A footwear article configured to accommodate an orthotic device. The footwear article includes a sole and a body. The sole and body extend around and form an interior space sized to receive the user's foot and the orthotic device. The body includes an elastic section configured to expand when the footwear article is worn by the user to increase the size of the interior space to accommodate the user's foot and the orthotic device. The stretching action further applies a force on the user's foot to maintain the position of the orthotic device relative to the foot.

A shoe including an upper comprising an outersole, a toe portion, and a rigid plate; and a heel comprising a threaded shaft upwardly extending therefrom, wherein the rigid plate comprises a threaded barrel comprising a lower open end and an upper closed end opposite therefrom, and wherein the heel is removably attached to the upper based on the threaded shaft threading into the threaded barrel from the lower open end to the upper closed end, and wherein the rigid plate extends over the heel when the heel is removably attached to the upper, and wherein the rigid plate extends past the heel towards the toe portion along the outersole.

A moisture-permeable waterproof shoe includes an upper unit and a shoe-shaped inner sleeve. The upper unit includes a top cut piece and a bottom cut piece. The top cut piece has a rear concave edge with two spaced-apart first ends, a peripheral edge with two spaced-apart second ends, and two rear mating edges each interconnecting one of the first ends and a respective second end. The peripheral edge of the top cut piece is sewn to a periphery of the bottom cut piece. The top and bottom cut pieces cooperate to define an interior space. The inner sleeve is disposed in the interior space. A connecting layer is fixed between an inner surface of the upper unit and an outer surface of the inner sleeve. A sole is fixed to a bottom portion of the upper unit.

A rapid-entry shoe having a heel arm configured to transition between a collapsed configuration, for easy donning and doffing of the shoe, and an uncollapsed configuration, for securing a foot inside the shoe, the shoe having a resilient member configured to bias the heel arm toward the uncollapsed configuration.

The invention is a high heel shoe with an upper that will provide comfort and flexibility for the wearer. In a preferred embodiment the upper consists of two at least two materials: 1) a firm fabric, such as leather, that will hold the shape of the design and have limited flexibility; 2) a flat knitted elastic, such as knit elastic, which will not narrow, or not narrow significantly, when stretched. In addition, the firm fabric is configured to have a flex-point and in a preferred embodiment is formed of two pieces of the firm material having a “split” between them providing the desired flex-point.

A footwear retention elastic device is provided and may comprise a band body comprising a planar structure with a first side surface and a second side surface opposite that of the first side surface. The band body may further comprise a first terminal end and a second terminal end opposite that of the first terminal end. The band body may comprise a protective layer disposed upon the first side surface such that the protective layer covers at least a majority of the first side surface of the band body. The band body may comprise a buffer layer disposed upon the second side surface such that the buffer layer covers at least a majority of the second side surface of the band body.

A shoe lace replacement overlay system, including a shoe, wherein the shoe includes a shoe base, a shoe lace region, a notch area such that the notch area includes an elastic member, and first shoe replacement overlay attachments; and a shoe lace replacement overlay having a top side and a bottom side, wherein the top side of the shoe lace replacement overlay includes a shoe lace replacement overlay base having a first edge and a second edge, a plurality of eyelet strips, a plurality of eyelets, an elastic member located substantially between the plurality of eyelet strips, and wherein the bottom side of the shoe lace replacement overlay includes second shoe replacement overlay attachments such that the first shoe replacement overlay attachments and the second shoe replacement overlay attachments interact with each other in order to retain the shoe lace replacement overlay on the shoe lace region.

An article of footwear may include an upper configured to receive a foot of a wearer, the upper including one or more elastic portions and one or more substantially inelastic portions. The footwear may further include a plurality of lace receiving members fixedly attached to an outer surface of the upper on the inelastic portions of the upper. Also, the footwear may include a sole structure fixedly attached to the upper. In addition, the footwear may include a motorized tensioning system including a motorized tightening device and a tensile member extending through the plurality of lace receiving members, the tightening device being configured to apply tension in the tensile member to adjust the size of an internal void defined by the article of footwear by drawing two or more of the plurality of lace receiving members closer to one another.

The invention is a high heel shoe with an upper that will provide comfort and flexibility for the wearer. In a preferred embodiment the upper consists of two at least two materials: 1) a firm fabric, such as leather, that will hold the shape of the design and have limited flexibility; 2) a flat knitted elastic, such as knit elastic, which will not narrow, or not narrow significantly, when stretched. In addition, the firm fabric is configured to have a flex-point and in a preferred embodiment is formed of two pieces of the firm material having a “split” between them providing the desired flex-point.

A rapid-entry shoe having a heel arm configured to transition between a collapsed configuration, for easy donning and doffing of the shoe, and an uncollapsed configuration, for securing a foot inside the shoe, the shoe having a resilient member configured to bias the heel arm toward the uncollapsed configuration.