Today, even more about the shoe names we all use,
but know nothing about!
Mule
The mule’s
name derives from the Latin word “mulleus” (“red high-soled shoe”) which was a
type of ceremonial shoe worn by highly placed government officials in ancient
Rome. Then, mules were always dark red leather, thus the name. The mule as an indicator of status continued
long after ancient Rome, and we see the word “mule” in 1560s middle French. A laborer would derive little use out of a
shoe that could so easily slip off the foot, and it certainly wasn’t a style
that would protect from the elements, so that anyone who owned mules surely had
the luxury of owning other pairs of shoes as well, or not having to work!
The Patent
Leather Mid-Heel Mules by Giuseppe Zanotti are the sleek, modern embodiment
of the ancient mulleus. Shiny patent
leather (red, of course), a slender 3.25-inch heel, a peep toe… and the open
back, don’t forget! The defining feature
of the mule. At $595 from Saks
they may not be for the common man, but if you’re an aristocrat with an extra six
hundred bucks lying around, I say live the dream.
D’Orsay
D’Orsay
shoes, in which the side or sides of the shoe is cut very close to the sole,
were named after Count Alfred d’Orsay: nineteenth-century dandy, artist, and
friend of Lord Byron. The shoes were worn by men at the time, and the cut-out
sides were introduced to accommodate wider feet.
The Tambra
by Tevolio is a bright green satin D’Orsay.
See how the vamp disappears between the heel and the toe? Voilà!
D’Orsay! I love the rhinestone
detail at the peep toe, all round and marquis stones—you could always use
rhinestones. (Plus: marquis stones on a shoe named for a count. Get it? Why is no one else laughing at my nobility
joke?) The apple green color makes this
so refreshing, but it also comes in pewter, ivory, and blush; your choice for
$27 from Target.
Loafer
The origin of “loafer” is a bit all over
the place, but I’ll give it a shot. The
word comes from German “läufer,” meaning “runner.” Doesn’t sound much like our current
definition of loafing, does it? But the
loafer, with its easy-on-and-go design, would be a good shoe if you need to put
it on and run away in a hurry—perhaps that’s why the Wildsmith Shoe Company named
their new house shoe design the loafer in 1847.
But maybe after seeing how little energy it took to put it on and
shuffle around the house in, we’ve got our current definition of loafer as someone
who hangs around not doing much.
The Sabrina
by Cole Haan definitely doesn’t look good for running, and it’s a little
fancy for genuine loafing…but it’s a loafer nonetheless! It has a purple haircalf print flannel upper,
and is trimmed around the foot and at the toe with purple suede. How perfect is this for fall?! I’m so excited! Also, it’s made with Nike Air technology, so
you know it’ll be comfy. Yours for $110
from The
Shoe Mart.
Espadrilles
Espadrilles,
the rope-soled shoes we all know and love, take their name from the Provençal
word “espardilho”, which in turn comes from the Latin “spartum”, meaning a
tough, wiry grass. The grass, of course,
wraps the bottom of the shoe, whether flat or wedge. I always thought what made an espadrille was something
about the ankle strap + wedge. Little
did I know!
This gorgeous shoe is Paige by Fitzwell. It has
all the raffia braids around the four-inch wedge and 1.25-inch platform that
makes it an espadrille, but it also has a super-fun multicolored striped upper
trimmed in faux leather. (It even has a
faux leather bow at the peep toe!
Adorable.) Also available in
navy, black, or khaki fabric, but none holds a candle to the stripes. Find them at Zappos for
$52.
Sales this
weekend:
Aerosoles: End of season sale-- up to 70% off
Bakers: Buy any sandal plus one more shoe of your choice and get 25% off
Call it Spring: Extra half off all sale shoes and sandals
Lord & Taylor: 15% off regular and sale and 25% off clearance
Macy's: Extra 15% off with promo code LUCKYU
Payless: Back to school sale, up to 40% off
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