Sandal, thong or the like with reversible tongue, vamp, or strap

Abstract

Footwear, in the category of a sandal, and which may include a thong, slide-on, clog, or related structured sandal, wherein one side or the other of a tongue, upper vamp, or sandal strap may be adhered to an upper part of the sandal sole, or its vamp or cross strap, so that one side of the sandal strap structure may be displayed during its wearing, and can be turned to expose its opposite surface for varying the styling of the worn sandal. The tongue, upper vamp, or strap may be secured by a fastening device, such as a swivel, that allows for turning of these components to expose a selected surface in order to vary the aesthetics and appearance of the worn sandal.

1 . A sandal comprising a sole, a vamp and a tongue portion wherein the tongue portion is attached to the sandal by a linking means that allows the tongue portion to be rotated with respect to the vamp to display alternative sides of the tongue portion to change its appearance.  
     
     
         2 . The sandal of  claim 1  wherein the tongue portion can be rotated with respect to the vamp without removal of the tongue portion from the vamp portion.  
     
     
         3 . The sandal of  claim 1  wherein the sandal is an open-toed sandal.  
     
     
         4 . The sandal of  claim 1  wherein the tongue portion is further removably attachable to the vamp.  
     
     
         5 . The sandal of  claim 4  wherein the tongue portion is a strap, and the strap is further removalby attachable to the sandal sole with a fastening means.  
     
     
         6 . The sandal of  claim 5  wherein the fastening means comprises a hook and loop fastener means.  
     
     
         7 . The sandal of  claim 2  wherein the tongue is made of a stretchable, resilient material that conforms to the foot of the wearer to keep the sandal upon the foot without shoelaces or other means to maintain the shoe snuggly upon the foot of the wearer.  
     
     
         8 . The sandal of  claim 1  wherein the tongue comprises a first tongue portion and a second tongue portion wherein each tongue portion is attached to the vamp with a retaining means, wherein each tongue portion may be individually rotated with respect to the vamp to alternatively display opposing sides of each tongue.  
     
     
         9 . The sandal of  claim 1  wherein each retaining means comprises a swivel.  
     
     
         10 . A sandal comprising a sole, a sole strap, and a fastening strap portion wherein the fastening strap portion is attached to the sandal strap by a swivel means, which allows the fastening strap portion to be rotated with respect to the sandal strap to display alternative sides of the sandal fastening strap portion.  
     
     
         11 . The sandal of  claim 10  wherein the socket comprising a ball portion attached to one of the sandal strap fastening means and the sandal strap, and a socket portion attached to the other of said sandal strap fastening means and the sandal strap, wherein the ball is rotateably secured within the socket such that the sandal strap fastening means may be rotated approximately 180° (180 degrees) without deformation and while still attached to the sandal to alternatively expose a first and second side of the said strap fastening means.  
     
     
         12 . The sandal of  claim 11  wherein the swivel allows for rotation of the strap fastener through a limited angle about an axis generally perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the swivel.  
     
     
         13 . A sandal comprising a thong having a sole, a thong stem, and a thong strap, all capable of securement together, the stem incorporating a swivel means within its structure, so that the thong strap can be rotated to expose its opposite surfaces for varying the aesthetics of the sandal when worn.  
     
     
         14 . The thong of  claim 13  wherein the swivel is provided at the midpoint of the thong stem.  
     
     
         15 . The thong of  claim 14  wherein the swivel is provided at the upper end of the thong stem, and attaches to the thong strap.  
     
     
         16 . The thong of  claim 15  wherein the swivel is provided at the bottom of the thong stem, and secures to the vamp, adhering the stem to the sole of the thong.  
     
     
         17 . A sandal comprising a thong incorporating a sole, a thong stem, and a thong strap, a stem cap securing the thong stem to the sole, said thong strap connecting with the upper end of the stem, and said strap, at its opposite ends, being removably fastened to the lateral edges of the thong sole, such that upon opening of the fastening means, the thong strap may be turned to expose its opposite surface to vary the aesthetics of the thong.  
     
     
         18 . A sandal comprising a sole, a sole vamp connecting with an extending upwardly around a forward portion of the sandal sole, a foot strap removalby connecting proximate each lateral edge of the sandal sole and extending rearwardly thereof, a swivel interconnecting the foot strap with the sandal sole vamp, whereby upon loosening of the strap, the strap may be turned to expose its opposite surface to change the aesthetics of the formed sandal.  
     
     
         19 . A sandal comprising a sole, a partial vamp, and a sandal strap for securing with the sandal sole, the strap at its back edge being connected by a swivel with the approximate back of the sandal sole, the fastening of the front of the sandal straps with the vamp being removable to allow for pivoting of the sandal strap to expose its opposite surface and to change the aesthetics of the formed sandal.  
     
     
         20 . A sandal comprising a sole, a vamp, and a sandal strap, the sandal strap being swively connected to each lateral edge of the sole to allow for its pivoting to expose an opposite surface and to vary the aesthetics of the formed sandal.  
     
     
         21 . The sandal of  claim 20  wherein the sandal strap may extend forwardly to embrace the frontal portion of any foot of a wearer of the sandal, or the strap may extend rearwardly, for embracing any ankle of the foot of the wearer of said sandal.