How do you make mary-jane shoes work?

[Mankala]

Mary-jane shoes seem to be everywhere at the moment.

I haven't bought any yet, but am wondering about it. There doesn't seem to be much choice out there shoe-wise (other than loafers and trainers).

How should mary-janes be worn?

Are they a risky choice?

They are at least stable and stay on your foot.

Not seeing the difficulty? Tights, socks, bare legs. Long skirts, cropped jeans, midi dresses, palazzo pants, shorts, minis, cargo trousers, kilts …

And …

It’s funny, as I see them in every shop at the moment , but very rarely see anyone wearing them in RL. I think they’re actually really hard to make work. All of the photos above look horrific. Maybe that’s why 😆

I wear mine with work dresses (knee length and above) and black opaque tights. I would always have a pair with a heel on.

I love mine. I wear them with dresses with black tights in the winter!

I have Mary Jane style Doc Martens and I wear them all the time with trousers - usually slightly short trpousers. I think they look lovely
But actually I don't really mind what the look like because I just love them full stop. They make me feel like I did when I got new shoes as a little girl. Like I could do anything and run like the wind.
I suppose it is because they are fundamentally a 'little girl' style, even when beefed up into adorable Doc Marten clumpiness.

That's how I like them too. Either really chunky, worn with slightly wide, slightly shorter length trousers or jeans. Or as a PP said, neater styles with a heel and worn with opaque tights and dresses for work.

Yes, I should have said that my trousers are wide as well as short. Oh, i do love my mary janes. They cost a bomb and I felt terrible about that, but I have worn them more or less every single day since I got them so perhaps it was ok.

This is pretty much exactly the way I’m seeing them being worn in the city I live in:

What a weird squatting pose

Cold knees though. I struggle with shoes in winter and only really wear boots as I don't want cold/wet feet and legs.

Never seen anyone in RL wear them

I love MJs and have quite a few - some flat, some with heels. Generally wear them with skirts of pretty much any length. I don’t wear trousers a lot anyway.

I thin jeans and slacks look best with them

I sent my five year old to school with knee highs and Mary Jane's this morning!

I wish they did them with the strap diagonally across the shoe, rather than straight. It would look so much more elegant.

These and barrel leg jeans I'm refusing to jump onboard with. I just can't reconcile it and they don't look nice to me.

You don't have to wear them @Mankala. Personally I think they look like a primary school girls' shoe.

If you really want a pair look on Instagram to see how the influencers are styling them: a lot of them are being paid to promote them.

Alternatively loafers are back in fashion if that's more your thing.

I only have one pair - silver, block heel, square toe - worn with smart wide leg trousers (when I need something bit smarter than trainers but need to walk bit too much for my heeled boots).

I used to wear black heeled MJs back in the days of smart office suits but the office has become much less formal for us.

I ordered a pair from River Island this morning, which I'm hoping look okay with my cropped wide leg jeans.

Not sure though, as the jeans are blue and the shoes are black, and I've always had something against that!

I've worn Mary Janes quite a lot before now.

I've always favoured the style, as it suits my feet and I prefer the strap to secure the shoe. The toe shape makes the difference (slightly rounded, not pointed) and I wear them with most things. I love the mesh / velvet versions currently available and have bought the children's versions from M&S (much cheaper / they do up to size 7 adult in some styles) and wear them with most anything really.

Knee high socks and Mary Janes…no fucking way!

They're bloody awful 😂

I have a pair. I have worn with slightly short jeans and with wide leg smart trousers for work

I bought some a few weeks ago when I saw them all in the shops, however I keep putting g them ion with various outfits and taking them off again as I think they make me look ridiculous.

I'm waiting till it gets a bit colder so I can try them with opaque tights as I think k that might be a better look for me. I'm 51.