Boot
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A boot is a type of
, modern boots are made from a variety of materials.Boots are worn both for their functionality and for reasons of style and
In some cases, the wearing of boots may be required by laws or regulations, such as the regulations in some jurisdictions requiring workers on construction sites to wear steel-toed safety boots. Some
History
Early boots consisted of separate
Types and uses
Practical uses
Boots which are designed for walking through snow, shallow water and mud may be made of a single closely stitched design (using leather, rubber, canvas, or similar material) to prevent the entry of water, snow, mud or dirt through gaps between the laces and tongue found in other types of shoes. Waterproof
Speciality boots have been made to protect steelworkers' feet and calves if they accidentally step in puddles of molten metal, to protect workers from a variety of chemical exposure, to protect workers from construction site hazards and to protect feet from extreme cold (e.g., with insulated or inflatable boots for use in Antarctica). Most work boots are "lace ups" made from leather. Formerly they were usually shod with
Boots are mostly worn with
Specialty boots have been designed for many different types of sports, particularly riding, skiing, snowboarding, ice-skating, and sporting in wet/damp conditions.
Fashion and fetish use
Boots have become the object of
Cowboy boots
Cowboy boots originated in the 1800s in the plains and desert of the midwest and far Western United States, however they were inspired by the vaquero-style boot bought from Spain to the Americas in the 1600s. Cowboy boots are traditionally tall and hide the calf, which is meant to help keep the foot firmly in the stirrup to keep it firmly anchored. Furthermore, they have angled heels, which help to anchor the foot into the stirrup to prevent it from slipping. The stitching on the leather exterior of the boots also serve a utilitarian purpose, to prevent the shaft of the boot from folding over.[6]
The boots become popular in post-Civil War America, when the country saw a switch from military boots to cowboy boots. Hollywood also saw a further rise in popularity of the boots due to the increase of mid-Western cowboy films on the big screen.
Boot parts and accessories
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- Spats
- Boot jack
- For the parts of a boot, see Hiking boot#Parts
As symbols
In heraldry
Boots have been used by riders for millennia, and were used by knights. As a consequence, albeit not common, boots came to be used as charges in heraldry.
Because of the origin of heraldry as insignia used by mounted warriors like the medieval knights, when boots are used in heraldry, they are often displayed as riding boots, even if the blazon might not specify it as such. They are sometimes adorned with spurs, which may or may not have another tincture (colour) than the boot and the background field.
Boots were also used in coats of arms of
Idioms and cultural references
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- Boots that are particularly old and well worn, or a similarly tough item are referred to as being tough and strong with the phrase "tough as old boots."[11]
- A discarded boot may be used in the construction of a musical instrument known as the "mendoza."
- Tall (high) boots 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. The figurative use "to pull one's self up by one's bootstraps" in the sense of "ability to perform a difficult task without external help" developed in the 19th century in US English.bootup" to describe the process of starting a computer and in entrepreneurship, which uses the term "bootstrapping" to describe start-up companies which are launched without major external financing.
- To "die with one's boots on" means to die while one is still actively involved in work or to go down fighting. Popularized by Wild West movies.[13]
- recruit training of a new recruit enlisting in a militaryorganization or armed force. In this context, a "boot" is just such a recruit.
- Nazi uniform. Authoritarian rule, either by hostile military forces, or by groups of armed intimidators, is imposed by "jackboot tactics."
- To "give one the boot" means to kick one out (of a job, a club, etc.) or expel one, either literally or figuratively.
- To "put the boot in" is an idiom for inflicting violence on someone.
- "The boot is on the other foot now" means that a situation has become reversed—a previous victor is now losing, for example.
- Wearing "seven-league boots" references a classic children's fairy tale and indicates that a person or company can cover great distances, figuratively or literally, in a single stride.
- To "shake/quake in one's boots" means to be very frightened, and is mostly used sarcastically.
- "Knocking boots" is slang for having sex, regardless of whether either person is wearing boots.
- The country of Italy is referred to as "lo Stivale" ("The Boot") due to its shape.
See also
- List of boots
- Boot cut
- Boot fetishism
- Boots theory
- Boot throwing
- Gumboot dance
- Wellie wanging
References
- ISBN 978-0-8368-6857-9. Retrieved 26 January 2012.
- ^ "Making Sure Your Work Boots Make the Grade". Drew's Boots. Retrieved November 11, 2018.
- ^ Collection, Thomas George. "What are the most comfortable men's boots?". Thomas George Collection. Retrieved 2021-07-19.
- ISBN 978-0-313-35714-5. Archivedfrom the original on 2 June 2013. Retrieved 29 January 2012.
- ^ Alex Henderson (Jan 8, 2014). "Kinky Boots: An Enduring Symbol in Fetish Fashion". XBIZ.
- ^ "The History Of Cowboy Boots". Western Boot Barn. Retrieved 2022-10-20.
- ^ Co, Buffalo Jackson Trading. "The History Of Cowboy Boots". Buffalo Jackson Trading Co. Retrieved 2022-10-20.
- ^ "Hand-Painted Floral Cowboy Boots? Yes, Please". The Zoe Report. 8 August 2022. Retrieved 2022-10-20.
- ^ a b "Cowboy Boots Will Be In Every Festival Field & Park This Summer". British Vogue. 2022-06-09. Retrieved 2022-10-20.
- ^ "17 best cowboy boots for 2022: From ASOS, Zara, River Island & more". HELLO!. 2022-04-30. Retrieved 2022-10-20.
- ^ "American English Thesaurus". "as tough as old boots" phrase. Macmillan Publishers Limited 2009–2012. Archived from the original on 12 January 2012. Retrieved 25 January 2012.
- ^ "It's been widely suggested that the "bootstrap" metaphor originated in the legendary tales of Baron von Münchhausen. As Chris Waigl recently pointed out on the Eggcorn Database (commenting on "boots-trap"), the original German version has a scene in which Münchhausen gets out of a swamp by pulling on his own hair. In an American retelling (supposedly), the Baron uses his bootstraps to pull himself out of a similar predicament. None of the 19th-century cites I've seen allude to the Münchhausen story -- instead, they often refer to pulling oneself over a fence or up a steeple. So if Münchhausen really pulls himself up by his bootstraps in an American version (which I have yet to verify), then the writer probably took advantage of preexisting imagery for an absurdly impossible task." Benjamin Zimmer, American Dialect Society, 11 August 2005 - "figurative "bootstraps" (1834)". listserv.linguistlist.org (Mailing list).
- ^ "boot". The Free Dictionary, 2012 by Farlex, Inc. Retrieved 26 January 2012.
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