You may not remember back in the 80s when for about six months it was the white-hot trend to have metal tips on your shoes. It was taken to such extremes in some quarters that it wasn't unusual to see (men especially) walking around with giant gold toe caps on their big, bulbous lace-ups. Bought these off the sale rack at Tootsie Plohound in maybe 1988; that hint of toe cap unfortunately keeps me from wearing them much these days, but I should either have them taken off or get over it because these are still great, well-made, versatile flats.