Artemis D'Orsay Mary Jane Review

I’m around 3 years into my barefoot shoe journey, and while I have found some shoes I genuinely love, I’ve struggled to find dress shoes that I like the way they look as much as how they feel. The options to this point have been limited to variations on the ballet flat. Shiny leather, suede, or knit? Classic ballet flat, Mary Jane, or t-strap? And that’s pretty much it. I’ve longed for a dress shoe with a sleeker profile and some more visual interest, and finally found a shoe that fits the bill from Carets: the Artemis D’Orsay Mary Jane.


I’d seen Caret’s dress shoes for men awhile back. I was fascinated by the concept: a barefoot shoe that mimics the look of a conventional shoe. How, you may be wondering? In short, they add a sleek tapered toe to the end of a foot-shaped shoe so that you have plenty of room for splay. Their shoes are also zero drop, in true barefoot shoe fashion. I immediately sent a link to the Carets’ website to my dad, who has been quietly wearing barefoot shoes for years, and followed the company on Instagram, hoping someday they’d do for women’s barefoot shoes what they’ve done for men’s. Fast forward to the beginning of this year, and I saw the first photos of the Artemis D’Orsay Mary Jane flats and the announcement that they were available for pre-order. I also saw this article on the Caret’s website about the Artemis design. The Artemis Mary Janes aren’t just another barefoot flat, they are pumps. No, really! The first barefoot pumps I’ve ever seen. I was impressed by the thoughtful details that went into the design of these shoes to maximize style and comfort (check out the article for full details). They’re designed to be more comfortable not only because they are zero drop and allow for splay, but because of the leather choices and open arch. The strap design not only makes the shoe more secure, but it lengthens the leg visually. So much to love with all of these intentional details.


Like many of you, I was thrilled to see a barefoot dress shoe with a truly unique silhouette (at least in the barefoot shoe world). The Artemis pumps look similar to some conventional shoes I used to have—shoes I bought just for their aesthetics, not their comfort. I was excited about the possibility of having a dress shoe that not only felt amazing, but that looked gorgeous. There was some buzz in the barefoot shoe Facebook groups—How would they fit? Would they stay on? Would there be enough room for toe splay? I decided it was worth finding out for myself, and pre-ordered a pair.


Now let’s talk about sizing. I have mountain-shaped feet and bunions. My left foot is longer than my right, and for years I thought my left foot was a standard size 8, right foot a 7.5. As I’ve transitioned to barefoot shoes, I’ve found that I am much more comfortable in a larger size. Some of that may be because my feet have changed as I’ve stopped wearing shoes that restrict toe splay, but regardless, I’ve moved from buying size 8 to getting 8.5, 9, even 9.5 in the last few months. I originally ordered a size 8 from Carets. This was a mistake on my part—if I had taken the time to measure my foot and consult their sizing chart, I would have known that an 8 would not be a good fit. Lesson learned: always measure your foot and check the size chart before ordering! I know, a rookie mistake. After the shoes arrived and I realized that I had ordered the wrong size, I did measure and found that a 9 or 10 would be a better fit. More on that later.


It felt like Christmas in July when my shoes arrived. Unboxing them was a luxury experience. The leather is gorgeous, and the removable insole is buttery soft. One detail that immediately stood out to me is the cap at the base of the heel—no more worn-out heels from driving! And that wasn’t even a detail covered in the December 2022 article on their website about the shoe design. Included with the shoes were suede heel pads to help adjust fit as needed, as well as spare buckles so you can choose if you want gold or silver. Those little details show the care that Carets puts into their products.







With the unboxing done, I tried them on. It was pretty clear that the size 8 shoe was too small. I did post about it here in the group and got approximately 1 million comments about how they couldn’t be barefoot shoes and that they would wreck my feet. Hopefully this extensive review will debunk some of those comments. Anyway, Carets was extremely responsive when I emailed them about sizing, and exchanging them was fast and easy. I ended up trying both a 9 and 10 next. When I took the insoles out, it was clear that the 10 was a better fit. Unfortunately, the right shoe was a bit loose because of my different-sized feet. I’ve seen a lot of speculation about these shoes not staying on the foot when walking. Let me put those concerns to rest. The diagonal strap secures the shoe front-to-back and side-to-side. For me, tightening the adjustable strap by just one hole made the shoes much more secure. I added one of the included heel pads to the right shoe, and significantly improved the fit (oh, the joys of having different-sized feet).







So how do they feel? Fantastic! If you have worn pointed-toe shoes before, the extra length from the tapered toe shouldn’t bother you at all. I wouldn’t wear them for a full day of walking, but that’s not what they were designed for anyway. The length and width offer plenty of space for toe splay, and as I mentioned before, the thin suede-covered insole is incredibly soft and comfortable. They are zero drop and stay on well because of the diagonal strap. I know the cool thing with barefoot shoes is to show flexibility by rolling up your shoe, but I’m not going to do that because I don’t want to unnecessarily crease the gorgeous leather.


I did notice after wearing them this weekend that there was some dye transfer on my feet. The insoles and lining of the pumps are black-- which looks amazing with that open arch, so chic! A lot of black dress shoes have nude or brown insoles, but the black interior of the Artemis pumps won't show dark footprints from wear. The dye washed off my feet easily, and I suspect it won't persist as I continue to wear the shoes (much like new denim).

Where will I wear my Artemis pumps? They’re my new go-to for business wear, church, and any formal or dressy event. I’ve already worn them with slacks, jeans and a dressy blouse, and two different dresses. If you have ever wished for a dressier barefoot shoe, something comparable style-wise to a classic high heel, you should definitely give the Artemis a try. If you found this review helpful, please use my affiliate link and head over to https://carets.com/products/artemis-dorsay-mary-jane-black#martamouse to order your very own Artemis D’Orsay Mary Janes!