Women's Mary Jane & Ballet Flats

Mary Janes and ballet flats are the two shapes on this site that are not loafers, and they are here for a reason: they solve the same problem with a strap or a low-cut front instead of a slip-on topline.

See also: Women's Loafers, Women's Soft Loafers, Women's Patent Glossy Loafers, Black Loafers, Pink Loafers

Which of the two you want

They look similar on a screen and feel different on a foot. The strap is the whole difference.

1. The Mary Jane
   A strap across the instep, usually with a buckle. It holds the foot down, so it stays on when you walk fast, and it works with a heel as well as flat.
   See also: Women's Heel Loafers

2. The ballet flat
   No strap, a low front, and almost nothing under the foot. The lightest thing here, and the one that folds into a bag.
   See also: Women's Soft Loafers

What they are made of, and what that means

Most of this small rack is faux leather, and a third carries a glossy finish. Glossy suits the strap shapes well, since the buckle and the shine belong to the same dressed-up register.

A flat with almost no sole is comfortable for an evening and tiring for a day of walking. If the day is long, a loafer with a real sole under it will treat you better.