Patent ID: 8516725

Claim:
In combination, an ornamental accessory for footwear and footwear and in which the footwear is of the type having a series of lacing holes that are spaced apart along an outer lacing surface of an upper of the footwear under a footwear fabric upper top edge and that are usually adapted for receipt of footwear laces; an accessory insert that is comprised of an open annular rigid link and a support post that is integrally formed with the open annular link, the open annular link forming a central open passage that is larger than the size of the lacing hole so as to accommodate an elongated decorative member, and the support post being constructed and arranged to interlock with the lacing hole in a fixed position thereof; wherein the annular link has a substantially planar inner surface and the support post has one end attached to the annular link at the inner surface thereof and an opposite free end; wherein the support post is comprised of a substantially straight post that extends substantially orthogonal to the planar inner surface of the open link so that in the fixed position of the post the planar surface of the open link lies flat against the outer lacing surface; wherein the free end of the support post includes an enlargement piece that is adapted for positioning inside of the lacing surface for securing the accessory insert in place; wherein the enlargement piece has a diameter that is greater than the diameter of the lacing hole, as well as larger than the diameter of the support post; and wherein the accessory insert, once fixed in position relative to the footwear, has the central open passage overlap the outer lacing surface and extend above the footwear fabric upper top edge so as to provide a portion of the passage for ready receipt of the elongated decorative member therethrough.