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Learning the Basics

No Business Like
Shoe Business

Styles

By Diane Kaye
Second of Three Parts

Catch up with Part One|Part Three

Women’s shoes have a few basic styles from which many variations are created.

The pump covers the broadest category and includes any shoe shape that has a covering around the heel and over the top of the front part of the foot, included in this group are open-toe pumps. Next there is the sandal which covers any shoe shape with open toes, and straps around the foot as opposed to a complete covering that the pump offers . There are sling backs which have a strap behind the heel rather than a covering like the pump does. The toe and front foot section is generally covered, although there can be open toe sling backs. Then there are mules as shown in the single picture below. These shoes can have open or enclosed toe’s. They do not have any covering or strap behind or around the heel. The pressure of wedging the front part of the foot into the covered area is what holds them on. If you have a narrow foot you may not want to try the mule. I personally find that they seem to want to slip off. But then I wear between a medium and narrow women’s shoe.

Wedge Heel

Fancy Heel

Basic Flat

Covering Materials

The material that the upper is made of usually dictates the retail price. Man made materials are the cheapest while good quality leather is the most expensive. The shoes to the left are covered with a satin material while those below are covered with a suede material. Soft supple leathers like Kid (goat) and calf (baby cows) demand higher prices than less expensive cow hide leathers. Suede’s also are more pricey. Suede’s are harder to keep clean and their appearance is quickly changed if the suede’s grain is disturbed. Mud is murder on suede, as is rain. Exotic animal skins are the top of the line in cost, but thankfully there are man made equivalents. Multi-colored materials and panels offer style. Materials such as Satin and a cloth woven look work well for formal occasions. Again these coverings can be easily ruined by mud and water. Some cloth covered styles are designed to be dyed. The purpose of dyeable shoes is to allow a match to a particular garment color and often find use in weddings for the bride maids. Patent leather looks are now made with man made plastics. This style of covering is susceptible to scuffing. In general, plastic uppers do not allow the foot to breath so expect really sweaty feet in the summer with these materials.

Construction

Modern shoes tend to be glued together rather than the traditional sewing method. When I buy a shoe I look at the quality of workmanship. Straps in particular are a weak point. Sewn seams can be wavy and run off the edge. Buckle holes can be off center or incomplete (ie don’t go through the material). Anchor points to the shoe or from the strap to an elastic piece can be poorly sewn resulting in breakage and a shoe that falls off. The liner may have bumps behind it which will cause local discomfort and possibly a blister. The inner sole may be off center or have bumps in it. Upper finish may have blemishes. Sole material may be too stiff for comfort or of a material that offers poor traction.

Go cheap on the flats and wedges, but don't buy poorly made high heels! If a heel breaks you can you twist an ankle and fracture it. And that's no fun at all

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