First, the love. Perfect fit, VERY comfortable. Digging that rounded heel. Awesome slightly metallic brown color, which doesn't show in pics. I still can't believe I'm loving to wear heels again.
Next, the I-Don't-Knows. I love the look of the shoes … in my hand. On my feet, I don't know. First, they're too big. I could try the next size smaller, but I'm just not sure about the straps with my legs, which, let's face it, are not my best feature. ;-)
Wider shot. Too young (the shoes)? Too stumpy (my legs)?
With tights:
And, as you can see, I didn't wear jeans today. I'm just not loving the ones I have for officewear, even on Jeans Friday.
So, chime in on the Mary Janes. This particular pair is going back, but should I try another?
And chime in on tights too. What shoes DO you wear with them? Do you match to the tights? Contrast? Heels? Flats? I think I was 5 the last time I wore tights as dress-up clothes. ;-)
The MJs with tights are CUTE! The heels look good on you. I like the shape of the heel too.
ReplyDeleteOh woe are we! I share your leg shape. No ankle straps for us. I wear Mary Janes all the time, BUT the straps are narrower and the shoes are flats. Yours look great with the matching tights. Always match the tights to the shoes....no contrasts ever! Heels/flats? whatever you feel like on the day. We can certainly do what we can to improve our look but......geez Louise......it's not gonna rule our lives! JMHO
ReplyDeleteI love reading your blog. This is the first post for me. For awhile I've been wanting you to lengthen your skirts just a bit. Either shoe will work, with or without tights, but I like the first pair the best. I agree about matching your tights to your shoes. But for some reason, I feel that if the skirt hit your leg slightly lower, your 'line' would be improved. You are a talented person. I am so happy an employer recognized that.
ReplyDeleteI think what's wrong is the straps are too wide. I like tights with boots. The regular heels look comfortable.
ReplyDeleteI think the straps are too wide/chunky. MJ's are super cute but I think you need to go for a narrower strap positioned closer to the toe of the shoe.
ReplyDeleteI'm loving all the 'back to work' posts BTW - I will be facing that prospect early next year after 9 years as a SAHM (eek!!)and your journey is very encouraging.
Straps are too wide. Jcpenney.com had a great pair with thin straps...on clearance!
ReplyDeleteThat's a tricky style to wear (whether calves are narrow or wide). I agree that the strap is thicker than it might be, optimally. Having said this, I quite like the top pair without the strap!
ReplyDeleteI love mary janes, but agree that the strap on that pair is just too wide. I don't think it would be flattering on anyone. The first pair is very cute.
ReplyDeleteI guess I am jumping on the bandwagon....the strap is far too wide for you but that pump is adorable!
ReplyDeleteI was all, noooooooooo, on the mary janes. BUT I will say it looked so much better with the tights. Like others have said, skinnier strap that is closer to the toe is the way to go, and don't be afraid of tights! (although as someone from MN, it's hard for me to imagine ever wearing tights in FL :) )
ReplyDeleteLove your blog.
Heather
Another vote for no straps or very think straps. Seeing all your new back to work clothes is fun! You're looking great!
ReplyDeleteI think the Mary Janes do work with the black tights, but a shoe with a low vamp is overall better for lengthening your legs.
ReplyDeleteMJs are nice. They are best worn with tights (match shoes to tights), with heels. Heels make people look taller and gives a more sexy posture (atleast for me, it does- I stand straighter and am able to pull my tummy in if I wear medium heels). MJs without tights look school-shoe-y.
ReplyDeleteAnd forgot to say, tights under a above-the-knee dress are very popular look here in London, all ages.
ReplyDeleteI think the strap cuts your leg too much. I like the pumps much better on you. There's no need to make your leg look shorter by making your foot start higher.
ReplyDeleteAccording to fashion gurus that I've read, a strap across the foot shortens the look of the leg. I imagine a wide strap would shorten it even more.
ReplyDeleteI like the MJ with the tights.
ReplyDeleteI bought a very similar pair of strapped Mary Jane's last year and wondered why I didn't like them with skirts....and yes, it was the width and high location of the strap. So I wear them with pants but am annoyed because I wanted them for skirts and dresses. Now with the same colored tights I think they are just fine since it avoids the chopped off look. Are shoes for tights and pants going to be versatile enough for you? Otherwise, love that return policy:-) Wish I had returned mine but I was so in love with the color and comfortable heel. I must remember, just like fabric, they are making new shoes every day....
ReplyDeletePumps look very nice indeed. The metallic look shows a little bit in the photo. Ratio of strap to shoe is out of proportion, so the Mary Jane has a design problem. They look better with tights, but that makes their use much more limited. And since the strap detail is the design focus, it seems to get lost with the tights. You're having great wardrobe fun!
ReplyDeleteThe pumps are lovely and most flattering on you. The MJ strap seems to cut off your legs. The tights help, but why spend money on something that has to be limited by accessories in order to work. BTW, I agree with the poster who suggested lengthening your skirts a bit. If your hems hut just at the bend of your knee (the back knee,) the smaller dimension would be highlighted. Whatever you choose, you are looking wonderfully stylish.
ReplyDeleteI love addicted to buying shoes as I have problems with my feet and legs. I have found if I have any reservations about them (they are missized, not totally sure they are flattering,feel funny in some way) it is best to move on to a different style or brand as they will always be your last choice in the closet or worse with shoe addicts never come out of the box. If any nagging doubt is way back in my mind I try hard to not bring them home. Feet and legs are all different so are shoes that work with them. I think the MJ straps are just way too wide. I have similar legs and those would shout look at my legs even with tights. Of course I am older and the younger might have different ideas. I love all the cute things you are finding and feel it's sort of like shopping in the computer chair. I am happy things are going so well for you. Maybe you'll inspire some of us other slugs to do better. Lol! mssewcrazy
ReplyDeleteMeant to add my daughter is a vet and I bought her these wonderful European Mary Janes at this huge uniform store that caters to uniform fashionistas (boy have fashion scrubs/styles changed for the upscale workers). They were maybe $120 a pair and they probably had 50 gorgeous finishes or more displayed to select from including metallics and animal prints besides the classic leathers. You could also buy for $20 + new insole orthotics for them if you decide to replace those. She has requested another pair in a different finish as she says she thinks they look cute even with her jeans.I am thinking of getting some to wear with tights/skirts/slacks as they are really cute. She stands on concrete floors and sometimes has long days and swears by them. She says she has had so many clients ask about them-we plan to travel back to this place when she visits again. Just thought I'd add this as it is another option that I would have never known about had we not been at the fashionista uniform place. They were really nice who knew?mssewcrazy
ReplyDeleteNot sure if I've posted before, but I read regularly. I agree with the crowd, I think...the first set of shoes are great. Not loving the MJs on you. I think it's the width and strap placement. I have a pair of MJs that have a heel and the strap is narrow (half inch) and much closer to the toe of the shoe. Gives a longer line (I think). As for tights, I wear skirts and tights a lot at work (live and work in Edmonton, Alberta - cold and snowy winters). I generally wear black shoes (I'm a hard/expensive fit), so I fit my wardrobe around it. And I match my tights to my shoes.
ReplyDeleteHope this helps. Good luck with the blue jeans. I wear jeans on THurs/Fri, and it's nice to have a couple of dark wash pairs that are work appropriate and so comfy.
The heels are much more flattering.
ReplyDeleteThe first pair makes your legs look longer, and I like them better.
ReplyDeleteThe wide straps make your feet look fat and your legs look short. I say NO to those.
I think that MJs look unflattering on EVERYBODY! That could be a provocative statement but, really, I surf lots of websites and the darned things seem popular and I'm always wondering why that person paired that nice dress with those awful shoes! There are lots of comfortable shoes out there that look much, much better, methinks. So your instincts are right! Go with your instincts. The mirror never lies... usually.
ReplyDeleteDenise
I almost never match my tights to my shoe (unless it's black on black, which is fun sometimes). But you probably already coulda guessed that. ;)
ReplyDeleteMy fave tights in fact are a blue-grey and I wear them with a deep wine red pair of vintagey suede heels...paired with my denim pencil skirt and a white dotted swiss button down. And some wine red chunky faceted beads.
I'm the lone dissenting vote, but I'm not fond of that particular style of pump. I'm just not fond of pumps in general though.
haha, I forgot to log back in as my self (angie.a)
ReplyDeleteDid a pie-ho post tonight on Barb & I's Pushing Daisies blog. :P Too many personalities. It's a problem.
I too wear MJ's with tights (dark colors or dark with patterns, it's a great look. Spanx makes tights with great patterns). On Saturday I was was at my eye exam and the Dr. (a PR member) had on a really cute knit dress in an animal print that she wore with dark tights and Mary Janes and she looked great! She's about a size 16 too.
ReplyDeleteI like the MJ's with tights. With skin color hose or la naturale-they are not that flattering. Being a short person myself, the MJ's would do the same thing for me. The pumps look great and I like the round heel also.
ReplyDeleteI tend to wear MJ's because I've got skinny heels.... court shoes just flop off my feet so I need the strap over the foot. But, MJ's are not the most flattering of shoes so I always wear them with dark tights. Yours look great with the tights!
ReplyDelete