Anatomy Of Men's Leather Shoes

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ANATOMY
OF MENS LEATHER SHOES
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Introduction

• Shoes have evolved from being simply foot guards
  to a fashion statement. Shoes speak volumes about
  ones 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.

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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.

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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 shoes are 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.
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The Parts of a Mens Shoe
Toe Cap (or) Toe Box
Toe Cap (or) Toe Box
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
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 shoes 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.
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Upper (or) Shaft
Upper (or) Shaft
Upper
It is the upper part of the shoe, whether its 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.
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Vamp
Vamp
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 users eye. For e.g. Mens Brogues
feature decorative perforations.
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Tongue
Tongue
Tongue
The tongue is a very flexible strip of material
present in those shoes which employ shoelaces
like oxford shoes, derby shoes, mens 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.
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Eyelets
Eyelets
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 users 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
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Quarters
Quarters
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.
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Lining
Lining
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.
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Throat
Throat
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.
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Sole
Sole
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
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Insole and Midsole
Insole and Midsole
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.
Midsole
Insole
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Outsole
Out Sole
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
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Heel
Heel
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 shoes fore,
is called the heel breast.
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Parts of sole
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 shoes sole. It
mainly is concerned with holding all the
components of the shoe together.
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Closing Thoughts

• Good shoes cost good money, and its important to
  know what youre 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.