In recent seasons, the humble Mary Jane style has rebounded to style prominence, and the variety of styles and ways to wear them has firmly convinced me that these might be the most versatile shoe around. Dating back to the beginning of the 20th century, this shoe has a long history and it’s easy to see why the buckled style has made a comeback for 2023. As we know, fashion is cyclical, and right now, this silhouette has been rediscovered and returned to the daily lexicon and daily wardrobes of most fashion people around. The appeal of Mary Janes come from the preppy style and French influence that is evidently having a moment right now. (Just look to ballet flats returning.) But Mary Janes have diversified their form—from sky-high stacked heels to minimalist flats, ensuring they fit easily into a variety of wardrobes.
The brilliance of Mary Janes can be extended further than the variety of heel heights to suit all wearers. Designers and creators have taken the identifying feature of the shoe, the buckle details, and played on this with numerous straps, embellished detailing and varied colourways. The styling of this shoe makes it even more endearing if that’s possible. Despite being an elegant shoe, it lends its-self as much to eveningwear as daily jaunts, with styling ranging from shorts to jeans to midi dresses and mini skirts.
In celebration of the return of this shoe, I’ve highlighted the best Mary Janes at varied heel heights, and added some examples of ways to wear them this season.
This story was published at an earlier time and has since been updated.
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