For most of my life, I hated showing my toes. I have bigger feet (size 9.5/10-ish) that are wide, and sometimes, I can feel my toes spilling over the edges of sandals in ways I had never anticipated. It's made me self-conscious for as long as I can remember, and so I have kept my toe cleavage to myself for years.
Recently, though, showing your toes feels like a necessity. Peep-toe heels are on the runway (looking at you, Tory Burch). Flip flops are hot again. Thong sandals are everywhere. Showing your toes is actually… hot?
I first had a change of heart this time last year, when Simone Rocha's collaboration with Crocs dropped. The designer had reimagined the plastic garden shoes as something that was still quirky but also ethereal. Rocha's Crocs were covered in oversized pearls and large jeweled Jibbitz. The pair I was most drawn to was entirely clear, so you can see your toes peeking through.
Online, the model had paired the shoes with a ruffled white wedding dress and a veil. And while I wasn't quite sure I would wear them to my wedding, I did feel like I needed them. Now, I don't even hesitate to wear them. I throw them on with sweatpants to walk my dog or a sundress for a picnic in the park. It turns out that clear is even more of a neutral than black or white. And showing your toes isn't all that scary.
That kind of clear shoe style isn't just a weird outfit fear I've gotten over, but a serious trend. Shoes that expose your toes through an opaque layer of mesh or webbed jelly, or shiny PVC, are inescapable. As someone who never thought she'd be a proponent of the look, I can confirm that they're worth getting over your fear of showing your toes. They're surprisingly easy to wear because mesh, jelly, or PVC materials go with anything, and the toe exposure feels perverse enough to add a little bit of freaky fun to any look (no matter how basic it seems at first).
Shop the clear shoe trend below:
