Galoshes

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Galoshes Latex Gummi Uberschuhe.jpeg
Galoshes

Galoshes, also known by many other names, are a type of overshoe or rubber boot that is put on over shoes to keep them from getting muddy or wet during inclement weather.

Contents

Names

The English word galosh, golosh, [1] [2] [3] etc. comes from French galoche from Medieval Latin galopia, a variant of Late Latin calopes and calopedes, a partial calque of Greek kalopódion (καλοπόδιον) from kâlon ( κᾶλον , "wood") + poús ( πούς , "foot"). [4] The calopedes of Late Antiquity were a kind of wooden clog and the name was occasionally reused in the Middle Ages for pattens, wooden bottoms strapped to softer shoes to allow outdoor use. [4] By the 14th century, galosh was also being used to refer to English-style clogs, shoes with a wooden sole and a full fabric or leather upper [5] and then to any shoe or boot generally, [2] a meaning it still bears in Azorean Portuguese.

An ad for Goodyear rubbers 1891 Wales Goodyear LincolnSt Boston.jpeg
An ad for Goodyear rubbers
Vice Adm. Thomas C. Kinkaid of the US Navy wearing snow galoshes while stationed in the Aleutian Islands during World War II. Kinkaid May 1943.jpg
Vice Adm. Thomas C. Kinkaid of the US Navy wearing snow galoshes while stationed in the Aleutian Islands during World War II.

From the patten definition, galosh ultimately took on its present meaning of an overshoe worn at sea or in inclement weather. As such, they are also known as overshoes or bad-weather shoes and, now that they are universally made from rubber or rubber-like plastic, may be called rubbers, rubber boots, or gumshoes. Especially in the United Kingdom, galoshes are separate footwear overshoes not to be confused with the form of large rubber boots are known as Wellington boots.

A galosh that only wraps around a shoe's upper is known as a spat or gaiter. Among bootmakers, a galosh is also a piece of leather like a welt that runs around the top of the sole between it and the uppers. In Turkish contexts, galoş most often intends smaller overshoes that are worn indoors to keep from tracking mud or dirt onto the floor. [6]

History

The transition from a traditional wooden sole galosh to one of vulcanized rubber may be attributed to Charles Goodyear and Leverett Candee. The qualities of rubber, though fascinating to Goodyear, were highly dependent on temperature: it was tacky when hot, brittle when cold. Vulcanization of rubber tempered its properties so that it was easily molded, durable, and tough. A rubberized elastic webbing made Goodyear's galoshes (c.1890) easy to pull on and off.[ citation needed ] Since the early 20th century, galoshes have been almost universally made of rubber. [2] Overshoes have evolved in the past decades and now are being made with more advanced features, such as high traction outsoles.

Slipper-style galoshes Galosh.jpg
Slipper-style galoshes

There are now only two basic types of galoshes. It is commonly thought that galoshes are known in the United Kingdom as a Wellington boot, a large rubber boot, commonly worn as footwear in their own right, but this is not correct. A Wellington boot is named after the Duke of Wellington and is a separate item from a pair of galoshes, which have continued in use as an overshoe cover. So, the first type of true galosh is a slightly smaller, oversize shoe or low boot made of thick rubber with a heavy sole and instep, also designed for heavy-duty use. The last is much thinner, of more flexible material, and more like a rubber slipper designed solely for protection against the wet and slips rather than for extensive walking. In the UK, this latter item is the one known as a galosh or pair of galoshes.

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A shoe is an item of footwear intended to protect and comfort the human foot. Though the human foot can adapt to varied terrains and climate conditions, it is vulnerable, and shoes provide protection. Form was originally tied to function, but over time, shoes also became fashion items. Some shoes are worn as safety equipment, such as steel-toe boots, which are required footwear at industrial worksites.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Footwear</span> Garments worn on feet

Footwear refers to garments worn on the feet, which typically serve the purpose of protection against adversities of the environment such as wear from rough ground; stability on slippery ground; and temperature.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wellington boot</span> Type of waterproof boot

The Wellington boot, often shortened to welly and also known as the gumboot, is a type of waterproof boot.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Clog</span> Footwear made in part or completely of wood

Clogs are a type of footwear made in part or completely from wood. Used in many parts of the world, their forms can vary by culture, but often remained unchanged for centuries within a culture.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Slipper</span> Informal footwear

Slippers are a type of shoes falling under the broader category of light footwear, that are easy to put on and off and are intended to be worn indoors, particularly at home. They provide comfort and protection for the feet when walking indoors.

<i>Geta</i> (footwear) Traditional Japanese open-topped wooden shoes

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sandal</span> Type of footwear with an open upper

Sandals are an open type of shoe, consisting of a sole held to the wearer's foot by straps going over the instep and around the ankle. Sandals can also have a heel. While the distinction between sandals and other types of footwear can sometimes be blurry, the common understanding is that a sandal leaves all or most of the foot exposed.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shoemaking</span> Process of making footwear

Shoemaking is the process of making footwear.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Combat boot</span> Type of boots designed to be worn by soldiers

Combat boots are military boots designed to be worn by soldiers during combat or combat training, as opposed to during parades and other ceremonial duties. Modern combat boots are designed to provide a combination of grip, ankle stability, and foot protection suitable for a rugged environment. They are traditionally made of hardened and sometimes waterproofed leather. Today, many combat boots incorporate technologies originating in civilian hiking boots, such as Gore-Tex nylon side panels, which improve ventilation and comfort. They are also often specialized for certain climates and conditions, such as jungle boots, desert boots, and cold weather boots as well as specific uses, such as tanker boots and jump boots.

Jungle boots are a type of combat boot designed for use in jungle warfare or in hot, wet, and humid environments where a standard leather combat boot would be uncomfortable or unsuitable to wear. Jungle boots have vent holes in the instep and sometimes a canvas upper to aid in ventilation and drainage of moisture.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hiking boot</span> Sturdy footwear for outdoor activities

Hiking (walking) boots are footwear specifically designed for protecting the feet and ankles during outdoor walking activities such as hiking. They are one of the most important items of hiking gear since their quality and durability can determine a hiker's ability to walk long distances without injury. Hiking boots are constructed to provide comfort for walking considerable distances over rough terrain. Boots that protect the hiker's feet and heel are recommended. Hiking boots give ankle support and are fairly stiff. A less popular alternative is to use light trainers with thin soles. Footwear should be neither too loose nor too tight, to help prevent blisters and sore feet. Hiking socks that wick sweat from the feet, provide warmth, and cushion the feet are recommended and a thin, inner sock may also help. Most hiking boots are also designed for other outdoor activities such as backpacking, climbing, mountaineering, and hunting.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mukluk</span> Soft boot worn by Arctic peoples

Mukluks or kamik are soft boots, traditionally made of reindeer (caribou) skin or sealskin, and worn by Indigenous Arctic peoples, including Inuit, Iñupiat, and Yup'ik.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Australian work boot</span> Style of work boot

An Australian work boot is a style of work shoe, typically constructed with a leather upper bound together with elastic sides and pull tabs on the front and back of the boot. The shoe lacks a tongue, and laces, and often contains a steel toe cap for occupational health and safety reasons. When the shoe contains a steel cap they are often known as "safety boots" or "steel toe boots". The boots generally lack an inner lining. The sole is generally polyurethane and the leather uppers are treated to be resistant to hot water, fats and mild alkaline and acid solutions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Valenki</span> Traditional Russian footwear

Valenki are traditional Russian winter footwear, essentially felt boots: the name valenok literally means "made by felting". They are not water-resistant, and are often worn with galoshes to protect the soles from wear and moisture.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Patten (shoe)</span>

Pattens, also known by other names, are protective overshoes that were worn in Europe from the Middle Ages until the early 20th century. In appearance, they sometimes resembled contemporary clogs or sandals. Pattens were worn outdoors over a normal shoe, had a wooden or later wood and metal sole, and were held in place by leather or cloth bands. Pattens functioned to elevate the foot above the mud and dirt of the street, in a period when road and urban paving was minimal. Women continued to wear pattens in muddy conditions until the 19th or even early 20th century.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cleat (shoe)</span> Projection on sole of shoe

Cleats or studs are protrusions on the sole of a shoe or on an external attachment to a shoe that provide additional traction on a soft or slippery surface. They can be conical or blade-like in shape and can be made of plastic, rubber or metal. The type worn depends on the environment of play: grass, ice, artificial turf, or other grounds.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chukka boot</span> Style of footwear

Chukka boots are ankle-high leather boots with suede or leather uppers, leather or rubber soles, and open lacing, with two or three pairs of eyelets. The name chukka possibly comes from the game of polo, where a chukka is a period of play.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Clog (British)</span>

A British clog is a wooden-soled clog from Great Britain. The uppers are typically leather, and many variations exist in style and fastening.

References

Notes

  1. Victorian Research Login needed
  2. 1 2 3 Wikisource-logo.svg One or more of the preceding sentences incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain :  Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Golosh". Encyclopædia Britannica . Vol. 12 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 226.
  3. "Galosh". Answers. 1970-01-01. Retrieved 2012-09-28.
  4. 1 2 "golosh" . Oxford English Dictionary (Online ed.). Oxford University Press.(Subscription or participating institution membership required.)
  5. William, Langland (c. 1377), "Passus XVIII", in Echmidt, A V C (ed.), The vision of Piers Plowman , London & Melbourne: Everyman (published 1984), line 14, ISBN   0-460-11571-5, To geten him ... galoches ycouped.[slashed shoes]
  6. galoş (in Turkish)(Translate: Google, Bing, Yandex)Türk Dil Kurumu. TDK. 2019. Retrieved 11 July 2020. Note: Insert the word galoş in the translated search bar.

Bibliography