Boot
- This article is about a type of footwear. For other uses of the word "boot" see boot (disambiguation).
A boot is a type of footwear which covers at least the foot and usually the ankle, and sometimes extends up to the knee or even the hip. They come in every imaginable variation of height, color, material and style. Most have a heel which is clearly distinguishable from the rest of the sole, even if the two are made of one piece.
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.
Fashionable boots for women may have all the variations seen in other women's shoes: tapered or spike heels, platform soles, pointed toes, zipper closures, etc.
Specialty boots have been designed for many different types of sport, particularly football or soccer, riding, skiing and snowboarding, and skating.
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; see bootstrapping and booting.
Types of boots
- Chelsea boots
- chukka boots
- combat boots
- cowboy boots
- football boots
- galoshes
- go-go boots
- Hessian boots
- hiking boots
- hip boots (fishing boots)
- jockey boots
- kinky boots
- motorcycle boots
- mukluks
- riding boots
- ski boots and snowboard boots
- steel-toed boots
- tabi boots (split-toed boot)
- Wellington boots (rubber rain boots)
- Skates:
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