Straight bar lacing is most commonly used for the lacing of trainers and sneakers. Straight bar lacing is often refereed to as Lydiard Lacing or Fashion lacing.
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This form of lacing provides a clean lacing look widely and removes the underlying diagonals of shoelaces found with alternative shoelace methods. Straight bar lacing also provides the added benefit of removing the pressure from the top of the foot.
Horizontal “bars” on the outside with inner, hidden verticals, which looks neat plus relieves pressure on the upper ridge of the foot.
Note that most military forces have regulations for just about everything, so I'd recommend that military personnel check before they adopt this – or any other – possible non-regulation lacing method!
Like other straight lacing methods, Straight Bar Lacing has an additional benefit for sporting or military use: The upper horizontal sections of shoelace can be quickly cut through with a knife or scissors in order to more easily remove a boot from a broken, sprained or otherwise injured ankle or foot.
On shoes with an odd number of eyelet pairs (eg. 7 pairs = 14 eyelets), a workaround is needed so that the ends still meet. The “across and back” workaround (shown above) is probably the best compromise in terms of retaining the overall look plus allowing a regular knot.
Straight Bar Lacing only works neatly on shoes with even numbers of eyelet pairs (eg. 8 pairs = 16 eyelets). This is because the shoelace must cross the shoe an even number of times so that the ends meet in the middle and can be tied together.
• Although outwardly symmetrical, this method is functionally asymmetrical. This is most noticeable when tightening or loosening. Lacing the left and right shoes in reverse (flipped horizontally) restores symmetry.
• At the second-from-top eyelet, run straight across on the outside, then straight back on the inside before tucking under the vertical shoelace segment inside the shoe (similar to the tucked segments of Ladder Lacing ).
• Alternate running up on the inside and across on the outside until one end reaches the second-from-top eyelet.
• Alternate running up on the inside and across on the outside until lacing is completed.
NOTE: These are approximate shoelace lengths for using this lacing on an average sized sneaker. For more accurate lengths, use the Shoelace Length Calculator .
Note that the two “half” shoelaces should be different lengths. Use the calculations for Half & Half Straight Bar Lacing in the Shoelace Length Calculator .
Finally, if you're prepared to cut your shoelaces, the two portions can be anchored diagonally opposite each other at the bottom of the shoe, either with simple stopper knots or using “Lace Anchors” .
All of the above odd workarounds are laced normally through an even number of eyelet pairs, then something is added that may be either visually or functionally awkward. An alternative is to not add anything – instead leaving either the top or the bottom pair of eyelets empty, or even to skip one pair of eyelets somewhere in the middle of the lacing.
Lace normally up to the second pair of eyelets from the top, then finish with a High Lace Lock through the top two pairs of eyelets. Although this doesn't look as neat, it does pull the lacing extra tight.
Like a squashed version of the above “One Crossover” variation, both ends run straight across one pair of eyelets and feed a second time through the opposite eyelets. Near the top, it's less noticeable due to the loops and loose ends. Near the bottom, any difficulty with tightening or loosening this section is not so noticeable as the shoe doesn't need to open wide at that point.
Instead of trying to hide a single diagonal, this alternative makes a feature out of a single crossover, similar to the look of Roman Lacing . This crossover can be placed at either the top or bottom of the lacing, but unlike the above “One Diagonal” variation, it cannot be placed in the middle of the lacing.
Use a single diagonal somewhere in the lacing. At the top, it's less noticeable due to the loops and loose ends. At the bottom, it can even be run around the inside of the tongue to hide the diagonal, though at the expense of some slight discomfort. Near the middle, a diagonal may be positioned to line up with and run through a tongue centering loop (if the shoe has one).
Lace the shoe normally, then at the top of the shoe, both ends emerge through the same top eyelet (in this case, the top-right). Feed one end across and out through the opposite eyelet (in this case, the top-left). When the ends are tied, there will be a double-pass across the top, but this will be fairly well hidden by the shoelace knot. Contributed by Dan S.
As shown in more detail in the main lacing diagram above , the second-from-top straight section runs straight across from left-to-right (on the outside), then right-to-left (on the inside), tucking under the vertical section on the left side. The inner straight section is fairly well hidden by the outer straight section, especially with flat shoelaces. Contributed by Jeremy J.
For a tighter fit, you could also permanently anchor the ends inside the eyelets, either with simple stopper knots or using “Lace Anchors” .
This first diagram shows how the ends don't meet naturally across the top of the shoe. For a quick fix, simply tuck the ends into the shoe diagonally across from each other at the top and second-from-top eyelets.
As mentioned above , Straight Bar Lacing only works neatly on shoes with even numbers of eyelet pairs. Here's several common workarounds for shoes with odd numbers of eyelet pairs, using sample diagrams with seven pairs of eyelets.
I watched your YouTube video multiple times but couldn't figure it out. It was only when I came to your site and saw that photo/video tutorial was I able to learn to bar lace.
- Saara S., Nov-2022
I recently acquired a pair of Corcoran 1500s, timeless to style, but time-consuming to lace with 12 eyelet pairs! Using an under-over from the bottom to the 5th eyelet for keeping my foot secure, adding the gap/army lacing “jump” to skip over the 6th eyelet that cut into my leg when moving and put undue tension on the leather, finishing with 4 rows of bar lacing to provide even and comfortable support, then using the 11th and 12th eyelets to form a lace lock, I made my already perfect jump boots even better!
- James D., Aug-2022
I just wanted to thank you for your content. My daughter had her first appearance with a marching band on the weekend and she told me the night before that she need to use bar lacing for her shoes, so we searched youtube and one of your videos came up. Then we checked out your web site to get more helpful info. My daughter was so entertained that she then bought your iOS app and spent some time looking through all of the different lacing patterns.
At any rate, the way you have everything explained with the various resources made it easy for us to get the lacing right and it made a late night before an early morning trip to a parade that much easier to get through.
– Olaf A., May-2022
It increases flex at my instep on all pairs of my footwear that I use Straight Bar lacing on. It's the most comfortable method I have ever tried. The art of the straight bar went away after the 1970s and now roughly 90% of people do not know about it, ergo its benefits, thus never learning different methods besides the over at the first row of eyelets then under towards the rest of the rows - usually tucking in the laces inside of the shoe (tied/untied), how awful is that for the health of your feet? We need the education to come back. Most people I've seen and heard of have barely any lace to make a knot that's nice and moderate in size and sits neatly on the tongue. I always suggest to straight bar because of the extra lace length for a knot, also increasing flex and overall comfort. It's perfect; best aesthetic, more room for tightening up (while still comfort at maximum tension) unlike other common lacing methods, increases the length of the laces for the knot (allowing current/old pairs of laces to be used, more cost effective/more environmentally friendly), is the classic and historical way of lacing up dress shoes and runners - the list goes on!
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The only downsides to straight bar lacing is having to relearn how to loosen & tighten, and utilising a workaround the user is comfortable with for all pairs with odd numbered eyelet rows.
– Sam, Australia, Jun-2021
I bought too short laces by mistake for my skate shoes, didn't know what to do so I found your lacing guide and went for the straight bar method, it lengthened the laces perfectly and actually more comfortable and better looking.
– David W., UK, Jul-2013
Hey Ian, here is a way I used to lace some odd numbered eyelet shoes in the straight method, without having a crossover or anything else that stands out. Apologies if this has already been added or there are any errors in my picture.
– Dan S., USA, Jul-2008
I always had pain in my feet because of the pressure which the Straight European Lacing applied on them. Since I've changed to Straight Bar Lacing, the pain's all gone and my shoes look overall more tidy.
– Alex M., Kall, Germany, May-2008
I also noticed that with this method of lacing you end up with alot more lace at the end, allowing you to tie bigger bows/knots, thus making it less likely your shoe will come undone.
– Rob S., UK, Nov-2006
I have come up with a type of lacing that I don't see on your site that solves a specific problem – straight lacing on a 3-eyelet boot or shoe. It may be adaptable to a shoe with other odd numbers of eyelets as well. I thought you might be interested to add it to your list and make one of the easy-to-understand diagrams of it.
– Jeremy J., styleforum.net admin, USA, Dec-2005
I have just been distracted from my work, by the arrival of a new pair of canvas low-top converse sneakers from the states. Very pleased with them, I started to lace them up, using a method I now know as “Straight (Fashion) Lacing” - and I tried... and I tried... and it just wouldn't work... So (not keen to get on with my work) I thought I'd try to find out why it wouldn't work... I hit google – and there you are explaining that this method only works on EVEN numbers of eyelets – OH!! I see now! (I have seven)...
– Nick, London, UK, Jun-2005
New Balance has had this method on it's website for awhile now as a way of taking pressure off the top of the foot, especially for those with high arches.
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It may not work for those who like their shoes to feel as though they fit like a glove. The sensation is of a looser fit, though there is no movement. I think it may just be the fact it feels different, not that it's really any looser.
– Jim G., Canada, Jan-2005
Just to tell you, the Straight (Fashion) lacing is the method of lacing [Canadian] Air Cadets use! And I'm an Air Cadet, and I finally found the way of the Straight (Fashion) for the Parade Boots we use.
– Delon R., Canada, Jan-2005
I'm aware that not all military is American, and not all American military is the Army, but you may want to note that in the US Army, straight lacing is against regulations for at least the most common type of boot worn, the standard black leather combat boot. I swear, there's a silly regulation for everything. You can read here (http://docs.usapa.belvoir.army.mil/jw2/xmldemo/r670_1/main.asp#p027-3) if you like, but I'll save you the trouble of loading it up....
c. How worn.
(1) The boots are laced diagonally with black laces, with the excess lace tucked into the top of the boot under the bloused trousers or slacks,
or wrapped around the top of the boot. [....]
I had to look it up because I really wanted to try the straight lace, but it looks like I can't, and I don't want other people to get into trouble over it--I'm not sure just how popular your site is, really.
– Shannon S., USA, Jan-2005
Btw, you of all people probably already know this, but the Straight (Fashion) lacing is the same as the technique recommended/popularized by Arthur Lydiard, a pioneer in training for runners.
– David M., USA, Sep-2004
With an odd number of eyelets, or even with an even number, the straight lacing lends itself well to not tying the laces at all or not having to tie them often. One can simply tie them behind the tounge of the shoe where they remain tied (odd number of eyelets) or they can just tuck them in untied (odd or even), though I prefer the former. With some practice and luck, one can get the shoe to be tight enough on the foot yet loose enough to just slip on and slip off.
– Oren H., USA, Jun-2004
I settled on the straight (fashion) lacing because of how “clean” it looks and because they are on my daily “casual” work shoes, and was surprised at how easy it was (your instructions on the whole site are wonderful).
– Russell H., Dallas, TX, USA, Feb-2004
I have a different method for straight lacing, which I find to be both practical and fashionable (it eliminates the so called background mess associated with the “European” style if a wide gap is present).
– Tyrell P., Dec-2003
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