low quarteradj.n.

1855 Summer-land 74 A stout, red-faced gentleman..with his chair balanced on its hinder legs, and his own resting upon the balustrade, à la Americaine, bringing his lacquered low-quarter shoes and white silk hose into elegant prominence.

1880 ‘M. Twain’ Tramp Abroad xxvii. 275 He wore..very low-quarter patent leather shoes.

1911 N.-Y. Tribune 1 Oct. v. 1/3 He had on..a white French shirt, tan low quarter shoes, white silk socks and a dark silk necktie.

1976 Freeport (Illinois) Jrnl.-Standard 1 May 6/4 Walking attire for her was a blue denim coat, low quarter boots and a flower print scarf.

1998 D. Baldacci Simple Truth i. 1 The rookies still tense when the pop or light comes; some dribble pee down their cotton pants, watch it flow over their black low-quarter shoes.

1878 Washington Post 15 May 3 (advt.) Boston Shoe Auction House... The best home-made, hand stitched Low Quarters.

1902 Atlanta Constit. 7 Aug. 3 (advt.) If you don't care for another pair of low quarters with which to finish the summer, then our fall line will interest you.

1963 New Castle (Pa.) News 10 July 10/1 The ratio of department store sales now is six low quarters to one high top with the more elderly teen-agers going in for the low sneakers.

2007 S. L. Broadnax Blue Skies, Black Wings v. 61 Lieutenant Sorrells would give us a short pep talk and then tell us what the uniform of the day would be, including whether we were to wear ‘high top shoes’ or ‘low quarters’.