The Mary Jane takes its name from a comic strip. In 1902 Richard F. Outcault introduced Buster Brown and Mary Jane in the New York Herald, and soon after the Brown Shoe Company began selling children's strap shoes under the characters' names. By the 1920s grown women had claimed the style. A strap across the instep kept the shoe firmly on the foot through the Charleston and the foxtrot, and the Mary Jane became one of the defining shoes of the flapper era. In the 1930s it grew more refined, with slimmer heels and double straps.
Our Mary Janes stay close to those originals. Ruby is a low-heeled everyday shoe with a buttoned bar strap and a squared toe. Yvonne has a pointed toe and the curved pompadour heel of the early 1920s. Asta is a polished button pump with a classic 1920s line, and Judy brings the double ankle straps of the 1930s.
Every pair is handcrafted from full-grain leather, with a leather lining and a leather outsole. The button styles come with a spare pair of buttons in the box.
Comfort is built in where you cannot see it. A hidden elastic under the strap gives the shoe room to move with your foot, and soft silicone inserts beneath the leather insole cushion every step. The leather sole breathes and flexes naturally, and the modern fit leaves room for your toes. Most styles are also available in wide fit.
