An itchy dress, the poofier and more bows the better, tights moments away from holes forming and most importantly, squeaky, toe-pinching Mary Jane shoes.
Mary Janes, characterized by their strap across the foot and rounded, closed-toe, have been a staple in fashion for over a century.
The shoes were originally named Buster Browns after the early 1900s comic strip “Buster Brown” and were targeted towards young boys to be worn with uniforms and to church. Over time, the shoes evolved into a shoe for young girls and were renamed Mary Janes after Buster Brown’s companion.
However, the shoe wasn’t always for kids. Mary Janes were popular amongst flappers in the Roaring 20s. They were the quintessential shoe for the club and supported dancers into the early morning hours.
The popularity of Mary Janes spiked in the 1960s when style icons like French actress Jane Birkin, whose simplistic style is widely admired today, was spotted wearing them. Birkin wore a traditional style of the shoe — a slight block heel with a single strap and buckle.
Three decades later in the early 1990s, Mary Janes appeared in the grunge scene with their black, chunky appearance paired with black tights and miniskirts. The shoe also slowly transitioned into a preppier, schoolgirl aesthetic with Cher from the 1995 film “Clueless” wearing a flat, silver style.
In the 2010s, the shoes made their revival once again with the indie sleaze aesthetic, which encapsulated the messy and more carefree scene of indie rock bands in New York City.
Today, Mary Janes have made a comeback. The shoes have had a revival and act as an intersection of different styles such as punk, coquette and preppy — all styles they have been popular with in the past. Designers have made their version of the shoe, making it a constant between the three styles while maintaining its individuality.
Sandy Liang, a brand synonymous with the coquette style and girlhood, released a ballet-esque, square-toed version of the Mary Jane.
On the opposite side of the style spectrum, Givenchy dropped a punk version of the shoe classified by its chunky heel and oversized buckle.
Gen Z icons like Olivia Rodrigo and Elle Fanning wear preppier styles of the shoe, similar to how it was worn in the early 2000s. Rodrigo sports the popular Dr. Martens Mary Jane, while Fanning downs the unique Burberry Alanis shoe.
Mary Janes have come full circle from their origin of being a shoe for boys, with Harry Styles wearing a pair of preppy Gucci Mary Janes on the red carpet in 2020. Justin Bieber was also spotted wearing a pair of Vinny’s T-Strap Mary Janes in July.
It's no doubt that Mary Janes are an iconic shoe. History speaks for itself — the shoes have lasted in fashion for a hundred years.
Nearly every decade has had its own Mary Jane renaissance. The longevity of the shoe can be attributed to its versatility in aesthetics and its practicality, proving anyone of any style or gender can style a pair of Mary Janes. The verdict is: they are Timeless.
This article was edited by Maria Tedesco, Marina Zaczkiewicz and Abigail Turner. Copy editing done by Luna Jinks, Emma Brown and Charlie Mennuti.
