I've just got back from a sunny weekend away in Brighton, so you'll have to forgive my current lust for all things alternative and kooky while I adjust to humdrum London life.
In the meantime, I am loving these 'Lady Luck' shoes from TUK which are a fun departure from the label's usual skulls and kitties. There's always something a bit subversive about wearing footwear with text, and as a variation on this theme you can also find Rock 'n' Roll Mary Janes, which are set off with a trendy lightning bolt. Both styles are £39.95 at Cloggs and you can find more TUK goodness on our shoe finder.
Related: Peep toe shoes from TUK | Mary Jane Monday: Hispanitas 'Girasol' slingback brogues | Louboutin Mary Janes
Last week I talked about a 6" high heel, which in itself is rather intimidating, but what about these 5" heel babies? Sure they're not designer, but if you're looking for a height boost and don't want to fork out hundreds of dollars to do so, I don't think you can go too wrong with these Michael Antonio Lucy Mary Jane from Alloy. Made from man-made material (Natalie Portman would approve) these blue patent leather Mary-Janes feature cute floral cut outs and a peep toe. Still not convinced? Well your feet would only be arching up 3 ½" and not 5 with the 1 ½" platform. All this will just set you back $32.50.
Related: Michael Antonio's red 'Cache' peep toe pumps | Michael Antonio Serpent Sandals from Alloy
It's a brogue, a slingback and a Mary Jane, all in one! On paper, these shoes sound like they have way too much going on, but in person, I actually think they're quite cute, if you're looking for a low-heeled, comfortable shoe. The combination of red, black and white is a particular favourite of mine on shoes, but if you're not keen, there's also a version of these in tan. These are $181.95 at Nordstrom, who call them a "modern take on the spectator shoe".
Related: Red patent Mary Janes by RSVP | Double strap Mary Janes by Miu Miu | Dior's platform Mary Janes
Some Mary Janes have two straps, some have three. But sometimes you just want a good old classic pair of high heeled MJs - perhaps with a little button strap - and these ones are exactly that. What stops these shoes from being boring, of course, is the red patent leather they're made from. They're 'Marianne' by RSVP, and they aslo come in black (both patent and matt), brown and navy, so you have a Mary Jane for all occasions! They're a reasonable $70 from Zappos.
Related: Topshop printed Mary Jane summer shoe | Prada flower-heel Mary Jane | Round buckle Mary Jane stilettos
A Mary Jane court shoe with a d'orsay cut sounds like something that wouldn't work, but leave it to Miu Miu to make it! While traditional Mary Janes tend to be more "cute" than "sexy", these MJs totally buck the trend, giving us a high, strappy sandal with two buckle straps and a gorgeous patent finish. This colour is called 'dusty rose', and they're also available in a dove grey. I'm not sure which I like best, but as the rose colour would be great for parties and weddings and the grey could be worn to work, I guess there's always an excuse to buy both - but only if you can justify paying $450 twice. If you can, you'll find them at Neiman Marcus.
Related: Miu Miu's patent leather Mary Janes | Miu Miu metallic gladiator sandals | Miu Miu jewelled glitter slingbacks
Here at Shoewawa, we love Mary Janes so much that we gave them their own day. Dior, on the other hand, loved Mary Janes so much that they completely revamped them, creating a shoe that's about as far removed from the classic, single strap Mary Jane as it's possible to get. These come with three buttoned straps, a banana shaped heel complete with cut-out detail, and more cut-outs on the vamp. They're made of soft leather and cost $1,090 from Neiman Marcus. What do you think of them, though? Would you buy them, or do you prefer your Mary Janes more classic?
Related: Louboutin Mary Janes | Prada flower heel Mary Janes | Miu Miu's red Tea Cup Mary Janes
No, that's not a typo in the headline, "Toxxic" is indeed the name of these Michael Antonio Mary Janes - whether you find them 'toxic' or not is, of course, up to you! These are only $34.99 but the high red platform makes them look a tad more expensive, and a world away from some of the more demure Mary Janes out there. Get them from Cutesy Girl.
Related: Michael Antonio's red 'Cache' peep toe pumps, with fabulous conical heel | Michael Antonio Serpent Sandals from Alloy | Michael Antonio's tan 'Luminor' stiletto ankle boots at FlyJane.net
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