Abstract: There is provided a footwear upper construction which includes a toe panel which defines a toe portion and two rearwardly extending side portions, and two ankle panels adapted to be stitched to the inner margins of the rearwardly extending side portions. The toe panel defines slots at the forward inner edges of the side portions, and each ankle panel defines a vertical slot adjacent the toe end of the same. These slots are interlaced or interleaved with each other prior to the stitching and the water-proofing which may be applied in the case of boots. The interleaving of the two slots reduces the risk of pin-hole leakage at the forward end of the connection between the ankle panel and the toe panel.