Footwear: Glossary of Terms

Sneakers, loafers, boots, and dress shoes — the vocabulary for identifying a shoe from a photo.

Sneaker

Rubber-soled athletic or casual shoes. Includes trainers, court shoes, running shoes.

Running shoe

A sneaker built for forward-motion running — cushioned heel-to-toe with tread designed for pavement or trail.

Court shoe

A low-profile sneaker with a flat, non-marking sole — the tennis/basketball archetype (e.g. Superstar, Sambas, Stan Smith).

Skate shoe

A flat, wide, cushioned sneaker built to grip a skateboard deck. Vulcanized or cup-sole.

Loafer

A slip-on leather shoe with a low heel and no laces. Penny, tassel, horsebit are common variants.

Penny loafer

A loafer with a decorative slotted band across the vamp — historically shaped to hold a penny.

Tassel loafer

A loafer topped with a pair of leather tassels on the vamp.

Boat shoe

A moccasin-style leather shoe with a non-marking rubber sole and a lace running around the ankle. Warm-weather casual.

Derby shoe

A lace-up leather shoe with open lacing — the eyelets sit on top of the vamp, not sewn under it. More casual than oxford.

Oxford shoe

A lace-up leather shoe with closed lacing — the eyelets are stitched under the vamp. The formal lace-up.

Brogue

A shoe (usually an oxford or derby) decorated with perforated hole patterns — the 'broguing'. Full-, semi-, or quarter-brogue.

Monk-strap shoe

A dressy leather shoe closed by a strap and buckle across the vamp instead of laces. Single or double strap.

Chelsea boot

A close-fitting ankle boot with elastic side panels, no laces, and a pull-tab at the heel.

Combat boot

A lace-up ankle or mid-calf boot with a lugged sole and heavy leather upper. Military heritage.

Chukka boot

A short ankle boot with two or three pairs of eyelets and a plain toe. Suede or leather, casual.

Desert boot

A chukka with a crepe rubber sole. Clarks popularized the shape; often used as a synonym.

Cowboy boot

A mid-calf leather boot with a tall shaft, angled heel, and pointed or squared toe.

Riding boot

A tall, close-fitting leather boot reaching the knee, with a low heel. Equestrian heritage.

Knee-high boot

Any boot with a shaft reaching approximately the knee. Flat, block-heel, or stiletto.

Ankle boot

A boot with a shaft ending at or just above the ankle. Bootie is the same thing.

Mule

A backless shoe — closed toe, open heel. Flat, kitten-heel, block-heel, or stiletto.

Slide

A flat, single-band slip-on shoe. Sport (Adidas) or leather (Birkenstock-style).

Ballet flat

A slip-on flat shoe with a shallow vamp and a rounded toe, inspired by ballet slippers.

Mary Jane

A flat or heeled shoe closed by one or more straps across the instep. Rounded or squared toe.

Espadrille

A flat or wedged shoe with a jute-rope sole and a canvas or leather upper.

Updated 2026-07-30