By now you'd think the shoe encyclopedia would be running out of words and phrases. Worry not, my shoe-savvy friends. There are still plenty more shoe terms to fill up your shoe-thirsty mind. In the last lesson, you learned about static dissipating footwear, a moisture-control compound called Dri-Lex, vegetarian shoes and Jodhpur boots that were made for equestrian activities. This lesson will teach you about the lift you get when wearing your favorite skimmers. It will also teach you about a special process in creating shoe soles, a type of leather derived from horses and a thin lining created for warmth.

Lift

When creating a heel for lifting a shoe, there are several layers of leather or leather-board used. A lift is one of those various layers. A lift can be used in many types of shoes, including skimmers, wedge boots, cowboy boots, and many more styles and types. A lift can be contained in both men's and women's shoe styles.

Injection Molded Construction

This term sounds like it may have something to do with building a house. However, the facts are quite the contrary. This type of construction is instead related to shoes. Injection molded construction is one process for making shoe soles. In this process, melted PVC (or another similar compound) is injected into the sole mold. This method is most often used during mass shoe production.

Cordovan

No, this is not some new type of gas-saving van everyone will soon be taking over the roads with. Although, inventing one of those may not be such a bad idea. Back to the shoes, cordovan is actually leather derived from the rear side of horses. When this type of leather goes through tannage, it turns into a black cherry color. Cordovan is used both to describe this type of leather, as well as to describe the color.

Minktex

Minktex is a type of lining. The lining is lightweight, but allows for
comfort and warmth, due to an open cell foam rubber that it backs.
Minktex can be featured in boots or other footwear and can be part of a removable lining.Minktex is a type of lining. The lining is lightweight, but allows for comfort and warmth, due to an open cell foam rubber that it backs. Minktex can be featured in boots or other footwear and can be part of a removable lining.

So you're still tracking the shoe lingo, huh? Hey, you never know when you might need to speak the language of shoe. Now you can impress your friends with your knowledge while shopping at Zappos. If you've been following along with the shoe encyclopedia faithfully, at this point in the game, you've learned about a wide variety of shoe terms. If you've missed any of the past shoe encyclopedia installments, feel free to go back and check up. You won't regret the extra knowledge gained. Every little bit helps, right? In the last shoe lesson, we covered ground on The Office, motion-control, napa leather and piping.

Pebbled Grain
Isn't this the stuff used on playgrounds? Nope, not this time. When it comes to shoes, a pebbled grain actually is a form of leather. Its texture resembles that of a pebbled surface. Pebbled grain can be featured on a variety of shoe styles for both men and women including sandals. Generally, pebbled grain is used for dress shoes.

Pinking
Pinking is a zig zag strip of fabric used to decorate shoes or other items. Pinking generally occurs on women's and little girl's shoes. Usually it is done on dress shoes or shoes that are fancier in nature. Pinking shears, or special scissors with shaped edges, are used to create the designs.

Contoured Footbed
A contoured footbed is a special comfort feature available in a variety of shoes. When a shoe has a contoured footbed, this means the footbed, or insole, molds to fit the foot's shape. Shoes made for every day comfort, as well as other styles and designs may feature a contoured footbed. These are generally featured in shoes aimed at comfort and protection.

Lizard
Yes, you actually can get yourself some shoes made from lizard skin if you feel so inclined. The lizard skin is processed much in the same way as leather. In fact, lizard is considered to be a type of leather. Lizard leather comes in various shoe and boot styles and can be found in sizes for both men and women.

Still coming back for more of the shoe encyclopedia, huh? You must really be outsmarting your fellow so-called shoe savvy friends by now. Some past shoe encyclopedia lessons have included types and styles of shoes, such as the mule toe or sling back. Others have included shoe terms that relate to parts of the shoe, such as the cap toe or the lug sole. Also included have been medical and fashion terms. In this seventh shoe encyclopedia lesson, you'll be learning about piping, The Office, Napa Leather, and motion control.

Piping
Piping is a thin strip of fabric, which is generally used for the decoration of shoes, handbags and clothing. In shoes with piping, leather is often, but not always, the fabric of choice. Piping can be found in a variety of shoe styles, such as boots, dress shoes and even slippers.

The Office
No, I'm not referring to the popular TV sitcom. Although, those characters may enjoy this version of The Office. Trying to finish off that special business ensemble that you can make all your own? The one that will impress the right people? Choosing the right shoes can help. The Office is an exclusive Zappos spot for business execs to pick up some great office shoes. Both men's and women's styles are available.

Napa Leather
Looking for a softer version of leather? Try Napa Leather, which is a soft version of sheepskin. Napa leather can be used in the whole shoe upper like in the Vaneli Wassilla, or just in the design, as with the Tony Lama 1249-L boots that can be found on Zappos.

Motion Control
If your athletic shoes have motion control, this means they have special devices to help control the occurrence of inward rolling of the foot, or pronation. Most of the time, motion-control shoes are meant for athletes who have little to no arch. They can also be used as extra support for those who are heavy runners.

So you've come back for another lesson in shoe talk, eh? You must be getting good at shoe lingo by now. You may even be able to stump the shoe salesman with your shoe encyclopedia knowledge. Aw, c'mon, you know you are eager to try it out at least once -- or twice. Shoe parts, shoe-making processes, specialty collections and more have been discussed. In this week's lesson, you will be following that trend with a medical foot condition, a type of shoe measurement, a synthetic material and a style of shoe with safety in mind.

Safety Shoe
Safety first, right? The safety shoe is one designed specifically with the consumer's safety in mind. Most safety shoes have steel toes. Safety shoes can also include other safety features, such as waterproofing and oil-resistant fabrics and materials. Designed for the professional, the Timberland Pro collection of work boots and shoes is an example of safety coupled with comfort and style. The Timberland brand is well known among the pros for its safety and durability.

Polyurethane (PU)
Polyurethane, or simply PU, is a chemical-based synthetic material. It is commonly used to create faux leather. Hey now, when I said "PU," that was not a reference to a foul odor. Although, if you've got an odor problem, you may wish try some odor-fighting polyurethane shoes.

Shaft Height
The shaft height is the inside measurement of the boot's shaft from bottom to top, starting at the arch. If you were at thinking of a mine shaft instead, you may want to pick up a set of climbing shoes before you head off to explore.

Neuroma
Neuroma is a foot condition that a person could be born with due to a defect. It can also be caused by wearing shoes too narrow for the foot, wearing high-heeled shoes or injuries. If you have neuroma, this means that the two metatarsals on your feet have pinched the nerve located between them. The pinching action causes a tissue mass to form on this nerve. That mass is known as a neuroma.

Let us undertake another fun session of shoe encyclopedia. If you've been following along, you've already learned so much. You should be proud of yourself. You may have already discovered that shoe talk can be, not only fun, but very useful. Let us continue on with this fifth installment of the shoe encyclopedia. You'll learn about the approach shoe, exactly what supination is, about the exclusive Skate Park line and the definition for blucher.

Approach Shoe
The approach shoe is not going to walk up to you by itself. Rather, an approach shoe is one that will help you approach that mountain top with greater ease. It is actually a shoe designed with a special grip on the sole that is meant to aid rock climbers on the trail back and forth from the climbing area.

Supination
Supination is not a shoe or a shoe feature. Instead it's an action that can be done by the foot. It is when, during walking or running, the outermost part of the heel touches the ground as it's supposed to, but instead of rolling inward, like in a normal walking pattern, the pressure stays on that outside part of the heel. This causes pressure on the smaller toes and the lateral side of the foot. To help with this problem, supinators (those who walk or run with supination) can try neutral running shoes.

Skate Park
I'm not talking about the place you go hang out with your skateboarding buddies. This Skate Park is actually an exclusive Zappos collection made especially for skaters. It contains shoes, clothing and accessories for skaters, boarders and surfers. This is the place to get all the shoes and other gear you need to look awesome while you enjoy these great outdoor sports.

Blucher
A blucher is a shoe that features two side flaps of fabric or other material. These two materials feature lacing to hold them together. For instance, many tennis shoes feature the blucher style, as can dress shoes and even boots. In other words, many, or even most, shoes that contain laces display this style.

If you've been keeping up, you've already learned quite an array of shoe terms to keep you up to date. If not, don't despair. You can easily take a few moments to catch up by reading the previous installments of the shoe encyclopedia. At this point in the game, you should be really starting to impress your shoe-savvy friends while shoe shopping and gossiping. In fact, you're becoming quite the shoe connoisseur yourself.

Mule
This mule won't be carrying your baggage, but it could get you around with both style and comfort. In shoe talk, a mule is a slip-on shoe with a closed toe and an open heel. They are available in an array of choices, such as slippers, casuals or dress shoes. Mule shoes can come in a variety of styles for both women and men.

Hammertoe
Hammertoe is pretty much what it sounds like. It's a medical condition where a toe is bent in a shape that resembles a claw or the end of a hammer. Most of the time, hammertoes develop due to an imbalance of the muscles. However, they can also be caused by arthritis or even by ill-fitting shoes. So, be sure you pick the right size when you are shoe shopping.

Last
A last is a form used to make a shoe. The form can come in metal, wood, or plastic. The shoe is pulled and shaped around the form. That process is called lasting. Some shoes are hand lasted, while others are made using a shoe lasting machine. Since the use of a hand last is more time-consuming, hand-lasted shoes can sometimes have a higher price tag than machine-lasted shoes.

Lug Sole
A lug sole, when talking shoes, is a sole that is heavily treaded and made of rubber. Ever need some shoes strong enough to get you up a mountainside and also weather a storm? Maybe you're not quite that brave. How about some cute boots to get you around town during the winter season? Footwear with a lug sole can do either and more.

Lesson two ranged from comfort to tannage, and even a bit of gore. If you missed it, be sure to catch up. In this third lesson, learn how to impress your fellow shoe connoisseurs with a bit more knowledge on shoe speak. From toes to laces, get to know the ins and outs of those those fancy (or not so fancy) things on your feet, most commonly referred to as shoes. Plus, learn about a great spot to find the hottest shoe trends that's easier than trekking from mall to mall.

Aglet
Is this a farming reference? Well, you can certainly try making a planter out of a shoe if you want to, but I don't think crops will harvest too well that way. I could be wrong. Back to the shoe language, an aglet is that piece of plastic at the tip of shoelaces. It keeps them from fraying so you can keep those kicks looking nice and neat.

Cap Toe
At first glance this sounds like some illness or toe condition, like corns or blisters or something. But, no worries. A cap toe is actually what the toe or tip of the shoe is called when there is an extra strip of leather covering it.

The Strip
The Strip is not a tease, well, not the kind you may be thinking of. It's definitely sure to entice you with lots of great choices. The Strip is actually the hot spot on Zappos for the latest and greatest shoe trends and designs. Some of them are limited editions, so be sure to visit The Strip Collection for the latest updates.

Slingback
No, this is not some sort of device for back injuries. Hopefully, you know how to walk in your shoes well enough to avoid one of those. If not, that lesson's for another instructor, not this one. LOL When speaking shoe, a slingback is any shoe with a strap at the back of the heel or ankle to hold the foot inside. These can be sandles, heels, or various styles, such as crocs. Slingbacks can be worn by women or men, depending on the shoe.

Do you know shoe talk? If you've been paying attention, you caught lesson one on the language of shoe. If not, it's easy enough to catch up. Learning this lingo could be pretty useful, so what are you waiting for? Grab a friend and read on. Then, when you're done, you could test your knowledge with another friend who is more shoe-savvy than the pair of you. Better yet, use it to grab that pair of whatever those saucy things were in the mall window. Who knows? With these four extra words from the shoe encyclopedia, you may even know what you're talking about this time.

After Hours
Well, normally when you think after hours, you are probably thinking of a hot exclusive party after your favorite band's concert, right? Well, in the case of shoe talk, you'd be off just a little. Okay, maybe a lot. After Hours shoes are comfy shoes that you would not be caught chilling in at any party, but would definitely want to wear while chilling at the house. These would be slippers, moccasins, booties and other casuals.

Gore
Usually, you might associate gore with movies, not shoes. However, there is another definition besides the one used in horror flicks. When referring to shoes, a gore is actually a piece of material, generally elastic, fitted into both sides of the shoe vamp to make it easier to slip and off. It can also make the shoes more comfortable.

Tannage
This type of tannage doesn't involve your swimsuit or a beach. Tannage is actually the process that raw hides and skins go through to get turned into leather. There are actually a number of steps in the process. Leather footwear is made of material that has gone through this process.

Spectator
Spectators are a type of shoe. No, they won't be watching you. However, you might be eyeing and admiring them. Spectators are made of two materials, with one material being more dominant. The dominant material will have a pinking edge and the toe of the shoe will have a perforated design.

An avid shoe lover simply must speak the language of shoes. How are you going to be able to snag a pair of all your faves if you don't even know their name or what you're looking for? Besides, learning shoe speak can help you find some cute shoes you may have never known about before. Plus, it's a great way to fit in with all your shoe-savvy friends. So, here's four words from the shoe encyclopedia to get you started. Be sure to watch for more.

Ghillie
No fish stories here. The ghillie is actually a shoe in which fabric or shoelaces are laced through fabric eyelets. A ghillie can be worn by men or women and can be found in a boot, high heel, or even a sneaker. It just depends on each individual shoe and how it's made.

Saddle
Ride 'em cowboy! Okay, maybe not. When talking shoes, a saddle is not something you strap to the back of a horse. It's a style of shoe with a different color of leather strapped over the instep. Not exactly horseback riding. When it comes to saddle shoes, you could be doing a number of things, including golfing, bowling, or attending a formal occasion.

Kiltie
A kiltie? What's that, a skirt for shoes? No, no, no. Well, it kind of looks like one sometimes. A kiltie is actually a fringed shoe tongue. The fringed part hangs over the front of the shoe. Generally, these would be somewhat dressy shoes. You can even get a kiltie with a wing tip, which brings us to the next term in our shoe encyclopedia.

Wing Tip
No, we're not switching to bird chatter here. We're still talking shoes. A wing tip is when the part sewn over the toe is shaped like a wing. This can be done on many different types of footwear. For instance, you could see it in a women's heel, a men's dress shoe, or even in a stylish boot.