Aris Allen Black & White 1940s Velvet & Mesh Mary Jane

A well-known tap performer and instructor has proclaimed these "perfect for tap" because the heel is lower than normal and because its placement is "directly under the heel".

These black & white velvet mesh mary janes are an exact copy of a pair of Forties shoes. They're stunningly sexy despite the relative shortness of the heel.

SIZING TIPS:

We've found - by trying these on countless dancers - that these fit pretty much true to size. Despite their roomy construction most of our test subjects did not need a size larger than their usual size.

WIDTH INFO:

Dancers with Narrow Feet: not happy
Dancers with Average Feet: happy
Dancers with Wide Feet: happy

Check the links at left for our SHOE TERMS GLOSSARY and INTERNATIONAL SIZING for detailed information about styles and terms.

This shoe is almost identical to the shoes seen at 1 minute 17 seconds in this gem of a video:

SPECS:

The molded foam insole is nice and soft.

The heel is about 2.25" high.

The buckle is attached with a piece of elastic so it has a little "give" when you're up on your toes and has a hook closure "quick release buckle" so you only have to buckle them once and unhook them to undo the strap.

ABOUT SUEDE SOLES:

These are made with Suede Soles which are wonderful to dance on but require occasional upkeep (it's usually a problem with catching the edge on a piece of hardwood that is sticking up on the dance floor).

If you need to re-glue the suede many people just use crazy glue gel. We have also found that commercially produced shoe repair glue (available from the shoe repair shop in your local mall) works great.

You're not supposed to wear suede soles outside - but every swing dancer knows that you can make suede soles faster by wearing them everywhere to get them dirty, then dance in them until they're shiny on the bottom.

If you prefer them less zippy you can dull the "mirror finish" they can get by roughing them up with a wire brush periodically. Just remember that when they get wet on the bottoms they won't spin very easily (conversely - if they're too slippery just spill your drink on the floor and step in it!).