Ballet mary janes

While flipping through a magazine this morning, my interest was caught by a pair of ballet mary janes. "What a weird concept", thought I. Not that I haven't seen shoes like this before, but I have never liked the design. What is the point, really, of taking a beautifully shaped shoe, like a ballet flat, and breaking up the shape with a strap? This type of shoe has always reminded me of those cheap, cloth mary janes that can be found in any China town store. Blah.