An article of footwear comprising: a footwear upper including: a base layer defining a throat opening; a tongue (14; 514; 614) having a forward end fixed to the base layer forward of the throat opening; a strap (16A, 16B; 316A; 516; 616; 816; 1416B; 1417) having an anchored end (43, 44) fixed at the base layer and a securing end (46, 48; 746) selectively securable at the base layer; wherein the tongue (14; 514; 614) is pivotable about the forward end between an access position and a use position, is configured to extend over and cover the throat opening in the use position, and is configured to rest against an exterior of the base layer at a medial side of the base layer and at a lateral side of the base layer in the use position; wherein the strap (16A, 16B; 316A; 516; 616; 816; 1416B; 1417) crosses over an exterior of the tongue (14; 514; 614) with the securing end (46, 48; 746) secured at the base layer and the tongue (14; 514; 614) in the use position; wherein the tongue (14; 514; 614) is fixed to the base layer only at the forward end of the tongue (14; 514; 614) and forward of a forwardmost-edge of the throat opening; and characterized in that the tongue (14; 514; 614) includes: an outer layer; an inner layer that extends further forward than the outer layer and includes the forward end of the tongue (14; 514; 614); and a strip of reinforcing skin disposed along and over an outer perimeter of the outer layer and onto an outer side of the inner layer; and the inner layer extends further forward than the reinforcing skin so that the tongue (14; 514; 614) is configured to tend to bend or fold at the inner layer when pivoting near the forward end rather than more rearward where the reinforcing skin is disposed. a footwear upper including: a base layer defining a throat opening; a tongue (14; 514; 614) having a forward end fixed to the base layer forward of the throat opening; a strap (16A, 16B; 316A; 516; 616; 816; 1416B; 1417) having an anchored end (43, 44) fixed at the base layer and a securing end (46, 48; 746) selectively securable at the base layer; a base layer defining a throat opening; a tongue (14; 514; 614) having a forward end fixed to the base layer forward of the throat opening; a strap (16A, 16B; 316A; 516; 616; 816; 1416B; 1417) having an anchored end (43, 44) fixed at the base layer and a securing end (46, 48; 746) selectively securable at the base layer; wherein the tongue (14; 514; 614) is pivotable about the forward end between an access position and a use position, is configured to extend over and cover the throat opening in the use position, and is configured to rest against an exterior of the base layer at a medial side of the base layer and at a lateral side of the base layer in the use position; wherein the strap (16A, 16B; 316A; 516; 616; 816; 1416B; 1417) crosses over an exterior of the tongue (14; 514; 614) with the securing end (46, 48; 746) secured at the base layer and the tongue (14; 514; 614) in the use position; wherein the tongue (14; 514; 614) is fixed to the base layer only at the forward end of the tongue (14; 514; 614) and forward of a forwardmost-edge of the throat opening; and characterized in that the tongue (14; 514; 614) includes: an outer layer; an inner layer that extends further forward than the outer layer and includes the forward end of the tongue (14; 514; 614); and a strip of reinforcing skin disposed along and over an outer perimeter of the outer layer and onto an outer side of the inner layer; and an outer layer; an inner layer that extends further forward than the outer layer and includes the forward end of the tongue (14; 514; 614); and a strip of reinforcing skin disposed along and over an outer perimeter of the outer layer and onto an outer side of the inner layer; and the inner layer extends further forward than the reinforcing skin so that the tongue (14; 514; 614) is configured to tend to bend or fold at the inner layer when pivoting near the forward end rather than more rearward where the reinforcing skin is disposed.