The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 6 letter word BROGAN
B
R
O
G
A
N
Buddy explains!
The straight part
We know that "footwear" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case footwear = brogan.The cryptic/wordplay part
In cryptic crossword there's often an wordplay/cryptic part as well.This part involves a more complex hint, such as an anagram, homophone, hidden word, etc.
Sadly, We don't have an explanation for this specific crossword clue yet.
What does BROGAN mean?
BROGAN noun- A heavy working shoe; a brogue