Peep-toe shoe explained

A peep-toe shoe is a woman's shoe (usually a pump, slingback, bootie, or any other dress shoe) in which there is an opening at the toe box which allows the toes to show.

Peep-toe shoes were popular beginning in the 1940s^{[1] [2]} but disappeared by the 1960s.^[3] Peep-toe shoes had a brief resurgence in the 1970s/80s, before falling out of fashion by the mid-1990s. More recently, they have become popular again, with variations such as "peep-toe boots" appearing.^{[4] [5]}

Not to be confused with "tow shoes", invented by Scott J. Wiener, which are used to rig and tow small vehicles and floor-bound items.

Notes and References

1. Critchell, Samantha (11 March 2007). This spring, wear a heel of a shoe, Tuscaloosa News (Associated Press story) ("There were open toe shows before the 1940s but that's when they started to be called peep-toe shoes to imply a sexual overtone")
2. (8 October 2005). Peep-Toe Pumps Step Out, Wall Street Journal
3. (18 June 1955). Peep-toe show may be on way out, The Bulletin (Glasgow)
4. (2 August 2010). Are Peep-Toe Shoes Too Provocative for Women Lawyers?, ABA Journal
5. (17 October 2010). Peep-toe boots let them all hang out, Los Angeles Times ("Open-toe shoes made their way back into style after the Depression with a rise in the influence of beach culture. Sandals evolved into peep-toe evening shoes, a style that stayed strong through the 1940s. They resurfaced in fashion during the 1970s and more recently as tough, Frankenstein-goes-on-holiday, platform booties on the Alexander Wang spring 2009 runway....")