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Ankle Strap - Ankle Straps

An ankle strap consists of a single piece or multiple pieces of leather, plastic or other material attached to the back of a shoe, extending around the wearer's ankle. The strap fastens around the ankle through the use of a buckle, hook and loop material or similar methods. Ankle straps are typically found on girls' and women's shoes, both on dressy and casual wear.

The ankle strap is usually necessary, as the strap helps stabilize the shoe on the wearer's feet.  In some cases, the ankle strap is used solely for decoration. For example, an ankle strap on a ballet flat isn't necessary, but could be present for the "look."

An ankle strap itself is usually made from the same material as the shoe, and is only a different color if it is an integral part of the shoe's design. When used with a buckle-style fastener, the ankle strap should have a number of holes to control the tightness of the strap around the person's ankle. The ankle strap is adjustable, because not everyone has the same size ankle due to the differences in people's weight and physical build. Two people could have the same shoe size but one may have a much larger ankle, especially if one person weighs more than the other. The ankle strap is also made to be adjustable because depending on the angle of the heel, the ankle strap could cause blistering.

Typically, ankle straps are used on shoes such as:

  • Wedges
  • Espadrilles
  • Sandals
  • Stilettos
  • High heels
  • Mary Janes

It is necessary to use an ankle strap with these styles because the strap keeps the entire foot inside the shoe while the wearer is walking. Most high heels feature an open midfoot area, so that the only part of the shoe that holds the foot is the toe and heel. The ankle strap does add a different look to women's dress shoes and while they serve a very practical purpose, they are considered fashionable as well.