Is Anyone Still Wearing Mary Janes?

It's Me. I Am. Here's a Monday to Friday Mary Jane Line Up.

I was having dinner with a couple of friends last week. We greeted each other in the usual manner, a hug followed by rapid fire questions and answers about what we were wearing and what else we wanted to be wearing.

“What are good flats that aren’t Mary Janes?” One of them asked as a trio of skinny margaritas hit our table. I paused before replying, “Uh, Ayede makes cute square toe flats, I’m love those criss cross Alaias, and I still really want those double strap flats from Le Monde Beryl.”

Monday to Friday Mary Janes: A friend told me I looked like RBG in this blouse. I felt more Chloe back to Boho, but tomato tomahto. Zara blouse similar here, Pistola jeans, Bottega Veneta sunglasses, Hai x Requim Mary Janes similar here.

I quickly realized that all of the styles mentioned were basically a take on a Mary Jane. I was incapable of listing a shoe that was not in the girlish, buckle happy, basic B vibe of my beloved Mary Jane. Also, she specifically does NOT like or want to wear Mary Janes, which logically I get, but emotionally cannot co-sign.

Yes, I know how trendy Mary Janes have BEEN. Not ARE, because they are kind of passé at this point, which makes me like them even more. Plus, I don’t care because for me they’ve never been a trend but more like my ideal shoe silhouette and one I feel always adds more charm and interest than other styles in the flats fam. Or maybe I’m too insecure to slip on a simple ballet flat and call it a day. But as we’ve long surpassed peak flat, new and exciting iterations aren’t necessary. Let’s keep wearing what we love regardless of whether it’s totally disruptive or not. A new take on a classic is fine by me.

Frankie Shop button down, A Golde jeans, Rothy’s Mary Janes.

Or maybe it’s because I started tap lessons at age 4 and wore those white patent leather tap shoes with the white grosgrain ribbon closure. Some of my first footwear had that girlish strap and made a fun clacking sound, and what else does a girl really want or need? Certainly not a high heel as those who know me will attest.

Mary Janes sit squarely in the realm of saddle shoes and Buster Browns, children’s shoes that are only worn while sitting for a family portrait at Sears, then maybe bronzed and put away in a box. In recent years they obviously had a resurgence most notably festooned with crystals, made sheer, mesh, metallic, balletic and sexy by Alaia, The Row, Khaite…you name it.

Clockwise from top left: Viani Milano Tommi Leopard Double Mary Jane , Sam Edelman Mackie Mary Jane Espadrille , Emme Parsons Tramonto Mary Jane , Viani Milano Vic Double Mary Jane , 3.1 Phillip Lim ID Flowerworks Mesh Mary Jane , J. Crew Factory Woven Mary Jane Flats.

Back in September, The Cut published a story called “Is it Too Late to Get the Alaia Flats?” I’ll answer for you - NO. It’s not too late, but your participation in Mary Janes doesn’t need to be of the Alaia level (that’s a $1290 entry point), especially as dupes abound and in that sense, perhaps it is too late to buy the real thing or at least not really worth the investment when you can do this or this .

Alaia or Edelman (that’s SAM Edelman to you) Mary Janes aren’t going anywhere, they’re just getting better. For spring I’ll be buying the Emme Parsons crochet raffia version and the white mesh ballet kind from Loeffler Randall. J. Crew Factory also makes this perfect raffia Mary Jane for under $80.

On this particular day, for reasons still unknown, I decided to dump my laptop in a bright red plastic bag from Mother instead of a more traditional “work” bag. Ayr button down, Moussy Vintage jeans similar here, Hai x Requim Mary Janes similar here, Bottega Veneta bag and sunglasses.

Also as the weather warms up, I’m feeling a 60s vibe about Mary Janes especially as this boho aesthetic is back. I do NOT consider myself as someone who subscribes to trends, especially boho ones, but if it’s within the girlish realm of a demure Jane Birkin on holiday, I’m here for it.

This wraps my Monday through Friday Mary Janes from last week. I’m sure the week ahead will look pretty similar because I am a serial outfit repeater. But here’s hoping for a slew of spring/summer Mary Janes in bright colors, lighter fabrics and whatever festooned footwear and embellishments that scream, “i’m not a regular Mary Jane, I’m a cool Mary Jane” may be.

I originally had on this Ba&sh blouse similar here with black jeans and my husband commented that I looked like Johnny Cash which he noted was a HUGE compliment. I changed into these Chimala jeans and grabbed a very non-Johnny Cash Parker Thatch bag.