The Sport Oxford is a modern type of American shoe that combines features of the sneaker and features of the English derby shoe.
The sport oxford is designed particularly for daily use. Most are constructed from leather and rubber, although some incorporate canvas into the design of the upper, as well as metal grommet and stud detailing. The use of these materials in their design makes them very sturdy shoes, but that their production is generally undertaken by high-fashion designers makes it such that they tend to be aesthetically sophisticated, as well.
Contrary to their name, sport oxfords are neither athletic shoes nor dress shoes; they tend to have the narrow, low-profile shape of basketball shoes such as Converse Chuck Taylors, but their soles are usually too rigid for application to sport. Obviously, they are too casual to be worn as dress shoes; they are only called "oxfords" because they have they have a similar vamp and hind-upper design as the derby shoe, commonly referred to in the United States as the "open-laced oxford".
As best as I can tell, Cole Haan was the first company to produce sport oxfords. Other producers include Sketchers and J. Shoes.