A platform peep toe is a style of high-heeled ladies shoe that has a thick section under the instep area and a small, cut-out opening at the toe box. The thick middle area of the shoe sets platform shoes apart from regular high-heeled styles. Peep toes are different shoes than open toes since the small opening only shows a little of a woman's middle toes and not all of her five toes such as open toe sandals do. The platform peep toe first became popular in the 1930s and 1940s and this new shoe style allowed women to look taller as well as bare a part of their feet stylishly in public.
Platform peep toe heels often come back into style. The style was very popular in the 1970s and again in the mid 1990s. Whereas before the shoe was always supposed to be worn with bare feet, in 2008 the style rules changed and it became trendy to wear the platform peep toe with many different types of stockings, yet not sheers. Being able to wear the peep toe shoe with thick tights allowed it to move from spring and summer wear to fall and winter. Followers of fashion then wore peep toe sandals in winter months with thick tights, a wool skirt and a warm sweater.
Sling-back peep toes are mainly a summer style since the entire foot is bare except for the portion with the peep toe cut-out and the fastening strap that slings across the back of the ankle above the heel. A sling-back platform peep toe dress shoe may be quite elegant if the platform and heel are a subtle, burnished metallic or pure black. Some dressier styles of peep toe heels have a detail above the peep toe cut-out such as a leather bow or a metal buckle.
Some platform sandals with a peep toe section have a covered heel, but no straps except a single or double ankle strap to hold the shoe onto the foot. Closed back peep toe platform shoes may have high sides like the style of ladies shoe known as a pump. These platform peep toe pumps may be made of suede, leather or synthetic materials. Platform peep toe heels range from neutral shades such as tan, black, gray and white to accent colors such as red, blue, green and pink.
