Patent ID: 7340852

Claim:
A convertible shoe comprising: a sole assembly having a forward end and a rearward end and including an outer sole receivable upon a walking surface, an inner sole for receiving a foot of a wearer thereon, a toe section proximate the forward end, and a heel section proximate the rearward end; said foot having a heel borne by the heel section of said sole assembly, a plurality of toes borne by the toe section of said sole assembly and an instep intermediate said heel and said toes; a vamp carried by said sole assembly for receiving the instep of said foot there under; a convertible section having a forward edge and movable between a retracted position wherein said convertible section is compressed to reveal the toes of said foot and a deployed position in which said convertible section extends over the toes of said foot; a recess formed into said sole assembly for receiving the forward edge of said convertible section when in the deployed position; and retention means for detachably retaining the forward edge of said convertible section within said recess including an element of an engagement pair carried within said recess, and a complemental element of said engagement pair carried by said convertible section.