Platform Mary Janes: The New Pump for Your Autumn?

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Flats, with small heels or platforms, more or less slender or chunky, baby shoes come in thousands, yet they are all recognizable by their straps that hug the top of the foot, ensuring they stay on. Today, we will decode them in their platform version and see how to wear them stylishly on cobblestones, without giving off a schoolyard vibe.

When Did Baby Shoes First Appear?

Before strutting down runways worldwide, the history of baby shoes dates back to the early 15th century. The pair was notably popular with King Charles VIII, who found them to be incredibly comfortable for his six-toed feet. With their round toes, they provided ample space and good support, making them highly favored for accompanying children’s first steps. This model remained in fashion until the time of Charles IX, explaining why it is sometimes named after him.

Also known as Mary Jane across the pond, the pair was initially popular with both girls and boys. However, in certain cultures, such as that of the Imperial China, baby shoes were characteristic of boys’ footwear. Meanwhile, the 1930s and 1940s saw them primarily aimed at girls in America and Europe.

The 1960s brought a fresh perspective to baby shoes, notably through the “Riot grrrl” counterculture movement, which showcased “kinderwhore” styles and looks, giving a more electric baby doll vibe. The pair thus distanced itself from the children’s shoe aspect, fully integrating into women’s wardrobes.

In recent years, a new vision of the pair has emerged, featuring a reimagined silhouette, much more crafted in originality, presenting as chunky heeled sandals while riding the oversized trend.

Sliding into various styles, the pair allows for numerous variations and continues to captivate, reminiscent of Carrie Bradshaw in Sex and the City believing in miracles when she stumbled upon a relic of Mary Jane with slim heels.

How Do Baby Shoes Resurface in Current Fashion?

Fashion trends often return due to two factors:

• Famous people wear pieces, elevating them from “has been” status to the holy grail that everyone desires.
• Movies or series charm critics to the extent that viewers want to identify with the characters by adopting the same fashion trends. This has been particularly observed with Stranger Things which hasrevived the 90’s style.

For baby shoes, two hit series, also available on Netflix, played their part in helping the pair regain a spot in the hearts of fashionistas. On one hand, Bridgerton, which launched numerous trends on social media, highlighted baby shoes in their fine and neo-bourgeois version.

Meanwhile, the stylist for the series Emily in Paris revealed in an interview her choices for creating the characters’ looks, opting for a more modern and original platform version of baby shoes for Camille. A pair that is both vintage and striking, designed to add character and uniqueness to her outfits.

What Are the Different Models of Baby Shoes?

A chameleon in its numerous variations, baby shoes come in various forms, allowing them to pair with different clothing styles. From a silhouette close to ballet flats, which have also made a strong comeback recently, with a neo-bourgeois appearance, to more bold and striking versions in pop colors and platforms…

Baby shoes seem timeless, regardless of their model, and assert themselves as the must-have it shoes for our wardrobes.

Ride the Wave of the Vintage Baby Shoe Trend

One of the first styles associated with the piece is the neo-classical one with a Bridgerton spirit. Drawing from the original model of the 19th century, we find baby shoes in a fine version, with a rounded toe, “pointed toe,” and small heel. All accompanied by several straps, often finished with a shiny touch.

One can wear the pair in a preppy look, with dresses or skirts, paired with an embroidered collar shirt and a fine cashmere cardigan. A Blair Waldorf air for those in the know. This model also fits perfectly into daily life for creating a perfect office outfit. For a transition into autumn, a pair of thin tights can be added easily, even bringing elegance to the outfit. Its flat version will allow you to run your marathons between work – lunch time – and happy hour on the quays, without the slightest calf cramp. And for the combo of “elegance and comfort,” we say yes!

Dare the Fashion Statement of Platform Baby Shoes!

If you prefer more eccentric looks to those that are a bit too classic, you’ve hit the nail on the head! Color block, sequins, dizzying trapeze heels… Women’s baby shoe models are making a strong comeback this season, showcasing new appearances.

We discover models with square toe designs, going against the pointed toe, thus breaking the overly classic aspect of the pair. Equipped with absurdly high heels and original shapes, they become the new square-heeled pumps of the moment. While maintaining their strap or buckle attachment, the versions are modernized while retaining a timeless spirit, but more feminine and less childish.

This style inspires creators, and we owe part of the return of baby shoes as the it shoes they occupy today to Julia Tomedano, creator of the Nodaleto brand in 2018. With her XXL reimagined graphic heels and ingenious curves, she offered a new perspective on this pair.

These heeled sandals are photographed being worn by personalities who strongly influence trends, like Zendaya or Léna Mahfouf, who has made a name for herself in the fashion world in recent years, giving her visibility and even greater appeal. And if the pair is so popular, it’s because it fits into the retro, 90’s vibes aesthetic that has been enveloping trends lately. Versace, Mui Mui, as well as mainstream brands, the model is asserting itself across the board.

With a wide range of options and models, platform baby shoes are slipping more than ever into everyone’s wardrobes, enabling the creation of looks that are more or less original. Whether you’re about to head out for drinks on a rooftop, go to work, or enjoy a day with friends, baby shoes find a place for every occasion, presenting themselves as the centerpiece of an outfit.

For fans of old school and original piece combinations, socks pair seamlessly with the shoes. In schoolgirl version, with white socks, the combo brings a classy vintage vibe. For pattern lovers, you can create very pop looks, 70’s inspired, and even surf the seasons, reminiscent of fall sweaters adorned with pumpkins!

If you don’t feel like drawing too much attention to your feet, you can choose a more subdued way to incorporate baby shoes into your outfits. In their black, matte or shiny version, they elongate your silhouette, adding a subtle touch of originality with a trapeze heel. Blending into your outfit, another piece can become the centerpiece, like a pair of trousers or a blouse.

By opting for a colorful model and pairing it with rather subdued and monochromatic pieces in the rest of your outfit, you create an elegant look, with a sense of thoughtfulness and simplicity.

The variety of baby shoe models is, in fact, the secret behind their longevity in fashion. Adapting to different personalities and styles, from classic to pop and eccentric, the pair also fits various moments of the day, from meetings to brunch with friends or drinks on the rooftops.

And if you’re captivated by the heels of baby shoes, more intricate and original than the others, and you wish to keep their spirit alive through the cooler days, know that square or trapeze-shaped heels are also making their way onto boots and booties!