Accessorizable Shoe and Accessories for the Shoe

Abstract

A customizable combination shoe and accessory include: (a) a wearable mule or slide type shoe having: (i) a sole portion having an insole and an outsole, (ii) a vamp arranged at the insole, (iii) a heel affixed to the outsole, and (iv) a single anchor extending through the outsole; and (b) an accessory harness having: (i) a portion defining an opening, the opening being configured to engage the single anchor to removably secure the portion of the harness to the anchor at the outsole, and (ii) support portions, extending from the portion defining the opening, configured to engage portions of the foot of a wearer of the combination shoe and accessory to provide support to the engaged portions of the foot of the wearer.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A customizable combination shoe and accessory, comprising:
 (a) a wearable mule or slide type shoe having:
 (i) a sole portion having an insole and an outsole, 
 (ii) a vamp arranged at the insole, 
 (iii) a heel affixed to the outsole, and 
 (iv) a single anchor extending through the outsole; and 
   (b) an accessory harness having:
 (i) a portion defining an opening, the opening being configured to engage the single anchor to removably secure the portion of the harness to the anchor at the outsole, and 
 (ii) support portions, extending from the portion defining the opening, configured to engage portions of the foot of a wearer of the combination shoe and accessory to provide support to the engaged portions of the foot of the wearer. 
   
     
     
         2 . The combination of  claim 1 , wherein the single anchor comprises an outer anchor portion, arranged at an outer portion of the outsole, having a recessed head comprising a female connection, and an inner anchor portion, arranged at an inner portion of the outsole, having a shaft with male threading, the female connection being configured to receive the male threading to form the single anchor. 
     
     
         3 . The combination of  claim 2 , wherein the insole comprises a base portion adjacent to the outsole. 
     
     
         4 . The combination of  claim 3 , wherein the outsole has a hole, and wherein the inner anchor portion engages the outer anchor portion through the hole such that the outsole is clamped between the inner anchor portion and the outer anchor portion when the male threading and the female connection are engaged with one another. 
     
     
         5 . The combination of  claim 4 , wherein the insole further comprises a lining, arranged above the base insole in the direction of the wearer's foot, the lining and the base insole being configured to cover the inner anchor portion of the assembled anchor so that the inner anchor portion is not visible from the top of the shoe and cannot be felt by the wearer of the shoe. 
     
     
         6 . The combination of  claim 3 , wherein a bottom peripheral portion of the vamp is sandwiched between the base insole and the outsole to secure the vamp to the shoe. 
     
     
         7 . The combination of  claim 1 , wherein the support portions of the accessory harness comprise side straps, extending from the portion defining the opening, configured to provide support to the side of the wearer's foot. 
     
     
         8 . The combination of  claim 7 , wherein the support portions further comprise a heel strap extending from the side straps toward the heel, and a buckled instep strap, extending from the side straps toward the toe. 
     
     
         9 . The combination of  claim 8 , wherein the support portions of the accessory harness further comprise a kilt having a fringed lower portion and a channel at a top portion, the channel being configured to be supported on the instep strap. 
     
     
         10 . A method of making a shoe and accessory having: (a) a wearable mule or slide type shoe having: (i) a sole portion having an insole and an outsole, the insole having a base insole immediately adjacent to the outsole, (ii) a vamp arranged at the insole, (iii) a heel affixed to the outsole, and (iv) a single anchor extending through the outsole; and (b) an accessory harness having: (i) a portion defining an opening, the opening being configured to engage the single anchor to removably secure the portion of the harness to the anchor at the outsole, and (ii) support portions, extending from the portion defining the opening, configured to engage portions of the foot of a wearer of the combination shoe and accessory to provide support to the engaged portions of the foot of the wearer, the single anchor having an outer anchor portion, arranged at an outer portion of the outsole, having a recessed head comprising a female connection, and an inner anchor portion, arranged at an inner portion of the outsole, having a shaft with male threading, the method comprising:
 clamping the outsole by threadingly engaging the female connection of the outer anchor portion with the threaded shaft of the inner anchor portion to form the single anchor; and   applying a pushing force to the portion of the accessory harness defining the opening to urge the anchor through the opening of the accessory harness to form the shoe and accessory.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , the insole further having a lining layer, the method further comprising, after the step of clamping, applying the lining layer over the base insole to cover the inner anchor portion so that it is not visible. 
     
     
         12 . A customizable wearable shoe removably engagable with an accessory harness having a portion defining an opening, the shoe comprising:
 (i) a sole portion having an insole and an outsole,   (ii) a vamp arranged at the insole,   (iii) a heel affixed to the outsole, and   (iv) a single anchor extending through the outsole, the anchor being configured to removably engage the opening of the accessory harness.   
     
     
         13 . The shoe of  claim 12 , wherein the single anchor comprises an outer anchor portion, arranged at an outer portion of the outsole, having a recessed head comprising a female connection, and an inner anchor portion, arranged at an inner portion of the outsole, having a shaft with male threading, the female connection being configured to receive the male threading to form the single anchor. 
     
     
         14 . The shoe of  claim 13 , wherein the insole comprises a base portion adjacent to the outsole. 
     
     
         15 . The shoe of  claim 14 , wherein the outsole has a hole, and wherein the inner anchor portion engages the outer anchor portion through the hole such that the outsole is clamped between the inner anchor portion and the outer anchor portion when the male threading and the female connection are engaged with one another. 
     
     
         16 . The shoe of  claim 15 , wherein the insole further comprises a lining, arranged above the base insole in the direction of the wearer's foot, the lining and the base insole being configured to cover the inner anchor portion of the assembled anchor so that the inner anchor portion is not visible from the top of the shoe and cannot be felt by the wearer of the shoe. 
     
     
         17 . The shoe of  claim 14 , wherein a bottom peripheral portion of the vamp is sandwiched between the base insole and the outsole to secure the vamp to the shoe. 
     
     
         18 . An accessory for connecting to a shoe, the shoe having a sole portion having an insole and an outsole, a vamp arranged at the insole, a heel affixed to the outsole, and a single anchor extending through the outsole, the accessory harness comprising:
 a portion defining an opening, the opening being configured to engage the single anchor to removably secure the portion of the harness to the anchor at the outsole to connect the accessory to the shoe, and   support portions, extending from the portion defining the opening, configured to engage portions of the foot of a wearer of the connected shoe and accessory to provide support to the engaged portions of the foot of the wearer.