A method of manufacturing footwear includes providing a modular forepart and a modular rearpart, overlapping these parts along an overlap margin a preselected distance, and permanently joining the parts to selectively manufacture footwear of at least two different sizes, for example, a full size or a half size or some other partial size. The forepart and rearpart can be injection molded from one or more polymeric materials in a mold. The polymeric materials can be bonded to a sheet of material which can be at least partially retained in a three-dimensional, contoured shape by the polymeric material. The molded polymeric material can form a supportive and/or structural exoskeleton in an upper portion of the footwear. The exoskeleton can define one or more holes through which the sheet is visible to form one or more aesthetic regions on the upper. An article of footwear constructed with the method is also provided.
A heel accessory for a footwear article is adapted to engage a foot support, such that the wearer's legs can be stretched and the back of the wearer's heels can be comfortably rested on the foot support of a motorcycle. The heel accessory includes a base portion connected to the footwear article and a block portion extending from the base portion. The block portion includes an interface that is shaped to correspond to the foot support, such that the wearer's legs can be stretched and rested while riding.
A high top athletic shoe has partial quarters terminating in spaced relationship to each other, in combination with a rear subassembly with inner and outer portions. The inner portion includes a substantially rigid lower counter portion and a soft, flexible Y-shaped upper rear portion forming a tendon engager, integral with but movable relative to the lower portion for flexing thereof between a forward foot-engaging position and a rearward foot entry position. The outer portion comprises a relatively rigid, U-support element pivotally mounted on both sides of the shoe, and movable between a lowered position beneath the counterpoint of the foot and spaced rearwardly of the inner portion, and an upper position snugly engaging the inner portion being retained in this latter condition by a connectable tensile strap extending around the U-support at the rear of the shoe.