India, June 9 -- The Mary Jane shoe has a surprisingly long history. What started as a simple, practical shoe style has transformed into one of fashion's most recognisable silhouettes.

The original Mary Jane became popular in the early 1900s, inspired by children's footwear styles featuring a rounded toe and a single strap across the top of the foot. The name itself comes from a comic strip character named Mary Jane from Buster Brown, a popular early 20th-century comic series, where the character was often illustrated wearing the signature strapped shoes.

For decades, Mary Janes were associated with school uniforms, children's shoes, and classic dressing. But fashion has a habit of bringing back the past-and the Mary Jane slowly evolved...