Clarks Women's Janey Mae Review

I just received them. So cute. Well made, thick leather, nice sturdy stitching. Just a good shoe. Very comfortable. My toes have plenty of room.

These are by far my favorite shoes for everyday wear! I am a lab scientist, so I have to wear close-toed leather shoes most days to work. These are super comfortable and cute — I often get compliments on these shoes.My first pair of the Clark’s Janey Maes lasted me more than two years, and I wore them almost every day during that time. I snow sealed the leather shortly after purchasing them, which I think helped them survive a couple of rainy California winters. I have just purchased a new pair to replace the old ones, because I have worn through the soles in a few places, and the leather is starting to wear out at the crease behind my toes. They held up really well for a long time!There is not a ton of arch support in these shoes, but I have found them to be very comfortable for full days with plenty of standing and walking around the lab. The toes feel a little tight in my new pair, but based on the old pair I know the leather will stretch and they will fit perfectly. I usually wear a size 9 or 9.5 (10 for athletic shoes), and the 9.5 fits perfectly when I wear my mid weight hiking socks. I’d say they fit true to size.

My size is 7.5, but I often order an 8 in closed-toe shoes because I have Morton's Neuroma (which means I am in pain if my toes don't have enough space). I ordered an 8, but found the length a little short. The shoes felt ok with very thin socks but would be too small with regular socks or normal foot swelling with heating up. Since I wanted the shoes also in another color, I ordered the second pair in an 8.5 which is a great fit. Thus, I'd recommend that if you also sometimes vary in size depending on the style that you go with a half size above the larger size. (FYI, I measured the 8.5 shoe against two other pairs of Clarks I have and found it was about the same length as the size 7.5 and a bit shorter than the 8.)Besides general comfort, I recommend these shoes for two other reasons. They have a roomy toe box which is really hard to find in women's regular/medium width shoes. (Even in the size 8, the toe space was better than what I often find, but in the 8.5 it's fabulous!) The other real plus is the color and quality of the suede. First, the color. The navy and the dark grey are intense, rich and what I call true shades (i.e., the navy, for example, doesn't have purple or green overtones as I sometimes find.) As for the quality, it's supple and handsome. It doesn't have that rough, uneven look/touch found with lesser grades of suede.

When my first pair began to look a bit ragged I went to the shoe store where I’d bought them, only to find out they weren’t selling them anymore. Oh No! Finding them here on line made my day; thank you for continuing to make these. Comfortable shoe can go casual or a bit dressy. Easy to care for leather. I still have my first pair for daily wear and my new pair for special occasion.

The first thing you should know about me is that I am a 35 y/o scientist who spends every day in a lab. That means I have to wear closed toe shoes every day, all year long. I'm also on my feet all day long so those shoes need to be comfortable. I could wear sneakers every day, but honestly, sometimes I get tired of looking like a teenage track star, even under my lab coat, so it has become my life's mission to find closed toe, casual but somewhat nicer, non-sneaker shoes that are also COMFORTABLE! It is a lot harder to find shoes fitting that description that are appropriate for my age and gender than you would think!This is my second pair of Clarks and I have to say that Clarks make the most comfortable shoes ever! The first pair I bought were the Pomodora's in black. They are are so soft and springy and required ZERO break in time. These shoes aren't quite as comfortable and supportive as those were, but also require no breaking in time at all and were totally comfortable right out of the box. I don't know how they do it but I love it! Honestly, I wasn't sure for a week if I was going to send them back or keep them. They fit really well (more on that momentarily) but I couldn't decide if the style was for me. I ended up keeping them and I'm glad I did. All Clarks seem to be a little quirky and odd in terms of design, but I admit I kinda dog that about them. The soles are always smaller than the shoe itself (obvious by looking at them) but if you get the right size, it isn't an issue, just a different look. Here's what I like and don't like about these specific shoes:LIGHT & COMFORTABLE: This might be the most light weight shoes I've ever owned! I really love that about them. In spite of being so light, the leather is very substantial. As I mentioned, there was no break in time for me, which is unheard of with leather shoes in my experience. This pair isn't quite as supportive and cushy as my other pair of Clarks, but they are still very comfortable!QUALITY: In spite of the light weight nature of this shoe, the construction and materials are all very high quality, from the soles to the laces (which are purple - a nice touch). These are not cheap shoes that are going to wear out and fall apart any time soon, which is something I look for in a shoe.WIDE TOE BOX: I have had issues with bunions in the past and have wider than typical feet, so a wide toe box is a must for shoes to be comfortable on my feet all day. These are excellent in that capacity!VERSATILE: This shoe style is very versatile and can be worn in a lot of different ways, dressed up or down.The only issues I have with this shoe are:SIZING: It seems to run a little small. I wear a true size 8.5 in womens shoes and bought a 9 in these. They fit perfectly. I recommend sizing up a half size if you order these.SQUEAKING: This really surprised me because my other pair of Clarks I loving refer to as my 'retired Ninja' shoes. They are so incredibly quiet! Since I spend all day on linoleum lab floors, the squeaking can get annoying pretty quickly (see my video).EASILY MARRED: This leather is very easily scratched and marred. If you buy this you'll need to take good care of them if you want them to stay looking nice and invest in some good leather shoe treatment products.Also, you'll have to double knot the laces as they won't stay tied with a single knot. That's just the nature of these waxed laces. All in all I am very pleased with this shoe and will continue to buy and wear Clarks shoes because of the outstanding comfort and quality! For the record, I did NOT get these for free or at a discount. I paid full price for them! Hope this helps someone else who is looking!

I love the shoe, but had an issue with the thread coming apart on the back of the shoe. Returned and reordered. I love the look and feel of them.