Spring footwear is somewhat predictable every year. We throw away ankle boots and high boots and put on sneakers and moccasins instead. But this season is different. As far as footwear is concerned, two significant trends compete with each other, which have already made fashion history several times in the past. In addition to ballet flats, a French classic with more than a century of history – the elegant patent leather Mary Jane – has come to prominence. Will you love them?
Comfortable, elegant, cute, but also really punk – if you want. That’s the way to describe the essence of Mary Jane shoes, which are characterized by a lacquered look and at least one strap across the instep. They were originally known in the Anglo-American world as bar shoes a their history dates back to the second half of the 19th century. At that time, however, they were not worn by adults, but were considered purely children’s shoes, which at first were surprisingly worn by boys rather than girls. But that soon changed.
VIDEO TIP: Mary Jane shoes often wage a fashion battle with ballet flats. Therefore, remember their history.
How did that happen bar shoes suddenly renamed to Mary Jane? They stand behind it comic Buster Brown of 1902. In it his author Richard Felton Outcault he created the character of the girl Mary Jane after his daughter. Two years later, Outcault sold the license on the pilgrimage to more than two hundred companies, which were thus free to use the characters from the comics for their advertising purposes. Among these companies was also a shoemaker Brown Shoe Company (later renamed Caleres), which began producing belted polishes inspired by the Buster Brown comic book character Mary Jane. And so the shoes got her name.
Mary Jane shoes gradually gained in fashion importance. Let’s mention, for example, that in the 20s they were often worn with iconic ones flapper dresses, with which they formed an ideal pair for jazz parties, but also for daily walks. At that time, however, you would find these shoes not only under the label Mary Jane, they were also known as strap pumps.
A woman in Mary Jane shoes in a period photo from the 1920s. .cz | Source: Profimedia.cz
After the wild 20s, the film subsequently returned Mary Jane shoes to their “childhood” roots Valentine (1934), in which the then six-year-old actress played the main role Shirley Temple. Her cream boots with a strap are still an integral part of the visual side of this picture. Even the era of the 1960s, which was absolutely essential for the popularity of patent leather, did not tear Mary Jane’s slightly infantile, innocent stamp. They became an absolute hit after a model appeared in them Twiggy, posing for the British designer’s campaign Mary Quant. Thanks to the famous model, Mary Jane definitely became footwear that combines openness and playfulness, but which can very quickly turn into unbridled wildness.
Twiggy in 1966. .cz | Source: Profimedia.cz
Jane Birkin in 1967. .cz | Source: Profimedia.cz
Since then, the Mary Jane has become one of the key fashion elements, which also quickly became popular with French women and Jane Birkin. And as it is known in the history of fashion, what one famous woman wears – in this case, rather shoes -, from that moment on, carries a guarantee of style and timelessness.
And that’s exactly what Mary Jane did. Although they had to give way to other fashion trends several times in the following decades, they never completely disappeared from the scene. Let’s mention, for example, that they became a huge hit again at the turn of the first and second decades of the 21st century, when she returned them to the game one of the biggest fashion icons of the time – Alexa Chung.
Alexa Chung in 2010. .cz | Source: Profimedia.cz
Alexa Chung in 2010. .cz | Source: Profimedia.cz
Since then, Mary Janes have been somewhat of a fashion battle with the popular ballet flats, for which they have become a very attractive and often more elegant alternative. So it’s a little funny that after a decade we can once again watch a similar fashion battle – ballet flats have been one of the most sought-after types of footwear in the last two years, and Mary Jane is no different. Fashion history repeats itself.
However, this fashion battle seems to be more conciliatory this year, as in an increasing number of fashion collections we encounter a pleasant fusion of both styles of shoes – thanks to brands such as The Row a Aeyde because this year we especially love models without heels, which are more similar in shape to ballerinas, but at the same time they are complemented by an elegant strap over the instep.
Keira Knightley in March 2023. .cz | Source: Profimedia.cz
This year, however, even lovers of traditional Mary Janes will get their money’s worth. You can find the most proven models mainly from established French brands such as Carel, Jonak or Sézane. However, the available Vagabond or Tamaris are also trying their own Mary Jane version this year. You can find the best models of this year in our gallery below.
You can find the most beautiful Mary Jane shoes from the current collections in the gallery at the beginning of the article.
2024-02-18 14:46:17
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