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Blundstone elastic sided boots

An Australian work boot (or generically elastic-sided boot) is a style of work shoe, typically constructed with a leather upper bound together with elastic sides and pull tabs on the front and back of the boot. The shoe lacks a tongue, and laces, and often contains a steel toe cap for occupational health and safety reasons. When the shoe contains a steel cap they are often known as "safety boots" or "steel toe boots". The boots generally lack an inner lining. The sole is generally polyurethane and the leather uppers are treated to be resistant to hot water, fats and mild alkaline and acid solutions.

The elasticated side design allows the wearer to easily slip their boots on and off without the hassle of laces, but with the firm fit of lace-up boots. There are several Australian companies manufacturing boots in this classic style today. Some of the more popular brands are Blundstone (perhaps the original dating back to 1870),^[1]Rossi Boots (established in 1910 and still manufactured in Australia) and R. M. Williams. In Australian English, the manufacturer's brand name is often associated generically with this style of boot, leading to the names Blundstones, RMs or Rossis.

The shoes are typically worn as safety boots in occupationally hazardous environments, as ordinary work boots for people whose work is occasionally hazardous and who need to enter hazardous sites, as formal dress boots, as riding boots, or for particular aesthetic purposes. In the last category, the Novocastrian dance ensemble Tap Dogs uses modified work boots as tap shoes.

References [edit]

^ Michael John Webber; Sally Weller (October 2001). Refashioning the rag trade: internationalising Australia's textiles, clothing and footwear industries. UNSW Press. pp. 127–. ISBN 978-0-86840-540-7. Retrieved 27 January 2012.

v t e Footwear

Men's dress shoes	Blucher Brogues Brothel creepers Derby Monks Oxfords Slip-ons (Loafers) Spectator shoes (Co-respondent shoes) Venetian style shoes Winklepickers

Women's dress shoes	Ballet flats Court shoes Mary Janes Mojari Mule shoes Peep-toe shoes Saddle shoes Slingbacks Slip-ons (Loafers) Venetian style shoes Winklepickers

Other shoes	Driving moccasins Flip-flops Galoshes Platform shoes Sandals Slides Slippers Veldskoens

Wooden footwear	Bakya British clogs Cantabrian albarcas Getas Klompen Namaksin Padukas Pattens Sabot

Military footwear	Ammunition boots Bunny boots Combat boots Jackboots Jump boots Jungle boots Tanker boots Trench boots

Sport-related footwear	Athletic shoes Ballet shoes Boat shoes Climbing shoes Cross country running shoes Cycling shoes Football boots Hiking boots Ice skates Inline skates Jika-tabi Motorcycle boots Mountaineering boots Racing flats Riding boots Roller shoes Roller skates Skate shoes Ski boots Swimfins Vibram FiveFingers Water shoes Wrestling shoes

Fashion boots	Beatle boots Chelsea boots Go-go boots Knee-high boots Over-the-knee boots Platform boots Ugg boots

Work boots / shoes	Australian work boots Chukka boots Cowboy boots Engineer boots Hip boots Rigger boots Steel-toe boots Waders

Other boots	Wellington boots

Traditional footwear	Abacas Abarkas Avarcas Balghas Bast shoes Clogs Espadrilles Galesh Giveh Haferlschuh Hnyat-phanats Huarache (shoe) Hwas Jorabs Moccasins Mojaris Mukluks Opanaks Peshawari chappals Snowshoes Valenkis Warajis

Historical footwear	Areni-1 shoes Buskins Caligae Chopines Crakow (Poulaine) Hessians Pampooties Sabatons

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Australian work boot

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