Wedge (footwear)

Type of shoe or boot

Light blue peeptoe wedge heels

Wedge boots, wedgies, or lifties are shoes and boots with a sole in the form of a wedge, such that one piece of material, normally rubber, serves as both the sole and the heel.

This design dates back to ancient Greece.[1] Greek Actors used to wear these shoes to signify status. These were crucial so the audience can be able to identify who is of importance in stage plays. According to the Kennedy Center, "tragic actors would don shoes called 'buskins', or raised platform shoes, to symbolize their superiority over comic actors, who would wear plain socks."[citation needed]

## Women

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Wedges for women are more common[clarification needed][citation needed] and often have a sole that is much thicker at the back than at the front, making them high-heeled boots or shoes. Wedgies for women were popularized by Salvatore Ferragamo, who introduced the design to the Italian market in the late 1930s.[2] The evolution of wedge heels became more and more colorful and outrageous through the 1970s-1990s.

## Men

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Men's wedge boots, usually called "wedgies", typically have low heels. Men's boots of this kind became popular during the 1970s.

Some forms of wedge boots, called platform boots, have thick soles throughout.

There are many styles available under the wedges footwear category; the most common styles are low wedge, t-straps wedge, ankle straps wedge, platform wedge, and closed-toe wedge.

## High fashion

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In the high fashion world, Ferragamo invented the cork wedge shoe in the 1940s due to the economic sanctions against Italy. Ferragamo could no longer afford to purchase steel for traditional heels. He experimented with pieces of Sardinian cork. It was glued and trimmed until the entire space between the sole and heel was solid.

## References

[edit]

1. ^ Bergstein. Page 21.
2. ^ Bergstein. Pages 20 to 22.

## Bibliography

[edit]

* Bergstein, Rachelle (2012). Women From the Ankle Down - The Story of Shoes and How They Define Us (Hardback). New York: Harper Collins. pp. 284 pages. ISBN 978-0-06-196961-4.

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Footwear

* Abandoned footwear
* Shoe
* Shoemaking
* Shoe size

Dress shoes|

* Blucher
* Brogues
* Brothel creepers
* Derby
* Monks
* Oxfords
* Spectator shoes (Co-respondent shoes)
* Winklepickers
* Wholecuts

| Slip-on shoes|

* Court shoes
* Prince Albert slippers
* Loafers
* Venetian-style shoes

|

Women's|

* Ballet flats
* High-heeled footwear
* Mary Janes
* Mojari
* Mules
* Peep-toe shoes
* Saddle shoes
* Slingbacks

Other shoes|

* Driving moccasins
* Flip-flops
* Galoshes
* Platform shoes
* Sandals
* Self-tying shoes
* Slides
* Slippers (Uwabaki)
* Tiger-head shoes
* Veldskoens
* Zōri

Wooden footwear|

* Bakya
* British clogs
* Cantabrian albarcas
* Clogs
* Geta
* Klompen
* Namaksin
* Okobo
* Padukas
* Pattens
* Sabot
* Träskor

Boots|

| Military|

* Ammunition boots
* Bunny boots
* Combat boots
* Jackboots
* Jump boots
* Jungle boots
* Tanker boots
* Trench boots
* Munson Last

|

Work|

* Australian work boots
* Cowboy boots
* Engineer boots
* Hip boots
* Jika-tabi
* Rigger boots
* Steel-toe boots
* Waders

Fashion boots|

* Chelsea boots (Beatle boots)
* Chukka boots
* Go-go boots
* Knee-high boots
* Over-the-knee boots
* Platform boots
* Thigh-high boots
* Ugg boots

Other|

* Jodhpur boots
* Wellington boots
* Ballet boots

Sport-related footwear|

* Athletic shoes
* Ballet shoes
* Boat shoes
* Climbing shoes
* Cross country running shoes
* Cycling shoes
* Football boots
* Ghillies
* Hiking boots
* Ice skates
* Inline skates
* Kung fu shoes
* Minimalist shoes
* Motorcycle boots
* Mountaineering boots
* Plimsolls
* Racing flats
* Racing shoes
* Riding boots
* Roller shoes
* Roller skates
* Sabatons
* Safari boots
* Skate shoes
* Ski boots
* Sneakers
* Swimfins
* Water shoes
* Wrestling shoes

Folk footwear|

* Abacas
* Abarkas
* Alpargatas
* Avarcas
* Balghas
* Bast shoes
* Ciocie
* Clogs
* Espadrilles
* Furlane
* Galesh
* Geta
* Giveh
* Haferlschuh
* Hnyat-phanats
* Huarache
* Hwa
* Jipsin
* Jorabs
* Kamiks
* Kolhapuri chappals
* Moccasins
* Mojaris
* Mukluks
* Nalins
* Okobo
* Opanci
* Peshawari chappals
* Snowshoes
* Tsarouchi
* Takunya
* Upanah
* Valenkis
* Waraji
* Zōri

Historical footwear|

* Areni-1 shoes
* Buskins
* Calcei
* Caligae
* Carbatina
* Cavalier boots
* Chinese styles
* Chopines
* Duckbill shoes
* Flowerpot shoes
* Hessians
* Lotus shoes
* Pampooties
* Pigaches
* Poulaines
* Socci
* Turnshoes

Shoe construction|

* Bespoke shoes
* Blake construction
* Goodyear welt
* Shoe buckle
* Shoelaces
* Toe box

| High heels|

* Clear heels
* Kitten heels
* Spool heels
* Stiletto heels
* Wedges

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Hosiery|

* Anklets
* Bobby socks
* Dress socks
* Footwraps
* Knee highs
* Pantyhose
* Sock
* Stocking
* Tights
* Toe socks
* Tabi

List of shoe styles

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