A Letter From Michelle — The Vivi
A Letter From Michelle
Who decided that Mary Janes were only for little girls or old-fashioned grandmothers?
On the toe shape that decides everything, the strap that stops a shoe slipping, the six things I would not compromise on, and why the Vivi is $69.95.
Nobody did, and yet there it is. Between the patent pair you wore to school and the beige pair on a hospital ward, the Mary Jane stopped being a shoe a grown woman could buy.
Which is a pity, because the strap is the most useful thing ever put on a dress shoe.
Look at the toe on this one, and then at the strap. The toe is square rather than round, and the strap is one wide band with a proper buckle rather than a thin bar and a button. That is the difference between a Mary Jane and a school shoe.
Six things I would not give up on.
The strap is the entire point of the shoe
A flat or a pump holds on at the toe and hopes. This holds across the top of the foot, which is why it does not slip at the heel and why stairs stop being something you think about. And the buckle adjusts to the foot you have today.
“I ordered the black pair first and liked the style enough to get the red too. The adjustable buckle is a nice touch, and I love how the square toe looks with my ankle pants.”
Patricia W., Cedar RapidsThe toe is square, and square means room
A pointed shoe puts your toes into a wedge and asks them to sort it out between themselves. A square one gives them the full width of the shoe right to the end. If your feet have widened, that is the toe shape to look for.
“The square toe is what caught my attention. I have no patience for shoes that squeeze my toes anymore, and I like the roomier shape of these.”
Susan K., BloomingtonThe heel is low, and it is a block
Low enough that you are standing rather than perching, square enough that the weight sits across the whole of it. It is still a heel, and it still changes the way a trouser hangs. But it is one you can keep on through a long lunch.
“Finally, a heel that isn’t sky-high! I still like getting dressed up for church on Sundays, but these days I prefer something a little more sensible. 😊”
Nancy B., LexingtonThe buckle is what keeps it grown-up
It is round, gold and large enough to look like a decision, set on a plain band. School shoes use a narrow strap and a small bar, which is most of why they read as young. Size the buckle up and the same shoe stops being nostalgic.
“I’ve always loved Mary Janes, even when I was a young girl. The round buckle gives these such a classic look. So pretty with a midi skirt.”
Dorothy M., GettysburgApricot, red or black
The apricot in these photographs is the quiet one, and it sits with more than you would expect. The red is not a shy red. The black will do church, a lunch and an evening out without comment.
“I chose the red pair for our anniversary dinner. Wore them with black trousers and a cream blouse. That little pop of red was just what the outfit needed.”
Marjorie H., FredericksburgTen sizes, and the one thing I would rather say here
4.5 to 9, every half size, with nothing skipped. And the honest word: a 9 is where they stop. If you take a 9.5 or a 10, these are not the pair for you, and I would rather say it here than at the dropdown.
“Bought the apricot ones for my granddaughter’s graduation. The color is lovely with my navy dress, and the low heel looks dressy without being too much.”
Carolyn T., SavannahThe Vivi, against what else $70 buys
| Most $70 dress shoes | The Vivi | |
|---|---|---|
| The hold | Nothing but the toe, so it slips at the heel | A wide strap across the foot, buckled to fit you |
| The toe | Pointed, wedging the toes together | Square, so they keep the full width to the end |
| The heel | Too tall to stand in, or flat | Low and square, so you stand rather than perch |
| The buckle | A narrow strap and a small bar | A round gold buckle, large enough to look chosen |
| Sizing | Whole sizes only, and you hope | Ten sizes, 4.5 to 9, with every half size in between |
Why we are clearing them out now
The Vivi was $199.95, and that number was for leather rather than something coated to look like it, a strap cut wide and buckled rather than elasticated, a square last that leaves the toes the full width of the shoe, and a block heel built low on purpose. The strap is the expensive part. Every one is set and stitched on by hand, which is why most makers leave it off and sell you a plain pump instead. But the store turns twenty this year, and my daughters Julie and Amy are both at the counter most days now, which is not something I let myself count on in 2006. We wanted to mark it by handing something back to the women who kept those doors open, so they are going out at a little over a third of what they were.
And the honest reasoning. A shoe you take off under the table is not really a shoe you own. At $69.95 you can have one you keep on.
★★★★★4.8 out of 5 — from 3,369+ reviews
$199.95$69.95
20th Anniversary Sale — Save 65%
- Soft genuine leather
- A wide Mary Jane strap, buckled to fit
- A round gold buckle set on a plain band
- A square toe, with room right to the end
- A low block heel you can stand in
- Three colors · apricot, red and black
- Ten sizes · 4.5 to 9, every half size
- Free UPS shipping · 30-day money-back guarantee
Every size the same price · while sizes last
One more thing, and then I will let you go.
Think of the last time you slipped a shoe off under a table and hoped nobody noticed.
That is not a small thing to put up with, and most of us have for years.
Then try the Vivi on and walk the length of your hallway. If your feet object, send them back within thirty days and we will refund you.
Go and find your size.
With love and gratitude,
— Michelle · The Hayes Family Hamptons
SEE THE VIVI — $69.95 →This is a personal letter from Michelle Hayes, co-founder of The Hayes Family Hamptons. Customer reviews are quoted as written. · Free UPS shipping · 30-day money-back guarantee.