34 Parts Of A Shoe With Names And Images. Shoe’s Anatomy.

Parts Of A Shoe

You love shoes, you wear them and take care of them. But have you ever wondered how shoes are made and how many parts a shoe has? There are plenty of parts are associated with making just one shoe. And every part of your shoe holds together each other to make your walking or running comfortable.

There are many parts in a shoe from top to bottom and from sides to upper. Here is fully detailed shoe anatomy. There are many types of different shoe components are used in making an amazing shoe. But different types of shoes are created using different types of shoe components.

But overall all parts are the same, some shoe designs require more shoe parts in making and some require very less. You might be wondering what you have to do with parts of a shoe, right? This can help you select the best shoe for you in terms of fitting and functionality.

So, Let’s take a look at the names and details of different shoe parts.

Parts Of A Shoe: Shoe’s Anatomy

Shoe's Anatomy

In the Above 2 images, you have seen almost all the most important shoe parts. Here we will see the parts of a shoe in more detail.

Mainly shoe is a combination of 3 main parts. First, the bottom or you can say the sole side part, the second is upper side part and the third is the inside part of the shoe. All of these 3 sides are made with different components.

We will talk about all these 3 sides and their parts here. We have given a diagram to make it clear in front of about all these 3 parts. In the below image, you will get to know which part is called “UPPER“, which one is called “BOTTOM, and which is the “INSIDE” part of the shoe. So, let’s start.

Three Parts Of Shoe

1)- The Upper Side Parts Of A Shoe

As shown in the above image, the upper side of the show is called UPPER. The top portion of the shoe is made of a combination of different parts. Here is the list of all parts that are used in making a shoe upper.

Vamp

Ideally, this can be the most significant part of any upper shoe. The front part of the upper is called Vamp. The upper shoe area which starts from the Toe to goes back to the quarter is called Vamp. Mostly in many shoes, you will find two different parts in this area. A different piece of material for the Vamp and a different piece of material for the front upper. But some designs require a Vamp and front upper part in a single piece of material. As we have shown in the below image.

Vamp In A Shoe Upper

Toe Or ToeCap

The toe cap is the front part of the shoe. The toe gives the shape to the shoe. A toecap is placed inside a shoe to give it a proper shape. In many types of shoes, a hard material toecap is placed inside the upper to make the shoe a more secure option. As you might have seen in safety shoes, they place a chemical-based toe or even a cement toe to make the shoe safer and safer.

These types of shoes are usually used in factories or at a place where more foot safety is required.

And on the other hand, in recent times we have seen manufacturers creating more designs with any kind of ToeCap. A shoe without a hard toecap becomes more flexible. Hard-toe shoes are not that much flexible.

Quarter

The shoe area that starts from the back of the heel and ends at the start of the Vamp is called the Quarter. It wraps around the heel of the shoe.

Collar

The collar is the opening area of the shoe, where we put our feet inside the shoe. In sports or running shoes, you will find a cushion-stuffed collar to make your walking or running more comfortable. And in formal or dress shoes, you will find less cushioned collars.

Topline

Topline is above the collar of the shoe. It is a visible part of the shoe and you can even see stitches at the Topline attaching the side upper and inside lining of the shoe together.

Counter

The counter is the back side of the shoe. It mostly has less flexibility than other parts of the shoe. It is firm, slightly hard, and gives shape to the shoe. The counter is a part of a shoe that tightens the material at the heel part.

Pull Tab

Usually, you may have seen a small vertical strip of material that starts from the top of the counter and ends at the topline of the shoe, that’s called a Pull Tab. Only running shoes have a Pull Tab, dress shoes don’t have Pull Tab.

Breast

The shoe breast is the area underneath your laces.

Achilles Notch

There are possibilities that you may not find Achilles Notch in every shoe. It is an “A” shape cut on the back side of a collar. On Achilles Notch, you will find a Pull Tab strip.

Throat

The Throat starts from where the shoe Tongue is attached to Vamp. You can see Throat is surrounded by the Eystay.

Tongue

The portion starts from the vamp and goes to the collar. It is usually underneath the Eystay. It is one of the front parts of the shoe and in many shoes, you might have noticed the long tongues, too. Mostly it is cushion-padded and Laces are wrapped around it.

Waist

The shoe Waist is in the center of the shoe where the shoe arch is. It is for supporting your foot in a better way. Slightly narrow in shape from the whole shoe. The front part of the shoe is broad and the back part of the shoe is broad but the waist part which is in the center is always narrow.

Eystay

Eystay starts from the Vamp and covers the Tongue. In many shoes, manufacturers use Eystay to give more strength to the front part. Eyelets are there on the Eyestay and laces go through this part. This happens to almost everyone that sometimes when we are in hurry we pull our laces so hard and this can even pull out eyelets from the shoe. To tackle this and to give more strength to the shoe, Eyestay is added. Eyestay usually has some cushioning.

Eyelets

Eyelets are put on holes through which laces pass through. Usually, manufacturers put metal or plastic round rivets to avoid eyelet holes from ripping off.

Laces

Laces need no introduction. We all are aware of what laces are and what they do. Laces are also known as Shoestrings. They are mainly used for fitting the shoe. You can tighten or lose the fitting of the shoe using laces. Laces are mainly made from cloth material but in some designs, you even can see elastic laces. In dress shoes, Laces are normally round, and in most sneakers and sports shoes, laces are flat in shape.

Mudguard

You won’t find many designs in dress shoes that use a mudguard as one of many shoe parts. Mudguard is mainly used in sneakers and running shoes. Mudguard is the front part of the shoe just above the sole and covers the toe area mostly.

Feather Edge

It is the area where the sole and upper are attached together.

You can see all these shoe parts upper in the below image clearly.

Shoe Upper Components Name

2)- The Bottom Side Parts Of A Shoe

The bottom parts are mainly the sole side parts. Here is the list of all parts there are combined in making a great pair of a shoe.

Sole

As any long-lasting building has a great base, the shoe sole has to be tough to provide a quality shoe. The sole is the base of the shoe and the biggest part of the shoe. The sole is below the upper. The shoe sole is divided into 3 more parts.

  • Outsole
  • Insole
  • Midsole

Here is a detailed overview of all these soles’ three different parts.

Outsole

The outsole is the bottom part or you can say that the external part of the sole. It is usually tough and hard because it is the part that touches the ground when you walk or run. There are various types of materials available in the market these days that are used in making the outsole like leather, Poly Urithine, Polu Vinyle Chloride, Phylone, Rubber, etc.

Insole

The insole is the part of the show that touches your feet. It is there inside the shoe where you place your feet bottom. These days, there are many modern technologies have evolved that make your walking experience very comfortable using a comfortable insole. Insoles are usually made of soft and very comforting materials.

Most of the shoes give the option to remove insoles from the shoe. And apart from lace, Insole is the component of a shoe that can be replaced easily.

Midsole

As the name suggests Midsole is between the outsole and the insole. It is the middle part of the sole. It is not necessary that every shoe have all these three parts. Some shoes just have outsoles and insoles. But in recent times, we have seen the tradition that manufacturers are preferring to add a midsole option too.

Here is a detailed image showing all these 3 parts of the shoe sole.

Parts Of A Sole

Welt

Usually, dress shoes and boots are made using this technique. Many formal shoes are welted shoes. The welt is a strip of material usually a leather strip that is stitched around the sole at the feather edge.

Heel

The heel is at the back and bottom of the shoe. It is where the counter ends. It supports the foot and makes our walk comfortable and balanced.

Heel Seat

Not usually all shoes have a Heel Seat but most sneakers shoes do have a Heel Seat to make them more comfortable. Heel Seat is the small part between the upper and the heel.

Heel Cap

They are only used in high heel women’s footwear. It covers and protects heels. Heel Caps are found at the bottom of high heel footwear. It makes high heel women’s shoes more comfortable as it prevents you from slipping at slippery places.

Bottom Parts Of A Shoe

3)- The Inside Parts Of A Shoe

The upper and bottom sides were to make shoes durable and tough but the main thing that matters the most is the comforts of a shoe and that comes from the inside. The inside parts of a shoe are there to make your walking experience comfortable.

How will you feel when your feet are inside the shoe is depended on which type of material is used in making the shoe and what type of components are used. So, let’s take a look at the name of the inner parts of the shoe.

Collar Padding

Between the shoe upper and collar, there is a cushion pad to make you feel more comfortable after wearing your shoes. This cushion padding in the collar is called collar padding.

Counter Pads

Same as Collar padding, cushion pads are added around the shoe counter from the inside and that part is called counter pads.

Lining

When you put your feet inside the shoe and all the inside material that touches your feet is called Inner Lining. Linning is usually made of soft material because this is what your feet come in direct contact with inside the shoe.

The inner lining has different parts. Here is the list.

  • Counter lining
  • Tongue Lining 
  • Vamp Lining
  • Topline lining
  • Tongue Lining

Counter lining

After counter pads, there are soft materials used to cover those pads. This soft material lining is known as Counter lining.

Tongue Lining

The material that is used at the inner part of the tongue is called Tongue Lining.

Vamp Lining

The vamp is the biggest part your foot is going to touch inside the shoe and it has to be very very comfortable. To make your walking experience good a soft material is used inside the shoe to cover the Vamp from the inside. That part is called Vamp lining.

Topline lining

The soft material used at the topline inside is known as Topline Liing.

Tongue Lining

Usually, not in dress shoes but in running shoes and sneakers shoes, you might have noticed a thick cushion on the shoe tongue. That thick cushion is covered by the soft material from inside and that is known as the tongue lining.

Tongue Padding

Soft cushioning padding is used to make the tongue soft and non-hurting part of a shoe. The cushioning pad between the tongue lining and the tongue is Tongue Padding.

Here is the list of Parts of a shoe ends. We have tried to put together all the things here in this article. We hope you are now familiar with the names of every shoe part. If we have missed something you can write it down in our comment box.

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