| Online Shopping E-Mail Site Map |
|---|
| Shoes are footwear evolved to protect the human foot and nowadays shoes are worn as a decoration.
The design of shoes has varied through time, and from culture to culture. Fashion has often dictated whether shoes have very high heels or no heels at all.
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 (to control the shape, moisture, or smell of the shoe) or health reasons (to help deal with defects in the natural shape of the foot or positioning of the foot during standing or walking). Outsole 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 upon. Shoe tree: placed inside the shoe when user is not wearing it, to help maintain the shoe's shape. Shoe polish: a waxy material spread on shoes to improve appearance, glossiness, and provide protection. Shoe brush and polishing cloth: used to apply polish to shoes. Overshoes or galoshes: a rubber covering placed over shoes for rain and snow protection. Orthopedic shoe insert: insert of various materials for cushioning, improved fit, or reduced abrasion. These include padding and inner linings. Inserts may also be used to correct foot problems. Shoe bag: a bag that protects shoes against damage when they are not being worn. Shoe stretcher: a tool for making a shoe longer or wider or for reducing 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 system used to secure shoes. Dress shoes are categorized by smooth and supple leather uppers, 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, commonly made of leather, enclosing most of the lower foot, but not covering the ankles. This upper part of the shoe is often made without apertures or openings, but may also be made with openings or even itself consist of a series of straps, e.g. an 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 is usually considered a boot but certain styles may be referred to as high-topped shoes or high-tops. Usually, a high-topped shoe is secured by laces or zippers, although some styles have elastic inserts to ease slipping the shoe on. Men's. The male dress shoe, known as a blucher, is distinguished by its open lacing. Men's shoes can be categorized by how they are closed: Oxfords: the vamp has a V-shaped slit to which the laces are attached; also known as "closed lacing". The word "Oxford" is sometimes used by American clothing companies to market shoes that are not Balmorals, such as Blüchers. Blüchers (American), Derbys (British): the laces are tied to two pieces of leather independently attached to the vamp; also known as "open lacing". Monk-straps: a buckle and strap instead of lacing Slip-ons: There are no lacings or fastenings. The popular loafers are part of this category, as well as less popular styles, such as elastic-sided shoes. Men's shoes can also be decorated in various ways: Plain-toes: 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 the most popular decoration. Brogues (American: 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. 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: High-heeled footwear may be 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 by women for formal occasions or social outings. Kitten heels are low high heels from about 1.5 to 2 inches high, set in from the back of the shoe. Sneaker boot and sneaker pump: a shoe that looks like an athletic shoe, but is equipped with a heel, making it a kind of novelty dress shoe. Wedge Sandals are sandals but have the ankles higher as if wearing a high heels shoe. Mules are shoes or slippers with no fitting around the heel (i.e. they are backless) Slingbacks are shoes which are secured by a strap behind the heel, rather than over the top of the foot. Espadrilles are casual flat or high-heeled fashion sandals of a style which originated in the Pyrenees. They usually have a cotton or canvas upper and a flexible sole of rope or rubber. Pumps, known in the UK as ballerinas, ballet pumps or skimmers, are shoes with a very low heel and a relatively short vamp, exposing much of the instep. They are popular for warm-weather wear, and may be seen as more comfortable than shoes with a higher heel. In the US a pump is a high-heeled typically slip-on women's dress shoe. Unisex: The flip-flop sandal, worn both by men and women Clogs Platform shoe: shoe with very thick soles and heels Moccasin: originated by Native Americans, a soft shoe without a heel and usually made of leather. Sandals: open shoes consisting of a sole and various straps, leaving much of the foot exposed to air. They are thus popular for warm-weather wear, because they let the foot be cooler than a closed-toed shoe would. Saddle shoe: leather shoe with a contrasting saddle-shaped band over the instep, typically white uppers with black saddle. Slip-on shoe: a dress or casual shoe without laces; often with tassels, buckles, or coin-holders (penny loafers). Boat shoes, also known as deck shoes, similar to a loafer, but more casual. Laces are usually simple leather with no frills. Typically made of leather and featuring a soft white sole to avoid marring or scratching a boat deck. The first boat shoe was invented in 1935 by Paul Sperry. Boots: Long shoes covering the ankle often made of leather. Some are designed to be used in times of bad weather, or simply as an alternate style of casual or dress wear. Styles include rubber boots and snow boots, as well as work boots and hiking boots. Slippers: For indoor use, commonly worn with pajamas. Athletic Shoes: Today the most popular shoe globally: the sports shoe adapted for everyday use Men's and women's athletic shoes and special function shoes often have less difference between the sexes than in dress shoes. In many cases these shoes can be worn by either sex. Emphasis tends to be more on function than style. Running shoes: very similar to above, with additional emphasis on cushioning. Track spikes: lightweight; often with plastic or metal cleats Cleat shoe: a type of shoe featuring molded or removable studs. Usually worn while playing sports such as rugby, football, American football, or baseball. Golf shoes: with spikes for better grip 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 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 athletic shoes. They have harder rubber soles/heels so as not to damage bowling alley floors. They are often rented or loaned at bowling alleys. Climbing shoes: a shoe designed for rock climbing. They typically have a close fit, little if any padding, and a smooth sticky rubber sole with an extended rubber rand. Hiking shoes or boots: usually have a high somewhat stiff upper with many lace eyelets, to provide ankle support on uneven terrain, with extra large traction on the sole. Walking shoes: have a more flexible sole than the running shoe, lighter in weight than the hiking boot, may have air holes, may not be water proof. Skate shoes: specifically designed for use in Skateboarding, the shoes are manufactured with flat soles as to allow a skateboarder to have better grip when riding a skateboard. They are very wide and have extra layers of padding to protect the skateboarders feet. Cycling shoes are equipped with a metal or plastic cleat to interface with clipless pedals, as well as a stiff sole to maximize power transfer and support the foot. Snowshoes are special shoes for walking in thick snow. In temperate climates, snowshoes are used for mostly recreational purposes in winter. Orthopedic or comfort shoes are made with pedorthic and anatomically-correct comfort qualities, such as padded removable footbeds, wide toe boxes and arch support are made especially for those with problematic feet. Pointe shoes are designed for ballet dancing. These have a toe box that is stiffened with glue and a hardened sole so the dancer can stand on the tips of their toes. They are secured by elastic straps and ribbons that are tied to the dancer's ankles. Ballet shoes are soft, highly pliable shoes made of canvas or leather, with either continuous or two-part sole (also called split-sole). The sole is typically made of leather, with thicker material under the ball and heel of the foot, and thinner and thus more flexible material under the arch so that the foot can be pointed to its utmost. Ballet slippers are usually secured 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. Tap shoes have metal plates mounted to the bottoms of the toe and heel. The metal plates, which are known as taps, make a loud sound when struck against a hard performance surface. Tap shoes, which are used in tap dancing, may be made from any style of shoe to which taps can be attached. Work shoes are designed to stand heavy wear, to protect the wearer, and provide high traction. They are generally made from sturdy leather uppers and non-leather outsoles. Sometimes they are used for uniforms or comfort by nurses, waitresses, police, military personnel, etc. They are commonly used for protection in industrial settings, construction, mining, and other workplaces. Protective features may include steel-tipped toes and soles or ankle guards. In most parts of the world (Asia, Eastern Europe, parts of the Middle East and Africa, much of Northern Europe and Canada, as well as Alaska) it is customary to remove shoes when entering a house. In some areas of the United States, especially the Midwest, it is expected that visitors remove their shoes unless a host specifically invites them to leave their shoes on. People do this to avoid bringing dirt, mud or snow into the house. In some cultures, including those in Asia, indoor shoes may be provided for guests. Shoes, Online Shoes, Buy, Discount Shoes, Designer Shoes, Shoe Stores, Women's Shoes, Men's Shoes, Fashion Shoes, Shoe Sale, Shoe shopping, Shoes for Women, Shoes for men, Brand Name Shoes, USA |
|---|
 |
|---|
