Merrell Encore MJ

Comfort Shoes, feature 4 - By Chris Tarvey on Thursday, March 11, 2010 - 21:35

Ok, I admit it, I have a Mary-Jane problem. And this isn’t an addiction that began early on - I wasn’t one of those kids whose mother made her wear shiny black ones. I didn’t discover them until sometime in my late teens – and I was hooked. They were cute and went with everything, but they weren’t always the most comfortable or sturdy shoes on the rack. As the years went by, I had to wean myself off them because my back and feet started to suffer.

But that ended last year when I discovered Merrell’s Encore Mary-Janes. I was looking for something vegetarian-friendly that would get me through the summer – at work and play – in comfort without being ugly. Something that would keep my feet cool without being flimsy. They are damn close to perfect. Cute without being cutesy. Practical without being dull. Sturdy without being manly. They go equally well with jeans, a peasant skirt, or business duds. They are incredibly comfortable with a supportive bed and comfy strap. For a year and a half I’ve tramped though wet flea market fields, across concrete-floored exposition buildings, down dusty mountain trails, around the office, and more, and they are none the worse for wear. They feel the same as they did the first day I put them on – like they were made for me.

They are available in full and half sizes from 5 to 11, and they are true-to-fit. I wear a 9-1/2 in most shoes and their 9-1/2 is spot on. And although I always buy black, they come in a wide variety of colors including: black, beige, grey. lime/blue, navy, ocean, scarlet, seagrass, silvermist, sky blue, slate and white/pink.

Comments about the Merrell Encore Mary-Jane are so extensive and glowing that it would take a book to show them all.

Here is a sampling:

• “Fabulous shoe with good athletic support”
• “Flexible and comfortable”
• “Strap allows me to tighten for a custom fit”
• “very comfortable and very lightweight”
• “super comfortable”
• “no "break-in" time”
• “Love these shoes”
• “These shoes are amazing, so comfy and so cute”
• “I may not ever wear any other shoes”

Want shoes that will stand up to tomboy treatment and look good? The Merrell Encore Mary-Jane is your answer. If I had more than two thumbs, they would all be pointing up. I honestly can’t think of anything bad to say about these shoes. I do wish I could wear them more often but they are not very snow drift-friendly (is that a con?). I never kick them off with the thought, “Ahhh, glad to finally get those things off!” I actually look forward to slipping them on because I know they are cute and cool (both temperature and style) and comfy.

Buy a pair (or two) now – you’ll thank me in the morning.

You can find the complete line of Merrell Encore shoes, including the pair shown above, from $69.99 at Shoes.com.