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Slipper glossary

The words you will see on listings, each in a sentence.

Leather offcuts, awl, and thread on a workbench

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Styles

One piece wraps under and up the sides, with a stitched top panel.
Open back, often open toe or strap.
Open back, usually closed toe.
Full heel.
Covers the ankle.
A slipper with shoe-like structure.
A house shoe shaped like a loafer.
Formal slip-on with a velvet upper.

Parts

The outside of the slipper above the sole.
The front part of the upper over the toes.
A stiffened part at the back that holds the heel.
The inside of the upper and the insole.
What your foot rests on.
The bottom that touches the floor.

Materials

Sheep hide, usually with the wool on.
Sheepskin tanned with the wool on, often trimmed even.
Synthetic pile made to look like shearling.
Wool matted together rather than woven.
Knitted wool that has been felted.
Leather with a napped surface.
Leather fibers bound with other substances.
A light foam used in soles.
Polyurethane foam that softens with warmth.

General information, not medical advice. If you have foot pain, diabetes, or circulation problems, ask a doctor or podiatrist before choosing footwear.

Back to the start

See all six styles side by side.