Vocabulary - Shoes

Here is some useful vocabulary related to shoes.

Boots - these are the large shoes that go above your ankles. They come in many shapes and sizes, from small, ankle-high ones, to long, thigh-high ones that are commonly worn by “professional ladies” and male members of parliament, particularly from the Conservative party.

Sandals - these are the shoes you wear to keep your feet cool and to give you that Jesus look.

Slippers - these are the comfortable shoes that you wear at home. Disguise your slippers as real shoes and wear them in the street for extra comfort.

Clogs - these are heavy, wooden shoes only worn by the Dutch and the insane.

Trainers (“sneakers” in the US) - these are the sports shoes you wear to play tennis, to go running, etc. Wear trainers with formal clothes to give you an alternative and trendy look.

Heels - this is the back part of the shoe on the bottom of the shoe. Heels come in all shapes and sizes from very flat ones, to high ones with a sharp point, otherwise known as stilettos. Improve your sense of balance by wearing high heels and walking along cobbled streets. Guaranteed results.

Toes - these are the front ends of the shoe, and they also come in many shapes and sizes. Boots with steel toes are traditionally worn by the three “Bs”: builders, bikers and bricklayers. Sole - this is the base of the shoe and the part that touches the ground. Flat, smooth soles are excellent for skating on wet ground. Buy innersoles to keep your feet fresh. The innersole may also be used as a handkerchief in an emergency.

Shoe horn - this object is used to help you put on your shoe. They are found in shoe shops… and nowhere else.

Shoe lace - these are the pieces of cord or string that you use to “close” your shoes. They have an irritating tendency to break in the morning if you have to get somewhere quickly.

Shoe Sizes - Finding the right sized shoes is difficult; but even more difficult if you go abroad because almost every country in the world has its own system of measuring feet and shoes. For example, if you are size 40 in Europe, you are size 7 in Britain if you are a man, size 6 and a half if you are a woman, size 25 and a half in Japan if you are a man, size 25 if you are a woman, and size 7 and a half in the US if you are a man, and size 9 if you are a woman. What a mess!

G L O S S A R Y

an ankle n the joint between your foot and your leg ankle-high n that goes up as far as your ankle a thigh n the top part of your leg on the sides a member of parliament n a person who has been elected and who works in the parliament a look n the way you dress, and your general appearance to disguise vb in this case: to change your slippers so they appear to be shoes trendy adj fashionable cobbled streets n streets with lots of square-shaped stones on them a biker n a person who rides a motorbike and is a member of a gang (a group of bikers) a bricklayer n a person who builds houses, putting the bricks (stones) in place to skate vb to move smoothly and quickly over the ground an innersole n a piece of material that goes inside a shoe. It is designed to make the shoe more comfortable handkerchief n a piece of material that you can use to clean your nose or mouth