Sarah Jessica Parker Can’t Stop Wearing Babydoll Shoes, and Now Taylor Swift Is a Fan, too

I always knew my American Girl doll, Samantha, was onto something. She’s the reason I had bangs until I was 18, she made bows a thing before Blair Waldorf, and she may have been the first style star to wear babydoll shoes back in the ’90s. Although we’ve lost touch, her influence clearly had greater reach beyond our friendship: Babydoll shoes unexpectedly became one of 2020’s biggest trends. 

If you haven’t heard (but you probably have), babydoll shoes, or Mary Janes, are back in a big way. Everyone from Sarah Jessica Parker to Zoë Kravitz has worn the trend this year. SJP prefers them covered in glitter (and designed by SJP herself), whereas Kravitz loves to take the look one step further into American Girl doll territory with frilly white ankle socks.

Now, Taylor Swift has given in to the trend. She was spotted wearing a pair of Le Monde Beryl velvet Mary Jane flats during her “Folklore” special on Disney+. And with her just-announced “Evermore” on the way, one could only imagine more dreamy babydoll shoes are bound to make an appearance in her wardrobe.

Shop now: $440; matchesfashion.com 

In a year where we’d prefer to live not in the present, but rather in the memories of human touch, crowded parties, and, bare faces, dressing like a doll makes sense. As someone who produly owns many pairs of babydoll shoes, I can confirm they provide a much-needed dose of serotonin. They unapologetically make any outfit more fun and less serious.

While the trend is clearly beloved by celebrities, it’s also a favorite among fashion insiders, recently appearing on the runway (when that was a thing) at Marc Jacobs, Jason Wu, and Carolina Herrera. When Julia Toledano launched Nodelato, the It-girl brand of the moment, with a signature Mary Jane-babydoll shoe complete with Velcro straps and an over-the-top platform heel, its popularity skyrocketed. It’s impossible to go on Instagram now and not see a pair. 

As the year comes to an end, one thing is certain: The beginning of 2021 will not look much different than 2020, which means this babydoll shoe trend is surely here to stay for a good while. I’m sure all of our American Dolls would be proud.

Shop the celeb-loved babydoll shoe trend below.

SJP by Sarah Jessica Parker Women’s Tartt Dress Pump

Shop now: $236; amazon.com

SJP by Sarah Jessica Parker Mary-Jane Pump

Shop now: $215; amazon.com

Shoes8teen Cotton China Doll Mary Jane Ballerina Ballet Flats Shoes

Shop now: $14 (Originally $15); amazon.com

APIKA Velvet Mary Jane Beijing Cloth Flats

Shop now: $11; amazon.com

Jeffrey Campbell Theta Pump

Shop now: $160; nordstrom.com

Jeffrey Campbell Bourdin Mary Jane Pump 

Shop now: $165; nordstrom.com

Intentionally Blank Kemp Genuine Calf Hair Mary Jane Flat

Shop now: $188; nordstrom.com

Franco Sarto Halo Square Toe Mary Jane Pump

Shop now: $70 (Originally $99); nordstrom.com

Yohji Yamamoto Platform Mary Jane Shoes

Shop now: $790; nordstrom.com

Camper Katie Mary Jane Pump

Shop now: $130; nordstrom.com