Mary Janes, we all know them, maybe we’ve worn them. Though often appearing in different colors there are a few things they all have in common; a strap across the middle and a close-toed tip. You may remember them from your days in elementary school or from your parents forcing you to wear them to formal events, but they are no longer just for children. Mary Janes are making a huge comeback and are on track to be the shoe to have this fall.

Though these shoes may be attributed to the experience of girlhood they were actually originally meant to be boy’s shoes called Buster Browns. This name originated from a comic strip in the early 1900s that featured a character named Buster Brown, who happened to wear the shoes. Buster was accompanied by another character, Mary Jane and over time the name of the shoe, as it took its feminine form became the Mary Jane.

These shoes can also be seen worn by men in historical portraits, most famously in a photograph of John F. Kennedy from the New York Times archive.

It wasn’t until the 1920s that the Mary Jane became more popular amongst women and was often seen worn by flappers. These shoes were also popularized by child star, Shirley Temple and other celebrities who are adults including model, Twiggy and fashion icon, Jane Birkin.

These iconic shoes have made appearances in many movies and television shows. They were famously referenced in “Sex and the City” when Carrie Bradshaw (Sarah Jessica Parker) exhibits excitement over Manolo Blahnik, Mary Janes and in Clueless, worn by Alicia Silverstone who plays the iconic character, Cher Horowitz.

Mary Janes have been popular for over a century and are now coming back stronger than ever, being worn by many celebrities.

The iconic shoe has been completely redesigned by modern designers and many TikTok users create videos styling them and recommending specific footwear brands under the #maryjanes, which has over 181.3 million views.

With the current popularization of all things girlhood labeled with phrases such as “girl dinner,” “hot girl walks,”and “girling” accompanied with a rise in bows, frills and all things coquette; it’s no surprise that Mary Janes are making a come back. Celebrities from British fashionista, Alexa Chung who has always stayed loyal to Mary Janes and singer and actress, Olivia Rodrigo have been rocking Mary Janes this season.

Mary Janes can now not only be found in black but a range of colors and can have heels from very chunky to flats.

Some notable brands when looking for Mary Janes include, Doctor Marten’s, gorgeous (and expensive) Gucci’s, daring and red Waydern’s Mary Janes, and Aeyde leather Mary Janes. Mary Janes can be found almost anywhere and they are an excellent investment because they haven’t and won’t ever go out of style.

This autumn, try out this classic style and embrace your inner girlhood. These shoes can be found anywhere from Mui Mui to Zara which makes them very attainable, and still fashionable. They are a perfect staple for your closet and will be very popular this season.