Shoe definitions beginning with the letter B
Baby Louis Heel
Used to describe a shoe (or the heel of the shoe itself) that has a shaped heel which is curved in at the back with a breasted forepart. The same shape as a Louis heel but 12/8 or smaller. A baby louis heel is also known as a French heel or a Pompadour heel. Though the Louis heel is attributed to King Louis XIV, the baby Louis heel was developed much later as taller French and American women desired to wear the Louis heel but without over emphasizing their height.
Category: heels, shoe styles
Back Splitting
The reduction of sole substance at the heel, seat and waist, mainly done for Louise Heel Construction.
Category: shoemaking
Backer
Fabric material laminated or used to give reinforcement to weak material to give it strength and to help it stand up.
Category: materials, shoe parts, shoemaking
Backing
The process of laminating Fabric material to give it enhanced strength and to help it stand up.
Category: shoemaking
Bagged Edge
Also known as: Bagged Top
A method of joining the quarter top edge all round the ankle so that the seam joining the lining with the quarters is about 5mm below the folded edge of the quarters so no stitches can be seen from outside the shoe.
Category: fastenings, shoe parts, shoemaking
Ball Girth
The circumference of the foot around the middle of the big and small toe joints.
Category: foot parts, lasting
Ball Line
A line drawn across the widest portion of a last or the widest line around a foot.
Category: foot parts, lasting, shoemaking
Ballerina Shoes
A flat heeled (not more than one lift) pump, light weight, new-cut type shoes used by women, constructed using the direct method of attachment and have similarity with ballet shoes.
Category: casual shoes, shoe styles
Ballet Flats
Flat shoes with rounded toe boxes, thin soles, and usually little bows decorating the vamps. Audrey Hepburn popularized ballet flats as street shoes during the 1950s.
Category: athletic shoes, shoe styles
Ballet Shoes
A Very light and flexible type of heelless shoe with heavily blocked toe made with upper of cloth (sometimes of satin) designed for ballet dancing.
Category: athletic shoes, shoe styles
Balmorals
A Balmoral (or "Bal") refers to the way an Oxford style shoe ties up. A Balmoral is far less adjustable than a Blucher because the bottom of the lace-up part of the shoe is sewn down, so the part of the shoe around the ball of the foot can only be one circumference and cannot be adjusted smaller or larger. Because of the limited adjustability of a Balmoral, it is not as easy to fit people with narrow or wide feet. When properly tied, only the tip of the shoe's tongue can be seen on a Balmoral. "Balmoral" refers to the castle in England of the same name and comes from Prince Albert taking an extended holiday at the castle in the mid 1800's while wearing a pair of boots made for him that had this type of construction for the lacing.
Category: dress shoes, shoe styles
Bals
A Bal (or "Balmoral") refers to the way an Oxford style shoe ties up. A Bal is far less adjustable than a Blucher because the bottom of the lace-up part of the shoe is sewn down, so the part of the shoe around the ball of the foot can only be one circumference and cannot be adjusted smaller or larger. Because of the limited adjustability of Bals, it is not as easy to fit people with narrow or wide feet.
Category: dress shoes, shoe styles
Bar Shoes
Bar Shoes are any shoes that are held on the foot by bars across the instep. Any number of bars can be used, and they can be arranged in various ways e.g. T Bars.
Category: shoe styles
Bark Tanned Leather
Bark tanned leather is leather that has been vegetable tanned using tannins contained in the bark of trees. The leather comes into direct contact with the raw bark during the bark tanning process.
Category: leather
Barkerwelt Construction
Barkerwelt is a special Barker version of welted shoe construction. By adjusting the lasting and making process, the sole is cemented and not stitched. This allows for a closer sole edge and a lighter sole and produces a finer looking more flexible shoe while retaining the advantages of welted shoes.
Category: lasting, shoemaking
Baseline Last
A last designed with standard bottom measurements to facilitate the design and manufacture of components to fit.
Category: lasting, shoemaking
Basic Cutting Area
The area which includes pattern area and the unavoidable waste. The area between the patterns which can not be avoided when patterns are laid out together is termed as unavoidable waste. The space required by the patterns individually is the pattern area.
Category: shoemaking
Beach Sandals
Simple sandals for beach (sea side) use, usually of rubber or plastic.
Category: sandals, shoe styles
Beading
The turning in of edge of an upper section either skived or unskived. Sometimes the skived edge is turned over a cotton tape or tubular decoration for enhancing the appearance of the footwear and to give more strength at the edges.
Category: shoe parts, shoemaking
Beatle Boots
Also known as Mersey Boots, dress boots with a zippered side and a slightly raised heel.
Category: boots, shoe styles
Bed Lasting
An operation by which the upper at the toe and the seat is positioned correctly on the Insole and kept in position either by cement, wire or tacks
Category: lasting, shoemaking
Beeswax
Beeswax is prepared from the honey-comb of a beehive. Beeswax is an ingredient commonly added to shoe polishes and is also used in hand finishing leather shoe soles.
Category: materials
Benching
The final faking and fiddling to the shoes, after they have passed through all other finishing operations, for any slight imperfection either in uppers or bottoms.
Category: shoemaking
Bend
Sole leather made from the rear portion of a heavy cattle hide divided along the line of the backbone, after the removal of belly hide and shoulder hide.
Benzene-Benzol
Benzene-benzol is a solvent obtained from coal tar and is a good solvent for grease and rubber. Benzene-benzol is used for making rubber solution and is also used for cleaning shoe uppers. As benzene-benzol is toxic and highly flammable, ventilation in the working area is vitally important.
Category: materials
Benzine
Benzine is a solvent extracted for crude oil during the mineral oil refining process. Benzine is used for shoemaking cleaning purposes and preparing rubber solution. As benzine is less toxic than benzene but also highly flammable, ventilation of the working area very important.
Category: materials
Bespoke Shoes
Footwear that is made to measure to the highest specifications. In most cases a last is made especially to fit the wearer's foot, and stored by the bespoke shoemaker.
Category: shoe styles
Bevelling
Reducing the substance of certain components of the shoe bottom by skiving. For example, Insole seat bevelling.
Category: shoemaking
Bicycle Toe Shoes
A type of shoe that incorporates a toe covering characterized by two stitched straight line accents, so named because of their similarity to professional bicycling shoe detailing.
Category: shoe styles, toe caps
Bifurcated Heel Pins
Round parallel shank pins used for stitching heels, made from screw wire which are without heads or points, but whose ends are bifurcated to increase their holding power.
Category: fastenings, shoemaking
Binding
Fabric tape or leather strip covering raw edges of leather round top line to hold outer and lining together and give a neat, durable finish. The covering of edges of the insole of ladies footwear with a strip of leather or fabric.
Category: fastenings, shoe parts, shoemaking
Blake Sewn Construction
A method of shoe construction in which the upper is directly attached to sole. The upper is lasted to the insole and the sole is then attached by vertical chain or lock stitched. In the case of hand made construction, the attachment is made by lock stitches only.
Category: lasting, shoemaking
Blind Eyelets
Eyelets inserted and clenched on the lining, the surface of the eyelet is not apparent from the outside of the footwear.
Category: fastenings, shoemaking
Blocked Toe Shoe
Any shoe that has an enclosed toe cap without any opening at the toe.
Category: shoe parts, shoe styles, toe caps
Blucher Bal Shoe
A Blucher Shoe in which the vamp is stitched overlapping the quarter. Also known as a Blucher Balmoral.
Category: dress shoes, shoe styles
Blucher Toe
A type of toe covering characterized by a smooth, turned stitch border around the toe area, like an apron toe style in reverse.
Category: shoe styles, toe caps
Bluchers
A Blucher refers to the way a Derby style shoe ties up. A Blucher is far more adjustable than a Balmoral because the bottom of the lace-up part of the shoe is not sewn down, so it can be pulled tight or left more open in the area around the ball of the foot. Because of the greater adjustability of a Blucher, it is much easier to fit people with narrow or wide feet. The tongue on a Blucher is usually just an extension of the vamp of the shoe. Named after Prussian field marshal Gebhard Leberecht von Blucher, Duke of Wahlstadt (1742-1819) who ordered these for his soldiers (he fought against Napoleon at the battle of Waterloo).
Category: dress shoes, shoe styles
Board Lasted Shoes
Board lasted shoes have a sturdy insole board running the entire length of the foot bed. This type of construction provides the greatest stability.
Category: lasting, shoe styles, shoemaking
Boarding
Boarding is the term which describes the process of stamping a surface finish on leather to give the impression of a different grain to the natural one. Boarding is commonly used on side leather and split leather to make them resemble calf leather or even kid leather.
Category: leather, materials, shoemaking
Boat Shoes
A type of shoe originally meant to be worn aboard a boat, usually with a siped, non-slip outsole, often with side lacing details, almost always a casual shoe you can wear with or without socks.
Category: casual shoes, shoe styles
Boating Shoes
A type of shoe originally meant to be worn aboard a boat, usually with a siped, non-slip outsole, often with side lacing details, almost always a casual shoe you can wear with or without socks.
Category: casual shoes, shoe styles
Boot Heel
Typically found on boots, this is a wide, stable type of heel that usually is not very high.
Category: boots, heels, shoe parts
Bootees
Bootees are a women's shoes style that have uppers that extend slightly above the ankles. Bootees are designed for fashion and comfort, with uppers made of soft, flexible material. A similar style, with center zip fasteners, is popular for men's warm lined slippers.
Category: boots, shoe styles
Booties
A shoe that has the styling of a boot without the height, also called a shoe-boot or "shootie"
Category: boots, shoe styles
Boots
Any enclosed footwear that rises to the ankle or higher, can be casual or dressy, practical or fashionable.
Category: boots, shoe styles
Bottom Filler
The material -normally cork sheet, leather board or leather- used to fill up the cavity formed by the lasted over margin of the upper and insole.
Category: materials, shoe parts, shoemaking
Bottom Stock Preparation
The process of cutting and preparing bottom components (such as soles and insoles).
Category: shoemaking
Bow
A decorative accessory for women's shoes sometimes placed on vamp or sometimes placed at the ends of the laces
Category: shoe parts
Box Toe
A stiffener used to maintain and reinforce the shape of a shoe toe, preserve the toe room allowed within the shoe, and to protect the wearer's toes from blows. Metal Box Toes are used in some safety shoes.
Category: shoe parts, toe caps
Boxing
The final operation in which shoes are packed in boxes in pairs, ready to go out of the factory.
Category: shoemaking
Brannock
A foot size measuring device with a sliding gauge to measure a customer's exact shoe size.
Category: tools
Brannock Device
A device used to measure the length and width of the foot in order to ensure proper shoe fit.
Category: tools
Break
A natural crease created across the vamp of a shoe from everyday flexing and wear.
Category: jargon, shoe parts
Brocade
A type of fabric, often with embroidered or embroidered-style elaborate designs, popular with Asian influenced looks.
Category: materials
Brogue Shoes
A balmoral type of shoe, the upper comprising several parts with perforations and gimping along the margins, together with a punched and gimped wing cap. A brogue effect is often achieved in other styles of shoes by punching and gimping.
Category: dress shoes, shoe styles
Brogueing
Brougeing or "Perforations" refers to fine holes punched into shoe uppers and toes to make an ordinary shoe look more aesthetic.
Category: shoe parts, shoemaking
Brushed Pigskin Leather
Pigskin leather that has the display surface finished with a velvet- like nap. This is achieved by rubbing with fine sandpaper.
Category: leather
Buckle
A clasp that joins one end of material to another. Buckles are often decorative as well as functional.
Category: fastenings, shoe parts
Buffing
The process of removing a thin layer of grain from the upper, sole or insole by use of abrasive to give it a finer look or to allow penetration of colour and prevent cracking.
Category: shoe care, shoemaking
Built Heel
A heel that has been made from layers of leather or fiber often with contrasting tones.
Category: heels, shoe parts
Bunching
A term referring to the bunching or depositing of bottom filling material at different places after shifting from its original place, forming humps and causing annoyance to the wearer.
Bunions
A painful swelling at the base of the big toe, frequently leading to permanent enlargement of the toe joint.
Category: podiatry
Burnishing
The process of buffing a shoe surface to achieve an antiquing effect in the leather.
Category: shoe care, shoe parts
Butted Seam
A seam produced by joining two components, edge to edge using a zigzag, interlocking seam.
Category: fastenings, shoemaking
