Corporette.com

Updated: Sep 18, 2024 100 Comments · by

The Hunt: Mary Jane Heels for Work

Shoes· The Hunt |

This post may contain affiliate links and Corporette® may earn commissions for purchases made through links in this post. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

mary janes for work campari

Sure, we all know what basics professional women are supposed to have in their closets, but if you're buying one for the first time or replacing one you've worn into the ground, it can be a pain to find exactly the right incarnation in stores. In “The Hunt,” we search the stores for a basic item that every woman should have.

Pumps are all well and good, but if you're like me — particularly while it's still tights weather — they can be a little hard to walk in. This is why my closet has always contained a lot of Mary Jane heels, as well as other heels with straps.

It can be a bit tricky to find some that don't a) visually cut your leg at the worst possible point, and b) make you look like a little girl — so I thought I'd round up a few.

Readers, how often do you wear heels with straps? Any favorite brands, or great steals recently

UPDATE: Our Latest Favorite Mary Jane Heels for Work

There aren't a ton of Mary Jane pumps that I know of in 2024 — Manolo Blahnik has had this heeled Mary Jane for years, and Jennifer Chamandi has some cute styles now, as does Tory Burch. In terms of affordable options that are less than $350, Amazon also has a “limited time sale” on these SJP by Sarah Jessica Parker Mary Jane pumps, and these Kurt Geiger pumps are only $150 at Dillards. If you prefer wedges, Theory has some Mary Jane wedges. (Also, take a look at the trend of Mary Jane flats…)

Other Great Strappy Heels for Work

Our Latest Favorite Strappy Heels in General

As of 2024, these are our latest favorite strappy heels for work (below) — also check the brands J.Crew, Valentino, and Jennifer Chamandi for strappy pumps. If you’re looking for strappy commuting shoes with heels to maintain a hem length, we recommend Dansko or Fly London.

low heel with ankle strap
Anne Klein
mary janes for work campari
Manolo Blahnik
ankle strap pump with low heel
Dream Pairs / Amazon
strappy heel with diagonal strap
Calvin Klein

Our Latest Favorite T-Strap Heels

As of Sept. 2023, these are some of our favorite T-strap pumps for work:

black patent T-strap pump with multiple straps at toe
SJP, $385
black strappy work pumps with T-strap-like detail
Tamara Mellon, $795
black T-strap pump with rockstud details
Valentino, $1,190

Our Latest Favorite Ankle-Strap Heels

Ankle-strap pumps can be slightly hard to find in 2024… one of our longtime favorites is this affordable option from Anne Klein, and Nordstrom has a surprisingly large selection of ankle-strap heels right now. If you prefer flats, Dream Pairs has a bunch of options (such as this or this), and Eileen Fisher usually does as well.

Our Latest Favorite Strappy Flats

Stylish strappy flats can be hard to find! As of 2024, these are some of our favorites — also, in general, check J.Crew, Boden, and Valentino (on the pricier side, obviously). Nordstrom also has a surprisingly large selection!

d'orsay pointed toe flat
Seychelles
ankle strap flat
Eileen Fisher
pointy toe mary jane flat
Rothy's
affordable strappy flat
Dream Pairs

Classic Mary Jane Heels for Work

Bruno Magli

burgundy patent Mary Jane

These were already down to lucky sizes when we first posted these, but if you're looking for inspiration for 2024 Mary Jane heels for work, these ones from Bruno Magli are gorgeous. The shoes are $350, and available in sizes 6-11; you can find them at Nordstrom and Bruno Magli.

Manolo Blahnik

mary janes for work campari

This Manolo Blahnik style is actually one of the first ones we posted to this website — and it's still available years later, so I think this is the definition of a great Mary Jane heel for work.

Theory

patent leather wedge Mary Jane heels with tights

Wedge heels haven't been in for a while, so seeing a wedge Mary Jane heel — and from Theory, a brand that tends to be a leader in workwear trends — is really unusual! I think these look super sleek and amazing; they also have a silver version and a boot version.

Jennifer Chamandi

Mary Jane heels for work with a stacked heel

Another luxury brand that has a lot of strappy pumps, including the above lovely Mary Jane heel, is Jennifer Chamandi. This version has stacked heels, but she also offers Mary Jane heels with skinnier heels, and a few Mary Jane flats as well.

Like this feature? Check out other recent installments!

About Kat

Kat Griffin is the founder, publisher, and editor-in-chief of Corporette. You can read more about her here.

Comments

    • mamabear

      Nice call. Those are very reminiscent of the classic Manolo Blahnik mary janes. Weird sizes left on Amazon, though.

      • anon

        Manolo Blahnik Mary Janes?! I thought these were an urban shoe myth!

        Sorry, couldn’t resist. :)

        • Nevadan

          Long ago I had a pair of these Mary Jane heels when shoe toes were VERY pointy. I really don’t like or want them for now.

          • mamabear

            This pair looks more almond-toed. I thought of the Manolos because of the lower placement of the strap and the moderate heel.

            Though I personally have nothing against pointy toes.

        • NOLA

          I actually have the Tous silver shoe necklace that is a charm of the Manolo Blahnik Campari Mary Jane (the urban shoe myth shoe). Love it!

          • PHX

            I was so excited to give those LL points, I didn’t scroll to see that you had already recieved them!

      • Baby DC Attorney

        Love these, but agree – these sizes are very confusing. Does anyone know what they mean?

    • Blue

      Re sizing: I just got them in my normal size 8, but I bought them from Piperlime, not Amazon (Piperlime no longer has them in anything but a red color, so I linked to Amazon instead).

  2. Amelia Pond

    Fashion threadjack right off the bat: I bought a shirt this weekend that looks really cute with the skirt in yellow and a navy cardigan. The problem is it’s a halter top. It is the kind that has a circular band at the base of your throat and the rest of the top flows from the band. When worn with a cardigan it looks appropriate except for the occasional glimpse of a triangle of skin between your shoulder and collar bone (does that make sense?). Since it is shoulder skin is this ok to wear to work? Not ok? On only if I can anchor the cardigan to not shift?

      • Bette

        I think showing some shoulder would look weird. I would just invest in some fashion tape and stick your cardigan to the blouse to make sure it doesn’t move around too much.

    • Halters

      I don’t think that is appropriate for the office, so I would keep your sweater on (and use tape if necessary).

      Does anyone know what this kind of halter neckline is called? (As opposed to the kind of halter where the strap ties behind the neck and connects to the blouse above each br@*st?) This is the kind that looks better on me, and I have always wanted to know how to ask for it. Thanks.

    • Bluejay

      I think it’s fine although it would be preferable if you could get the cardigan not to shift. But I wouldn’t be taken aback by a glimpse of shoulder.

    • momentsofabsurdity

      Would be appropriate at my office but I think a weird triangle of skin at your shoulder/armpit area might just look strange, if that makes sense.

    • viclawstudent

      Can you wear it with a navy blazer instead? I have a halter of the type you describe and find that with a cardigan the chances of the patch of skin (and my bra straps, since if I’m covering it I don’t bother wearing it with a strapless bra) showing is much higher than if I wear it with a blazer of some sort – particularly a blazer with a closely fit neckline.

      • viclawstudent

        Just wanted to add that when worn like that the circular neckline gives the impression that I’m wearing a turtleneck, not a halter, so it appears to be totally office appropriate. Only downside is that you definitely cannot take off the jacket.

        • Amelia Pond

          I actually have a navy blazer! It didn’t even occur to me to try it out. And taking it off is not an issue since my office has windows on 2 sides and it is always freezing!

    • Niktaw

      I have a quasi-halter that I wear with an open cardigan to work (casual office).

    • Makeup Junkie

      it would be okay in my office as long as you have no exposed zippers

  3. mamabear

    I wear a lot of mary jane style shoes. I have foot issues and my podiatrist said an oxford or a shoe with a wide strap across the instep would be best for me. I’m not really going to start wearing oxfords with my skirts, so I am always hunting for the right mary jane styles.

    To be a summer/spring no-tights shoe, the strap across my foot needs to be a very light or nude color, otherwise they are stumpifying. For winter, I wear black tights all the time, so a black mary jane strap has no effect.

  4. phillygirlruns

    i am a big fan of the mary jane or t-strap pump – they are much easier to walk in. i love the “detamble” peep-toe t-strap that aldo has in right now (will link in separate post), though the 5.75-inch heel (!!!) will put them solidly out of the running for officewear. i actually thought they were more like a 4″ heel from seeing them in-store, and i’m a little disappointed at the absurd height – i’d been planning to pick them up in the nude suede to replace my current nude heels.

  5. Theresa

    I loooove mary jane pumps for exactly that reason. I have a pair of Nine West 3″ stacked heels in black, a wonderful design your own 2″ heel in black and white snakeskin. If my pant legs are the right length, you can’t even see the strap much of the time, eliminating much of the stump effect.

  6. Coalea

    I haven’t owned any Mary Janes since I was small, but I would be interested in trying them (a grown-up version). My concern, though, is that I have a very high instep. I’m wondering if the strap would cut into my foot in an uncomfortable way. Any thoughts/suggestions?

    • NOLA

      I also have a very high instep. Most Mary Jane straps have some elastic built in. They definitely don’t bother me.

    • TXAtty

      Incredibly high instep and tiny shoe size (5). Can’t wear mary jane pumps at all. Bought several pair in the hopes that they would stretch out. Never did, but they do leave a lovely line across the top of my foot where they cut off the circulation.

  7. NOLA

    Because I have a wide foot and a narrow heel, I tend to wear a lot of Mary Janes. My most comfortable are actually a t-strap Circa Joan & David pump with a reasonable heel and a wider toe box. The leather is pebbled but the strap is polished. Love them!

    • Lawlala

      I have the same “wide foot but narrow heel” issue. I can’t wear any shoes that aren’t strapped to my feet.

      • JAS1

        Me three! Today, in fact, I am wearing mary jane pumps from Anne Klein, with almond toes. they are black suede with “croc” trim on the toes, heel, and straps.

        I do have a pair of really plain simple pumps from LifeStride that do not have straps, but somehow stay on my feet (unlike most pumps without staps).

  8. Skin care novice!

    The kate spade ones are so cute but me + any sort of heels = inevitable getting heel stuck between sidewalk cracks and looking super graceful falling.
    Threadjack – i need help with skin care issues. I’m 26 years old, and do absolutly jack for my skin. I wash it usually once a day with a mild cleanser, usually neutrogena or somethign like that, and use mosturizer – ive got Kiehls right now, but i have no loyalty – just whatever doesn’t smell bad. I used to tan, but have stopped, a lot, and have had acne as a teen, but have pretty decent skin now, minus an occasional hormonal breakout. i also don’t wear any sort of skin-makeup, just some mascara daily, and i’m gettin greally nervous that my past sins and current laziness are going to catch up with me. Any advice for a skin care novice for a few really basic products? I guess my concerns arn’t so much immediate but down the road, as i’m okay with how my skin looks now…

    • AIMS

      It sounds like you’re fine. I would just continue washing your face daily, making sure you remove all your makeup before bed, and using a good moisturizer with SPF every day. I don’t think you need an eye cream yet, just dot a bit of the moisturizer under your eyes. I think using the simplest products tends to be the most beneficial, so if Neutrogena works for you, stick with it. I think it really comes down to genetics and staying out of the sun. And even that last bit – it’s still mostly genetics.

    • Bluejay

      Can I shill for Paula’s Choice once again?

      I love Paula’s Choice and lots of other Corporettes do too. I’d suggest doing a Google site search for previous discussion of Paula’s Choice on this site – you’ll find lots of helpful info.

      I also would say that you need to wear sunscreen! Every day, no exceptions. Get a moisturizer with SPF.

    • Bluejay

      It is so annoying that comments go into moderation if you mention the name of this website. Kat, can you do anything about this?

      Reposting my comment to avoid moderation:

      Can I shill for Paula’s Choice once again?

      I love Paula’s Choice and lots of other readers of this site do too. I’d suggest doing a Google site search for previous discussion of Paula’s Choice on this site – you’ll find lots of helpful info.

      I also would say that you need to wear sunscreen! Every day, no exceptions. Get a moisturizer with SPF.

    • What I Wish I Had Done At 26

      I would suggest that you start wearing SPF every day. No matter what you are doing and no matter what the weather is. It should be both UVA and UVB protective. I also wish that I had considered Botox a little earlier than I did (I was 40).

      • Coach Laura

        Not only SPF on your face daily but put it on your neck and (unless you’re wearing a turtleneck) wear SPF on your “decollete” or the v-neck part of your chest. I’ve worn SPF religiously every day since I was 28 but never on my neck or chest. The damage for me was cummulative but not from sun – it’s from indoor office lighting. I don’t have as much damage as some women but it’s too much. I’ve been trying to reverse it with retinol and have been somewhat successful, but it would be good to prevent it in the first place. Plus the dark skin looks stupid when I’m wearing a low cut blouse or swimsuit and the rest of my decollete is pale.

    • phillygirlruns

      i really like these, even though (or maybe because) the heel evokes my platform stack-heel mary janes from 1995 from the back.

  10. qwerty

    sorry i’m going to be annoying and repost my question from this morning’s thread?

    has anyone ever consigned at second time around? I’m in the middle of a closet sweep and have about 10 higher end new and like new items i’d like to make some cash off of. i made an appointment to go to my local second time around later this week (7th ave location) but i’ve since read negative reviews on yelp for this and other locations. apparently they “lose” consigned items and the consigner gets no credit/cash for them. it also looks like once the items “expire” even if they sell the consigner gets no credit/cash for them. any experiences? I’m thinking about ditching the idea. there’s nothing wrong with my items, they just don’t get enough play in my bursting closet. thoughts? any other consignment shops worth looking into?

    • momentsofabsurdity

      I would try selling stuff on eBay or visiting a consignment shop where they give you cash up front for your items – you may get a lower up front value, but you save a lot of time in checking the website/claiming unsold things, etc etc. “Losing” items here and there seems like an inherent flaw in the Second Time Around business model.

    • Pest

      I can’t report on the store you mention, but I have had very good experiences selling things through a consignment shop, Secondi, in DC. You get a receipt for your items, but if the item is shop-lifted out of the store, then, yes, the shop does not assume the loss and you don’t get paid. It is typical that under the consignment terms, the shop will have your item on its floor for a given period of time (like a month). If it does not sell during that time, the price will be reduced and the item will remain on the floor at the reduced price for another given period of time (like another month), and then it will be removed from the floor and donated to charity. If you use a shop that is well-established and selective in the things they sell, the odds of your items selling (assuming the shop agrees to consign them) are better. Every item I’ve consigned has sold, and I’m satisfied I got some money for them without going through the hassle of selling through ebay.

    • metsfan4life

      check the other thread- I posted a rec for my ebay trading assistant who worked miracles for me when I downsized before a big move :)

    • Jem

      If you’re in NYC and the clothes are in season, you can see what Beacon’s Closet will give you for them.

      • Anon 42

        This is what I do, but you won’t get a lot of money- of course the flip side is that everything there is really attractively priced, so it’s fun to spend the store credit (they give you a higher %age of the item’s sale price if you take credit instead of cash).

      • qwerty

        that’s what i usually do, but because their prices are so attractive, it isn’t the best place to get $ for more pricey items. But that said, if you do a comparison of what that same $ will buy you in the store, it’s not a bad bet. this time around i have a few pricier items that I’d like to get rid of, never used michael kors bag, $300 cocktail dress with tags on, i think i might give consignment a test drive and cross my fingers for the best.

    • KS

      If it’s not worth the trouble or risk to sell the clothes through a consignment shop or on eBay, I’d recommend donating work-appropriate attire to Dress for Success. You’ll make some lower-income job seekers really happy by helping them to dress appropriately for job interviews, and the jobs they hopefully will secure. You’ll also get a tax deduction if you itemize.

  11. Woods-comma-Elle

    I know I’ve recently moaned a bit about my job, but I just need to vent a bit more.

    I don’t mind long hours. I know that happens. What I hate is that I’m twiddling my thumbs all day, thinking I might be able to get out before it’s dark/shops close/the clock strikes midnight and something kicks off at 5.30pm.

    I know this is the nature of the beast but it’s starting to really annoy me!!

    That’s all.

    • so anonymous

      I realize you’ve probably already tried this, but is there any way that you can you try to head off whoever is sending you this work by approaching/contacting them earlier in the day?

      • Woods-comma-Elle

        Sadly, no. The client wants what the client wants when the client wants and I am at his mercy.

        • Nonny

          Um…does your team’s specialty involve PE by any chance?

          Only saying that because I’ve been there, done that, and feel your pain.

          • Woods-comma-Elle

            It doesn’t, it involves a niche area of finance and, in my particular situation, a client many time zones away who apparently does not sleep and a partner from another team requiring ‘specialist advice’ from me in my area and who never goes home…

    • Vent vent

      I know exactly how you feel. What a waste of time :-/
      Especially if you find out that the person for whom you are waiting went home without letting you know.

    • Zelda

      I was doing this last week and it sucked. The work came through at 6.30am Saturday morning. Just wish I could have left at midday on Friday and gotten some semblance of a weekend.

    • Bluejay

      Do you have to be at the office if you have nothing to do in the morning? In my office it would be fine to come in at noon or 2pm so long as you’re checking email – that way you get some free time.

    • Former MidLevel

      That is annoying – sorry! But you’re definitely not alone. The corporate people at my old firm used to say their days “started at 6 p.m.”

      • anon

        I knew a litigation partner who routinely would assemble his team at 6 p.m. and give them assignments that he wanted delivered to his apartment by 7 a.m. the next morning before he came. All-nighters were also routine.

        He simply didn’t give a sh__. Of course, there was no one to complain to, because nobody cared.

    • SF Bay Associate

      Can you take a long lunch or a random 3pm errand run, and come back later?

  12. anon

    um yes. yes yes yes. feel your pain. apparently, i work sunday nights, saturday mornings, overnight, vacations, and holidays, but not monday-friday during regular business hours.

  13. Disappointment

    Any other government workers here used to dealing with the frustration of seeing other departments around them hiring and promoting tons of people while their position keeps on losing people and is unable to either fill the vacant positions or give raises to the remaining people? I think it’s to the point in my department where a lot of people are starting to look as the workload is getting to be unrealistic. There’s not much that can be done since the process of getting promotions/raises is really time consuming and has to go through several layers of review. I am currently looking, but am not sure how long it will take me to find anything new.

    • EmpLawyer

      No, but I do see political favorites being hired in for essentially the same jobs, but at much higher pay (with much less experience). A similar dilemma.

  14. Diana Barry

    I love mary janes, but I haven’t found a good pair since my Franco Sartos that I had in the 90s. They had a square toe and kind of a chunky heel, about 2.5″, and I lurved them and had them for a loooooong time. Now everything is a platform and/or has a super skinny heel. Not comfy for me!

  18. Katarina

    Thanks for this post – I never knew about Isola. Their shoes are made and lined with real leather and they actually make the sole something besides slippery plastic. And they look like normal heels, not … frump shoes. And even though they’re pricey, they’re not outrageously overpriced considering their quality. Does anyone know of any similar brands?

  19. k-t

    I have those Rockport mary janes and they are super comfy. I ordered a few different pairs of MJs and these were both the cutest on my feet and the most comfortable. The strap is just low enough not to stumpify your legs, but still high enough to be useful / functional. They are suede, so (for me) they are a fall & winter shoe.

    I also have a pair of open-toe Nine West MJs that have been my faves for warmer weather for seven years, but, sadly, they are showing their age and should be retired.

  20. Kanye East

    Most black Mary Janes remind me of character shoes, which always leads me to browsing ballroom shoes on Discount Dancewear, which always leads me to wonder whether I can get away with $20 Capezios in the office.

    Hint: I think I can’t.

  21. Cajunqueen

    I’m not a fan of high-heeled Mary Janes as I think they make a classic pump look dated. These in particular look like dance shoes, a la “Chorus Line.”

  24. Anon-Ahhhhh!

    Following up from my post yesterday about the “dream job” and fears about leaving biglaw too quickly… so I had the interview this morning and I honestly think it went GREAT. Interviewer was very, very friendly, open, nice, seemed very enthusiastic about me. I felt like she wanted to give me a hug when I was leaving but stopped herself haha. She did warn me though that they’ve received a ton of applications for the job and they do want as much experience in a candidate as they can get, so they are going to be interviewing quite a lot of people (I was the first person interviewed). She said not to freak out if I don’t hear anything for a few weeks. It’s going to be a LONG FEW WEEKS. I mean, my whole life could be changing! So hard to stay motivated at biglaw job with dream job a possibility. Blah. Anyway, thank you all for your advice and support yesterday, you’re all so great and helpful!!

  25. S

    I have the same problem with pumps not staying on my foot but I had a hard time finding Mary Janes that I loved. I bought a pair of plain black pumps from Salvatore Ferragamo – very comfortable but would not stay on. Of course I did not want to waste all the money that I spent on them so I took them to my local shoe cobbler who attached a black elastic band across the front. It is very thin and fitting and looks like it came with the shoe. I am wearing them for the first time today and am thinking that now they truly are the perfect work shoe!!! I know for a lot of people this would ruin the shoe – but I think it looks good and I probably could not deal with wearing heels without it.

  26. c

    from an admitted flat-heeler…I am having entering-the-professional-world anxiety about every bit of my wardrobe and this wearing heels thing is really freaking me out.

    Can you really wear a 3″ heel all day ? I mean, do you walk from house to subway? and subway to work ? and back again, and then out to meet people and say, back by 10 pm ?
    can you comfortably walk more than 5 blocks ? Or do you just not walk as much with heels ? Say you wanted to swing by the park on your way home, or go for a walk with a friend – can you guys do that comfortably in heels ?
    I don’t think i can do it ! do you take them off under the desk ? !
    I feel like i can’t wear a skirt ever – bc i can’t pull off heels without looking like a cripple and feeling ridiculous,

    tips ?

Back to Top

About

Work with Corporette®

Serious Stuff

work fashion blog press mentions