There are very few people who are not familiar with Mary Jane shoes. They are classic American footwear. The standard design, calling for a wide, closed toe, a small heel, and a buckle near the ankle or over the instep of the foot, has been a popular style for well over one hundred years. The origins of the title as well as the popularity of Mary Jane shoes began all the way in 1902, when Richard Outcault; the creator of the then popular comic Buster Brown, sold the rights to the use of his characters in various advertisements, one of them coming to belong to the fittingly named Brown Shoe Company. Taking full advantage of their new “models,” the company employed actors to travel across the country, calling attention to the shoes being worn by Buster Brown and Mary Jane, both characters of the comic strip. A kind of kismet occurred, and something about the type of shoe worn by Mary Jane seemed to click with audiences, forever cementing the style with the name. Although the title character on whose name the idea was built has been nearly forgotten by modern audiences, yet it was thus that Mary Jane shoes, as they are known today, were born.
Over time, Mary Jane shoes have undergone numerous changes in style and perception. Traditionally made for young girls, Mary Janes found some of their earliest fame on the little feet of America’s darling, Shirley Temple, who loved to dance in them. Soon after, the stylish footwear eventually crossed over into older women’s fashion as well, adapted to the styling purposes of flappers. While originally it was seen as formal wear for children and very informal wear for adults, even that concept began to shift somewhere around the middle of the century. Women made the style their own by adding various substitutions to the shoe, such as the addition of laces instead of a strap as well as the slight raising of the shoe by slipping in a slight heel. Mary Janes shoes saw an incredible comeback in the 1990s, when Lolita, or little girl inspired, fashions ruled the runways. Celebrities ranging all the way from grunge rocker Courtney Love to the squeaky clean teens from Beverly Hills 90210 began slipping their famed feet into womens Mary Janes shoes, pairing them with equally infantile baby doll dresses and bringing the shoes back to the height of fashion.
Another decade later, Mary Jane shoes saw another chance to return to the spotlight, this time not as a child’s accessory or a tool to reclaim youthful exuberance, but instead as a haute couture fixture, gracing the toes of some of Hollywood’s most glamorous inhabitants including Jennifer Connelly and Christina Ricci. The illustrious singer Fergie even went as far as dedicating a song to them on her album, “Duchess.” Famed shoe designers, such as Christian Louboutin and Manolo Blahnik quickly devoted their attention to and embraced the style, making their own renditions of the classic design. Re-imagined as a fully adult style, Mary Jane shoes acquired still more changed features. This time a full-blown heel was included, thinner and higher than ever before, as well as changing designs for the straps, some including more than one, others experimenting with the thickness of the band. The material from which the shoe was made was no longer confined to patent leather. It could now be suede, fabric, or regular leather. Even the classic rounded toe has seen an update, getting progressively more pointed in recent reincarnations. In its latest stage of evolution, the Mary Jane shoes became an adult, edgy, sexy, and even held the hint of a dangerous appeal.
High fashion; however is not the only place a Mary Jane shoe can be found today. An offshoot of the fashion world, the realm of orthopedic and comfort shoes has also taken their turn at recreating this classic favorite. Brands known for their comfortable footwear have held closer to the original Mary Janes, aiming for a much softer, yet still more grown up look and feel. Affordable shoe retailers such as Sketchers, Clarks and Doc Martens all have a version of the beloved archetype, seemingly aimed for the working woman. Even Crocs, the least fashionably oriented shoe brand; picked up a kind of Mary Jane as part of their line. The emphasis is not as much on style, although of course style is automatically implied in the name, but on the support of the arch, the cushioning of the heel and the available space in the area reserved for the toes. Women choosing this version of the Mary Janes purchase not only a widely beloved style, but also quality and the promise of easily walking an entire day in good-looking footwear. It is not easy to quickly find consumers in so many different demographics and yet Mary Jane shoes for women have done it flawlessly every decade since their inception.
As much as they range in varying styles, shapes, and sizes, the Mary Jane shoes also range very sharply in pricing. Due to the many different forms that they take, the shoes can be marked from as low as $6 to as high as $600. This is due in large part to the various venues where Mary Jane shoes have found a niche. These venues range from high-end boutiques, to bargain stores such as Marshall’s and JC Penny. There is a version of this shoe for practically every kind of price range, style, and occasion. In some ways there is a kind of unifying presence in girls Mary Jane shoes; a housewife running to the grocery store, a teenager asserting her individuality, and a high-powered business woman pacing down Wall Street; may all find a way to express themselves in these multifaceted shoes. This shoe is as versatile and well-known as sliced bread.
Why are Mary Jane shoes so beloved? Maybe it is because it is the one kind of shoe with which many girls grow up; transitioning from child to woman, just as the shoes themselves transform in a similar way. Or perhaps it is the fact that there is something very feminine and soft about this style, calling to mind all that is associated with female beauty and grace. Better still, it may be the convenience of finding the shoe one likes everywhere, in a variety of colors, textures, and prices to match any particular need at any particular time. The bottom line is the MaryJane shoe is classic, beautiful, comfortable, and affordable, making it the easiest footwear to embrace.
Without a doubt, a style icon of the shoe realm, Mary Jane shoes have permeated popular culture for over a century. Starting out by gracing the beloved feet of Shirley Temple, continuing on to the more experienced feet of flappers, reigniting childhood nostalgia in rock icons, and finally hitting their stride on the fashion runways of Milan and Paris, Mary Janes remain one of the most famous brand names in the history of American fashion culture, certainly the most famous shoe. Appealing to generations of women of all backgrounds and from all walks of life, this brand name is so successful because, like Madonna, it is constantly able to reinvent itself to fit the changing times. With their trademark endurance and flexibility, a bright and lengthy future looks to be in store for Mary Jane shoes in all their variations.
For more Mary Jane shoes go to the Shoe Champion Webstore
