Not ready for boots? Suranne Jones’s Mary Jane flats are the comfy yet chic alternative that’ll see you through to autumn

As autumn edges nearer, many of us are not quite ready for boots and so a style of shoe that works for milder and warmer weather is a must-have. My best white trainers get a lot of wear at this time of year, but Suranne Jones is inspiring me to try something different.

For occasions when you want something a little smarter and still very comfortable, flats with flair are your best friend. The actor, whose new Netflix drama Hostage comes out on 21st August, recently wore black Mary Jane flats with a floral dress.

She had spent the afternoon with the show, The Case of the Three Eyed Elephant, and her shoes were a versatile choice. They had the classic Mary Jane straps running across the top of Suranne’s feet and these were fastened with buckles at the side.

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For a feminine touch, it looked as though the buckles were covered in faux pearls, which brought a lovely amount of contrast. It’s easy to forget how striking black and white can be and because both of them are neutral colours, Suranne Jones could easily style them with different outfits.

Unlike traditional ballet flats which can sometimes feel a bit preppy, these Mary Jane ones have a more contemporary, fashion-forward edge to them thanks to the straps and unique buckle. Mary Jane shoes have been on-trend for a while now and are a great flat option for smart casual outfits as well as day-to-day looks.

Not everyone is a fan of stilettos, wedges or kitten heels and if you choose flats like these which feel a bit special, they’d work perfectly as an alternative. Suranne wore hers with a black midi dress covered with red, orange and blue flowers.

Although you can totally wear black ballet flats like hers with a lighter-toned outfit, sometimes the contrast can look a bit too stark. For a subtler style, I’d recommend wearing black flats like Suranne’s with an ensemble that features at least one black item, to tie everything together.

You could also invest in tan or brown shoes instead, as the softer hues would complement lighter toned items. The actor’s dress was more autumnal with its colours and had an elegant square neckline and straps secured at the top of the shoulders with bows.

This was a gorgeous outfit for a style, though it wouldn’t look at all out of place at date nights, picnics or coffee meet-ups with friends. When summer turns into autumn, you can still recreate Suranne Jones’s look too.

I’d advise leaning into layering and wearing a neutral cardigan, a denim jacket or a trench coat with your floral summer dresses and Mary Jane flats.

If you’re someone who likes wearing flat shoes with socks, you can also choose to make a feature out of them by choosing a pretty colour or pattern that will contrast with the design of your ballet pumps.

This won’t be everyone’s favourite way of wearing them and in late summer and early autumn when it’s dry and not too chilly, socks are definitely not necessary.