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Everyone wears shoes at some point. Once developed long ago to protect our feet, shoes have now become a fashion statement that everyone wears. Given that shoes are a virtually universal piece of clothing, there are tons of words to call them and phrases related to them.
To show you what we mean, here is a list of slang words for shoes, as well as notes on how they’re properly used.
Slang Words for Shoes (in Alphabetical Order)
A
AF1’s/Air Force Ones
Meaning:
- (Noun): Abbreviation for a popular type of shoes from Nike.
- Example: “I’ve got my new AF1’s on today. What do you think?”
B
Biscuits
Meaning:
- (Noun): Worn-out shoes that you’ve probably had for years and need to replace. Usually falling apart.
- Example: “Dang, my biscuits are literally falling apart on my feet. I might need some new ones.”
Boats
Meaning:
- (Noun): Extremely large shoes.
- Example: “Look at the boats on that guy over there. You know what they say about big feet…”
Broken In
Meaning:
- (Noun): Shoes that have been worn a little bit so they’re not as stiff and uncomfortable.
- Example: “Now that I’ve broken in my new Air Force Ones, they are way more comfortable.”
C
Calcos
Meaning:
- (Noun): Slang that is specific to California for dress shoes.
- Example: “I bought some new calcos to wear to the wedding.”
CFM Shoes
Meaning:
- (Noun): Come f*** me shoes. You use this to refer to shoes that are designed to be extremely flattering and sexually attractive, like high heels.
- Example: “I’m going out with the girls tonight. Better’d wear my CFM shoes.”
Chucks
Meaning:
- (Noun): Short for “Chuck Taylors,” or Converse shoes. This is a specific brand of shoe that has been very popular with people into alternative fashion for years.
- Example: “I love wearing my Chucks with my skinny jeans.”
Coke Whites
Meaning:
- (Noun): Air Force One shoes that are white and brand-new. Some people use this phrase for any type of Nike shoe that’s bright white.
- Example: “I’d love to get me a pair of coke whites.”
Creps/Crepes
Meaning:
- (Noun): Athletic running shoes with rubber soles on the bottom.
- Example: “Let’s do a crep check to make sure everyone is wearing the right type of shoes for working out.”
Crocs
Meaning:
- (Noun): A type of type of sandal-like shoe made from soft plastic. They’re extremely gaudy but known for being comfortable.
- Example: “Ash, you can’t wear your Crocs while we’re out clubbing. They’re so ugly.”
D
Doc Martens
Meaning:
- (Noun): Name for a specific brand of shoe. They are lace-up boots with air-cushioned soles that are kind of on the expensive side.
- Example: “My Doc Martens are so comfortable.”
F
Feet Whips
Meaning:
- (Noun): A general slang term for shoes.
- Example: “What do you think of my new feet whips?”
Flandals
Meaning:
- (Noun): A combination of “flip flop” and “sandal.” These shoes are sandals that have a strap around your ankle.
- Example: “I bought some new flandals for myself today.”
G
Gellin’
Meaning:
- (Verb): Wearing shoes with gel inserts in them.
- Example: “My feet always hurt in these shoes, so I’m gellin’ today.”
Go Fasters
Meaning:
- (Noun): A slang term used by United States Marines for athletic or running shoes.
- Example: “I always wear my go fasters when I go for a jog.”
Gutties
Meaning:
- (Noun): An Irish phrase that describes cheap, oftentimes low-quality shoes. You can use it similarly to how you’d use “biscuits.”
J
Jays
Meaning:
- (Noun): An abbreviation of Jordan. It references basketball shoes from the Jordan brand.
- Example: “Check out my new Jays.”
Jerusalem Cruisers
Meaning:
- (Noun): Extremely old-fashioned leather sandals that might remind you of something worn in biblical times.
- Example: “Call me old-fashioned, but I just love the look of these Jerusalem cruisers.”
Joggers
Meaning:
- (Noun): Another word you may call athletic shoes. Treat this one like creps.
K
Kicks
Meaning:
- (Noun): General word for shoes. Can be used like feet whips.
L
Lows
Meaning:
- (Noun): Shoes with a low top. This type of shoe usually goes up no further than your ankle.
- Example: “I like to wear my lows to school.”
M
Mandals
Meaning:
- (Noun): Sandals that are intended for men or are being worn by a man.
- Example: “Jason looks pretty good in his mandals.”
Maypops
Meaning:
- (Noun): Knock-off, cheap, or generic shoes you can buy from chain stores like Wal-Mart or K-Mart. You can use this phrase like you would use biscuits.
Mids
Meaning:
- (Noun): Shoes that go a little higher up your leg than lows.
- Example: “I like to wear my mids when I’m out on the town because I think they’re gorgeous.”
Monkey Plastics
Meaning:
- (Noun): Knock-off shoes that are made from flimsy and poor-quality materials.
- Example: “I bought these shoes online because they were so affordable…but then these horrible monkey plastics showed up in my mail.”
N
New Sneaker Syndrome
Meaning:
- (Noun): That period of time after buying new shoes in which you do everything you can to avoid damaging them by babying them.
- Example: “Dante always goes through a long bout of new sneaker syndrome every time he gets new feet whips.”
P
Pumped Up Kicks
Meaning:
- (Noun): Shoes that are awfully expensive. This phrase was popularized in the 2010 song, “Pumped Up Kicks” by Foster the People.
- Example: “I spent a crazy amount of cash on my new pumped up kicks.”
Pumps
Meaning:
- (Noun): Lightweight shoes that usually don’t go over your ankle and lack any sort of laces or straps.
- Example: “My favorite shoes are my pumps because they’re so easy to slip into.”
R
Runners
Meaning:
- (Noun): Another word used to describe athletic shoes. You can use it like how you would say “joggers.”
S
Scooby Doo’s
Meaning:
- (Noun): Can be applied to any type of shoe. However, many people tend to use this phrase in reference to their most well-loved and maintained shoes.
- Examples: “My Scooby-Doo’s look as good as the day I bought them.”
Shitkickers
Meaning:
- (Noun): Heavy-duty boots that you might wear to work. They usually have toes that are reinforced with steel to protect you from accidents.
- Example: “Gotta put on my best shitkickers before I show up to work today.”
Shoepping
Meaning:
- (Verb): The act of shopping specifically for shoes.
- Example: “I’m going shoepping with my kids this afternoon.”
Shooz
Meaning:
- (Noun): An alternate and slang spelling of “shoes.” Can be applied to any type of shoe.
Skippies
Meaning:
- (Noun): Knock-off, low-quality shoes that you can buy in discount stores. Use this phrase like maypops.
Slides
Meaning:
- (Noun): Shoes that you can slide your feet into. They have one loop on the back so they don’t slip right off your feet while you’re walking.
- Example: “I always slip into my slides to take out the garbage.”
Sneakerhead
Meaning:
- (Noun): A person who’s really into shoes. They may even collect sneakers.
- Example: “Jared’s a sneakerhead. He has dozens of pairs of all the best brands and he puts them up on shelves.”
Sneaks
Meaning:
- (Noun): Abbreviated way of saying “sneakers.” You can use it similarly to how you would say “shooz.”
Steps
Meaning:
- (Noun): Another generalized term for shoes. Treat like feet whips or kicks.
Stomps
Meaning:
- (Noun): An uncommon slang word for shoes. This is similar in nature to steps, whips, or kicks.
Stripper Boots/Heels
Meaning:
- (Noun): Shoes with an extremely high heel that you might see a stripper wearing. They usually go up to your knee or higher.
- Example: “I always feel so sexy when I wear my stripper boots.”
T
Tennies
Meaning:
- (Noun): Slang term for “tennis shoes.” Usually refers to lightweight, athletic shoes with the rubber soles on the bottom. You can say it in the same way you’d say “joggers.”
Thongs
Meaning:
- (Noun): Sandals that are held on your feet by a strap that goes between your toes. Be careful with this one, because it also refers to a type of underwear.
- Example: “I usually wear my thongs at the beach…and I mean my shoes, not my underwear.”
Timbs
Meaning:
- (Noun): A specific brand of shoe called Timberlands. They are well-known for being tough and long-lasting boots.
- Example: “I’ve had the same pair of Timbs for years.”
Toe Cleavage
Meaning:
- (Noun): When the cracks between your toes are visible over the edge of your shoes.
- Example: “I like wearing socks because it hides my toe cleavage.”
Trainers
Meaning:
- (Noun): UK slang for lightweight athletic shoes. This is like tennies, joggers, or creps.
U
Uggs
Meaning:
- (Noun): A brand of boot that was popular in the mid to late 2000’s. These boots can go anywhere from just over your ankle to up to your knee and are lined with faux fur.
- Example: “I wish Uggs would come into style again.”
Uppies
Meaning:
- (Noun): Slang that is specific to San Franciso. It’s another general term for shoes, just like feet whips.
W
Waffle Stompers
Meaning:
- (Noun): Heavy-duty boots with a deep tread pattern resembling waffles. This is another one to be careful of, because “waffle stomping” has its own connotations.
- Example: “Frank always wears his chunky waffle stompers when we go out hiking.”
Wookies
Meaning:
- (Noun): Any shoes that are an imitation of a name brand.
- Example: “Those aren’t real Jays – they’re wookies.”
Y
Yeezy/Yeezies
Meaning:
- (Noun): A luxury brand of shoes, kind of like AF1’s or Jays.
- Example: “He can’t stop showing off his new Yeezies.”
Wrap Up
There are tons of different types of shoes out there! Because of the wide variety, there also happens to be a lot of slang terms to choose from.
Make sure you’re applying the correct term to your shoes, though. Keep in mind that some of the terms on this list also have other connotations that you’ll want to research before using them.
If you’d like to learn more slang terms, take a look at our guide to slang terms for penis. There are tons of slang terms you can use to describe this body part!