A Mary Jane is a strap shoe with traditionally low heels and a broad, rounded closed toe. Traditionally they also have a single-buckle strap across the instep and are made of patent leather. These were the shoes worn by Mary Jane, Buster Brown's sister in the early twentieth century in the Buster Brown cartoons.

Tossing aside tradition, today you can find Mary Janes in a variety of colors and heels. From big chunky heels on a platform sole to spiked heels. The Mary Jane has come a long way from those simple patent leather shoes.