Shoe with expandable top

A shoe comprising;

• a sole with an upper surface with an outer edge and a lower surface, a top member with a distal front end portion, a proximal heel end portion, a lateral side and a medial side and mounted on the sole, the top member and the sole defining a space therebetween configured for receiving a foot, the top member with an ankle opening with a distal end and a proximal end and a medial side and a lateral side, a lower connective edge, an open area with a flap or tongue within the open area, an edge of the material on a lateral side and a medial side of the open area including eyelets for laces, the laces passing through the eyelets crossing the open area over the flap or tongue tightening the shoe when the laces are pulled;
• a connection area for connecting the upper surface of the sole at the outer edge thereof and the lower connective edge of the top member, the connection area extending along the outer edge of the upper surface of the sole and the lower connective edge of the top member;
• and
• an additional single fastening means in the form of one continuous zipper fastener in the top member, the zipper fastener extending from a starting point at the ankle opening on the medial side of the ankle opening, traversing the medial side of the top member at a descending angle directly towards the connection area where the medial side becomes the distal front end portion of the top member continuing across the distal front end portion of the top member at the connection area, to where the distal front end portion becomes the lateral side of the top member and then traversing the lateral side of the top member along the connection area, the zipper fastener travelling in a direction towards the proximal heel end portion of the shoe to a zipper termination point located at the ankle opening on the lateral side of the top member such that the top flap of the top member is movable between a first position in which the space is closed when the zipper fastener is closed to the ankle opening starting point and a second position in which the space is open when the zipper fastener is unzipped to the zipper termination point thereby allowing a top flap of the top member to be folded open to one side to provide foot access to the space when the zipper fastener is open while allowing the laces to remain tied at the preferred tightness of the wearer,
• a vertical split in the top member at one location of the ankle opening, the vertical split traversing from the top of the ankle opening to the connection area of the top member to the sole, a band of an expandable material inserted into the vertical split of the top member and allowing the size of the ankle opening from the top of the foot opening to the top member to the sole connection point to adjust to accommodate an ankle brace, the ankle opening is further supported with a horizontal securement cover flap with one end permanently attached to the top member on one side of the vertical split, hook and loop material permanently attached to the other end of the securement cover flap allowing for adjustability and releasability of the securement cover flap to a patch of hook and loop material attached to the top member material on the other side of the expandable band.