Stenciled footwear

Abstract

Footwear is provided, including an upper portion and at least one design applied to the upper portion. The design includes at least one border. The border at least partially defines at least one region that is configured for selectively receiving at least one pigment.

1 . Footwear comprising:
 an upper portion; and   at least one design applied to the upper portion, the design including at least one border;   wherein the border at least partially defines at least one region configured for selectively receiving at least one pigment.   
     
     
         2 . The footwear as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the region is completely enclosed. 
     
     
         3 . The footwear as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the region is defined by a portion of the border and a portion of the footwear. 
     
     
         4 . The footwear as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the footwear includes a sole, the region being defined by a portion of the border and a portion of the sole. 
     
     
         5 . The footwear as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the upper portion of the footwear includes an upper edge, the region is defined by a portion of the border and a portion of the upper edge. 
     
     
         6 . The footwear as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the region is defined entirely by the border. 
     
     
         7 . The footwear as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the design includes a sub-region, the sub-region located within the region, the sub-region defined at least in part by a sub-region border. 
     
     
         8 . The footwear as recited in  claim 7 , wherein the border of the region includes a first thickness, and the sub-region border includes a second thickness, the first thickness being greater than the second thickness. 
     
     
         9 . The footwear as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the pigment is pre-applied to the footwear. 
     
     
         10 . The footwear as recited in  claim 1 , including a plurality of pigments. 
     
     
         11 . The footwear as recited in  claim 1 , including a plurality of designs. 
     
     
         12 . The footwear as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the footwear comprises a first shoe and a second shoe, the design of the first shoe being different than the design on the second shoe. 
     
     
         13 . A kit for customizing footwear, comprising:
 footwear including an upper portion, the upper portion including at least one design applied to the upper portion, the design including at least one border; and   at least one pigment that is configured for selectively being applied to the upper portion of the footwear;   wherein the border at least partially defines at least one enclosed region configured for selectively receiving at least one pigment.   
     
     
         14 . The kit as recited in  claim 13 , wherein the pigment is one of a crayon, marker, paint and ink. 
     
     
         15 . The kit as recited in  claim 13 , further comprising at least one tool configured for applying the pigment to the upper portion. 
     
     
         16 . The kit as recited in  claim 13 , further comprising a clear coating for applying to the upper portion after the pigment has been applied, the clear coating configured for protecting the pigment on the upper portion. 
     
     
         17 . A method of customizing footwear, comprising:
 providing footwear including an upper portion and at least one design applied to the upper portion, the design including at least one border, the border at least partially defining at least one region configured for selectively receiving at least one pigment; and   applying the pigment to at least a portion of the region defined by the border.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising the step of applying pigment to at least one non-region specific area of the upper portion. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising the step of applying pigment to at least a portion of a sub-region of the upper portion, wherein the sub-region is located within the region and is defined at least in part by a sub-region border. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising the step of applying a clear coating to the upper portion after the pigment has been applied.