How To Tie A Shoelace

Shoes are very important for protecting feet from hazards and weather, so a proper fit is needed to make sure the shoe is as comfortable and as safe as possible. The shoelace is the most common way to ensure a proper fit, and a simple pair of laces are very cheap, but they can make a large difference in the look and fit of a shoe.

This lens has lots of different ways to tie a shoelace. I have given instructions on how to tie each shoelace, as words, and as an animation.

A Shoelace is, simply, a woven string that holds a shoe together to keep it tight against one's foot. It consists of two components; the string, that holds the shoe together, and the aglet - the hard plastic tape that holds the ends of the lace together to prevent the fraying string.

Shoelaces have a surprising importance in our lives. One of the first milestones we pass is when we finally learn to tie our shoes without anyone else's help. Athletes are very keen on making sure that their shoelaces before races or other events, especially ones that are fast moving, in case they trip on them, or to prevent that happening, they may feel the need to tie it whilst taking part in the event e.g. on the track. In 1994, an American Championship skater was nearly forced to forfeit on the ice during a competition as her skate lace had broken, and her skate did not fit around her feet correctly.

(Also known as the "Around The Tree" shoelace knot" or simply the "Bowknot")

1. Tie a left-over-right starting knot

2. Make the right end into a loop by loosely folding it back onto itself.

3. Take the left end and pass it around the loop, going behind it, and ending up in front

4. Thread the left lace into the loop that has just been made

5. With the left lace now through the loop, hold both loops and start to pull the knot tight, until you cannot pull any more