I finally found a pair of Mary Janes that don’t make my feet hurt.

I have always loved the look of Mary Janes, but I had more or less stopped buying them. The problem was never the style — it was what happened after I had been wearing them for a while. Too many pairs looked lovely in the mirror and then left me thinking about my feet for the rest of the day.

I wanted something I could wear with trousers, dresses or knitwear without automatically packing a second pair of shoes. That is what made me try the Ursa Mary Janes from Emma Oxford.

The adjustable strap was the first detail I appreciated. Instead of feeling as though my foot had to adapt to the shoe, I could change the fit until it felt right for me. The low heel also gives them a smarter look without making me feel as though I am being pushed forward onto my toes.

I am not pretending one shoe will suit every foot, but for me the Ursa pair struck a much better balance between looking polished and being something I could actually keep on.

My real test for shoes is not standing in front of the mirror for five minutes. It is wearing them on a completely normal day. I wore the Ursa pair with cropped trousers, went out to do a few errands and kept them on afterwards for lunch.

Normally, that is about the point when I start wishing I had chosen trainers. This time I did not have that same urge to change my shoes. That mattered more to me than any complicated description of comfort ever could.

I did not want a practical-looking shoe that I would only wear because it was sensible. The Ursa still has the details that made me want Mary Janes in the first place: the neat low heel, the pearl-effect strap detail and the metal tip give them a little more personality than a plain black flat.

That makes them easy to wear with the clothes I already own. I can put them with black trousers and a knit for an ordinary day, or with a dress when I want to look a little more put together.

For me, yes. They have become the pair I reach for when I want something smarter than trainers without spending the day wishing I had worn trainers instead.

At the time I am writing this, Emma Oxford has the Ursa in its Autumn Sale. If Mary Janes usually look better to you than they feel once you actually wear them, these are the pair I would have wanted someone to point out to me sooner.