Shoelace Style

Aglets Are Just the Tip of the Shoelace
Tying Shoes
Going to Great Lengths
Shoelaces in the News
You CAN Take It With You
Are You a Shoelace Purist?

Naturally, I couldn't pass up the opportunity to examine an entire web site devoted to shoelaces. At this early stage, I hadn't yet clicked the link so -- although tickled by the idea of a single-focus page on this topic, I didn't expect a lot of depth.To be honest: I figured there would be an introductory section about laces accompanied by a few pictures and links to shopping sites. Possibly, there would be a small section on how to tie laces or how to teach the skill to children. I could not have imagine the delights that awaited me.

Since aglets brought me to the site, my first stop was the Shoelace Tips section. Tricky Ian. Shoelace Tips can have two meanings, and this section covers both: Aglets (physical shoelace tips) and the other meaning -- helpful information (including teaching kids to ties their laces, tips for the disabled, and general hints and tricks).

The Aglet Repair section provides details on how to make your own aglets. "Why," I hear you asking, "would I want to make those little plastic thingies? Don't they already come on the laces I buy?"

Fun Fact
The Greek word for aglet is perikapsilio

Well, yes, they do. But what if you have an AGLET EMERGENCY? What if your shoelace breaks in the middle of the desert, say, miles from the nearest Target (speaking of Meccas...). According to Ian, it's not a problem. You just open your backpack and take out your tape or your candle wax, nail polish or glue. Or your narrow metal tubing or your heat shrink tubing (along with the heat shrink machine because "hot enough to fry an egg" isn't hot enough to melt an aglet). If your shoelace happens to be made of synthetic material, though, you're in luck. All you need is a match or lighter and you can melt the end to form a hard point.

Hm. If I'm out in the desert with just my backpack (I wouldn't be. Ever.), I think I'd pack water rather than tape and glue, but then, I'm no shoelace expert and my priorities are probably skewed..

Let's not quibble, though, because Ian's site is a wonderland unto itself. And aglets are just the tip of this shoelace paradise.

If your idea of varying your shoe-tying method is to do up the laces in straight rows as opposed to criss-cross, you are the merest paramecium on the evolutionary shoelace continuum. On the site, Ian illustrates 36 different ways to lace shoes. These include ladder, spider web, trellis, and twistie. Both the hexagram and pentagram styles form stars (6- and 5-point, respectively), so not only can your shoelaces be fancy, they can also be symbolic -- even subversive.

Classical scholars might embrace the Roman tying style, which forms an alternating X-I pattern. Geneticists are sure to gravitate to the double helix. And apparently Ian has at least a dozen more methods that will be appearing on the site at some point. Newly added to the site are the Asterisk and Supernova.

Don't Neglect the Lugs

In addition to the 36 lace-tieing styles for footwear with eyelets, 18 have been adapted for shoes/boots with lugs. A separate section demonstrates designs employing 2 different color laces.

Or the Knots

Ian illustrates 17 different types of knots and discusses their pros and cons.

Shoelace Solutions

Ian is not just another pretty shoe, though. This Shoe-ru also can solve your ugly, nagging little footwear problems.

Got shoelaces that slip or go all crooked? Maybe they come untied all the time. No fear -- Doc Ian will prescribe the appropriate remedy for any malady, including the dreaded Granny Knot conundrum.

Shoelaces come in several lengths, and deciding what lengths you will go to depends on a number of variables, including the number of eyelets, the width of the shoe, and the tying style you select. In fact, if you decide to embrace shoelaces as a means of personal expression, plan to own multiple pairs of laces for that single pair of shoes.

Ian opines that in general, shoes comes with laces that are TOO LONG. In fact, he finds that he needs to cut most of his down to more suitable lengths. "Oh," I hear you saying. "But doesn't that mean he has to cut off the aglets?" AHA! Once again, Ian is tying rings around us. He has solved that problem, of course, in the make-your-own-aglet section. Now don't I feel silly, making fun of that idea.

So how does one select an appropriate shoelace length? Why, just amble over to Ian's handy shoelace length calculator, enter the requested information (number of eyelets, length of shoe, width between laces, lacing style, and a number of other options).

If you are truly geeky, a math lover, or just masochistic, Ian does provide a section crammed with formulas to you can do your own calculations. Not only that, but the formulas are compatible with popular spreadsheet software so you can create your personalized shoelace database.

Okay. I have to say it. Ian is pretty darn amazing. He thinks of everything. For example:

Comparison Charts

Ian has analysed the differences in length required for the standard criss-cross method (the one most of us use, so this is the baseline) and for the fancier styles. Adjusted for inflation of bow size, although not for arch height or sock thickness...

Philosophy

Why do manufacturers make shoelaces so long? This is one of life's age-old questions, and Ian offers some theories about it. By the way, lest you think I'm kidding about the age-old part, take a look at this article about a pair of 5,500-year-old shoes WITH LACES that was recently discovered.

You might not think of shoelaces as newsworthy, but they have figured prominently in a surprising number of events. Ian has thoughtfully provided links to some of these stories. They are true and often hilarious -- even the tragic ones because, hello... Shoelaces.

The stories include freak accidents; miraculous rescues; emergency births (tying off umbilical cords), record-setting shoe-tying events, museum disasters, and even a story centered around Nelson Mandela. The number of stories of people being injured while bending over to tie their laces is remarkable. Really. You need to read these.