Features and history of the model
Mary Jane shoes got their well-known name today from the heroine of illustrated magazines published by Richard Felton Outcolt. This man, who, by the way, is the creator of comics, came up with a painted story that conquered the public of that time, and brought many new things to the world, including the famous shoes of the heroine Mary Jane.
The classic model of these shoes with a strap on the rise, a small square heel, or without it at all, and with a rounded toe. In modern fashion, the model is quite diverse.
At the beginning of the 20th century, Mary Jane-style shoes became widely popular among girls. Fashion for shoes soon became unisex, Mary Jane became common among boys.
Only twenty years later, the legendary shoes became fashionable shoes in the women's wardrobe. The peak of popularity among women occurred in the 20s of the last century. At this time, shoes with a strap were called bar shoes because of the great popularity of various types of active dances. Due to the fact that they were well attached to the leg with the help of a buckle-strap, they could safely go to dance.
At the same time, trendsetter Coco Chanel introduced a completely new model for that time, Mary Jane shoes in two colors, leaving the toe and heel in dark color.
At different times, famous women who asked stylish directions in their time preferred the Mary Jane model, which undoubtedly supported the wave of popularity of shoes. In the 60s of the last century, Mary Kuant, the creator of the mini-skirt beloved by millions of women, introduced the famous shoes in her collection, which gave the model a new round of popularity, which was captured by the icon of the style of that time Twiggy.
Corti Love and Kate Moss at the end of the 20th century also brought a lot of popularity to Mary Jane shoes, as they often appeared in public.
Thanks to world-famous fashion designers Yves Saint Laurent and Christian Dior, classic shoes have undergone a fundamental reform and appeared before the public with high heels and a pointed nose, made in patent leather.
Modern interpretation of shoes
Today, there are many options for the execution of the Mary Jane model: boats and ballet flats with a flat strap with a strap on a leg lift are popular, shoes on a platform or heel in the style of Mary Jane look more elegant.
And although according to a survey among men, classic models of Mary Jane shoes with a rounded toe part fell out of favor and were announced in the list of the most unattractive pairs of women's shoes, Mary Jane has been trending for what season. Throughout their existence, they passed the main test - the test of time, and therefore earned the right to be called classics of style.
Mary Jane shoes fit perfectly into deliberate children's looks in the style of Baby Doll, and are also used as one of the components of the Japanese Lolita outfit.
Many fashion houses successfully introduce famous strap shoes in the new seasons. At Dolce & Gabbana, these shoes are made in a shocking style with creative jewelry in the form of pompons, mesh or metal inserts.
In Gucci collections you can find both more comfortable models with a small and thick heel, as well as elegant models with a hairpin.
Serpentine motifs made of shiny leather in the Miu Miu models are complemented by thin straps wrapping around the upper part of the foot, which makes the shoes original in the new design.
The use of metallic colors in Mary Jane style shoes with high and steady heels by Marc Jacobs have made a new contribution to the history of the model.
Choosing the Right Model
It would seem that all models of shoes in the style of Mary Jane are made according to one principle - the presence of a strap on a leg lift. In fact, using some tricks when choosing a model, you can hide the flaws and emphasize the advantages of your figure.
The presence of a horizontal line in the shoe in the form of a strap can visually shorten the legs. To prevent this, shoes in light pastel shades should be preferred. If, nevertheless, the choice fell on black shoes, then it is better to wear them paired with black tights.
Shoes with several straps or on a flat sole should be chosen only by girls of high stature and with a slim figure. For those who do not meet these parameters, you should choose shoes with heels and basic shades.
It is generally accepted that in no case should you wear Mary Jane style shoes with any pants or jeans. However, modern fashion does not stand still, and today such a combination in a women's wardrobe is quite acceptable. Shortened versions of trousers that do not cover the original strap of the model will become a way out of the situation. For those girls who prefer trousers to skirts, the most suitable model for such high-heeled shoes.
What to wear?
Due to the wide variety of models Mary Jane, which is represented by modern designers, for women and girls of all ages there is a pair of legendary shoes with a suitable look of the sole. This versatility allows you to combine Mary Jane shoes with a strap on the rise with many clothing styles.
As mentioned above, lovers of doll style in clothes consider this shoe to be ideal for their look. Following Twiggy, who easily combined classic shoes with miniskirts and child-like dresses, modern girls put them on with pleated mini skirts and white socks or golfs, as well as with dresses in the style of Barbie in pastel colors.
For more serious business outfits, Mary Jane shoes with high or medium heels or stilettos in basic beige or black are a good option.Classic office outfits in the form of a pencil skirt or formal dresses, as well as business suits, are perfectly combined with shoes in this design. Choosing a model with a classic rounded toe will add retro-style shades to the look.
In everyday looks, Mary Jane style shoes are not deprived of attention. The combination of the classic model of medium-high-heeled shoes with trousers or jeans of shortened versions and knitted sweaters or sweaters will become stylish. If necessary, this image can be supplemented with accessories in the form of an air scarf, as well as a bag of the usual form in restrained colors or in tone with shoes.
For girls who like romantic style and vintage items, Mary Jane shoes will be simply an indispensable element of the wardrobe. Voluminous skirts of medium length and delicate blouses will be an excellent ensemble for such shoes.
Choosing a model of shoes without a heel, you can safely wear it with all the trendy things that have occupied the pinnacle of fashion recently. Combination dresses and shirt dresses, denim leggings and culottes - all these fashionable things will suit shoes with a strap on the rise and on a flat sole. Do not forget about skirts and dresses with a mini length, as well as tight-fitting jackets, which are also good for Mary Jane ballet flats.
