The words we use on product pages, in one place. When a term is a measurement, the entry gives our number.
- Block heel
- A heel that is square or rectangular in section rather than tapering to a point. A wider base is steadier underfoot.
- Platform
- Extra thickness under the front of the sole. On our loafers and platform Mary Janes it is 1.3 inches.
- Heel-to-toe slope
- The difference between heel height and platform height. It is the angle your foot actually rests on: about 1.4 inches on our platform styles.
- Lug sole
- A sole with deep, chunky tread, the look behind the name “chunky loafer”.
- Loafer
- A slip-on shoe with no laces or straps, held on by the fit of the upper at the heel and instep.
- Penny loafer
- A loafer with a strap across the vamp, cut with a slot that once held a coin.
- Bit
- The metal bar across the vamp of a loafer. Our patent platform loafer has a gold-tone bit.
- Mary Jane
- A shoe with a strap across the instep. The strap holds the shoe to the foot.
- Patent
- A high-gloss finish on the upper that wipes clean with a damp cloth.
- Vamp
- The front part of the upper, over the toes and instep.
- Toe box
- The front of the shoe around your toes. A wide toe box leaves room for the toes to lie side by side.
- Zero drop
- A sole with no height difference between heel and toe.
- Barefoot shoe
- A shoe with a flat, flexible sole and a wide toe box. On this site it describes a shape, not a health benefit.
- EVA
- Ethylene-vinyl acetate, a light foam used in our flip-flop footbeds that dries quickly.
- TPR
- Thermoplastic rubber, the textured sole on our knit house slipper.
- Toe post
- The piece between the first and second toe on a flip-flop. Ours is canvas-covered.
Every style mentioned here is on its shelf: loafers, Mary Janes, water shoes and flip-flops, house slippers.