Comments on: Buster Brown Shoes and Mary Janes

By: Kate Kelly

Kate Kelly — Wed, 10 Jun 2026 19:40:01 +0000

Thank you for posting… your information is quite fascinating! I have no way of knowing if Stephen Wolfe will see it, but I hope so. Good luck.

Kate

By: Codi Preston D.

Codi Preston D. — Wed, 10 Jun 2026 17:22:59 +0000

Stephen Wolfe, from the December 2022 comment, if you are still reading this post and it’s comments, I’d absolutely love to hear your stories on Buster Brown shoes in the 1980s! I’ve been collecting vintage children’s T strap shoes and Mary Janes from the 1970s to mid 1990s for 30 years now (I just turned 50). I have Classic Autism and ADHD. I actually wore a Buster Brown “Sharky” shoe (from the Jaws craze) in 1979 when I was 3 years old. It was probably labeled as tan colored, but I would definitely call it pumpkin orange leather. It had a wedge rubber sole. Had a black colored shark imprint (Buster Brown Shoes called it a “tattoo”) on the side. The shoes had a very intense look, with the orange leather. I never wore T strap shoes or Mary Janes though. In the Deep South like Alabama, little boys wear T strap shoes with their longalls and jon jons. I’m from the West Coast, so I never saw little boys dressed like that, but I have friends who are moms in the South that do dress their sons like that. Very hard to find now, I mean T strap shoes. There are several companies in Spain that still make T strap shoes. The children’s shoe industry in the USA went downhill 25 years ago, there are hardly any high quality children’s T strap shoes or Mary Janes made here anymore. Another brand that I wore as a preschooler in 1979-1980 was Jumping Jacks. They made really good leather shoes for children too. Very few people remember the brands I remember – Stride Rite, Buster Brown, and Jumping Jacks are more memorable, but few people remember Lazy Bones, Willits, Mother Goose, Walk In, Child Stride, Walk-in and other brands. You can email me at preston1632@yahoo.com, if you are interested in talking. I can give you my cellphone too once you email me if you are interested in talking through that way.

Take care

Codi Preston D. from Northern California

By: Kate Kelly

Kate Kelly — Thu, 12 Mar 2026 14:41:54 +0000

In reply to John R.. You made my day! I love this one....thanks for posting!

By: John R.

John R. — Thu, 12 Mar 2026 14:13:10 +0000

Even though I am now well into my 70’s I remember very well the Buster Brown jingle. For some strange reason, it came back to me this morning, so I began to look it up and found this great history article.
But, all the jingles I found ended differently than I remember. The jingle I recall ended:
“So look, look, look in your telephone book for the store that sells the shoe, with a picture of a boy and a dog inside, so you can put your foot in too. Buster Brown shoes!”

The mental image of looking into a “telephone book” still resonates.

By: Kate Kelly

Kate Kelly — Wed, 25 Feb 2026 14:16:18 +0000

In reply to Craig J.. Thanks for posting...they were well made shoes!

By: Craig J.

Craig J. — Wed, 25 Feb 2026 00:00:34 +0000

I was a child of the early 80’s and this is the first pair of shoes I can remember wearing. And I remember seeing that commercial. It stuck with me and I appreciate this article. I had no idea of Buster Brown’s rich history. I’m a forever fan.

By: Kate Kelly

Kate Kelly — Mon, 02 Jun 2025 12:17:07 +0000

In reply to GM. Smart...I didn't know they came in all white! Thanks for posting.

By: GM

GM — Sun, 01 Jun 2025 11:15:15 +0000

In the 1960’s, my mother would buy a white pair of Buster Brown shoes for brother and me in the spring, at Easter time. She would dye them black for the fall and winter months.

By: Kate Kelly

Kate Kelly — Fri, 18 Oct 2024 19:20:52 +0000

In reply to Bev. I would have been on your team! They are great to write about but not what a little girl wants! Thanks for posting.

By: Bev

Bev — Fri, 18 Oct 2024 13:20:25 +0000

When I was a little girl, my mom bought me a pair of Buster Brown brown oxfords with shoe laces. I hated them because I wanted something more feminine.
I slid down a cement drainage by the side of the highway to wear them out. After my dad noticed the holes in the soles, he thought Buster Brown’s were not all that good. Sorry, but it all led to a pair of shoes that I really liked.