Steel toe shoes/boots are awesome. It used to be that they all looked like steel toe boots. But, anymore, you can get some that look pretty normal. I'm a huge fan of them when I'm riding. Kind of a helmet for my toes. hehehe
You're right, I've seen Skechers, Timberland, Converse, Rockport, Adidas, etc. safety sneakers and they don't look anywhere like your usual safety shoes. Awesome!