USA Fashion Retail Shoes and Other Footwear

Glitterz Lingerie, Clubwear Platform Heels Gothic Shoes Large Collection of retail footwear , Demonia Brand Gothic Shoes, Gothic Boots, Gothic Platforms, Gothic Flip Flops and more Many more styles to come. Along with Gothic Clothing. Fabulous Platforms and Heels Choose from our beautiful collections. You're ready for the dance floor in our exclusive lady footwear platform heels collections in Wood, Ice, Clear and more. Adult Novelties and Adult Toys Bedroom Games, Lotions, Oils, Romantic Novelties and more... Great for Bridal & Bachelorette Parties! Sure to Spice up your love life! Glamorous Designer Jewelry Unique custom-made jewelry that "Completes the Ultimate Outfit." Perfect for brides, dinner parties, and special events. Sexy Womens Clothing Hologram, Metallic, Neon Lycra and more. We have the Ultimate Selection in club wear. Miami style clothes make great stripper clothes and exotic dancer outfits not forgetting to mention again of course our fantastic selection of womens footwear .
Looking for comfortable socks, tights or knee socks for yourself or you children then our site is a must see. We have the finest collection of cotton and wool socks, tights and knee socks from MP Europe the largest collection of MP children and adult tights and socks, retail footwear cloggs too from Denmark. In addition we bring you a wonderful collection of European children designer clothing with accessories. Our brands are only found in the most fashionable children boutiques throughout the world. We hope that you will shop and in doing so find any child footwear you may require and that you also enjoy shopping at our site.

Thank You For Visiting The Racing Ahead Store

I Hope you enjoy shopping at the Racing Ahead store and that you find what you are looking for. From time to time, new additions will be made to departments so please do come back and look again.

Shoes

History of Shoes

The Parts of Shoes

• Insole
  The insoles are the interior bottoms of shoes which sit directly beneath the foot. Many shoes have removable and replaceable insoles and extra insoles are often added for comfort or health reasons (to control the shape, moisture, or smell of the shoe).
• Outsole
  The outsole is the layer in direct contact with the ground. Dress shoes have leather outsoles; casual or work-oriented shoes have outsoles made of natural rubber or a synthetic imitation. The outsole may comprise a single piece or may comprise separate pieces of different materials. Often the heel of the sole is rubber for durability and traction, while the front is leather for style. Specialized shoes will often have modifications on this design: athletic cleats have spikes embedded in the outsole to grip the ground; many kinds of dancing shoes have much softer or harder soles.
• Midsole
  The layer in between the outsole and the insole that is typically there for shock absorption. Some types of shoes like running shoes have another material for shock absorption, usually beneath the heel where one puts the most pressure down. Different companies use different materials for the midsoles of their shoes . Some shoes may not have a midsole at all.
• Heel
  The bottom rear part of a shoe is the heel. Its function is to support the heel of the foot. They are often made of the same material as the sole of the shoe. This part can be high for fashion or to make the person look taller or flat for a more practical use.
• Vamp or upper
  All shoes have an upper part that helps hold the shoes onto the foot. In the simplest cases, such as sandals or flip flops, this may be nothing more than a few straps for holding the sole in place. Closed footwear, such as boots, sneakers and most men's shoes will have a more complex upper. This part is often decorated or is made in a certain style to look attractive.

Accessories to Shoes

• Shoehorn: can be used to insert feet into shoes by keeping them open and providing a smooth surface for the feet to slide upon.
• Shoe tree: placed inside shoes when user is not wearing them, to help maintain the shoes shape.
• Shoe polishing equipment:
  i) Shoe polish: a waxy material spread on shoes to improve appearance, glossiness, and provide protection.
  ii) Shoe brush and polishing cloth: used to apply polish to shoes .
  
• Overshoes or galoshes: a rubber covering placed over shoes for rain and snow protection.
• (Orthopedic) shoe insert: insert of various materials for cushioning, improved fit, or reduced abrasion. These include padding and inner linings. Inserts may also be used to correct foot problems.
• Shoe bag: a bag that protects shoes against damage when they are not being worn.
• Shoe stretcher: a tool for making shoes longer or wider or for reducing discomfort in areas of shoes .
• Snow shoe: a wooden or leather piece which increases the area of ground covered by the shoes .
• Shoelaces: a system used to secure shoes .

Types of Shoes

Dress and casual shoes

Men's shoes

• Balmorals: the vamp has a V-shaped slit to which the laces are attached; also known as "closed lacing". In England, the balmoral is known as the Oxford. The word "Oxford" is used by American clothing companies to market shoes that are not balmorals, such as rubber-sole bluchers.
• Bluchers: the laces are tied to two pieces of leather independently attached to the vamp; also known as "open lacing". In England, Bluchers are known as Derby shoes .
• Monk-straps: a buckle and strap instead of lacing Various other closings exist but are less popular such as side-elastic closings.
• Plain-toes: have a sleek appearance and no extra decorations on the vamp.
• Cap-toes: has an extra layer of leather that "caps" the toe. This is possibly the most popular decoration.
• Brogues (American: wing-tips): The toes of the shoes are covered with a perforated panel, the wing-tip, which extends down either side of the shoes . Brogues can be found in both balmoral and blucher styles.

Women's shoes

• Pumps: known in the US and UK as ballerinas, ballet pumps or skimmers, are shoes with a very low heel and a relatively short vamp, exposing much of the instep. They are popular for warm-weather wear and may be seen as more comfortable than shoes with a higher heel. Pumps are strapless shoes with no lacings or fastening
• High heels: may be shoes with heels 2 inches (5 cm) or higher. They are often seen as having more sex appeal than low heels and are thus commonly worn by women for formal occasions or social outings.
• Kitten heels: are low high heels from about 1.5 to 2 inches high, set in from the back of the shoe.
• Sneaker boot and sneaker pump: shoes that look like an athletic shoes but are equipped with heels, making them like novelty dress shoes .
• Wedge Sandals: are sandals but have the ankles higher as if wearing high heels shoes .
• Mules: are shoes or slippers with no fitting around the heel (i.e. they are backless)
• Slingbacks: are shoes which are secured by a strap behind the heel, rather than over the top of the foot.
• Espadrilles: are casual flat or high-heeled fashion sandals of a style which originated in the Pyrenees. They usually have a cotton or canvas upper and a flexible sole of rope or rubber.

Shoes for either gender

• Platform shoes : Shoes with very thick soles and heels
• Moccasin: originated by Native Americans, soft shoes without heels and usually made of leather.
• Sandals: open shoes consisting of a sole and various straps, leaving much of the foot exposed to air. They are thus popular for warm-weather wear because they let the foot be cooler than closed-toed shoes would.
• Saddle shoes : leather shoes with contrasting saddle-shaped bands over the insteps, typically white uppers with black "saddle".
• Loafer: Dress or casual shoes without laces; often with tassels, buckles or coin-holders (penny loafers).
• Boating shoes , also known as boat shoes and deck shoes : similar to loafers but more casual. Laces, if present, are usually simple leather (often two-tone) with no frills. Often made of canvas or featuring a white sole. They have soft soles / heels to avoid marring or scratching a boat deck. The first boat shoes were invented in 1935 by Paul Sperry.
• Boots: Long shoes (covering the ankle) frequently made of leather. Some are designed to be used in times of bad weather or simply as an alternate style of casual or dress wear. Styles include rubber boots and snow boots as well as work boots and hiking boots.
• Slippers: For indoor use, commonly worn with pajamas.

Athletic Shoes

• Sneakers / trainers ( also called gym shoes or tennis shoes ): general purpose athletic shoes ; made out of rubber, cloth, and / or plastic to be lightweight, flexible, and have good traction. Special varieties are available for basketball or tennis.
• Running shoes : very similar to above with additional emphasis on cushioning.
• Track shoes : lightweight; often with plastic or metal cleats
• Cleat shoes : a type of shoe featuring moulded or removable studs. Usually worn while playing sports such as rugby, football, American football or baseball.
• Golf shoes : with "spikes" for better grip in grass and wet ground. Originally the spikes or "cleats" were made of metal but replaceable "soft spikes" made of synthetic plastic-like materials with prongs distributed radially around the edge of each spike are much more common today (and are required on many golf courses since they cause less damage to the greens).
• Bowling shoes : intermediate style between ordinary dress shoes and athletic shoes . They have harder rubber soles / heels so as not to damage bowling alley floors. They are often rented or loaned at bowling alleys.
• Climbing shoes : Shoes designed for rock climbing. They typically have a close fit, little if any padding and a smooth sticky rubber sole with an extended rubber rand.
• Hiking shoes or boots: usually have a high somewhat stiff upper with many lace eyelets, to provide ankle support on uneven terrain with extra large traction on the sole.
• Walking shoes : have a more flexible sole than running shoes , lighter in weight than the hiking boots may have air holes, may not be water proof.
• Skating shoes : typically called skates. They have various attachments for skating on the bottom of the shoe portion.
• Ski boot: a large, thick plastic boot specially designed for attachment to the ski.
• Skateboarding shoes : have flat soles for a better grip on a skateboard. They are very wide and have extra layers of padding to protect the skateboarders feet.
• Cycling shoes : are equipped with a metal or plastic cleat to interface with clipless pedals, as well as a stiff sole to maximize power transfer and support the foot.
• Snow shoes : are special shoes for walking in thick snow. In temperate climates, snow shoes are used for mostly recreational purposes in winter.
• Wrestling shoes : are light, flexible shoes that mimic bare feet while providing additional traction and protection.

Dance Shoes

• Pointe shoes : Designed for ballet dancing. These have a toe box that is stiffened with glue and a hardened sole so the dancer can stand on the tips of their toes. They are secured by elastic straps and ribbons that are tied to the dancer's ankles.
• Ballet shoes : are heel-less slippers made of canvas or leather with either continuous or two-part sole (i.e., split-sole). The sole is typically made of leather with thicker material under the ball and heel of the foot and thinner and thus more flexible material under the arch so that the foot can be pointed to its utmost. Ballet slippers are usually secured by elastics that cross over the top of the foot. They are most commonly pink, white, black or pale tan, although they may be made in specialty colours such as red or blue.
• Jazz shoes : These typically have a two-part, rubberized sole (i.e. split-sole) to provide both flexibility and traction and a low (one inch or shorter) heel. They are secured to the foot by laces or elastic inserts.
• Ballroom shoes : They fall into two categories for the two genres of dances as defined by the IDSF (International Dance Sport Federation): Ballroom and Latin American. Both are characterised by suede soles. Mens' Ballroom shoes are typically lace-ups with 1-inch heels and patent leather uppers. Ladies' Ballroom shoes are typically court shoes with low 2-inch heels usually made of fabric so that they can be finished with a greater variety of colours to match the dancer's dress. The low Ballroom heel distributes the dancer's weight across the foot while Latin American shoes have higher heels designed to throw the dancer's weight on to the toes and the soles are more flexible. Men's Latin shoes typically have 1.5-inch to 2-inch shaped heels while Ladies' Latin shoes have 2,5-inch to 3-inch heels, open-toed and strapped.
• Dance sneakers, also known as dansneakers: these are a combination of a sneaker and a dance shoe, with a reinforced rubber toe.
• Character shoes : Shoes with a one to three inch heel, which are usually made of leather and often have one or more straps across the instep to secure the foot during dance. They may come in soft-soled (suede) or hard-soled varieties. They may be converted to tap shoes by attaching taps.
• Foot thongs: Variously called called Foot Paws and FootUndeez, depending on the manufacturer, these are slip-on, partial foot covers that protect the ball of a dancer's foot from skin abrasions while executing turns. From a distance, flesh colored foot thongs give a dancer the appearance of having bare feet.

Work Shoes

Historical Shoes

• Turn-shoes: A method by which the shoes are constructed inside-out, wetted and turned — the finished side of the leather flipped to the outside. Such footwear was common from the Middle-ages until modern shoes were developed in the Tudor era. Because of their construction, turn - shoes cannot simply be re-soled, unlike most modern shoes .
• Espadrilles: these sandals, which are still worn today, are found as early as the 14th century.
• Patten: a European wooden overshoe used to keep a person's feet dry outdoors. First worn in the middle ages, they continued in use even into the early 20th century. Peoples such as the Dutch, Flemish, and some French carved similar, fully enclosed wooden shoes .
• Poulaine: Shoes with long-pointed toes, popular in Europe in the 1400s.
• Moccasins: Historical shoes of many North American Indian tribes.

Maintenance of Shoes

• Breaking-in: Some shoes are made of hard but deformable material. After a person wears them multiple times, the material reforms to fit the wearer's feet. The person is said to have broken in the shoes .
• Polishing: for protection, water resistance (to some extent) and appearance, especially for leather shoes and boots.
• Heel replacement: heels periodically wear out. Not all shoes are designed to enable this.
• Sole replacement: soles also wear out. Not all shoes can have their soles replaced.

Shoe Etiquette

Shoes in Literature

Sizes in Shoes