2Footwear-Glossary-Shoe-Construction-03-08-08.pdfVIP

Page 1 of 10 Footwear Glossary Shoe Construction Terminology A Aglet: The plastic sheath at the end of a shoelace which makes the lace easier to thread through the eyelet holes of a shoe. Ankle Strap: A strap attached at the rear of the shoe that encircles the ankle. Usually features an adjustable buckle or elastic. Ankle Wrap: Straps that are meant to be wrapped around and tied around the ankle for a stylish accent. Apron Toe: A type of toe characterized by a large overlay that covers the front of the toe and has visible edges or stitching. 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 the shoe, for padding and support of the arch of the foot. Automatic Sewing Machine: Sewing machines that sew a predetermined pattern rapidly and consistently. Used for topstitching uppers, tacking, shadow topstitching, etc. B Back Seam: The vertical seam at the back of a shoe or boot. Page 2 of 10 Ball: The padded area of the foot between the big toe and the arch of the foot. Bellows Tongue: A shoe tongue that is attached at both the top and the sides of the shoe. Bicycle Toe: A type of toe characterized by two stitched straight line accents, so named because of their similarity to professional bicycling shoe detailing. Blucher Toe: A type of toe characterized by a smooth, turned stitch border around the toe area, like an apron toe style in reverse. Boot Heel: Typically found on boots, this is a wide, stable type of heel that usually is not very high. Bottoming: bottoming refers to the process of attaching the Sole to the Upper. The basic methods of sole attachment include cementing, molding / vulcanizing, and sewing. Braided Thread: a thread where the ply are braided rather than twisted together so they have very good ply adhesion. AE’s brand for this item is our Poly Bra