Shoe Types

All Shoe Styles fall into one of four (4) general Shoe Types.

Shoe Types are determined by how shoes are secured to feet.

Both the Oxford and Blucher use laces to hold the shoe onto a foot, however the Oxford is designed with a closed facing (known as Closed Lacing), and the Blucher is designed with an open facing (known as Open Lacing).

The Oxford is a more formal type of shoe because it has a cleaner look and a snugger fit. In the U.S. the Oxford is sometimes referred to as a Balmoral, but this is a misnomer, as the Balmoral is a subset of the Oxford style.

It is also common in the U.S. for all men’s dress shoes that lace up to be referred to as Oxfords.

An Oxford is easily identified by the inability to open the bottom of the facing where the shoe laces go (1). This causes the diameter of the throat of the shoe to be a fixed size defined by the construction of the shoe.

The Blucher is a more casual type of shoe because it has more pieces to it, and there is more control over how snug (or loosely) the shoe fits. A Blucher is also referred to as a Derby in men’s shoes, and a Gibson in women’s shoes.

A Blucher is easily identified by the ability to open the bottom of the facing where the shoe laces go (2). This allows the diameter of the throat of the shoe to be somewhat adjustable by the user, and accomodate a wider range of individual instep shapes and sizes.

Although the Oxford and Blucher types are similar there are a number of styles that can only be an Oxford, and others that can only be a Blucher; For example an Adelaide can only be an Oxford due to its structural design, and a Chukka can only be a Blucher as it is inherent in the definition of a Chukka.

A Strap shoe, as the name would imply, uses a strap (and usually a buckle) (3) to hold the shoe onto the foot. The most common strap shoe for men is the Monk Strap which also come in a Double Monk strap style. Of course a Sandal is also considered a Strap type shoe.

The Slip on style covers Loafers (4) and most boots that do not have laces.

All shoe style fall into one of these 4 types (with the possible exception of a Zipper Boot).