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Joined: Jan 2001
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Pooh-Bah
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Pooh-Bah
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 1,819 |
Hi all. It's been a long time since I last posted. My last post was rather on the blue side and I felt the need to absquatulate for awhile to hide out from the gutter police.
In my exile, I encountered an ad for footwear described as a "blucher style" shoe. In the past, L.L. Bean sold a shoe called a blucher moccassin. I wonder, what is the root (and current meaning, too, come to think of it) of this word "blucher"? Thanks in advance.
hi jackie
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Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 10,542
Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 10,542 |
it's either a) a strong leather half-boot or high shoe, the actual pattern varying with the fashion (whatever that is), or b) in the style of Frau Blucher (cf. Young Frankenstein]
(skeptical, with a K)
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Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 13,858
Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 13,858 |
A long time ago I was told that "Blucher shoes" were copies of a German military shoe. It came up well above the ankle, had a square toe high enough to avoid pressure on toenails. It was rather thick leather and gave a lot of support to the ankle. I don't know if original had steel toe cap, but the ones made for contruction workers in this country do. Usually there was a sturdy leather loop attached to top rear to make it easier to put them on. The heels were at least a half an inch thick.
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Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 1,819
Pooh-Bah
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OP
Pooh-Bah
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 1,819 |
Very intersting, but that shoe sounds quite different from the shoe sold as a blucher moc by LL Bean: see pic at
http://www.llbean.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/CategoryDisplay?&storeId=1&catalogId=1&langId=-1&categoryId=11575&sc1=Search
And they're both a long way from...
http://www.blucherboots.com/64.html
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Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 10,542
Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Apr 2000
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the moc seems to be called a Blucher-style because of the lacing:
Bal Opening - Bal styles feature a V-shaped lace opening and offer a wide variety of styling options.
Blucher Opening - The Blucher style features open quarters or saddles and allows for more variability in the lacing process than bal styles. Preferred opening for person with a high instep.
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Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 13,858
Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 13,858 |
And if Napoleon had won at Waterloo, LLBean would be selling Maréchal Ney and General Grouchy models.
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Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 3,439
Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
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For photo of modern Blucher shoe as offered by Brooks Bros. http://www.brooksbrothers.com/IWCatProductPage.process?Merchant_Id=&Product_Id=514627 It's an advert but ... since the item isn't currently available I don't feel its toooo commercial for the Board! Another link says : The laced ankle boot we know associate with modern militaria originated from the Blucher shoe which was based on a boot worn by Prince of Wahlstadt, Gebhard Leberecht von Blucher, a Prussian field Marshall. His popularity was second only to Wellington as a hero of the battle of Waterloo. The blucher or derby was a high cut shoe with a tongue cut in one piece with the forepart and fastened with laces. Women's boots were a modified version of men's footwear designed for equestrian persuit.For picture of early Blucher click http://www.curtin.edu.au/curtin/dept/physio/podiatry/boot.html#military About 1/3 way down in "Eighteenth Century" and zip down to small picture in color red!
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Joined: Mar 2000
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Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Mar 2000
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It's been a long time since I last posted. My last post was rather on the blue side and I felt the need to absquatulate for awhile to hide out from the gutter police.Ha! Glad to have you back, Alex, Macarena and all. And don't worry, this place has been on a steady gutter-bound decline since your relevant, humorous (of the click-it-if-you-want, no-one's-forced to read it) blue post. 
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Joined: Mar 2000
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Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Mar 2000
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That's all right, Alex--just welcome back. (Though I still have no interest in the kind of underwear you favor!) wow-- excellent, my Dear!
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Joined: Jul 2000
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Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Jul 2000
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The other Blucher was offered by the disinherited brother Mel.
"Frau Blucher....
Neeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeigh"
TEd
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