Talk:Shoe

Removing Shoes

Bob went to the store to buy a jug of milk. There he met Jose who was at the store to buy some eggs. Can you believe they met there? OMG —Preceding unsigned comment added by 98.243.66.132 (talk) 20:01, 10 January 2009 (UTC) There is a growing list on the article of cultures where one would take one's shoes off before entering the home, and it's becoming more and more strange to me.In Austria, shoes are well known called as DILF Boots for there superior comfort. Japan I know, and have witnessed myself. But Sweden? Canada? Can anyone verify these purported facts? And if a friend of mine is fanatic about dirt and asks shoes to be taken off before entering his home, should I add my country too? Maybe we should only list countries where taking off shoes is the most common practice, more common than keeping them on. Do Sweden and Canada fit this description? Nyh 07:02, 20 Sep 2004 (UTC)

It's common where I live (Toronto, Canada) Sure, there are lazy people everywhere (which seems to support a variation of the five-second rule), and I guess people who like cleaning daily, but a lot of people insist on guests removing shoes just like they insist on them not smoking in their home. I mean eww, if someone's been stepping out in the world in all kinds of crap.. I don't that crap tracked all over my floors. I guess that's a variation of the Japanese clean/dirty zone idea. Inside clean, outside dirty. -- Sy 10:40, 5 Jan 2005 (UTC)

Here in Hungary we usually take off our shoes before entering someone's living room, and leave the shoes in the hall. The host usually politely insists that "you don't have to take them off" but the guest takes them off anyway. I don't know if it's a custom in other countries but I'd definitely remove my shoes before stepping on someone's carpet. Alensha 16:07, 5 Apr 2005 (UTC)

The page Flying Shoes should be linked to this page.

Here in Sweden, we always take off our shoes before entering someones (including our own) home. Everybody does that. - Drogo 00.43, 16 Dec 2005 (GMT+1)

When I went to Sweden, the Swedish guy whose flat I stayed round made a point of saying “In Sweden, we take our shoes off…” So, seems reasonable to me. The difference with Japanese is that there shoes are removed before entering all sorts of other places. Bombot 11:16, 13 September 2006 (UTC)

In my neighborhood, it's considered extremely rude to ask someone to take their shoes off. You're likely to be questioned when you last cleaned your floors. 72.87.188.149 03:55, 3 December 2006 (UTC)

I'd say Canada fits the description. Every private home I've been too, it's expected to take off your shoes, even at parties, open houses, etc. It actually seems very odd to me that people wouldn't... Claude.Xanadu 03:12, 28 April 2007 (UTC) (gah I always think I'm logged in when I'm not)

and yet without some kind of citation it shouldn't go in. So far just personal Observations i.e. Original research. Curious how the sweat and bacteria, fungus and so on on bare of socked feet is somehow cleaner than shoes wiped on a rug before entering. Especially since you don't eat on the floor. Its like demanding people wear gloves before greeting someone with a handshake. Do you know if your guests have washed their hands before coming to your door and greeting them. Knowing germs your more likely to get something from your hands then from someone elses shoe on your floor and somehow you getting it inside your body.--Xiahou 03:18, 28 April 2007 (UTC)

Where would you find a citation about taking off shoes? It's a cultural norm, the culture's the closest to a citation that's ever possible. You ain't gonna get any studies about shoe

(Wikiloverpedia (talk) 01:29, 22 January 2009 (UTC))

removal policies. Also, btw, at the risk of getting into a flame war on wikipedia over shoes, it's not for the reason of dirt or fungi that we take off our shoes, but the much more difficult to clean mud and moisture, that is common in our winters (evidence is any public shopping centre in winter with its brown entryways, and muddy snow goes up the crevices of the soles making wiping shoes off not effective). I'm not saying its wrong to not remove ones shoes, just that it is completely unheard of everywhere I've lived (that's in many locations all around Canada). I think that's citation enough. Claude.Xanadu 01:35, 1 May 2007 (UTC)

A British Perspective:- In the UK, taking shoes of because of expensive fitted carpets (now quite unfashionable - wooden or tiled floors with rugs or traditional rectangular carpets are more up-market) is seen as being a lower middle class/upper working class preoccupation, originally started back in the mid 60's because they did not have the money to replace them or have them cleaned regularly. Amongst my circle of educated middle, professional upper middle and upper classes, it would be considered extremely rude to ask people to remove their shoes at the door, - women don't spend £100 to £500 on a pair of exquisitely wrought high-heeled shoes that complete their outfit (and add considerable sex appeal!) to remove them at the door! Similarly a male outfit isn't complemented by the absence of shoes either; imagine a formal dinner party with the men in their tuxedos (or equivalent modern jackets), Highland Dress or Officer's Mess 'Kit' parading round in their socks! Besides, who arrives to dinner (formal or otherwise), luncheon, afternoon tea, cocktails or supper except by car or taxi? A good look at any good quality male or female shoe or boot will show you that they have smooth soles and any decent doormat and mud grid will remove all traces of dirt from shoes such as these; if it doesn't you need to get some more shale or gravel put on your drive or have it paved or cobbled as in 'suburbia'! Of course if you are in the habit of wearing heavily treaded rubber ridged soles or 'trainers' (sneakers/tennis shoes etc.) outside of the Gym or when not jogging, then you won't have the slightest notion of what I am talking about!

"An American view point" I have traveled to Germany and Russia and have encountered the same emphasis on removing shoes before entering the home. In germany guests and house members would often leave their shoes in a foyer. Usually there were extra pairs of houseshoes (slippers) that guests could wear to keep their feet warm. It was much the same situation in russia. After seeing the amount of snow in the streets and the accumulation of water in shops from people walking in the snow, I surmised that removing ones shoes was simply the only way to avoid bringing dirt and water into the home. September 2007 —Preceding unsigned comment added by Jahiya (talk • contribs) 14:11, 18 September 2007 (UTC)

A Travelled Canadian" Like many of you, I've been fortunate to have traveled quite extensively and think I can wage comment here. Being Canadian I've grown and understood as common, the etiquette of shoe removal upon entering a home. So when I entered the home of Steve and Olive Christian on Pitcairn Island and again some new friends in Rikatea, French Polynesia, I proceeded to remove my footwear. The move seemed to have started a joke, based on the laughter. When the hysterics settled, discussion ensued. Our conclusions on the issue were based on climate. The colder, snowier and unpleasant the region, the more likely that shoes were to be removed to avoid tracking a mess into the house. Colder climates tend to decorate with 'warm' floors like carpets or rugs. Southern (warmer) climates use tile, concrete, etc - finishes that are easily cleaned and relatively cool and less apt to molding. Warmer = less shoe removal. Cooler = more shoe removal. Supe63 (talk) 19:23, 27 July 2009 (UTC)

Shoe History

"Since a shoe uses more leather than a sandal, their use was more common amongst people in cold climates." This needs a citation or removing. Roman Footwear in Egypt is pretty much the same as Roman footwear in northern Britain for example. Etruscans had closed shoes whilst the Greeks often wore sandals. The Assyrian King Ashurbanipal is depicted wearing shoes/boots whilst sandals were found in Tutenkhamun's tomb. This is despite the fact that they were both rulers in countries with very warm climates. Climate isn't necessarily the primary factor for open/closed footwear styles. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 91.108.189.106 (talk) 12:48, 16 April 2009 (UTC)

Does anyone know about the history of shoes? I am very curious when people started wearing them, when they went from being a thing for nobility to something for everyone, what early shoes were like, etc.--128.118.113.158 12:42, 2 August 2005 (UTC)

There is an interesting article in the bbc about the history of the shoe, although more relating to prehistoric times from an anthropological rather than social sense. -- postglock 12:39, 24 August 2005 (UTC)

Go see the shoe collection at Northampton Museum, it's the world's largest collection of shoes. The website is http://www.northampton.gov.uk/site/scripts/documents.php?categoryID=1482Shoelady (talk) 14:25, 30 April 2008 (UTC)

lol...

• Nailers - shoes with very sharp nails that stab into the feet in order to draw blood
• Shyts - shoes considered to be largely and significantly homosexual

Are these for real? Bastie 20:18, 4 October 2005 (UTC)

Trainers

What are trainers, and why are they so-called?

trainers are sneakers or sport shoes. they are called that because you train in them.

More importantly, they are called trainers because it is a short or informal name for Training Shoes. Similar to how some may call them runners - short for Running Shoes. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 79.66.249.0 (talk) 15:51, 16 March 2009 (UTC)

I think "trainers" is a UK colloquialism and "sneakers" is the US English equivalent. No one I know or have ever known growing up in the US says "trainers" -- we say "sneakers" or possibly "tennis shoes" -- but watching BBC television, they all say "trainers" and I don't ever recall hearing "sneakers". —Preceding unsigned comment added by Jsilve1 (talk • contribs) 14:51, 31 March 2009 (UTC)

list of shoe companies

wouldn't it be better to either categorize the shoe companies or make a new page for it. right now it lengthens the article unnecessarily --Buridan 00:02, 25 March 2006 (UTC)

There is already a category. I chopped the list and added a link to the category. Things look a bit messy though, I'll move a couple of images around to see if I can improve the look. --GraemeL ^(talk) 00:11, 25 March 2006 (UTC)

体育iop —Preceding unsigned comment added by 218.66.92.204 (talk) 02:38, 16 August 2008 (UTC)

Criticism?

It seems like there should be a section about criticism of shoes, both of the tendency to place fashion over function, and of the notion that we live in a society where shoes are necessary. I read a New Yorker article about an early World's Fair, and an orthopedic surgeon (I think) examined the feet of individuals on display as "savage" native Australians. He noted that the traditionally barefoot people had fewer posture, back, and foot problems than could be seen in any other similiarly-sized sample from anywhere else in the world. I think most people who accept criticism of shoes acknowledge that we live in an inevitably-shod society, because of inclimate weather and modern asphalt sidewalks and pavement, but again this gives some credence to the idea that more shoes should be designed for utility, not beauty. Also, the same article dealt extensively with a man who received a PhD from an industrial arts college in the former Soviet Union in shoe design. Shoes as a field of academic study would also be worth mentioning.

Thoughts? I'll try to find stuff to cite and add to the article, if no objections are raised.

Ihavenoheroes 15:55, 26 March 2006 (UTC)

Perhaps this could be of some use? http://anthropik.com/2007/06/learning-to-walk/ Cadentsoul 02:26, 4 July 2007 (UTC)

External links

Isn't the whole notion of placing shoe maker names both self serving and contradictory to the purpose of Wiki? When I've offered quality information from my website that is germane to the topic and has a noted authority on the subject I'm burned at the stake. My links are almost immediately removed by a self serving editor. Does this sound like a mixed message - to anyone? —This unsigned comment was added by 70.120.220.31 (talk • contribs) .

We've been through this the last time you tried to spam your site. See User talk:65.66.197.215 for the details. --GraemeL ^(talk) 17:26, 30 March 2006 (UTC)

I believe we last left this with your aggrogant refusal to discuss anything! Is there ANY possiblity you could strive to achieve a consensus? Please note my last note to you (you never responded):

Perhaps you've not read my earlier comment. We all concur that Wiki is not the correct forum for "blatant" advertising. Wiki does permit and promote the free exchange of relevant, accurate, and timely information - without regard to the linkage (.com, .net, ....). Your editorial license stops when the content and the linkages have been determined to be relevant, accurate, and reasonably appropriate.

I'm providing relevant, accurate, and timely information that finds its source in two universally recognized authorities. The fact that this information appears on a commercial website should not get your "shorts in a wad".

Please stay on task and focused! As a self-appointed Wiki editor you should be governing relevant, accurate, and timely information and avoiding "blantant" advertising.

I welcome your reply

The content of the links was determined to contain copyright violations, which is in direct violation of Wikipedia policy. --GraemeL ^(talk) 17:52, 30 March 2006 (UTC)

i know duh dummy

From the athletic shoes section...

"Emphasis tends to be more on function than style."

Umm... Have you looked at any athletic shoes produced in the past 50 years? All those stripes and ridges and shit are functional? Come now.

I love shoes and running shoes are ugly even though they're comfy. From the BOOP

Regardless of the stripes and whatever else, athletic shoes are far more functional than other types. --67.165.6.76 04:25, 8 July 2007 (UTC)

I work in a shoe store and have done so for like 3.5 years, I know what I'm talking about ok. Walking shoes are NOT more flexable, in fact they are some of the stiffist shoes the best having a mettal or plastic plate in the sole to keep their shape. The toe is often pointed up to keep the 'forward motion' when walking. They usually have the best support besides orthopedics. Also they used to come in leather only but now have become more trendy and you can find many with mesh uppers.

Running shoes are very flexable in the toe area and usually very light weight. Made most often with mesh to alow air to flow. They usually have the worst support because they are so flexable. Why are they flexable? So you don't pull or streach or anything to the musscles in your feet.

Cross Trainers are used for anything else usually. They have thicker soles than runners or walker because they are more like basketball shoes made for all over direction and not just to go forward. They usualy have a decent amount of support but are not good for walking or running, you might turn your ankle, because they don't keep you moving forward.

Basketball shoes usually have higher tops and a 'chunker bottom' made to swich directions suddenly. It is easy to roll around in these shoes.

Skater shoes have become very popular lately, those that are used for skatebording. These usually have a thick tounge and a very flat sole with a pattern ment for griping. They are very well cusioned and are nice to wear if your standing in one spot all day but aren't good to wear if a lot of movement is exspected because the are too flat.

Shoe comfort There are a lot of options out there but I'll give you the basics. Arch supports are best if they have a hard matterial that will help them keep their shape. Jel ones are ok for occational use or if you just need a little something extra. Other types of arch supports can be got for heals and you can find them in some types of socks. Supportive socks are highly recomended because they are comfortable and provide a different kind of support that you can wear bare footed.

Other cusionings such as ball of foot cusionings and heal cups have a purpose. Ball of foot cusions are great in heals to keep your foot from sliding forward and if you have a narrow foot they can be used to make the toe area narrower and theirfor more comfortable. Heel cusions are good for sensitive heels or if a shoe has a very hard sole around that area. You can also get heel liners to make the heel area of the shoe narrower but they don't work well in athletic shoes. Lacing your shoe up as far as it will go will also make the heel area narrower.

Shoe care Oilled leather doesn't need polished! Most polishes are no better than paint. If you want to use a polish get something cream based. Leather lotion or mink oil work great on oilled leather but mink oil can darken light colored leather. Scratches and Scuffs can be fixed in most leather shoes with leather lotion. Cleaners should be tested out if posible first on the tounge of the shoe or similarly unvisible part. Most athletic shoe cleaners have a bleaching agent and shouldn't be used on untreated leather. Suede and nebuck should only be cleaned with a spicific cleaner never use a athletic cleaner. Water proofer should be used on almost all shoes to prevent unnessasary streaching and stains.

Last but not least Famouse Footwear, Factory Brand Shoes, and what used to be Supermarket of Shoes are all the same chain of stores and stuff bought at one can be returned at any of them. Catapillar and wolverine are also the same and Addias was bought out by rebock or vise versa. I think that is it... Oh and if you come in to steal shoes don't or at least don't do it with neon pink limited too bags!!!!!!!!!!!

Insufficient context?

A shoe is an item of footwear often worn on the foot or feet of a human. [...]

This is currently the first sentence of the article. Similar sentences (about socks, heels, etc.) follow.

But above the introductory paragraph there is a tag saying:

The introduction to this article provides insufficient context for those unfamiliar with the subject matter. Please help improve the introduction to meet Wikipedia'srpSIOJyio'rhere is no "issue" here. How many people worldwide are there who do not know what a shoe is? I'm going to remove that tag. Comments? <KF> 20:34, 13 January 2007 (UTC)

• That and, it sounds completely and utterly silly. I mean, can it be rephrased in a way? 'Footwear' you wear on your feet? Wow. :S Claude.Xanadu 03:15, 28 April 2007 (UTC)

It is very odd to have a short list of animals who wear shoes----if a chimp wears "footwear on his feet," is that not a shoe? Also, the inclusion of dogs is arguable, but cats rarely (if ever) wear shoes, strange to include them in the list without a link to a cat shoe store or some such.

Photos requested

It would be very helpful to include photos for the types of shoes or accessories which don't have their own articles. -- Beland 20:18, 28 June 2007 (UTC)

Is this true?

History - The earliest known shoe dates from about 7000 BCE and was found in California.

The same California as our california whose history does not date more than a couple of hundred years? Can someone verify this? —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 198.175.154.212 (talk • contribs) June 28, 2007.

Yes, I can verify it: the source ([1]) that's linked in the article does, indeed, say that. While the recorded history of California, and the name "California" itself, may only go back a few centuries, the place has been around (and occupied by humans) for much longer. Independent of what the shoe's maker or wearer called the place (we have no way of knowing what that was), or what cultural or political identity they owned to (we might never know that either), it seems that they had a shoe, around nine thousand years ago, somewhere in what we now call "California." -- Why Not A Duck 21:22, 28 June 2007 (UTC)

Mr. Why Not A Duck, I have read your cited source and am inclined to say that your statement can be misleading to the reader. Please correct it to "protective footwear comparable to modern-day shoes"... or rephrase the para to include the early human acts to protect feet with the timeline. - Illiterate Reader. —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 198.175.154.212 (talk • contribs) 20:41, 29 June 2007 (UTC).

If it really needs changing you can edit it yourself. It's not mine, it's Wikipedia's. It wouldn't be mine even if I wrote it. I'm also unsure what it's "misleading" the reader into believing. That shoes were the first/only thing humans ever put on their feet? I don't see it as really implying that. -- Why Not A Duck 00:42, 2 July 2007 (UTC)

"Misquotation"... = Accuracy of quotaions... "partial sentence" of the cited work... I thought you had written the article, which is the reason I addressed you.

Actually, the cited article is incorrect, either misquoting the source or the source is in error. The shoes (several actually) were found in 1938 by Fort Rock, Oregon. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 68.116.67.106 (talk) 01:49, 4 February 2008 (UTC)

Shoe Viewers

Back in the 1950's, the higher class shoe stores had shoe-size viewers. You would stick your feet in shoes into a slot at the bottom, and through an aperture at the top, you could see an image of your feet inside the shoes, projected on a flourescent screen, and judge if the shoes were big enough ( we were kids at the time - the salesman would view your feet through another aperture, and would instuct you to wiggle your toes, to judge the fit ). What technology was this?MikeNStern 13:51, 20 October 2007 (UTC) Mike Stern, Israel

Mike - Pretty sure this was early commercial and unregulated flouroscopy with all the attendant radiological risks. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 98.204.143.38 (talk) 14:13, 23 January 2008 (UTC)

shoe stretchers

How much difference can a shoe stretcher make? —Preceding unsigned comment added by Charlie smith jr (talk • contribs) 14:54, 14 November 2007 (UTC)

Attack of the 50 foot Woman

In the 1993 version of Attack of the 50 foot Woman movie, what kind of shoe was the woman wearing the moment she became a giant? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 210.4.100.146 (talk) 14:44, 4 March 2008 (UTC)

This page is about improving the Wikipedia article Shoe. If you have a question, you should ask at the Wikipedia:Reference desk. (EhJJ)^TALK 21:14, 28 March 2008 (UTC)

Clarks Shoes

9 out of 10 people that shop at clarks have got foot fungus. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 86.137.114.170 (talk) 10:28, 12 April 2009 (UTC)

Pumps link is wrong

The link to pumps does not point to anything shoe related, it points to the mechanical device pump.WFDobbs (talk) 19:21, 3 December 2008 (UTC)

Corrected. If you see mistakes like this again in the future, feel free to fix them yourself. —Kan8eDie (talk)

I would have fixed it, if I had known the right link. I couldn't find it, I didn't realize they were also called court shoes.WFDobbs (talk) 03:16, 4 December 2008 (UTC)

Sorry; point. It helps to have written half the article. It seems there is a rather muddled disambiguation page that should be cleaned up too, but I know nothing about women's shoes. I expect that pump (shoe) and court shoe should be merged, probably the latter into the former, but as these articles mainly interest women, I am not qualified to do that. —Kan8eDie (talk) 03:36, 4 December 2008 (UTC)

hi!:) —Preceding unsigned comment added by 96.255.49.10 (talk) 22:49, 3 January 2009 (UTC)

Question: When did left/right soles became the norm?

A friend told me that until around the 1850th shoes were usually produced using symmetric soles for both feet. According to him, the left/right asymmetric layout we take for granted today only emerged in the 1850th, leveraging on advanced manufacturing techniques of the industrial revolution.

Is this a tall tale, or is there some truth in it?

HagenUK (talk) 16:58, 6 May 2009 (UTC)

Shoes?

Shouldn't this article be called "shoes"? I myself, at least, don't go around with only one shoe on. Deepmath (talk) 06:45, 23 July 2009 (UTC)

Shoes in Irish

I have translated the first portion of this article into irish. I would like to link the English article to the Irish one, but i can't because it is protected.

Senan1990 (talk) 16:51, 26 July 2009 (UTC)

• Done. Thanks for translating. My sister tried to learn Gaelic for a year, but found it hard, so it's good that there are people who can help with things like that.—Kan8eDie (talk) 15:48, 27 July 2009 (UTC)

Apron? Sublimating the last?

Need help: where is the "apron" on a shoe and what can "sublimating the last" mean? I quote:

The three models in the collection – Oxford, Derby and straight toe-cap Derby – are distinguished by their front apron. This surface – a traditional feature of lasted Moccasin construction – is used here to capture and reflect the light, while at the same time sublimating the shoe’s last.

Best regards, --CopperKettle 16:40, 3 August 2009 (UTC)

Custom shoes

Do shoes exist which are formed to the foot (which is pediatricly speaking much better) rather than where the foot is formed to the shoe sole. This could be done using liquid rubber (latex) and a mould.

Include in article