoes can be worn by either gender. The majority of dress shoes have an upper covering, Leather Shoes commonly made of Leather Shoes leather, enclosing Leather Shoes most of the lower foot, but not covering the ankles. This upper part of the shoe is Leather Shoes often made without Leather Shoes apertures or openings, but may also be made with openings or even itself consist of a series of straps, e.g. an Leather Shoes open toe featured in women's shoes. Shoes with uppers made high to cover the ankles are also available; a shoe with the upper rising above the ankle Leather Shoes is usually considered a boot but certain styles may be referred to Leather Shoes as high-topped shoes or high-tops. Usually, a high-topped shoe is secured by laces Leather Shoes or Leather Shoes zippers, Leather Shoes although some styles have elastic inserts to ease slipping the shoe on.
|
Men's shoes
Men's shoes can be categorized by how they are closed:
Balmorals: the vamp has a V-shaped slit to which the laces are attached; also known as "closed lacing". In England, the Leather Shoes balmoral is Leather Shoes known as the Oxford. The Leather Shoes word "Oxford" is used Footjoy Golf Shoes by American clothing companies to market Leather Shoes shoes that are not balmorals, such as rubber-sole bluchers.
Bluchers: the laces Leather Shoes are tied to two pieces of leather Leather Shoes independently attached to Leather Shoes the vamp; also known as "open lacing". In England, the Blucher is known as the Derby shoe.
Monk-straps: a buckle and strap instead of lacing
Various other closings exist but are less popular such as side-elastic closings.
Men's shoes can also be decorated in various ways:
Plain-toes: Leather Shoes have a sleek appearance and no extra decorations on the vamp.
Cap-toes: has an extra layer of leather that "caps" the toe. This is possibly Leather Shoes the most Leather Shoes popular decoration.
Brogues (American: Leather Shoes wing-tips): The toe of the shoe is covered with a perforated panel, the wing-tip, which extends down either side of the shoe. Brogues can be found in both balmoral and blucher styles. Please help improve this section by expanding Leather Shoes it.
Further information might be found on the talk Leather Shoes page or at Leather Shoes requests for expansion.
The tone or style of this article or Leather Shoes section may Leather Shoes not be Leather Shoes appropriate for Wikipedia.
Specific concerns may be found on the talk page. See Wikipedia's guide to writing better articles for suggestions.(December 2007)
Women's shoes
There is a large variety of shoes available for women, in addition to most of the men's styles being more accepted as unisex. Some broad categories are:
Pumps, Leather Shoes known in the US and UK as ballerinas, ballet pumps or skimmers, are Leather Shoes shoes with a very low heel and a relatively short vamp, exposing Leather Shoes much of the instep. They are popular for warm-weather wear, and may be seen as more comfortable than shoes with a higher heel.
High heels may be Leather Shoes shoes with heels 2 inches (5 cm) or higher. They are often seen as having more sex appeal than low heels (see article for discussion) and are thus commonly worn Leather Shoes by women for formal occasions or social outings.
Sneaker boot and sneaker pump: a shoe that looks like an athletic shoe, but is equipped with a Leather Shoes heel, making it a kind of novelty dress shoe.
Either gender
Women's Leather Shoes sandals
Clog
Platform shoe: Leather Shoes shoe Leather Shoes with very thick soles and heels
Moccasin: originated by Leather Shoes Native Americans, a soft shoe without a heel and Leather Shoes usually made of leather.
Sandals: Leather Shoes open shoes consisting of a Leather Shoes sole and various straps, leaving much Leather Shoes of Leather Shoes the foot exposed to air. They are thus popular Leather Shoes for warm-weather wear, because they let the foot be cooler than Leather Shoes a closed-toed shoe would.
Saddle shoe: leather shoe with a contrasting saddle-shaped band over the Leather Shoes instep, typically white uppers Leather Shoes with Leather Shoes black "saddle".
Loafer: a dress or casual shoe without laces; often with tassels, buckles, or coin-holders (penny loafers).
Boating shoes, also known as boat shoes and deck shoes: similar to a loafer, but more casual. Laces, if present, are usually simple leather (often two-tone) with no frills. Often made of canvas or featuring a white sole. They Leather Shoes have soft soles/heels to avoid marring or scratching a Leather Shoes boat Leather Shoes deck.
Boots: Long shoes (covering the ankle) Leather Shoes frequently made of leather. Some are designed to Leather Shoes be used in times of bad weather, or Leather Shoes simply as an alternate style of casual or dress wear. Styles include rubber boots and snow boots, as well as work boots and hiking boots.
Slippers: For indoor use, commonly worn with pajamas.
Athletic shoes
Men's and women's athletic shoes and special Leather Shoes function Leather Shoes shoes often have less difference between the sexes than in dress shoes. In many cases these shoes can be worn by either sex. Emphasis tends to be more on function than style.
Sneakers/trainers (also called gym shoes or tennis shoes): general purpose athletic shoes; Leather Shoes made Leather Shoes out of rubber, cloth, and/or plastic to be lightweight, Leather Shoes flexible, and have good traction. Special varieties are available Leather Shoes for Leather Shoes basketball Leather Shoes or tennis.
Running shoes: very similar to Leather Shoes above, with additional emphasis on cushioning.
Track shoes: Leather Shoes lightweight; often with plastic or metal cleats
|
A shoe for the right foot.
Cleat (shoe): a type of shoe featuring molded or removable studs. Usually worn while playing sports such as rugby, football, Leather Shoes American football, or baseball.
A shoe Leather Shoes for the right foot.
Golf shoes: with "spikes" for better grip Leather Shoes in grass and wet ground. Originally the spikes or "cleats" were made of metal but replaceable "soft spikes" made of synthetic plastic-like materials with prongs distributed radially around the edge of Leather Shoes each spike are much more common today (and are required on many golf courses since they cause less damage to the greens).
Bowling shoes: intermediate style between ordinary dress shoes and Leather Shoes athletic shoes. They have harder rubber soles/heels so as not to Leather Shoes damage bowling alley floors. They are often rented or loaned Leather Shoes at bowling alleys.
Climbing shoes: a Leather Shoes shoe designed for rock Leather Shoes climbing. They typically have a Leather Shoes close fit, little if any padding, and a smooth sticky rubber sole with an extended rubber Leather Shoes rand.
Hiking shoes or boots: usually have a high somewhat Leather Shoes stiff upper with many lace eyelets, to provide ankle support Leather Shoes on uneven terrain, with extra large traction on the sole.
Walking shoes: have a more flexible sole than the Leather Shoes running Leather Shoes shoe, lighter Leather Shoes in weight than the hiking boot, may have air holes, may not be water proof.
Skating shoes: typically called skates. They have various attachments for Leather Shoes skating on the bottom of the shoe portion.
Ice skates
Roller Leather Shoes skates
Inline skates
Ski boot: a large, Leather Shoes thick plastic boot specially designed for attachment to the ski.
Skateboarding shoes have flat soles for a better grip on a skateboard. Leather Shoes They are very wide and have extra layers of padding to protect the Leather Shoes skateboarders feet.
Cycling shoes are equipped with a metal or plastic cleat Leather Shoes to Leather Shoes interface Leather Shoes with clipless pedals, as well as a stiff Squash Shoes sole to maximize power transfer Leather Shoes and support the foot.
Snowshoes are special shoes for walking in thick Leather Shoes snow. In temperate climates, snowshoes Leather Shoes are used for mostly recreational purposes in winter.
Wrestling shoes are light, flexible shoes that mimic bare feet while providing Leather Shoes additional traction and protection.
Orthopedic shoes
Orthopedic or "comfort" shoes are made with pedorthic and anatomically-correct comfort qualities, such as padded Leather Shoes removable footbeds, wide toe boxes and Leather Shoes arch Leather Shoes support are made especially for those with problematic feet.
Dance shoes
Pointe shoes. Designed for ballet dancing. These have Leather Shoes a toe box that is stiffened with glue and a hardened sole so the dancer Leather Shoes can stand on the tips of their toes. They are secured by elastic straps and ribbons that Leather Shoes are tied to the dancer's ankles.
Ballet shoes Heel-less slippers made of canvas or leather, with either continuous or two-part sole (i.e., split-sole). Leather Shoes The sole is typically made of leather, Leather Shoes with thicker material under the ball and heel of the foot, and thinner and thus more flexible material Leather Shoes under the arch so that the foot can be pointed to its utmost. Ballet slippers are usually secured Leather Shoes by elastics that cross over the top of the foot. They are most commonly pink, white, black, or pale tan, although they may be made in specialty colours such as red or blue.
Jazz shoes. These typically have a two-part, rubberized sole (i.e., split-sole) to provide both flexibility and traction, and a Leather Shoes low (one inch or Leather Shoes shorter) heel. They are secured to Leather Shoes the foot by laces or elastic inserts.
Tango/flamenco dance shoes.
Ballroom shoes. They fall Leather Shoes into two categories for the two genres of Leather Shoes dances as defined by the IDSF (International DanceSport Federation): Leather Shoes Ballroom and Latin American. Both are characterised by suede soles. Mens' Ballroom shoes are typically lace-ups with Leather Shoes 1-inch heels and patent leather uppers. Ladies' Ballroom shoes are typically court Leather Shoes shoes with low 2-inch heels, usually made of fabric so that they can be finished with a greater variety of colours Leather Shoes to match the dancer's dress. The Leather Shoes low Ballroom heel distributes the dancer's weight across the foot while Latin American shoes Leather Shoes have higher heels designed to throw the dancer's Leather Shoes weight on to the toes and the soles are more flexible. Men's Latin shoes typically have 1.5-inch to 2-inch shaped heels while Ladies' Latin shoes have 2,5-inch to 3-inch heels, Leather Shoes open-toed and Leather Shoes strapped.
|
Dance sneakers. Also known Leather Shoes as dansneakers, these are a combination of a sneaker and a dance shoe, with a reinforced rubber toe.
Character Leather Shoes shoes. Shoes with a one to three inch heel, which are usually made Leather Shoes of leather, and often have one or more straps across Leather Shoes the instep Leather Shoes to secure the foot during dance. They may come in soft-soled (suede) or hard-soled varieties. They may be converted to tap shoes by attaching taps.
Foot thongs. Variously called called Foot Paws and FootUndeez, depending Leather Shoes on the manufacturer, these are slip-on, partial foot covers that protect the ball of a dancer's foot from skin abrasions while executing turns. From a distance, flesh colored foot Orange Shoes thongs give a Leather Shoes dancer the appearance of having bare feet.
Modern pointe shoes.
Ballet shoes.
Jazz shoes. This style is frequently worn Leather Shoes by acro dancers.
A foot thong, viewed Leather Shoes from the underside.
Work shoes
Work shoes are designed to stand heavy Leather Shoes wear, to protect the wearer, and provide high traction. They are generally made from sturdy leather uppers and non-leather outsoles. Sometimes they are used Leather Shoes for uniforms or comfort by nurses, waitresses, police, military personnel, etc. They are commonly used for protection in industrial settings, construction, mining, Leather Shoes and Leather Shoes other workplaces. Protective features may include steel-tipped toes and soles or Leather Shoes ankle guards.
Historical Leather Shoes shoes
Footwear has been worn for tens of Leather Shoes thousands of years. Shoes of the past Leather Shoes include:
Espadrilles: these sandals, Leather Shoes which are still worn today, are found as early as the 14th century.
Patten: a European Leather Shoes wooden Cool Shoes overshoe used to keep a person's feet dry outdoors. First worn Leather Shoes in the middle ages, they continued in use even into the Leather Shoes early 20th century.
Poulaine: Leather Shoes a shoe with a long-pointed toe, popular in Leather Shoes Europe in Naughty Monkey Shoes the 1400s.
Moccasins: the historical shoe of many North American Leather Shoes Indian tribes.
Maintenance
Breaking-in: Leather Shoes Some shoes are made of Leather Shoes hard but deformable material. After a person wears them multiple times, the material reforms to fit the wearer's feet. The person is said Leather Shoes to Leather Shoes have broken Leather Shoes in the shoes.
Polishing: for protection, water resistance (to some extent) and appearance, especially for leather shoes and boots.
Heel replacement: heels periodically wear out. Not all shoes are designed to enable this.
Sole replacement: soles also wear out. Not all shoes can have their soles replaced.
Shoelace replacement.
When unfit for use, Leather Shoes shoes can be treated as trash or municipal solid waste and disposed of. The exception can Leather Shoes be with most athletic sneakers which can be recycled and turned into Leather Shoes other raw Leather Shoes materials. See Nike Grind as an Leather Shoes example.
Someone who makes or repairs shoes in a shop is called a cobbler.
Shoe etiquette
In most parts of the world (Asia, Eastern Europe, parts Leather Shoes of Leather Shoes the Middle East and Africa, much of Northern Europe and Canada, as well as Alaska) it is customary to remove shoes when entering a house. In some areas Leather Shoes of the United States, especially the Midwest, it is expected that visitors remove their shoes unless a host specifically invites them to Leather Shoes leave their shoes on. People do this to avoid bringing dirt, mud or snow into the house. For some societies, including those in Asia, indoor footwear may be provided for guests.
In the Middle East, parts of Africa, Korea and Thailand, it is considered Leather Shoes rude to show the soles of the feet Leather Shoes to others (even Iron Age Shoes accidentally, such as by crossing the legs). In addition, in Thailand, it is Leather Shoes an extreme insult for the foot, Leather Shoes socks, or shoes to touch someone's head or be placed over it. Although feet touching Leather Shoes heads is an extremely rare occurrence in any society, some Muay Thai boxers Christmas Shoes Lyrics insult each other by "kicking" the opponent's head with their foot (most Muay Thai kicks are executed with the shin). |
