Anatomy Of Men's Leather Shoes | Parts Of Men's Dress Shoe Explained

1. ANATOMY OF MEN’S LEATHER SHOES

2. Introduction Shoes have evolved from being simply foot guards to a fashion statement. Shoes speak volumes about one’s ethos, culture, nationality, environment, and station in life. Also, shoes are now being designed for specific purposes such as running, climbing, skiing, or very specific people such as heels for women, walking shoes for arthritic people, etc. The process of construction of a shoe is a highly sophisticated process in recent times. A shoe is made up of no less than thirty different parts using several advanced materials.

3. Shoe Construction: Up to 30 individual parts can be used to make a leather shoe. Shoe construction has hardly changed since the 19th century. Premium leather shoes are made of a number of quality materials. As such, they are high-quality overall products, ones that guarantee years of satisfaction for their owners.

4. The following sketch provides a more detailed look at shoe construction: Fundamentally, a shoe consists of two main parts: a shaft and a base, which are combined during shoe construction. That being said, men's handmade shoesare really distinguished by a multitude of smaller details and reinforcements. The anatomy of the shoe is made of the toe cap, upper, heel, sole, shank, welt, and waist. The upper is made of the vamp, tongue and eyelets, throat, puff, quarters and lining. The sole is divided into three parts- the insole, outsole and the midsole.

5. With up to 30 individual components used to make up just one shoe, there is no wonder there is also an extensive list of terms used to describe each part of the shoe. Toe Cap The Parts of a Men’s Shoe Toe Cap (or) Toe Box Toe Cap (or) Toe Box A toe cap or a toe box of a shoe is present at the very front of a shoe. It is a box-like roofed structure that completely covers the toes of the user, thereby protecting them. They also add to giving the shoe a defining structure. The front of the shoe receives a lot of stress, and the toe cap, therefore, adds strength to the front of the shoe. Toe caps of shoes are 1 to 2 millimeters thick and are present between the shoe’s upper and lining. They are made of leather, plastic or carbon fibre. Some heavy-duty work boots can also have steel or aluminum toe caps.

6. Upper It is the upper part of the shoe, whether it’s an Oxford shoe or Derby shoe that completely covers the upper foot. It consists of all those parts that are above and in front of the sole. The upper is made very durable and strong. It may also be combined with a mesh to provide air for the feet. It is generally designed in a very pleasing manner to make the shoe attractive. It holds the shoe over the foot with the help of shoelaces, Velcro, buttons, zippers, etc. The upper is about 1.2 millimeters thick. The upper is made of the vamp, tongue and eyelets, throat, puff, quarters and linings. Upper (or) Shaft Upper (or) Shaft

7. Vamp The vamp starts from the toe cap and extends to the back of the shoe, to the quarter. Its main purpose is to protect the toes of the user. The vamp is also supposed to be very well designed to catch the user’s eye. For e.g. Men’s Brogues feature decorative perforations. Vamp Vamp

8. Tongue The tongue is a very flexible strip of material present in those shoes which employ shoelaces like oxford shoes, derby shoes, men’s boots etc. It is a strip of material that is present beneath the shoelaces and the quarter of the shoe. It runs from the vamp to the throat of the shoe. It not only spreads the shoe pressure over the foot but also protects the foot from being grazed by the shoelaces. Tongue Tongue

9. Eyelets are also present in shoes which use shoelaces. They are small holes present on the upper of the shoe through which the shoelaces can be looped through and then knotted to firmly place the shoe on the user’s foot. The eyelets are punched into the upper of the shoe. They are rimmed with metal or plastic grommets for the holes to maintain their shape. The number of eyelets depends on the type of shoe, for a hiker boot the number of eyelets can go upto 7 or 8 pairs while a chukka boot has only 2 or 3 pairs. Eyelets Eyelets Eyelets

10. Quarters They are present behind the vamp. The quarters cover the sides and back of the foot and surround the opening of the shoe. They go around the heel and meet at the shoe lacing. They cover those areas of the foot which are not already covered by the vamp. The quarter and the vamp may be separated or made of a single, continuous material. The top edges of the quarter are referred to as the top line or collar. It is padded for extra comfort. It is stiffened with fibreboard or molded plastic. It thus shapes the posterior of the foot, amply supporting it. Quarters Quarters

11. Lining The lining is a layer present on the inside of the handmade leather shoe to support it. The lining is usually stitched in such a way that it is attached to the shoe upper from the inside.This layer must be very soft and breathable to make the user comfortable within his/ her shoe. Good quality linings extend the lifetime of the shoe. Lining Lining

12. Throat The throat is present in the shoe upper at the front of the vamp, right behind the toe cap at the main opening of the shoe. It is right between the central part of the vamp where the shoe lacing is present and a quarter, the different sections being separated by seams. The location of the throat is referred to as the eye stay. The throat of a dress shoe defines the maximum girth admitted by the shoe. Throat Throat

13. The bottom of the shoe is known as the sole of the shoe. The word “sole” is Latin for soil or ground. The sole is designed to give the shoe immense durability, even after being scraped over the ground for countless times. It also must be able to generate enough friction between the leather shoe and the ground, enabling the user to walk and move around using the shoes. Shoe soles may be of a simple, one-layer type or may be constructed using multiple layers is an advanced way. They are made from various materials like natural rubber, leather, dainite, polyurethane and PVC compounds. The shoe sole is divided into three main parts- the insole, outsole and the midsole. Sole Sole Sole

14. Insole: The insole of the shoe is the first layer of the sole. It is directly beneath the foot and is attached to the upper of the shoe. It is, therefore, more commonly referred to as the footbed of the shoe. The insole is compounded with a shock-absorbing material some insoles come with anti-microbial additives that reduce the possibility of bacterial infections and shoe smell. The insole is responsible for cradling the foot and bolstering it. Midsole: Midsole is an optional layer present between the insole and the outsole of the shoe. It is introduced for better shock absorption and cushioning of the shoe. It is padded with extra support under the heel portion of the shoe since the pressure there is at the maximum. Insole and Midsole Insole and Midsole Midsole Insole

15. The outsole of the shoe is the outermost layer of the sole and comes in contact directly with the ground. Thus, the outsole is that component of the shoe that is subject to the most abrasion. The outsole can be one continuous piece or made from an assembly of various parts. The outsole can be made from leather, to make it more breathable. However, leather is vulnerable to moisture. Rubber outsoles provide more protection to the sole but is less attractive. An ideal outsole is one which is waterproof, tough, appealing and provides enough friction between the shoe and the ground. Often, the outsole is etched with grooves to enhance this friction. Care must be taken towards the maintenance of the sole of the shoe. Worn-out soles of the shoe must be replaced as soon as possible. Out sole Outsole Out Sole

16. Heel The heel of the shoe is present at the rear of the shoe, at the bottom, just below the heel of the foot. Its main function is to support and/or raise the rear part of the shoe.The heel is made of a thick, piece of leather or rubber. This piece may be formed by stacks of pieces of leather/ rubber or maybe a hollowed-out platform. The part of the heel next to the sole, which is shaped neatly the fit under the shoe is called the heel seat or the heel base. The forward part of the heel, facing the shoe’s fore, is called the heel breast. Heel Heel

17. Waist: The arch and the instep of the foot are collectively called the waist of the foot. The instep is the curve of the foot between the ankle and the toes. The human foot also has various arches longitudinally and on the interior. Shank: Shank is a piece of metal that is inserted between the insole and the outsole, matching the arch of the foot. It is added to provide extra propping to the shoe and gives the shoe the desired structure. It also reinforces the waist of the shoe. Welt: The welt is a band of leather that runs around the edges of the upper. It, therefore, joins the upper to the shoe’s sole. It mainly is concerned with holding all the components of the shoe together. Parts of sole

18. Closing Thoughts Good shoes cost good money, and it’s important to know what you’re buying. Having a basic grasp of basic terms will enable you to speak intelligently with salespeople and weed out those who want to help you from those who just want your money.