What's the proper name for the soft, round laces often found in men's shoes?
October 18, 2023 1:19 PM Subscribe
I need to buy new laces for a couple of pairs of shoes - men's "nice shoes" that are typical of casual office-wear, but absolutely not Formal Dress Shoes. I've found various kinds of round laces that are... not quite the right thing. Like, they're basically boot laces, or they're waxed. I'm getting frustrated, and I feel like I'm missing a keyword. Please help me not feel like I'm being gaslit by Big Lace.
These are the laces that come on basically every pair of casual men's shoes I own - rubber-soled "nice shoes" but emphatically not formal dress shoes that typically have thinner, shorter, waxed laces. For example, I wear a lot of "dress shoes" made by Toms, and I have similar laces on my Johnston & Murphy shoes. These laces are:
* Relatively soft - absolutely not waxed, with natural feeling texture. (I don't know what they're made from, but I'm contrasting with the more obviously artificial feeling of my boot laces.)
* Round
* Relatively thick (certainly compared to the types of laces on my dressier, leather-sole shoes)
* Often a taupe-ish color (obviously laces can come in many colors, I'm just grasping at straws trying to describe this thing that I both own many of and apparently cannot describe for a search engine)
Triple bonus points if you've got a favorite place to actually buy these damn things, and ideally other laces as well.
These are the laces that come on basically every pair of casual men's shoes I own - rubber-soled "nice shoes" but emphatically not formal dress shoes that typically have thinner, shorter, waxed laces. For example, I wear a lot of "dress shoes" made by Toms, and I have similar laces on my Johnston & Murphy shoes. These laces are:
* Relatively soft - absolutely not waxed, with natural feeling texture. (I don't know what they're made from, but I'm contrasting with the more obviously artificial feeling of my boot laces.)
* Round
* Relatively thick (certainly compared to the types of laces on my dressier, leather-sole shoes)
* Often a taupe-ish color (obviously laces can come in many colors, I'm just grasping at straws trying to describe this thing that I both own many of and apparently cannot describe for a search engine)
Triple bonus points if you've got a favorite place to actually buy these damn things, and ideally other laces as well.
Could you link to an example image of the shoes that shows the laces you mean?
posted by amtho at 2:13 PM on October 18, 2023 [2 favorites]
posted by amtho at 2:13 PM on October 18, 2023 [2 favorites]
I would go to a large shoe store and check out the rack of laces. See if you can discern the waxy ones from the non waxy and compare the labels. If you can’t (like if they are wrapped up), maybe get two pairs of shoes with each type and ask the salesperson.
I suspect the non waxy ones are made from a natural material like cotton or linen. The waxy ones might be from nylon or another synthetic material if they aren’t just waxed cotton. Since they are round, they also have some kind of core unless they feel hollow. That core could be anything and so if you find one with mixed materials, it might be obvious if the cotton is on the outside or inside.
posted by soelo at 2:55 PM on October 18, 2023
I suspect the non waxy ones are made from a natural material like cotton or linen. The waxy ones might be from nylon or another synthetic material if they aren’t just waxed cotton. Since they are round, they also have some kind of core unless they feel hollow. That core could be anything and so if you find one with mixed materials, it might be obvious if the cotton is on the outside or inside.
posted by soelo at 2:55 PM on October 18, 2023
For information about shoe laces, I always go to Ian's Shoe Lace Site: best of the web for twenty-some years!
There you can learn about various lace construction styles, to help you with your searches.
posted by SaltySalticid at 5:30 PM on October 18, 2023 [5 favorites]
There you can learn about various lace construction styles, to help you with your searches.
posted by SaltySalticid at 5:30 PM on October 18, 2023 [5 favorites]
Johnson & Murphy's shoelaces ($4 at company site), are described as "waxed polyester cord."
posted by Iris Gambol at 6:00 PM on October 18, 2023
posted by Iris Gambol at 6:00 PM on October 18, 2023
Similar at Amazon, in taupe/other neutrals: Benchmark Dress Shoe Laces - Made in USA - 1/10" (2.5mm) Round Waxed Shoelaces - Choice of Color - 27”, 30", 33" or 36"; "100% polyester round shoe laces. Each pair of shoe laces is tipped with clear plastic aglets and is lightly waxed for extra water resistance and durability. The waxed shoe laces have a braided weave that add just the right amount of friction to keep them tied all day." They just don't feel waxed like a traditional skinny dress shoe lace.
posted by Iris Gambol at 6:10 PM on October 18, 2023
posted by Iris Gambol at 6:10 PM on October 18, 2023
I have found etsy to be very good for shoelaces, oddly enough. Are these along the right lines? Or maybe these?
posted by dizziest at 10:07 AM on October 19, 2023
posted by dizziest at 10:07 AM on October 19, 2023
Best answer: I think you are looking for "rope laces".
posted by kschang at 1:37 PM on October 20, 2023
posted by kschang at 1:37 PM on October 20, 2023
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posted by phunniemee at 1:27 PM on October 18, 2023 [3 favorites]