Toes might be attached to the feet but that doesn’t mean they don’t deserve a little loving attention of their own. And yet, for decades, they had to cohabitate within the confines of a bulky knee sock, sharing their living quarters with those unsightly ankles and smelly soles.

Finally, in the 70s, they launched their own little civil rights movement and declared their independence, refusing to share their space with the rest of the hoof any longer. With the advent of toe socks, each little digit received its own warm womb. Big and little toe need never collide again, nor rub against each other like sardines packed in a can. And with each little cubicle adorned with either a solid color of a fancy ornate pattern, toes could finally explore their own individuality, rather than compromise on one look equally shared among their cohorts.

All in all, this fleeting footwear fad was a small yet important step for appendage freedom and one that is sorely missing from the history books.