Parts of the Shoe

It occurs to me that a lot of our younger readers may be unfamiliar with words like "vamp", "gimp" and "tongue". Nor indeed may they know the difference between an Aglet, an Oxford and a Derby. Forsooth, help is at hand: An Oxford is a closely laced shoe. By that, it is meant that the two parts of the Facing, when laced, are brought almost into contact with each other; in fact they are both sewn directly under the Vamp. The Oxford is considered to be a more formal (straight-laced) shoe than the Derby, wherein the Vamp continues up to become the Tongue, and the Facings are loosely laced together, allowing for a more relaxed fit. (The Derby is the name of a horse race at Epsom Downs, for goodness sake). Both styles can be decorated with Brogueing - a pattern of small punched holes next to an edge or seam. Gimping is the name given to a decorative zig-zag edge. And the Aglet? It's the little plastic thingamajig on the end of a shoelace that makes it easier to thread through the Eyelets.