Toe Box:The area in the shoe between the upper and sole wherethe toes rest. With proper tools, shallow toe boxes can be lifted to make mores pace for the toes. In shoes like ballet flats, where the toe box is shallower, when the shoe feels snug, it is not necessarily due to the length being short, but due to the top of the toe box pressing on the toes. Stretching the toe box upward with a specialized tool can relieve that pressure.