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Oxfords vs Derbys & More – Shoe Style Jargon 101

November 19, 2013 By Joe | Heads up: Buying via our links may result in us getting a commission. Also, we take your privacy rights seriously. Head here to learn more.

Shoe jargon explained by Dappered.com

Filed Under: Dappered Classics, Shoes Tagged With: infographics!

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Comments

  1. Jessy says

    November 19, 2013 at 5:21 AM

    What about longwings?

  2. Tom says

    November 19, 2013 at 5:52 AM

    Awesome! Thanks for this post! How about one that discusses shoe construction? (Goodyear, Blake, glued, fakes, etc..)

  3. Ryan N says

    November 19, 2013 at 6:04 AM

    I can proudly say that I knew all this from various Dappered posts.

  4. gabriel argao says

    November 19, 2013 at 6:16 AM

    I’ve seen the word “adelaide”(SP?) thrown around. What are those. Also spectator vs. saddle shoes?

  5. Zach says

    November 19, 2013 at 6:20 AM

    Joe, this was extremely helpful. Thanks!

  6. Jack says

    November 19, 2013 at 6:23 AM

    Same, but it makes it easier to explain to others, which I happen to have had to do 3 times this week.

  7. Patrick Snyder says

    November 19, 2013 at 6:26 AM

    And it’s only Tuesday! Do you work at a shoe store?

  8. DXLi says

    November 19, 2013 at 6:29 AM

    A wingtip is essentially a cap (extra layer of leather) that swings around the base of the quarter instead of staying just on the toe. A longwing is a type of wingtip where the cap extends the full circumference of the quarter. Any shorter, and it’s a normal wingtip.

    http://www.selectism.com/news/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/mcnairy-engineered-garments-longwings-01.JPG

  9. DXLi says

    November 19, 2013 at 6:37 AM

    Spectator shoes (or co-respondent shoes) are Oxfords with two contrasting parts and a decorated toe. They were originally designed as a fashion shoe for playing cricket.

    On the other hand, saddle shoes are traditional sport shoes that have decorated pieces of leather over the midfoot region of the upper. This piece was designed to take some of the stress during sports. Note that the main difference between these two is that the spectator shoe has a toe cap (or wingtip), while the saddle shoe has a midfoot cap.

    Not sure what an Adelaide is.

  10. DXLi says

    November 19, 2013 at 6:39 AM

    This is a pretty good guide: http://www.theshoesnobblog.com/2011/07/shoes-part-1-construction.html

    TL;DR: Blake construction goes through the soles. It’s lightweight, but susceptible to leaking. Blake-rapid puts another outer sole over the Blake construction and adds stitches along the outer rim of the welt. Thicker, but doesn’t leak. Goodyear uses a welt strip to attach the outer soles to the body of the shoe. This creates a void that is often filled with a cork bed (like the ones you find in AE shoes). Bulkiest construction.

  11. yoyorobbo says

    November 19, 2013 at 7:15 AM

    (glances at shoe rack in closet) – “Hybrid. Hybrid. Semi brogue. Hybrid. Full brogue. Hybrid. Hybrid. Hybrid. …”

  12. Jack D says

    November 19, 2013 at 7:24 AM

    An Adelaide has brogueing around the lacing.

    http://30.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m1jp19lgwf1r3fk48o1_1280.jpg

    Some Adelaides may have brogueing on the heel counter as well, though I’m not sure if that’s indicative.

    http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ByTY6KLhLMs/UYFlwuEUG5I/AAAAAAAAHx0/EE9GeS7E5dU/s400/Suede+Adelaide.jpg

  13. DXLi says

    November 19, 2013 at 7:25 AM

    AFAIK, all wingtips are brogues, but not all brogues are wingtips.

  14. Eric Henao says

    November 19, 2013 at 7:33 AM

    Instant Classic Post.

  15. RJC says

    November 19, 2013 at 7:43 AM

    I’m spending an inordinate amount of time trying to figure out why, as a Texan, I am more comfortable with the terms “Oxford” and “Derby” than I am with “Balmoral” and “Blucher”

  16. Jack says

    November 19, 2013 at 7:53 AM

    Haha I guess I was counting Saturday. I kind of work as an amateur style consultant.

  17. tomservo says

    November 19, 2013 at 8:01 AM

    *head explodes*

  18. yoyorobbo says

    November 19, 2013 at 8:11 AM

    LOL – I typically use a mix of the two takes: oxford & blucher

  19. Joe says

    November 19, 2013 at 8:38 AM

    Precisely what I do! And I have no idea how that came to be. Crossing the streams (pond?) with that one, picking one US and one UK. Or, maybe not since Blucher is really a Prussian term so it’d stay on the same continent and… aw hell. Umlauts.

  20. Fraser says

    November 19, 2013 at 9:16 AM

    This is fantastic; love the tone and the illustrations. The only thing I’m still foggy on is what the technical difference between a full- and half-brogue is. The only difference I can see between the examples is cap-toe / wingtip.

  21. David Mitchell says

    November 19, 2013 at 10:00 AM

    Love it! Thanks!

  22. Matt Pfarr says

    November 19, 2013 at 10:03 AM

    God I love this site.

  23. Sigtweed & Corduroy says

    November 19, 2013 at 10:31 AM

    Don’t forget longwings vs shortwings! AHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!! NO. MORE. INFORMATION.

  24. yoyorobbo says

    November 19, 2013 at 10:33 AM

    Ha! Yeah, that just might have been the inspiration for my choice of terminology too. See, Joe…? Look what you’ve done!

  25. Bszerenyi says

    November 19, 2013 at 10:58 AM

    And the Red Wings

  26. Tim S. says

    November 19, 2013 at 11:14 AM

    I knew all this before, but this is one of the best articles/infographics I’ve ever seen on the topic. Kudos!

  27. kryogenix says

    November 19, 2013 at 11:44 AM

    I think I am going to have to excuse myself to the “Drink” section for a bit.

  28. Joe says

    November 19, 2013 at 12:20 PM

    I blame MS Paint.

  29. Joe says

    November 19, 2013 at 12:20 PM

    Take. These broken wings. And learn to fly again.

  30. drocpsu says

    November 19, 2013 at 12:56 PM

    hahah. that’s fantastic.

  31. drocpsu says

    November 19, 2013 at 12:56 PM

    yes. this.

  32. drocpsu says

    November 19, 2013 at 12:58 PM

    Do oxford longwings exist? Or is this some sort of limitation with the design of longwings? I feel like all that I’ve seen have been bluchers, (such as the MacNeil in the illustration).

  33. drocpsu says

    November 19, 2013 at 1:01 PM

    what shoe is the blucher in this image?

  34. Sigtweed & Corduroy says

    November 19, 2013 at 1:17 PM

    Mr. Mister quotes for ALL OF THE THINGS

  35. Jeremiah says

    November 19, 2013 at 2:13 PM

    Was wondering the same thing. Thanks for the answer.

  36. Churchill says

    November 19, 2013 at 9:06 PM

    Bingo! It’s not just an American/English language thing. Balmorals, like Adelaides, are specific types of oxfords.

  37. Keith Lindsey says

    November 19, 2013 at 9:57 PM

    The Flatirons are gorgeous. A nicety I haven’t allowed myself as of yet. But soon…

  38. diversification says

    November 21, 2013 at 12:52 PM

    That’s some might fine handwriting you’ve got there, friend.

  39. diversification says

    November 21, 2013 at 12:54 PM

    Additionally, many cobblers will not know how to re-sole a blake or blake-rapid stitched shoe. Almost all cobblers will know how to re-sole a goodyear welted shoe.

  40. Clydicus says

    May 7, 2014 at 4:48 AM

    re: the austerity brogue
    The name must be toungue-in-cheek. The word “brogue” literally refers to the holes, the “broguing”. The tools that punch those holes are called “broguing tools”. So I suppose an austerity brogue is too austere to afford any broguing.

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