The Saddle shoe is a low-heeled, oxford

Oxford shoe

An Oxford is a style of laced shoe characterized by shoelace eyelet tabs that are stitched underneath the vamp, a construction method that is also sometimes referred to as "closed lacing". Oxfords first appeared in Scotland and Ireland, where they are occasionally called Balmorals after the Queen's...

, casual shoe characterized by a plain toe and distinctive, saddle-shaped decorative panel placed mid foot. Saddle shoes are typically constructed of leather and are most frequently white with a black saddle, although any color combination is possible.

Saddle shoes are worn by both men and women in a variety of styles ranging from ultra high platforms to golf cleats.

In the United States

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

, saddle shoes have enjoyed a recent comeback among males in their teens, twenties, and thirties. The new trend is particularly prevalent in New York City

New York City

New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...

, Los Angeles

Los Ángeles

Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...

, Tokyo

Tokyo

, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...

 and the southwest region of the United States.

Some groups identify with this type of shoe irrespective of current fashion trends. Those associated with ska

Ska

Ska |Jamaican]] ) is a music genre that originated in Jamaica in the late 1950s, and was the precursor to rocksteady and reggae. Ska combined elements of Caribbean mento and calypso with American jazz and rhythm and blues...

, sometimes known as rudeboys, often wear them in some combinations since both the classic look and the black/white color scheme represent the genre as a whole.

The sport and casual shoe brand Vans

Vans

Vans is an American based manufacturer of sneakers, skateboarding shoes, BMX shoes, snowboarding boots and other shoe types.- History :On March 16, 1966, at 704 E. Broadway, in Anaheim, California, brothers Paul Van Doren, James Van Doren, and three other partners opened up their first store...

has similar models, Era and Slip-On, that are indirectly inspired by this type of shoe.