French Women Live in Mary Janes—19 Pairs That Feel the Chic Parisian Part
In recent seasons, the humble Mary Jane style has rebounded to style prominence, and the variety of styles and ways to wear them has firmly convinced me that these might be the most versatile shoe around. Dating back to the beginning of the 20th century, this shoe has a long history and it's easy to see why the buckled style has made a comeback for 2024. As we know, fashion is cyclical, and right now, this silhouette has been rediscovered and returned to the daily lexicon and daily wardrobes of most fashion people around. The appeal of Mary Janes come from the preppy style and French influence that is evidently having a moment right now. (Just look to ballet flats returning.) But Mary Janes have diversified their form—from sky-high stacked heels to minimalist flats, ensuring they fit easily into a variety of wardrobes.
This combination of bold red and blue denim is so good.
The brilliance of Mary Janes can be extended further than the variety of heel heights to suit all wearers. Designers and creators have taken the identifying feature of the shoe, the buckle details, and played on this with numerous straps, embellished detailing and varied colourways. The styling of this shoe makes it even more endearing if that's possible. Despite being an elegant shoe, it lends its-self as much to eveningwear as daily jaunts, with styling ranging from shorts to jeans to midi dresses and mini skirts.
In celebration of the return of this shoe, I've highlighted the best Mary Janes at varied heel heights, and added some examples of ways to wear them this season.
HOW TO STYLE MARY JANES
Looking for flat shoes for evening? Enter Mary Janes.
The multi-strap detail adds to the feminine feel of this pair.
This bold platform pair comes courtesy of Nodaleto.
Flat Mary Janes are the chic shoe you can wear all day long.
Even trending maxi skirts suit a pair of Mary Janes.
This entire look feels incredibly contemporary.
Clearly socks and Mary Janes are a winning combo.
Anouk shows how fitted tailoring and Mary Janes go hand in hand.
A spring-ready look I'm excited to recreate.
The square toe adds a fresh feel to this classic shoe.
SHOP THE BEST MARY-JANE FLAT SHOES
Ganni has reconsidered the silhouette with a boxy sole and embellished fastening.
Le Monde Beryl is all about beautiful Mary Janes.
SHOP THE BEST MARY JANE MID-HEEL SHOES
Silver footwear is having a major moment.
SHOP THE BEST MARY JANE PLATFORM SHOES
Nodaleto has focused on refining contemporary Mary Janes.
Florrie embarked on her fashion journey while studying French and History at university. Whilst studying in Aix-en-Provence, she began to write her dissertation on the history of fashion and the influence of Haute Couture, and landed her first role at Harper’s Bazaar. Following this, she interned for various publications including Elle, Grazia and Marie Claire before joining the fashion team at Conde Nast Traveller. There, she contributed to international photoshoots, styled pages and covers, and produced engaging digital content.
During a freelance period, Florrie honed her skills in editorial work in various digital and print publications including Vogue Italy and Departures magazine, as well as styling e-commerce photoshoots and personal shopping. Florrie actively pursues an in-depth understanding of fashion and jewellery, and after styling a jewellery cover shoot at Conde Nast Traveller chose to complete the De Beers Diamond Foundation course. Florrie first joined Who What Wear UK as a freelancer before becoming the Commerce Writer, blending both editorial and commercial content. Now, as the Acting Affiliates Editor, she monitors current trends, new-in styles, wardrobe heroes and how best to style them. In her downtime, Florrie can be found in her hometown of London, usually with a coffee in hand.
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