• Buy one full priced item ($200+), get $50 OFF EverEase. Shop Now
  • Free shipping over $200. Easy returns, always.
  • Join Poppy Perks: Member-only products, giveaways, and sales! Join Now
 AUD
 

Shoeology: The History of the Derby Shoe

3-minute read

In the first post in our Shoeology series, we traveled a few hundred years into the past to discover the origins of the Oxford shoe. An Oxford shoe is defined by its "closed" lacing system, meaning that its eyelet tabs are stitched underneath the vamp (i.e., the top) of the shoe so that they aren’t visible. The Derby (our Jasper Derby in black calf and deer is pictured above), on the other hand, can be identified by its "open" lacing system, meaning that its eyelet tabs are stitched on top of the shoe’s vamp. But how—and more importantly, why—did the Derby emerge? What's the point of making such a seemingly trivial change in the way a shoe is designed? DerbyHistory-blogpost-650x650The answer is, of course, that this change from closed to open lacing isn't trivial at all. In fact, it makes quite a big difference. For people with a high instep (which is sometimes attributed to a high arch), the Oxford's closed lacing system sometimes doesn't have enough room. Because the eyelet tabs are stitched on top of the shoe's vamp rather than underneath, a Derby typically has a roomier instep (of course, this is adjustable through lacing). The prevailing theory posits the Derby as an evolution of the Oxford, a response to those who found the Oxford uncomfortable for their high insteps.
Poppy Barley Men's Shoes - The Jasper Derby in Black - Sizes 5-15 Narrow to Wide
Poppy Barley Men's Shoes - The Jasper Derby in Tan - Sizes 5-15 Narrow to Wide
Others theorize that we can thank Edward Smith-Stanley, the 14th Earl of Derby, for the cut. The Earl apparently was a man of generous proportions, and his large feet made it difficult for him to wear boots. In response, his bootmaker developed an open-laced boot that accommodated his feet better than closed-laced boots. Of course, it's likely that the Oxford and Derby developed concurrently rather than one after the other—just as students at Oxfords were shortening boots with open lacing, the Derby cut was being mentioned in books as early as 1862. Poppy Barley Men's Shoes - The Jasper Derby in Tan - Sizes 5-15 Narrow to Wide There's even a third theory to muddle the waters even further. Boots were the standard issue footwear for soldiers in Europe in the 1800s, and anyone who has worn boots could probably tell you they aren't always the easiest the get on and off at the best of times, let alone in the less-than-ideal conditions of war, where soldiers are often trekking through mud and water. During the Napoleonic wars, a Prussian army officer named Gebhard Leberecht von Blücher (explaining the term blucher, another name that is used to describe the Derby, especially in the United States) developed a boot with two leather flaps below the ankles that could be laced together, i.e., it used an open lacing system. Poppy Barley Men's Shoes - The Jasper Derby in Tan - Sizes 5-15 Narrow to Wide Just as with the Oxford, the multiple theories floating around suggest that the defining feature of the Derby shoe, its open lacing system, was being developed simultaneously by different people around Europe, which reminds me of the scientific concept of multiple discovery, which hypothesizes that "that most scientific discoveries and inventions are made independently and more or less simultaneously by multiple scientists and inventors." Look at that—not only do you know more about Derby shoes now, but science, too! Who said shoes couldn't be educational?

Older Post Newer Post

All Day Comfort

Feel-good footwear in medium and wide widths.

Reformed Pricing

We skip the luxury markups to offer fair prices on high-quality products.

Responsibly Made

Ethically made in audited factories with planet-conscious materials.

Subscribe for early access to new releases and $25 off your first purchase.

The Harley Heeled Sandal Ankle Size Guide

How To Measure:
The Harley Heeled Sandal: Take a tape measure and wrap it around your foot, right below your ankle bone as that is where the strap will sit (see product imagery and fit video for a visual demonstration). This measurement is based on the last adjustment point on the strap.

Size Strap length will accommodate an ankle measurement up to the size below
5 26 cm
5.5 26.5 cm
6 27 cm
6.5 27 cm
7 27.5 cm
7.5 27.5 cm
8 28 cm
8.5 28 cm
9 28 cm
9.5 28.5 cm
10 28.5 cm
10.5 29 cm
11 29 cm
11.5 30 cm
12 30 cm

The Esther Heeled Sandal Ankle Size Guide

How to Measure:
The Esther Heeled Sandal: take a tape measure and wrap it around your ankle, above the ankle bone, as that is where the strap will sit (see product imagery and fit video for a visual demonstration). This measurement is based on the last adjustment point on the strap.

Size Strap length will accommodate an ankle measurement up to the size below
5 23 cm
5.5 23 cm
6 23 cm
6.5 23 cm
7 24 cm
7.5 24 cm
8 24.5 cm
8.5 24.5 cm
9 24.5 cm
9.5 25 cm
10 25 cm
10.5 25.5 cm
11 26 cm
11.5 26 cm
12 26 cm

Belt Sizes

Natural Waist Measurement Typical Jean Size Belt Size for High‑rise Pant Belt Size for Mid‑rise Pant Infinite Belt Size
23-25" 23/24 26" 28" 1
25-26" 25 28" 30" 1
26-27" 26 30" 32" 1
27-28" 27 30" 32" 1
28-29" 28 32" 34" 2
29-30" 29 32" 34" 2
30-31" 30 34" 36" 2
31-32" 31 34" 36" 2
32-33" 32 36" 38" 3
33-34" 33 36" 38" 3
34-35" 34 38” 40" 3
36-37" 36 38" 40" 3
38-39" 38 40" 42" 4
40-41" 40 40" 42" 4
42-43" 42 44" 46" 4
43-44" 43 44" 46" 5
44-45" 44 46" - 5

Sizing Note: For the most accurate fit, measure around your body where you plan to wear the belt. Choose the closest belt size to that measurement.

Belt Diagram Accent Belt and Complement BeltThe Accent Belt, The Polished Belt and The Complement Belt size measurements start from the beginning of the leather to the middle hole.

Belt Diagram Infinite BeltThe Infinite Belt size measurements cover the entire length of the leather.



Belt Measuring Guide

Belt Measuring Guide

A - High-rise style:

If you plan to wear your belt around your natural waistline, wrap a measuring tape around the narrowest part of your midsection. Then, add 3” to determine your high-rise belt size.

B - Mid-rise style:

If you plan to wear your belt lower than your natural waistline, you will require a dierent size. If you have a particular pair of bottoms you intend to wear your belt with, wrap a measuring tape through the belt loops while in a relaxed position.

When wearing your belt in your preferred style, it should fasten in the middle hole. The belt will relax with wear allowing you to cinch it tighter, as needed.

If you plan to wear the belt in both the high and mid-rise styles, you have two options:

  1. Select your high-rise style and fasten it more loosely when worn in the mid-rise style.
  2. Select your mid-rise style and fasten it more tightly when worn in the high-rise style.