Articles of footwear with bootie components having fixed connections and non-fixed region

An article of footwear, comprising:

• an exterior upper component including a lace-engaging region having a medial side edge and a lateral side edge, wherein:
• a first medial lace engaging slot is defined through the exterior upper component at a first medial location along the medial side edge of the lace-engaging region, and
• a first lateral lace engaging slot is defined through the exterior upper component at a first lateral location along the lateral side edge of the lace-engaging region;
• a plantar support component engaged with the exterior upper component;
• a first medial side foot wrapping band fixed to the plantar support component and extending inside the exterior upper component toward the medial side edge of the lace-engaging region, wherein the first medial side foot wrapping band includes a first medial lace engaging element;
• a first lateral side foot wrapping band fixed to the plantar support component and extending inside the exterior upper component toward the lateral side edge of the lace-engaging region, wherein the first lateral side foot wrapping band includes a first lateral lace engaging element;
• and
• a lace engaging the first medial lace engaging slot, the first medial lace engaging element, the first lateral lace engaging slot, and the first lateral lace engaging element, wherein the lace, the first medial lace engaging slot, and the first lateral lace engaging slot are configured such that the lace is capable of moving upward and/or downward in the first medial lace engaging slot and in the first lateral lace engaging slot.

An article of footwear, comprising:

• an upper formed from one or more component parts, the upper including a plantar support component, a medial sidewall, a lateral sidewall, and a lace-engaging region having a medial side edge and a lateral side edge, wherein:
• a first medial lace engaging slot is defined through the medial sidewall at a first medial location along the medial side edge of the lace-engaging region, and
• a first lateral lace engaging slot is defined through the lateral sidewall at a first lateral location along the lateral side edge of the lace-engaging region;
• a first medial side foot wrapping band fixed to the plantar support component and extending inside the medial sidewall toward the medial side edge of the lace-engaging region, wherein the first medial side foot wrapping band includes a first medial lace engaging element;
• a first lateral side foot wrapping band fixed to the plantar support component and extending inside the lateral sidewall toward the lateral side edge of the lace-engaging region, wherein the first lateral side foot wrapping band includes a first lateral lace engaging element;
• and
• a lace engaging the first medial lace engaging slot, the first medial lace engaging element, the first lateral lace engaging slot, and the first lateral lace engaging element, wherein the lace, the first medial lace engaging slot, and the first lateral lace engaging slot are configured such that the lace is capable of moving upward and/or downward in the first medial lace engaging slot and in the first lateral lace engaging slot.