dress shoes
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
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
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
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
d’Orsay Pumps
A d'Orsay style pump is a woman's shoe in which the vamp of the shoe is cut away very close to the toe box, and the sides are cut away, revealing the arch of the foot.
Category: dress shoes, shoe styles
Dancing Shoes
Mid heel T-bar shoes, usually with a closed toe / ankle, as worn by ballroom dancers.
Category: dress shoes, shoe styles
Derbys
The Derby is constructed by laying both the toe cap or wing and the "Quarter" (the middle part of the shoe that holds the facing with the eyelets for the shoelaces) over the vamp. This will result in a Blucher style shoe.
Category: dress shoes, shoe styles
French Heels
Also known as: Louis Heels, Curved Heels & Pompadour Heels
Womens high heel shoes that incorporate shaped heels, usually curved in at the back side, with a breasted forepart.
Category: dress shoes, heels, shoe styles
Gibson Shoe
A women's lace-up shoe style on which the quarters are laid over the vamp and drawn together by a lace. Equivalent to a men's derby shoe.
Category: dress shoes, shoe styles
Half d’Orsay
A half d'Orsay is similar to a d'Orsay in which the vamp of the shoe is cut away very close to the toe box, and the sides are cut away, revealing the arch of the foot but in a half d'Orsay only the outside edge is cut out.
Category: dress shoes, shoe styles
Lucite
A type of clear hard plastic that is often used in dress shoes.
Category: dress shoes, jargon, materials
Medallion
A Medallion is a design often seen on the toe of many fancy dress shoes and is almost always symmetrical. It is made by punching small holes into the shoe leather. A Medallion can be purely ornamental, but is can also be used to cool the foot by allowing air to flow through the holes that make up the design.
Category: dress shoes, shoe parts, shoemaking
Monk Strap Shoes
Also known as: Monk Shoes
Shoes fastened at the instep by a strap with a buckle on the outer side of the shoes.
Category: dress shoes, shoe styles
Ombre Shoes
Also known as: colour-dipped shoes, colour-shift shoes, dip-dyed shoes, faded shoes, gradiated shoes, gradient shoes, graduated shoes, shaded shoes & shadowed shoes.
Ombre is french for 'shadow' and ombre shoes create a shadowed effect by incorporating components such as uppers that are coloured with a gradient creating an aesthetic 'colour shifting' effect.
Category: dress shoes, shoe styles
Oxfords
Also known as: Oxford Shoes
The Oxford is a shoe that is made by laying the toe over the vamp and then laying the vamp over the middle of the shoe. This will result in a Balmoral style shoe.
Category: dress shoes, shoe styles
Patent Leather
Fine grain leather which is specially treated with polyurethane to create an exceptionally gloss finish, especially suitable for evening wear. Patent leather can also be used in conjunction with other leather to produce eye catching results.
Category: dress shoes, leather, materials
Pumps
Women's dress shoes, usually slip on, often with enclosed toe and sides.
Category: dress shoes, shoe styles
Saddle Shoes
A Saddle Shoe is usually made in a lighter tone (white or tan) with a piece of leather sewn across the middle top of the shoe down to the sole that is reminiscent of the saddle on a horse. The "Saddle" part is traditionally darker than the rest of the shoe (black, brown or red).
Category: dress shoes, shoe styles
Spectator Shoes
Spectator refers to two contrasting tones being used in the design of the shoe. Two-tone wingtips and captoes are refered to as being Spectators. Spectator shoes were associated with Jazz musicians during the 1920's and 1930's and are used today for dressy and festive occasions in Latino and African American communities and by dancers and musicians reviving the classic styles of the Jazz and Swing eras.
Category: dress shoes, shoe styles
Spike Heel
A high heel that narrows to a point. Also known as a stiletto.
Category: dress shoes, heels, shoe styles
Stilettos
Shoes incorporating a high, tapered, narrow heel, also called a "spike" heel, named for a type of slim knife.
Category: dress shoes, heels, shoe styles
