Mary Janes

For those who might have wondered, Mary Janes are low-heeled shoes with rounded, closed toes, plus a buckled strap across the top of the foot or around the ankle. You used to see these all the time on little girls in fancy Sunday dresses, but today women find these shoes equally appealing. Traditionally made from black patent leather, this style is now available in a huge variety of colors and materials. We'll show you a few of our favorites for women and girls, including new takes on the old-fashioned design, plus unusual developments to this classic style.

Let's start with the little ones, pretty Mary Janes from Nina for girls. Yes, the traditional Mary Jane black patent leather shoes are available in different variations, including some with rhinestone buckles or grosgrain bows, but this designer also offers a deep ruby red or soft white, as well as silver ones in a style resembling ballet flats with a sparkling strap across the top of the foot. One of our favorite styles comes in white or cream, and it features a delicate line of pearl accents along the top of the shoe.

Stride Rite has been creating this shoe style for a long time, and we love the details they've added. In their Nicolette, the hook-and-loop closure is covered by a leather flower applique, and it's available in a wide variety of colors. With the Vanessa style, the sides are cut out completely, creating more of a summer shoe, and the top is decorated with subtle embroidery. Our final featured brand for girls is Jumping Jacks, shoes decorative enough for special occasions, but made for active fun. Jumping Jacks' Analise is perforated around the top, with beads and sequins across the strap. We also like the bold design in their Claire style, made from coordinated leather colors, one smooth and one crocodile embossed, with a big buckle added for decoration at the top.

Big girls like to have fun too, so Clarks and Moda Spana designed their own lines of Mary Janes for women. Moda Spana Zooey takes the concept in a new direction, splitting the strap in two for double the buckles, and opening the toe for a flirtatious look. Clarks' shoes are a bit closer to the classic style, although again the double straps are common. Add some contrasting stitch-work, lambskin lining, cut-work around the entire top opening, and perfectly supportive low heels to make these shoes perfect for special evenings and work days.