horse tannery in the US, in Chicago and is completely manufactured domestically, whereas Allen Edmonds of Wisconsin is a larger company that outsources some of its production. Women's There is a large variety of shoes available for women, in addition to most of the men's styles being more accepted as unisex. Some broad categories are: High-heeled footwear is footwear that raises the heels, typically 2 inches (5 cm) or more above the toes, commonly worn by women for formal occasions or social outings. Variants include kitten heels (typically –2 inches high) and stiletto heels (with a very narrow heel post) and wedge heels (with a wedge-shaped sole rather than a heel post). Mules are shoes or slippers with no fitting around the heel (i.e. they are backless) Slingbacks are shoes which are secured by a strap behind the heel, rather than over the top of the foot. Ballet flats, known in the UK as ballerinas, ballet pumps or skimmers, are shoes with a very low heel and a relatively short vamp, exposing much of the instep. They are popular for warm-weather wear, and may be seen as more comfortable than shoes with a higher heel. Court shoes, known in the United States as pumps, are typically high-heeled, slip-on dress shoes. Unisex Clog Platform shoe: shoe with very thick soles and heels Sandals: open shoes consisting of a sole and various straps, leaving much of the foot exposed to air. They are thus popular for warm-weather wear, because they let the foot be cooler than a closed-toed shoe would. Saddle shoe: leather shoe with a contrasting saddle-shaped band over the instep, typically white uppers with black "saddle". Slip-on shoe: a dress or casual shoe without shoelaces or fasteners; often with tassels, buckles, or coin-holders (penny loafers). Boat shoes, also known as "deck shoes": similar to a loafer, but more casual. Laces are usually simple leather with no frills. Typically made of leather and featuring a soft white sole to avoid marring or scratching a boat deck. The first boat shoe was invented in 1935 by Paul A. Sperry. Slippers: For indoor use, commonly worn with pajamas. Dance A wide variety of footwear is used by dancers. The choice of dance shoe type depends on the style of dance that is to be performed and, in many cases, the characteristics of the surface that will be danced on. Pointe shoes are designed