Boots

Boots which are designed as 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 laces and tongue in other types of shoes.

Other types of boots are sturdy in nature, meant for protection in wilderness or industrial settings. Work boots such as Dr. Martens boots have been adopted by skinheads and punks as part of their typical dress.

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

Tall boots, such as those designed for 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 up by his bootstraps into the air, allowing him to fly, has led to the word's metaphorical use in many different contexts.

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

A long established clich 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.

Learn about Over The Knee Boots.

Wellington Boots

Thigh High Boots

Tanker Boot

Kinky Boots

Hessian Boots

Jungle Boots

Cowboy Boots

Combat Boots

Cold Weather Boots

Sandals Definition

Shoe Definition

Leather

Clogs

Clothing Definitions

Shoe Fetish

Learn more about shoes.

Height Is the Whole Idea

Everything a boot does follows from its height. Ankle boots guard the joint that shoes leave exposed, which is why sturdy boots are the standard protection in wilderness and industrial settings. Knee boots add a shield for the shin and calf, the form that riding, Wellington and many fashion boots take, and the tallest styles reach toward the hip. Construction follows purpose just as closely. A protective boot closes every gap water, mud or dirt could enter, sometimes as one closely stitched piece, while a fashion boot is free to use zippers, laces and openings as decoration. Fashionable boots for women borrow every variation found in other women's shoes: tapered or spike heels, platform soles, pointed toes and zipper closures. Specialty boots narrow the design still further, shaped for one sport at a time, particularly football or soccer, riding, skiing and snowboarding, and skating, where the boot must lock to a ski, a stirrup or a blade rather than simply walk.

Boots in Language and Dress Culture

Few garments have worked their way into everyday speech like the boot. Boots worn as protective footwear by workers have a reputation for being as hard-wearing as their owners, hence the expression tough as old boots, and the angler who catches an old boot instead of a fish, sole hanging open like a mouth and dripping with weeds, is a long-established cartoon cliché. Work boots travel in the other direction too, from job site to subculture: Dr. Martens boots, built as work boots, were adopted by skinheads and punks as part of their typical dress, and boots in general have their own devotees among shoe collectors and enthusiasts. Even the bootstrap pull loop left a legacy beyond footwear: the German legend of a boy lifting himself into the air by his own bootstraps, and so learning to fly, gave English its metaphor for achieving something by one's own unaided effort. When choosing boots, match the height and closure to the job: sealed and sturdy for weather and work, supportive for riding and sport, and free choice of heel, toe and sole when the purpose is fashion alone.