Shoe

A shoe is a piece of footwear for humans, less than a boot and more than a slipper. This footwear is shaped to fit the foot (or the area below the ankle) with a flexible upper part of leather (or plastic) usually and a sole and heel of heavier material. Shoes differ from boots by not extending past the ankle. A moccasin is a specialized soft leather shoe worn by the Native Americans.

Shoe etiquette

Because of (potential) foot odor, some people are displeased if other people take their shoes off in their company. On the other hand, in some cultures (e.g. in Finland, Sweden, Japan, Alaska and some parts of Canada and the American Pacific Northwest), shoes are customarily removed when visiting someone's home. Guests do this to avoid tracking in dirt from outside and thus inconveniencing their host. In Arab cultures, showing the soles of your shoes to your host is considered highly insulting.

In trains it is often allowed to put one's feet on the opposite seat, provided that one takes one's shoes off or put them on a newspaper, piece of clothing, bag, etc., to avoid possible dirtying of the seat.

Trivia

• Units for shoe sizes vary widely around the world. European sizes are measured in Paris Points, which are worth two-thirds of a centimeter. The UK and American units are approximately one-quarter of inch, starting at 8¼ inches. Men's and women's shoe sizes often have different scales.
• A shoe horn can also be used to insert a foot into a shoe by keeping the shoe open and providing a smooth surface for the foot to slide upon. Many shoes are nearly impossible to put on without the help of a shoe horn.

List of shoe companies

• Adidas
• British Knights
• L.A. Gear

  This list is incomplete; you can help by expanding it.

See also

• Footwear
• Shoelaces

External links

• International Shoe Size Conversion Charts, from i18nguy's website, offers more information.