Boots

A boot is a type of shoe that covers at least the foot and the ankle and sometimes extends up to the knee or even the hip. Most have a heel that is clearly distinguishable from the rest of the sole, even if the two are made of one piece. more...

Home
Boys
Accessories
Clothing (Sz 4-7)
Clothing (Sz 8 and up)
Other Boys Items
Shoes
Athletic
Boots
Casual, Dress
Cowboy, Western
Hiking
Other
Snow, Rain
Loafers
Mixed Lots
Other
Oxfords
Sandals
Slippers
Girls
Infants & Toddlers
Men's Accessories
Men's Clothing
Uniforms
Vintage
Wedding Apparel
Women's Accessories,...
Women's Clothing

Different kinds of boots

Boots designed for protection from the elements may be made of a single closely-stitched piece (of leather, rubber, etc) to prevent the entry of water, mud or dirt through the gaps left between the laces and the tongue in other types of shoes. Simple waterproof gumboots are made in different lengths of uppers, and, in extreme cases, thigh-boots called "waders" used by anglers end at the waist-level of the wearer.

Other types of boots are sturdy in nature, meant for protection in wilderness or industrial settings. Specialty boots have been made to temporarily protect steelworkers if they get caught in pools of molten metal; to protect chemical workers from a wide variety of chemical exposure; and there are insulated, inflatable, boots designed for walking in the Antarctic continent. However, most work boots are "laceups" made from leather; formerly they were usually shod with hobnails and heel- and toe-plates, but now usually with a thick rubber sole, and often with steel toecaps. Work boots (like the popular Dr. Martens) were adopted by skinheads and punks as part of their typical dress and have migrated to more mainstream fashion, including women's wear.

Fashionable boots for women may have all the variations seen in other fashion footwear: tapered or spike heels, platform soles, pointed toes, zipper closures and the like.

Generally boots became rare towards the end of the 20th century. Today, they are becoming more and more popular -- especially men's and women's boots that have a long bootleg.

Specialty boots have been designed for many different types of sports, particularly rugby, football and soccer, riding, skiing and snowboarding, skating, and sporting in wet conditions.

Boots have their own devotees among shoe fetishists and foot fetishists.

Tall boots, such as those designed for military dress and horseback riding may have a tab, loop or handle at the top known as a bootstrap, allowing one to use fingers or a tool to provide better leverage in getting the boots on. A German legend about a boy lifting himself by his bootstraps into the air, allowing him to fly, has led to the word's metaphorical use in many different contexts; see bootstrapping and booting.

Boots in idiom

Boots, particularly those worn as protective footwear by workers (work boots) have a reputation for being as hard-wearing as their owners, hence the commonly used simile "tough as old boots".;

A long established cliché of anglers, especially those who are inexperienced or angling in waters known to be poor for fish, is that of the "old boot", caught in place of the expected fish. This can be seen in many cartoons, parodies, etc., and is usually depicted dripping with weeds and with part of the sole detached, giving the impression of an open mouth.;

Read more at Wikipedia.org