Mary Jane - The Full Low-Down!

So, for those shoe addicts out there that don't know, here's the deal with Mary Jane Shoes......



What Are Mary Janes?

Mary Janes are the kind of shoes we all loved as children. They may be round-toed or square shaped, high heeled or flat, but the one thing that all Mary Janes have in common is the strap across the bridge of this foot. If there is no strap, then your shoes aren't Mary Janes. It's as simple as that! Gorgeous actress Jessica Alba is wearing a medium heel black peep toe Mary Jane pair of shoes.

Classic Mary Janes are the flat-soled, round-toed variety most often seen on little girls, high heels and pointed toes are also popular. In fact, one of the most famous styles of Mary Jane of all is Manolo Blahnik's black patent Mary Jane pump, with its high heel and pointed toe.

Mary Janes have been around for a long time, particularly in childrenswear. Although they're most often seen today on girls and women.

So was there a Mary Jane?

Yes, there  was a "Mary Jane" who gave this style of shoe its name. However, this Mary Jane wasn't a real person, but a mascot of the Brown Shoe Company. The makers of famous brands such as Dr Scholls and Naturalizer, and the company behind leading internet shoe store Shoes.com, Brown Shoe's
most famous character was the legendary Buster Brown. He, along with his dog Tige, became the face of the shoe brand that shares his name.

Buster's sister, Mary Jane, was a lesser-known character when she was used in the advertising campaigns of the 1940s and 50s. But, her name is now connected to one of the most famous styles of footwear around, the Mary Jane shoe.

How should you wear them?

Because Mary Janes come in such a wide variety of heel heights, toe shapes and colors, they're designed to be worn with almost anything. The traditional flat-soled Mary Janes are most often worn as dress shoes when worn by children.

High heeled Mary Janes can look fabulous with skirts and dresses, and can also look good peeping out from the bottom of a pair of trousers. For many women, these shoes are an essential part of their office wardrobe, and the style is smart enough to see you through both a day at the office and an evening in the bar. We love them because they're like a court shoe, but with the extra support and hold, with the strap.

Mary Janes are also essential footwear for anyone interested in Lolita fashion. The Lolita look originated in Japan, and aims to mimic the doll-like look of children and young women from Victorian times. The overall look is cute and childlike, and its popularity amongst American and Japanese teenagers is perhaps one of the reasons for the rising popularity of Mary Janes for this age group. The shoes are also a key part of more mainstream fashion throughout the world.

 

Our favourite Mary Jane shoes this season is the 'LARA', see right. They come in a great range of colours (click below to go through and see) We love the green and especially as green is gauranteed to be THE spring colour this year. These green shoes would look great with a smart outfit, based on the colour green.

 

We think these shoes can brighten up any day!

For ladies who like the high life, these high 'BLAKEY' shoes in two-tone black and beige brouge style will look gorgeous for smart office wear for work and are sexy enough to keep on throughout the evening as the black patent really makes them a dressy shoe.