GLOSSARY OF SHOE DESIGN TERMS

The purpose of this page is to show pictures of typical design elements commonly seen in modern ladies' footwear, as well as give some definitions (from Zappos.com and Wilkepedia.com), for your ordering reference.

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Shoe Styles

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01leopardorsay
02maryjane 03sandalopenbackfront

D'Orsay Pump : A style of pump featuring one or both sides cut-out.

Mary Jane : A style of shoe with a strap across the instep. The strap can be attached with elastic or a buckle, making it easy to slip on and off.

Strappy Sandal: A form of footwear where the shoe is held to the foot by strips of leather or fabric.

04opentoe

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Toe Box Styles

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05salmonsuedepeep

06curvedpeeptoe

Peep Toe Curved Peep Toe
07pointedpeeptoemoreencl
08strappysandalfront 09sandalfrontuncrossed
Crossed Strappy Sandal Toe Strappy Sandal Toe
10xfront2
11envelopefront 12butterflyfront3
Envelope Front Double Butterfly Front
13butterflyfront
   

Triple Butterfly Front

 

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Heel Cage and Strap Styles

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17closedbacksinglestrap
19sideribbontie 18openback
Open Back/Strap with Ribbon Closure Open Back/Single strap
34tstrap
20slingbackwithstrap 21scallopedheelcage
Sling Back/Single Strap Scalloped Heel Cage
22backwithcutouts
23laceupback 24halfshelfback
Corset Back with Ribbon Half Shelf Heel Cage
25bowback
31asymetricalstrap 32ribbontie
Asymetrical Strap Over Instep Wrap Around Ribbon Ankle Ties
33xoverarchstraps
   
   

55zigzagtrim

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Detailing Styles

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50pipingoutline

51ruffletrim

Pinking (Zig Zag) Trim :

Saw-tooth shaped edging applied to the trim of shoes for decoration.

 

Piping Outline :

A decorative, narrow strip of leather that typically follows the seam of a shoe.

 Ruffle Trim
52leatherbackedfabric 59ribbonacrossfront  
Leather Backed Fabric Ribbon Across Toe with Bow  

14exposedarch

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Arch Styles

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Arch: The high, curved part of the sole of the foot, located between the ball of the foot and the heel. This term can also refer to the raised area of the insole of a shoe, which is meant to pad and provide support for the arch of the foot.

16halfclosedarch

15enclosedarch

Exposed Arch

 

Half Enclosed Arch Enclosed Arch

 

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Heel Shapes

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35stilettoheel   36louisheel

Stiletto:

Generally speaking, this kind of heel is high and narrow, appearing as if a stiletto dagger or spike is emerging from the footwear. Originally, the principal design philosophy behind the stiletto heel was to lengthen the appearance of the legs. Stilettos are often associated with shoe fetishism. For persons with such a fetish, these heels can exude a sense of sexual strength and control over a situation or individual.

 

Louis Heel :

The Louis Heel was invented by Louis XV (1715-1774) and was splayed at the base with a waisted section, which is still used in modern female fashion.