The Vibram Five Fingers Performa Jane for women is has the distinctive five-toed “Mary Jane” to it’s predecessor the Performa (which by extension would be a “flat”). The Performa Jane further blurs the line between shoes and socks (Jump to posts on the Performa Jane below!). The Performa Jane lacks a single-form sole and instead utilizes the leather sheath of the shoe and seven strategically located “pods” of Vibram rubber (One at heel and forefoot and one for each toe).

Like a driving glove for your foot, the Performa Jane, is sold for indoor-use only. The Performa Jane features an open-topped design and is secured to the foot via a single strap over the top of the foot (note the strap is actually physically attached at both sides, it utilizes an elastic/Velcro setup on the “button” side to secure and tighten the fit).

Given it’s limited indoor-only use, the Performa Jane is slated to be used for fitness (like Pilates or Yoga), casual wear, or possibly even for the work environment. I know at least a few Performa Jane wearers are throwing caution to the wind and wearing them out casually though (Shh! Don’t tell Vibram!).

Like all Vibram Five Fingers models, the Performa Jane has five separated toe compartments that allow the foot to splay on contact with the ground. The Five Fingers Performa has no arch support and no cushioning or padding — indeed it is little more than a leather glove for your foot with thin rubber “pods” at the major contact points of the foot.

The standout features of the Performa Jane include:

The Performa Jane has a more stylish, “pretty” look to it with fashion-forward decorative cut-outs in the leather. It really is going for a classic Mary Jane look — well, for toe shoes, anyway!
It’s all kangaroo-leather and just a tiny bit of Vibram rubber. It lacks no real “sole” and could arguably be considered more like a high-end toe sock than a shoe.
It’s extreme minimalist construction lends it the most ground feel of all Vibram Five Fingers models; unfortunately, this extra feel makes the Performa less functional — Vibram advises buyers that is is for “indoor use only.”

Sizing and fit

If you’ve never sized your foot for Vibram Five Fingers, you need to consult the Vibram Five Fingers sizing chart (image) and measure the length of your feet as presecribed. Vibram sizing does not correspond to standard shoe sizes!

If you’ve sized in Vibrams before, note that the Performa Janes size slightly smaller than the same size in the KSO (and other closed-top models). So a 37 Performa will fit smaller than a 37 KSO. For this reason, Vibram prescribes you size up in the Performa Jane compared to the KSO.

Generally, it is better to size up if you’re in between sizes — you don’t want your toes bending out of lack of room! Also, the Performa’s open top design makes it easier to fit “high feet” (as compared to closed-top Vibrams like the KSOs, Flows, Treks, or Bikilas).