An article of footwear having an upper and a sole structure secured to the upper, at least a portion of the upper comprising: a plurality of lace-receiving elements; a base layer extending from the lace-receiving elements to the sole structure, the base layer having at least one surface; a plurality of first strands having a first orientation and extending from an area proximal to the lace-receiving elements to an area proximal to the sole structure, the first strands laying substantially parallel to the surface of the base layer in a region between the lace-receiving elements and the sole structure; and a plurality of second strands having a second orientation and extending from the area proximal to the lace-receiving elements to the area proximal to the sole structure, the second strands laying substantially parallel to the surface of the base layer in the region between the lace-receiving elements and the sole structure, the second orientation being different than the first orientation; wherein the plurality of first strands and the plurality of second strands are both exposed on an exterior of the upper of the article of footwear; and wherein the first orientation and the second orientation are angled with respect to a vertical direction of the upper when viewed from a side of the article of footwear, and wherein the first strands are oriented between zero and fifteen degrees from vertical and the second orientation is in a rearwardly-angled direction and is disposed at between twenty and more than seventy degrees with respect to the vertical direction, the angle formed between the strands being twenty to more than sixty degrees; and wherein the tensile strength of the plurality of second strands is from fifty to more than three hundred percent greater than the tensile strength of the plurality of first strands. a plurality of lace-receiving elements; a base layer extending from the lace-receiving elements to the sole structure, the base layer having at least one surface; a plurality of first strands having a first orientation and extending from an area proximal to the lace-receiving elements to an area proximal to the sole structure, the first strands laying substantially parallel to the surface of the base layer in a region between the lace-receiving elements and the sole structure; and a plurality of second strands having a second orientation and extending from the area proximal to the lace-receiving elements to the area proximal to the sole structure, the second strands laying substantially parallel to the surface of the base layer in the region between the lace-receiving elements and the sole structure, the second orientation being different than the first orientation; wherein the plurality of first strands and the plurality of second strands are both exposed on an exterior of the upper of the article of footwear; and wherein the first orientation and the second orientation are angled with respect to a vertical direction of the upper when viewed from a side of the article of footwear, and wherein the first strands are oriented between zero and fifteen degrees from vertical and the second orientation is in a rearwardly-angled direction and is disposed at between twenty and more than seventy degrees with respect to the vertical direction, the angle formed between the strands being twenty to more than sixty degrees; and wherein the tensile strength of the plurality of second strands is from fifty to more than three hundred percent greater than the tensile strength of the plurality of first strands.