If you've been keeping up, you've already learned quite an array of shoe terms to keep you up to date. If not, don't despair. You can easily take a few moments to catch up by reading the previous installments of the shoe encyclopedia. At this point in the game, you should be really starting to impress your shoe-savvy friends while shoe shopping and gossiping. In fact, you're becoming quite the shoe connoisseur yourself.

Mule

This mule won't be carrying your baggage, but it could get you around with both style and comfort. In shoe talk, a mule is a slip-on shoe with a closed toe and an open heel. They are available in an array of choices, such as slippers, casuals or dress shoes. Mule shoes can come in a variety of styles for both women and men.

Hammertoe

Hammertoe is pretty much what it sounds like. It's a medical condition where a toe is bent in a shape that resembles a claw or the end of a hammer. Most of the time, hammertoes develop due to an imbalance of the muscles. However, they can also be caused by arthritis or even by ill-fitting shoes. So, be sure you pick the right size when you are shoe shopping.

Last

A last is a form used to make a shoe. The form can come in metal, wood, or plastic. The shoe is pulled and shaped around the form. That process is called lasting. Some shoes are hand lasted, while others are made using a shoe lasting machine. Since the use of a hand last is more time-consuming, hand-lasted shoes can sometimes have a higher price tag than machine-lasted shoes.

Lug Sole

A lug sole, when talking shoes, is a sole that is heavily treaded and made of rubber. Ever need some shoes strong enough to get you up a mountainside and also weather a storm? Maybe you're not quite that brave. How about some cute boots to get you around town during the winter season? Footwear with a lug sole can do either and more.


*I originally published a version of this via Yahoo Contributor Network

Lesson two ranged from comfort to tannage, and even a bit of gore. If you missed it, be sure to catch up. In this third lesson, learn how to impress your fellow shoe connoisseurs with a bit more knowledge on shoe speak. From toes to laces, get to know the ins and outs of those those fancy (or not so fancy) things on your feet, most commonly referred to as shoes.

Aglet

Is this a farming reference? Well, you can certainly try making a planter out of a shoe if you want to, but I don't think crops will harvest too well that way. I could be wrong. Back to the shoe language, an aglet is that piece of plastic at the tip of shoelaces. It keeps them from fraying so you can keep those kicks looking nice and neat.

Cap Toe

At first glance this sounds like some illness or toe condition, like corns or blisters or something. But, no worries. A cap toe is actually what the toe or tip of the shoe is called when there is an extra strip of leather covering it. The cap toe can exist in sneakers, dress shoes, boots, and more.

Slingback

No, this is not some sort of device for back injuries. Hopefully, you know how to walk in your shoes well enough to avoid one of those. If not, that lesson's for another instructor, not this one. LOL When speaking shoe, a slingback is any shoe with a strap at the back of the heel or ankle to hold the foot inside. These can be sandals, heels, or various styles, such as crocs. Slingbacks can be worn by women or men, depending on the shoe.


*I originally published a version of this via Yahoo Contributor Network

Do you know shoe talk? If you've been paying attention, you caught lesson one on the language of shoe. If not, it's easy enough to catch up. Learning this lingo could be pretty useful, so what are you waiting for? Grab a friend and read on. Then, when you're done, you could test your knowledge with another friend who is more shoe-savvy than the pair of you. Better yet, use it to grab that pair of whatever those saucy things were in the mall window. Who knows? With these four extra words from the shoe encyclopedia, you may even know what you're talking about this time.

After Hours

Well, normally when you think after hours, you are probably thinking of a hot exclusive party after your favorite band's concert, right? Well, in the case of shoe talk, you'd be off just a little. Okay, maybe a lot. After Hours shoes are comfy shoes that you would not be caught chilling in at any party, but would definitely want to wear while chilling at the house. These would be slippers, moccasins, booties and other casuals.

Gore

Usually, you might associate gore with movies, not shoes. However, there is another definition besides the one used in horror flicks. When referring to shoes, a gore is actually a piece of material, generally elastic, fitted into both sides of the shoe vamp to make it easier to slip and off. It can also make the shoes more comfortable.

Tannage

This type of tannage doesn't involve your swimsuit or a beach. Tannage is actually the process that raw hides and skins go through to get turned into leather. There are actually a number of steps in the process. Leather footwear is made of material that has gone through this process.

Spectator

Spectators are a type of shoe. No, they won't be watching you. However, you might be eyeing and admiring them. Spectators are made of two materials, with one material being more dominant. The dominant material will have a pinking edge and the toe of the shoe will have a perforated design.


*I originally published a version of this via Yahoo Contributor Network

An avid shoe lover simply must speak the language of shoes. How are you going to be able to snag a pair of all your faves if you don't even know their name or what you're looking for? Besides, learning shoe speak can help you find some cute shoes you may have never known about before. Plus, it's a great way to fit in with all your shoe-savvy friends. So, here's four words from the shoe encyclopedia to get you started. Be sure to watch for more.

Ghillie

No fish stories here. The ghillie is actually a shoe in which fabric or shoelaces are laced through fabric eyelets. A ghillie can be worn by men or women and can be found in a boot, high heel, or even a sneaker. It just depends on each individual shoe and how it's made.

Saddle

Ride 'em cowboy! Okay, maybe not. When talking shoes, a saddle is not something you strap to the back of a horse. It's a style of shoe with a different color of leather strapped over the instep. Not exactly horseback riding. When it comes to saddle shoes, you could be doing a number of things, including golfing, bowling, or attending a formal occasion.

Kiltie

A kiltie? What's that, a skirt for shoes? No, no, no. Well, it kind of looks like one sometimes. A kiltie is actually a fringed shoe tongue. The fringed part hangs over the front of the shoe. Generally, these would be somewhat dressy shoes. You can even get a kiltie with a wing tip, which brings us to the next term in our shoe encyclopedia.

Wing Tip

No, we're not switching to bird chatter here. We're still talking shoes. A wing tip is when the part sewn over the toe is shaped like a wing. This can be done on many different types of footwear. For instance, you could see it in a women's heel, a men's dress shoe, or even in a stylish boot.


*I originally published a version of this via Yahoo Contributor Network