It’s 2024 and Mary Janes are back in a big way! We’ve rank ordered our favorite comfortable Mary Janes on a continuum from “heavy on the comfort and support and less on style” to “fashion forward with a few comfort features.” Pick one that fits your fashion vibe and foot needs–and ride the Mary Jane trend!
Before starting our list, here’s a quick video review of an affordable pair of Mary Janes that I bought a few weeks ago:
Kirsten reviews the affordable, stylish, real leather Mia Uliana. Find a pair in whole and half sizes 6-10 for $45-59.99 from Nordstrom, Amazon and Zappos.
The first pair of comfortable mary janes in our round up, the Taos Ultimate, will win over problem-footed gals. The generous toe box, removable footbed with enhanced arch and high quality leathers sooth and support achy feet. Available in sizes 6-11 for $185 from Taos Footwear, Zappos and Amazon.
This is a new look for the foot-friendly Alegria brand. More streamlined and feminine than the popular Paloma and Belle Mary Janes, the Alegria Haylo features a 2″ wedge heel with 1/2″ platform, removable footbed with arch support and hook and loop closure (not real buckle). A solid option for those wanting all the comfort features of their traditional Alegrias, but with a dressier vibe. Available in sizes 5-12 for $120 from Zappos, Nordstrom and Amazon.
Duckfeet shoes are handcrafted in Europe without the use of synthetic materials. Known for their minimalist styles with “foot-formed” design (generous toe box, room for toes to move around), Duckfeet also feature a deep footbed that works with many orthotics/insoles. The Himmerland Mary Jane is available in 10 beautiful shades of vegetable-tanned leather, euro sizes 35-43 (5-12) for $218 from Duckfeet USA.
For feet that crave the support, firm cushioning and shock absorption of a cork and latex footbed, the Stegmann Eva mary jane is for you! Got bunions? The roomy toe box and soft merino wool or leather uppers will not irritate sensitive toes. Available in sizes 6-11 for $150 from Stegmann USA.
Cute, casual and comfortable–that’s the Dr. Scholl’s Madison Jane–featuring a platform sole of 1 1/4″, adjustable strap with real buckle and moderate arch support. Available in sizes 6-11 for $70 from Dr. Scholl’s Shoes and Nordstrom.
We admire Fitflop’s dedication to designing footwear for feeble feet. Based on the popular Delicato flat, this comfortable mary jane features soft leather uppers and cushioned insoles with arch support. As of now, the Fitflop Delicato MJ is only available via Nordstrom, but the reviews of the ballet flat version of the shoe are excellent. Fitflop customer Cerise says this:
“Most ballet flats with support look very chunky and do not appeal to me. These are different. They have hidden support and I have been able to wear and walk in them comfortably.”
The Fitflop Delicato MJ is available in sizes 5-11 for $120 from Fitflop, Nordstrom and Amazon.
Stylish, comfortable mary janes that come in three widths are hard to find but here you go! The Vionic Alameda features the on trend square toe and comes with two pair of insoles (one has higher arch support). Available in sizes 5-13, narrow to wide widths for $130 from Vionic Shoes, Zappos and Nordstrom.
Want to try out the trend without dropping a lot of money? The Cushionaire Sleeper MJ doesn’t offer much arch support, but it does have a memory foam insole and comes in wides! Available in plaid and solid colors, 6-11, medium and wide widths for $39.99 from Amazon.
Just lovely! Customer reviews are mostly positive for this modern square-toe Mary Jane by Linea Paolo, mainly due to soft leathers, real buckle and no gaping at sides while walking. Some reviews suggest ordering up a half size for best fit. Find a pair in sizes 5-11 for $129.95 from Nordstrom and Amazon. See them in snazzy leopard print here.
We love the denim version of this sleek Mary Jane by Birdies. The Hummingbird features layered cushioning with arch support and a flexible outsole. Check out Kirsten’s review of the Birdies Vesper loafer for insight into how Birdies are constructed and how they fit/feel. Available in sizes 5-12 for $150 from Birdies and Nordstrom.
