Will Sharpe added a quietly subversive twist to his latest red carpet appearance — a pair of mary janes.
“The White Lotus” Season Two actor arrived at the U.K. special screening of “Too Much” at The Barbican on Monday evening wearing glossy black leather T-strap mary janes, styled with bright red socks. Buckled at the ankle with gold hardware and slightly rounded at the toe, the shoes anchored a look that played with proportion and polish in subtle ways.
Sharpe paired the footwear with light gray pleated trousers that broke softly over the vamp, a tomato-red knit polo and a cuffed black jacket. Circular sunglasses, tousled curls and a gold chain completed the look — but it was the footwear that gave the ensemble its defining tension.
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Long associated with children’s uniforms or women’s fashion, specifically in the ’90s, mary janes remain one of the most controversial silhouettes in menswear. However, they’re increasingly appearing on red carpets, in line with a broader shift toward slim, stylized, and unexpected footwear.
Earlier this month, Jonathan Bailey wore flip-flops by The Row at a “Jurassic World: Rebirth” press call in London. Days later, Simon Baker opted for black leather slides at the Filming Italy Festival. At Cannes, Alexander Skarsgård alternated between ballet-inspired flats and thigh-high boots. Even Bailey’s own split-toe Tabis by Maison Margiela — which he called his “slutty little everythings,” including his 1993 Tabis — nod to a new, slimmed-down approach to formality that’s more fluid than fixed.
While Sharpe’s mary janes are neither open-toe nor overtly theatrical, they still feel like part of the same movement — one that prioritizes shape, styling and defies gender norms. Designers including Martine Rose, Comme des Garçons and Wales Bonner have recently revisited the silhouette, often pairing it with tailoring or layered sportswear. Justin Bieber, Harry Styles and Tyler, The Creator are some of the names who have embraced the mary jane so far.