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Mary Jane shoes are everything we could ask for in a pair of everyday shoes. The elegant older sisters to our beloved ballet flats, they’re similarly versatile enough to dress up or just slip on before heading out the door and available in just as many different styles, silhouettes, materials and even heel heights. So what makes them different from your everyday pair of flats, and why are we completely convinced they’re the next pair of women’s shoes you need to add to your closet?
“Mary Janes feel a bit more structured and polished compared to ballet flats,” stylist Coco Schiffer said. Their signature detail — a strap across the foot — gives them a slightly more intentional, playful and polished look that complements the minimalist, slightly more delicate feeling of traditional ballet flats. “That tiny detail transforms them from ‘basic flat’ into something more styled and considered,” added stylist Ellie Richards.
“Both are feminine, but Mary Janes have a touch more presence and vintage charm,” stylist Julie Kraus said. Traditionally categorized as shoes for young girls, the shoes are perfect for adding “some whimsy to a more traditional outfit,” according to stylist Abby Arad. And like hardware on horsebit loafers or laces on boat shoes, the signature detail of the Mary Jane strap adds that extra bit of style to an everyday shoe.
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