Blucher

A shoe where the sides and lacing are sewn on top of the vamp or piece of leather that covers the toe. An easy way to tell if a shoe is a blucher is if the tongue of the shoe is the same piece of leather as the vamp. Other terms for Bluchers are Derbys or shoes with closed lacing. Bluchers originated in Prussia during the Napoleonic Wars as a type of combat boot design. However, the design broadened and influenced the design of dress shoes greatly.