“Dear Shoedish,

I love peep-toe shoes, but my toes are strangely too small for them. When I put on a pair of peep-toes, my toes don’t reach to the end, so it looks like I’m toeless. Is this a common problem? Do you have any tips? I love peep-toes, but it just doesn’t seem like I’ll ever get to wear them. Help!!

Thanks, The Toeless Shoe Lover”

Believe it or not, the problem of peep-toe shoe wearing in individuals with tapered toes is a relatively common one. Tapered toes are toes that taper off, like stairs, following the big toe. The 2nd toe is usually much shorter than the big toe, the 3rd shorter than the 2nd, and so on. Peep-toes are easily worn by people with a Morton’s Toe – which used to be considered a foot disorder, but is actually relatively common – and a 3rd toe that is about the same length as the big toe and a tapered 4th and 3rd toe. But if your 2nd and 3rd toe is shorter than your big toe, they can be hidden in the average peep-toe because peep-toes usually peekaboo the 2nd and 3rd toes. Unfortunately, there isn’t much you can do. You can’t buy a smaller size shoe because your big toe will always prevent you from squeezing, even in the name of fashion. Open toes are an option for people with tapered toes. We realize that open toes aren’t peep-toes, of course, but they give you the same toe cleavage baring feel of peep-toes. You can also look for tapered peep-toes or a peep-toe that has a larger window, giving your big toe more wiggle room. If you can find a peep-toe that allows your big toe to slide forward through the window, you’ll also be able to adjust your smaller toes accordingly. But, you didn’t think shoedish would really let you go with a few random tips and no real answer, did you? If it’s a peep-toe for taper toes you want then it’s a peep-toe for tapered toes you shall get. We had to get a little crafty flexible here, but alas…here are a few picks.

The keyhole woven flat from Irregular Choice. If your toes are really short, this peeped keyhole will show them off well.

Open toed booties are the trend for 2008. These Givenchy slingback open toe booties might not be true “peep-toes” but they’ll allow tapered toe owners to join the peekaboo toe movement by allowing the big toe to adjust, which will allow the smaller toes to move forward.

Again, not technically a peep-toe, but how could you resist an open-toe from Manolo Blahnik that looks like this? Peep-toe…open toe…it’s all arbitrary really, right?

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