Shoe terminology question

In view of the clarifying answers to my question concerning pin-stripes and chalk-stripes, I have become quite optimistic and I hope that also the following doubts of mine can be clarified:
When I browse the forum, I see a lot of interesting stuff written about shoes. However, I frequently get lost, because I am not familiar enough with the terminology. I now understand what monkstraps is, as well as wingtips (I do not like them too much, though, I have a pair of Ferragamo ones but just because I got them at an excellent price during sales; I put wingtips in the same category as navy blue blazers, yes, they look great one some people but I feel they are a bit "formal" for me). I also believe that a loafer may be something similar to a moccasin, right?
Now, terms like laceups, oxfords, bluchers, cordovans, shell cordovans, half-shell, whole-shell, are all gibberish to me, and I haven't found any thread that clarifies the meaning of these terms in a comprehensive way. Could anyone give me a clue? (Guiding me to the right thread, maybe?). Or are these doubts just due to my non-familiarity with the English language? My normal dictionary does not help me out, though.

Fellow member Jan P. Myhre has a quite comprehensive shoe dictionary on his site :
http://www.bespoke-shoes.com/

Go to "the firm" and to then to "dictionary".

Things can get even more complicated, because American and British terms for the same thing can be different. This dictionary (using English terms) is a good place to start with, then, if you have more questions, come back to this forum.

'Lace-up' is any shoe using laces, as opposed to moccasin, loafer, slip-on or "˜casual' (British) - a shoe style without laces.

I would gladly provide you answers in spanish, but your understanding of english seems highly developed from your post. If you would like to use the search function of this forum to clear up any broad confusion you may have about these terms, I would be glad to explain the details or particulars to you in spanish. But I have a feeling this will not be needed because your english is very good. What part of Madrid are you from? Very classy city.

Well, I am not from Madrid, actually. I am from Sweden, but I have lived here for the last twelve years. I live right in the centre of the town, just around the corner from the Puerta del Sol.
I cannot find Madrid very classy, though. It is quite dirty, I think, and too many cars. Now, here you have a lot of excellent restaurants (I especially recommend some of those that serve the traditional Galician and Basque food (this new Spanish cuisine may be interesting from a technical point of view and appears to be appreciated abroad, but I have tried it some times and I find it quite ridiculous - I had some gnocchies stuffed with "air" some time ago at one of these "new" restaurants, and it may require a lot of skill to get the air into the gnocchies, but I prefer the normal potatoe ones, or those filled with cheese...).
By the way, I find it difficult to find good English shoes in Madrid.

A stuffed gnocchie is a very difficult culinary maneuver. I'm not familiar with "air" stuffing. I remember my time in Spain fondly, I thought the older generation had great style, austere and understated...old world ephemera. I think the word they use on this forum is "sprezzatura".

Well, I do not think that you can say that about the younger generation (with a few exceptions, maybe...).

Originally Posted by epa

Click to expand...

I also believe that a loafer may be something similar to a moccasin, right?
Now, terms like laceups, oxfords, bluchers, cordovans, shell cordovans, half-shell, whole-shell, are all gibberish to me, and I haven't found any thread that clarifies the meaning of these terms in a comprehensive way. Could anyone give me a clue? (Guiding me to the right thread, maybe?). Or are these doubts just due to my non-familiarity with the English language? My normal dictionary does not help me out, though.

laceups: any shoes you lace up with shoe laces
oxfords: in the UK, a balmoral shoe; in the US, any laceup shoe
blucher: in the US, a non-balmoral shoe (equivalent is "derby" in UK)
cordovan: the special leather coming from the hind of a horse (or special kind of horse); the color common to shell cordovan, or the color burgundy.
shell cordovan: same as cordovan, i think?
half shell and whole shell, not sure what that is.

balmoral is a shoe where the tongue is a seperate piece stitched on the underside of the vamp and the quarters are usually one piece just with a ****.

a non-balmoral derby is where the quarters are seperate, maybe stitched seperately with the tongue one piece fluid with the vamp.

my preference is the non balmoral, derby. when on an elegant last, it is a very striking and authoritative look to me.

What is stitching like this

http://www.aubercy.com/en/4472/swann-reverso-2/

called?
In French one would say "couture reverso", but I can't find a dictionary capable of a decent translation. (I don't get any hits on google for top-band stitching therefor my question)