A peep-toe shoe is a woman's

shoe A shoe is an item of footwear intended to protect and comfort the human foot. They are often worn with a sock. Shoes are also used as an item of decoration and fashion. The design of shoes has varied enormously through time and from culture ...

(usually a pump,

slingback A slingback is a type of woman's footwear characterized by an ankle strap that crosses only around the back and sides of the ankle and heel, whereas a typical strap completely encircles the ankle all the way around it. It typically has a low ...

, bootie, or any other

dress shoe A dress shoe (U.S. English) is a shoe to be worn at smart casual or more formal events. A dress shoe is typically contrasted to an athletic shoe. Dress shoes are worn by many as their standard daily shoes, and are widely used in dance, for part ...

) in which there is an opening at the

toe box The toe box is the section of footwear that surrounds the toes on closed-toe shoes. Toe boxes that are too tight can cause injuries and foot deformities, whereas wider toe boxes may be used to treat or prevent common foot conditions such as Mor ...

which allows the toes to show. Peep-toe shoes were popular beginning in the

1940s File:1940s decade montage.png, Above title bar: events during World War II (1939–1945): From left to right: Troops in an LCVP landing craft approaching Omaha Beach on D-Day; Adolf Hitler visits Paris, soon after the Battle of France; The Ho ...

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")(8 October 2005)
Peep-Toe Pumps Step Out
''Wall Street Journal'' but disappeared by the 1960s.(18 June 1955)
Peep-toe show may be on way out
''The Bulletin'' (Glasgow) 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.(2 August 2010)
Are Peep-Toe Shoes Too Provocative for Women Lawyers?
''ABA Journal''(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 File:1970s decade montage.jpg, Clockwise from top left: U.S. President Richard Nixon doing the V for Victory sign after his resignation from office following the Watergate scandal in 1974; The United States was still involved in the Vietnam War ...

and more recently as tough, Frankenstein-goes-on-holiday, platform booties on the Alexander Wang spring 2009 runway....") 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.

References

{{Footwear Shoes Toes 20th-century fashion 21st-century fashion