The Sandy Liang look comes down to three things: a soft, round ballet toe, one thin strap, and a sweet detail such as a bow or satin. You can get all three in vegan materials for $54.99 to $78.00. The originals cost about $495, and what that money buys is the leather footbed, the half sizes and the name.
Sandy Liang is a New York designer whose downtown-girly clothes turned into a shoe line built around mary janes and ballet shapes. The Mary Jane Pointe is the best known: satin or nappa leather, a pin-buckle strap and a very low stacked heel, at about $495 on the brand's own site. Most dupe articles online are from 2024, cover the clothes more than the shoes, and point to either a $30 no-name flat or a $300 designer alternative. This guide maps each Sandy Liang shoe to a vegan alternative in between, with prices, sizing and care, and it names what the originals still do better.
Sandy Liang vs vegan alternatives at a glance
| Sandy Liang style | Original price | What defines it | Vegan alternative | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mary Jane Pointe | About $495 | Round ballet toe, one thin buckle strap | Iselle bow ballerina mary janes | $68.99 |
| Double Strap Welt Mary Jane | About $495 | Two straps, visible welt, a bit sturdier | Demi buckle mary jane ballet flats | $62.99 |
| Toe Ballerina (split toe) | About $450 | A tabi-style divided toe on a ballet flat | Lena tabi mary jane ballet flats | $64.99 |
| Ballet Pump 40 | About $495 | Ballet shape on a low heel | Cerise patent ballerina pumps | $68.99 |
| Bow and lace details | $495 and up | Girlish trims on a plain base | Florence lace ballet flats | $54.99 |
Sandy Liang prices change by season and retailer, so use them as a guide. Ours are the prices on our product pages today.
Iselle Lace-Up Mary Jane Ballet Flats
A ruched vegan leather upper with a cord bow: soft, rounded and very Sandy Liang in spirit.
What makes a mary jane look like Sandy Liang?
Four things. First, a rounded toe that looks like a dancer's slipper, not a point or a square. Second, a single strap that is thinner than a typical mary jane strap. Third, one soft detail: satin, a bow, pearls or a scalloped edge. Fourth, a nearly flat sole. The shoes are rarely black and severe; even the black pair reads sweet. Look for those four things and you are most of the way there.
The Mary Jane Pointe alternative
The Pointe is about proportion: a slim strap across a low, rounded ballet shape. Iselle keeps the rounded ballet toe and swaps the buckle for a cord bow on a gathered vamp, which adds the soft detail the style is known for. Wear it the Sandy Liang way: white crew socks, a pleated mini and an oversized cardigan.
Iselle Lace-Up Mary Jane Ballet Flats
In black or red; the red pair is the closest to the brand's playful colors.
The Double Strap Welt alternative
This style is the tougher sibling: two straps, a visible welt and a slightly heavier sole. Demi has two buckle straps with metal eyelets on a rounded ballet toe, so it has the same sweet-but-sturdy balance, with a bit more hardware. If you want an even softer version, Clara adds a small bow between two buckle straps.
Demi buckle mary jane ballet flats
Two buckle straps on a rounded ballet toe: the sturdy mary jane.
Clara Buckle Strap Ballet Flat
A round ballet toe with a small bow and two buckle straps.
The Toe Ballerina alternative
Sandy Liang's split-toe ballerina borrows the tabi idea. This is our home ground, because split-toe shoes are most of what we make. Lena puts a mary jane strap on a black tabi flat, which covers both the Pointe and the Toe Ballerina in one shoe. For the pink satin mood, Rosie is a blush satin tabi flat with a tiny knotted bow.
Lena Tabi Mary Jane Ballet Flats
A split toe and a delicate mary jane strap, in smooth black.
Rosie Satin Tabi Ballet Flats
Blush pink satin, a split toe and a knotted bow: the ballet-pink option.
The Ballet Pump 40 alternative
For the low-heeled ballet pump, Cerise is a rounded ballerina in crinkled brown vegan patent on a slim kitten heel, with hidden elastic at the topline so it moves with the foot. It is a little glossier than Sandy Liang's pumps. If you prefer a strap, Margot is a square-toe mary jane pump with a ruched elastic strap and a cord bow.
Cerise Patent Ballerina Pumps
A rounded ballet pump on a slim kitten heel, in brown vegan patent.
Margot Mary Jane Slingback Pumps
A mary jane pump with an elastic strap and a cord bow at the toe.
Bows, lace and satin
Much of the Sandy Liang mood comes from trims. Florence is sheer black floral lace on mesh, with micro sequins and a thin strap tied in a bow at the instep. It sits closest to the brand's more decorative pieces, and it works well with a lace sock.
Florence black Lace Ballet Flats
Black lace on mesh with a bow-tied strap, in EU 35 to 45.
Sizing: Sandy Liang vs our styles
| Sandy Liang | Lil Cacti | |
|---|---|---|
| Size system | Italian sizes, EU 35 to 42 with half sizes | EU whole sizes, mostly 35 to 40 |
| Between sizes | The brand suggests sizing up; the split-toe style is said to run large | Size up in strap styles and tabi flats; the strap takes up extra length |
| Wider range | To EU 42 | Florence to EU 45; lace mesh flats to 42 |
| Toe box | Rounded ballet toe | Rounded, slightly roomier |
For split-toe styles, the split should sit between your big toe and second toe. Our tabi sizing guide explains how to check.
Care for satin, lace and vegan leather
- Satin: brush off dust with a soft dry brush. Dab marks with a barely damp cloth, never rub. A fabric protector spray before the first wear helps.
- Lace and mesh: spot clean with cool water, then let dry flat.
- Vegan leather and patent: wipe with a damp cloth and mild soap. No conditioner needed.
- Straps and bows: undo buckles before you take shoes off, and retie bows loosely for storage.
Sandy Liang, Miu Miu, Repetto and us: an honest comparison
Sandy Liang owns this particular mix of sweet and downtown, and the shoes are well made: leather footbeds and soles, half sizes, and colors that sell out. If you love the designer and want the real thing, it is a fair price for what you get. Miu Miu started much of the current ballet-flat trend, and its satin ballerinas cost about $1,070 and up. Repetto is the dance heritage maker behind many of these shapes, with mary janes around €315 to €395 in Europe.
Our versions cost $54.99 to $78.00, in vegan materials with no leather anywhere, on rounded toe boxes. We also make several split-toe mary janes, a shape that is still rare at any price. What you will not get from us are half sizes or a leather footbed. If those matter most to you, save for the original.
Double Strap Tabi Mary Jane
Two straps and a split toe, for when you want the sweet shape with a stranger edge.
Frequently asked questions
How much are Sandy Liang mary janes?
The Mary Jane Pointe is about $495 on the brand's US site, and most other shoe styles are $450 to $650.
Are Sandy Liang shoes vegan?
No. The mary janes come in satin or nappa leather, with leather footbeds and soles. Vegan alternatives use synthetic uppers and linings throughout.
Do Sandy Liang mary janes run small?
The brand suggests sizing up if you are between sizes. Buyers disagree, with some finding them true to size.
What is the best Sandy Liang mary jane dupe?
Look for a rounded ballet toe, one thin strap and a soft detail. Our closest match is the Iselle bow mary jane at $68.99.
How do you style Sandy Liang-style mary janes?
White or lace crew socks, a pleated or bubble mini, and an oversized cardigan or fleece. The mix of sporty and girly is the point.
How do you clean satin mary janes?
Dry brush first, then dab marks with a barely damp cloth. Do not soak satin or rub it hard, as that can leave water rings and shine.
Read next
- Mary Jane Outfits for 2026: 10 Looks, the Sock Rules and the Anti-School-Uniform Formula
- How to Style Lace Socks: 8 Outfits With Ballet Flats, Mary Janes and Tabis (2026)
- aeyde Shoes Dupe? Vegan Alternatives to the Uma, Moa, Loafers and Boots (2026)
See all of our mary jane flats.