Mommies With Style

It’s not too early to start thinking about summer sandals! This season, Livie & Luca, who I’ve been a fan of for a long time, has come out with some gorgeous ones.

We’re wild about Bloom ($45), pictured above – a bright lime green leather sandal with a hand-cut magenta flower. It also features a Velcro closure for easy on and off. Get it in toddler/little girl sizes 4 – 13. Running true to size, my little girl will look so stylish wearing these sweet sandals in the warmer weather! I wish they made them in my size too.W

We also loved the Haru. Using commissioned artwork of Livie & Luca’s new friend Haru playing on the beach beneath the sun’s rays. It’s silk-screened onto textile and then overlaid on Livie & Luca’s soft leather. The insole  is removable, which allows for sizing and hand-washing. Comes in size 4 -8.

Little's first pair of cute girly shoes! Love them!

Little has yet to walk, yet to even crawl, but when her first pair of Smaller baby shoes arrived, she reached a major milestone, for her shoe-loving mom: she wore shoes. Sure, they were off within 5 minutes, but 5 minutes was enough time for me to coo over their cuteness.

Smaller shoes, though, are much more than cute. Produced by See Kai Run, they are a, ahem, smaller shoe than their original line. Instead of the rubber soles that adorn the originals, Smallers have soft suede bottoms with non-slip rubber patches at the heel and ball of the foot. They’re made of a butter-soft leather that See Kai Run says is stronger than ever before:

“We’ve paid attention to customer feedback and have responded with improvements that will make our shoes even better,” says founder Cause Haun. “While See Kai Run has always prided itself on creating flexible, supple shoes healthy for developing feet, the trade-off has been using leather that has not always worn as well as we would like. Our new leather has twice the fiber strength of the original, but doesn’t sacrifice the luxurious look and butter-soft feel our customers love. We’re so pleased to roll out this major improvement.”

So, Smaller wasn’t around when Big and Middle were babies, so I never had the opportunity to try them on my guys. And one of the first (and most favorite) things I noticed once I had the shoes on Little’s feet was that their adjustable strap is truly adjustable. Her feet are super narrow (I forsee agony finding cheerleading sneakers in the future.) The heels that are so darn skinny that many shoes with elastic cuffs fall right off. So I was ever-so-impressed that Smaller’s hook & loop closure is truly adjustable. The hook & loop covers 100% of the strap, and I could pull the strap completely to make the fit around the ankle snug enough (and I mean, she’s teeny-tiny-itty-bitty there) so that the shoe didn’t fall off.

And that’s when I started in on my “OMG they’re so adorable!  So stinkin’ cute! Can you believe how cute these shoes really are?!” to my poor, childless sister. Who agreed they are adorable. And then moved back to reading her fashion and celeb gossip blogs.

Thanks to See Kai Run for the oh-so-cute sample shoes. Receive free shipping through noon Pacific Time on Tuesday, March 2.

The following review was written by guest writer and MWS member, Cheryl:

This is one of those ideas you can’t believe no one’s thought of before.  Be thankful Zipz finally did.
Zipz are shoes that have covers which completely unzip, so you can interchange covers and soles whenever the mood – or dirt – strikes. Ingenious.

It all started six years ago at a family gathering. The kids kept changing their shoes while playing dress-up, while others got theirs so muddy they had to put on different ones. Jerry Stefani mentioned to some of the other parents watching the fashion show that someone should come up with an interchangeable shoe.

Six years later, after much trial-and-error, Jerry and his brother, John, have created Zipz.

These are really fun shoes. They are similar in style to Vans or Converse. But they have a very comfy memory foam insole, and the canvas covers are thick yet soft.

And, frankly, they’re more fun. You can choose between three “souls”:  black, white, or 50/50. Then you choose your colors. Little kids covers come with Velcro up to size 11.

My six year-old son wears a youth size and got to pick between a high top, low top and zip-on style.

He was very excited to receive a skull-and-crossbones (skullz) patterned cover and another cover with flamez along with a pair of white souls. He can zip them himself and the zippers are durable enough to withstand all the yanking. My four year-old needed help to zip but it’s a fast and easy process for an adult or bigger kid (yes, they do come in adult sizes!).

You can order just a cover and a soul, and purchase different covers later. Or you can order a set, which comes with the cover of your choice and then a licorice black cover – it’s almost like getting two pair of shoes in one.

Zipz are definitely a smart answer for our fickle, fashion-conscious kids. Enter MWS10 at checkout to receive 10 percent off your order.

Zipz provided samples for Mommies With Style.

Normally I would not consider a tour of the offices and design lab of a shoe company a rare treat, but my recent tour of Sole Technologies and Etnies, was the rare exception. I had the privilege of a behind the scenes look at what goes into the design and technology of this popular brand of skater shoes, based in Southern California. You’ve probably seen Etnies in a store near you, but if not, you can shop for Etnies online.

One thing that makes this company unique are that they are the only brand designed around the community of skateboarders, and with their needs in mind. Skateboarders are phenomenally hard on shoes and the sport is famous for eating your shoes alive. Think about it – every time a skateboarder flips up the board with their toe/side of their foot, and the shoe contacts the sandpaperlike deck of the board, it’s gonna wear on the shoe. Furthermore  skateboarding exerts the most force on joints & feet of any sport. When skateboarders land their jumps, the force on feet and joints can be more than 5x that of their body weight. Probably why you don’t see a lot of old fat skaters on the rails!

What does all this mean to parents who are shopping for kids shoes? I think it means that skater shoes are a great choice whether or not your kid skates. They are durable. They absorb shock well. They are well ventilated. They are designed to perform. And when it comes to skater shoes, Etnies are the best. I won’t go into all the technical details – you can see some more  information about the testing process and technology behind these shoes in my Whrrl story about our Etnies visit, but suffice to say, these are the shoes I want my son wearing when he jumps off the playstructure at school! My son broke his foot landing a jump early this fall, and I had to wonder if that would have happened in more supportive and cushioned footwear.

Etnies was very good to us, allowing us to shop in the company store and giving us a gift certificate to use to try out some of their shoes. I went straight to the kids shoes and picked out something from their “Grow With Me” line of toddler shoes. Not only did the shoes that I picked look awesome, but I love that they were really highly engineered with the needs of toddlers and parents in mind.  The “last” used in the design cradles the foot, unlike many traditional shoes designs. The shoe also has a (brilliant!!!) removeable insole that gives you an extra half a size to grow into. That translates to these very durable shoes lasting much longer.  Kudos for the wide velcro opening that makes getting them on and off a snap too. My 20mo didn’t want to take these off and would not even let me come close to take off the tag, he loved em so much.

It’s nice to know the technology and personality that lives behind a brand you see often in stores. I’m genuinely impressed with the passion and commitment to technology  behind Etnies. Who knew skaters were such geeks?! And who knew that scientists at MIT and experts in the automotive/materials industry all have played a role in the development of this fashionable brand.

As my pregnant body continues to grow, it’s become increasingly difficult to spend a full day in heels.  Don’t get me wrong – I’m not tossing all of my finest footwear into the back of my closet just yet, but most mornings I’ve been sliding on a pair of flats for comfort.    The newest pair to make it into my shoe rotation is a pair of Ariat Strathmore clogs.      

Normally when I think of clogs I picture nurses walking the corridors of a hospital…not anymore.  Ariat has managed to take the comfort and support of a clog and add some style and flair.  What results is a great everyday shoe that can be appreciated by all women who need to take a break from their heels.  The greatest thing is that they still have a bit of a heel allowing me to wear longer pants without tripping all over myself…something that’s much easier to do now that I’m 5 months pregnant.

Ariat’s co-founders set out to make the world’s most innovative performance riding boot.  Since their first pair of boots shipped in 1993, they’ve expanded their focus to include riding boots, work boots, and casual footwear.  All of their shoes are designed with the highest quality materials to dramatically reduce fatigue and stress to feet, legs and the lower back; a pregnant woman’s dream shoe!

They even have kids’ shoes! 

Zareen, a Mommies with Style writer, was able to share a pair of Ariat’s children’s boots with her daughter:

Mia’s been kickin’ it in a pair of Ariat boots this fall.  She loves them because they are 1. pink and 2. “cowgirl boots”.  Very important criteria in her little world.  I love them because they are 1. adorable 2. durable 3. functional in any kind of weather and 4. she very willingly puts them on in the morning.

Mia’s been wearing the Ariat ProBaby boot in distressed brown/pink camo.  They are cute and well made.  They have an 8″ height and come with Ariat’s “Booster Bed” that provides extra wiggle room for growing feet.  Comfort, style, durability – what else could you ask for in a child’s boot?

The ProBaby boots retail from $71.99 and can be found at 6pm.com.  Ariat’s full line of footwear can be found at retailers such as Zappos, OnlineShoes, The Walking Company, Amazon, and Shoes.com.

Samples of Ariat’s shoes were kindly provided for this review.

Why shouldn’t shoes for kids be fun? Monkey-Toes makes adorable insect and animal themed hand-painted canvas sneakers. Designed by Jenny Ford, mom of two (with another on the way), all of their shoes are hand-painted in the USA with non-toxic paint. Matching socks are also available.
We were thrilled to review a pair of Monkey-Toes’ Glow Bug Handpainted Mary Janes -with glow in the dark eyes ($35). The canvas mary janes were absolutely darling and went with practically everything. They stayed in great condition, even with multiple playground visits. The best thing – my child loved having me put these cheery shoes on!

The Glow Bug shoes are a limited edition — so grab them while you’ve got the chance! Monkey-Toes offers many other terrific shoes, like their Wowie Cowie ($31), Buzzy Bees ($31), and Flutterflies ($31) — plus plenty of others. Their Rowdy Reindeer ($31) and Shivers the Snowman ($31) sneakers are perfect for the upcoming holiday season.

Think the Little Lady MJ’s look familar? Suri Cruise owned a pair (Oprah showed them off during a taping at Tom Cruise’s house in May 2008) – which was sent from Katja Presnal of Skimbaco.

Monkey-Toes are available online or from select retailers — click here for a list.

Sample Sneakers were supplied for reviewing purposes.

New Balance and PEANUTS® have released a new co-branded kids collection for the fall. Available in infant, pre-school and grade school sizes, the collection features some of PEANUTS®’ most popular stories; It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown, A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving and A Charlie Brown Christmas, using New Balance’s signature 574 running shoe.

We checked out the Thanksgiving Style for girls. It’ s an adorable beautiful chocolate brown suede with pink and yellow accents and features Snoopy and Woodstock playing in leaves. There’s a yellow furry tongue and the insole has a black and white PEANUTS cartoon inside –which  features Lucy trying to tie Linus’ sneakers.

Each shoe has EVA cushioning in the mid-sole and heel and a solid rubber out-sole for support. Choose from laces or a velcro strap. Sizes range from infant up to grade school. Suggested retail prices are: $43.00 for the Infant; $53.00 for the Preschool; and $65.00 for the Grade School sizes.

The sneaker fit my toddler daughter perfectly and provided good support for her growing feet. This is her second pair of New Balance Sneakers – her first sneaker worn this past spring and summer (purchased by my inlaws) were from New Balance.

PEANUTS® Sneaker samples were provided by New Balance for review purposes.

Pediped® footwear’s Stars for a Wish Online Auction starts today and runs through November 5th on Charity Buzz. The Auction, benefiting the Make-A-Wish Foundation, features signed pediped® baby shoes from more than 50 celebrities; including Jessica Alba, Halle Berry, Molly Ringwald, Courteney Cox Arquette, Marcia Cross, Pierce Brosnan, Heidi Klum, and Kenny Chesney.

Silly Souls, aka Baby Gags, recently introduced a new line of unique baby shoes. Totally glitzy and eye-catching, even a newborn can be a dancing queen when she crowns her toes with their pearlized shoes. And little future Mick Jaggers will love kickin’ and screamin’ with the new Rock Star baby shoes in silver.

Made of PU Athletic leather (ie no animal products) with rubber soles at the heel and forefoot, these shoes aren’t made for walkin’ but sure are made for giftin’ in the cute lunch-box style boxes.

Over the summer something strange happened. We had a wild and crazy growth spurt that hit all four kids. Our grocery bill skyrocketed and they grew without precedent. As much as they gained in height however, the most startling growing occurred at ground level. I’m talking about my children’s feet. 2-3 sizes each from June’s measurements. When faced with back to school shopping – shoes were #1 on my list. Can’t start kindergarten bare footed after all!

My first virtual stop to shop for back to schools shoes was at the Vincent site. I always love to use their printable childrens Shoe Fitter that helps you choose the perfect size. Their selection is vast and their service top notch. The shoes I ordered came almost immediately. And my kids were thrilled. When was the last time your kids put on a new pair of shoes and started dancing? This was the case when my boys saw their new fall/school shoes from Vincent. They were so excited about the styles and so thrilled with the comfort that my five year old son announced these were his dancing shoes, turned on the music and proceeded to boogie on down. His 18m old little brother, not to be outdone, broke out his own moves. He was so in love with his red high tops that he wanted to sleep in them that night. My 5 year old was thrilled with the breathability of his sandal/shoes, and I was thrilled that they met school “closed toe” requirements. They are perfect season spanner shoes, which we will use through October here in California.

Falling in love with shoes is so simple when you are a child. The right color and comfy fit are all that’s really needed. As a mom I am a little pickier though. I love how reliable Vincent shoes are. They always offer a great fit and their shoes are beautifully crafted out of quality materials. Leather linings are standard. I cannot recommend Vincent highly enough!

Next stop on our tour de school shoes had us clicking on Umi’s back to School Shoes. I love this Euro styled line of shoes that comes in sizes that fit my baby on up to my 4th grade daughter.  Umi manages to tread the line between comfort and high fashion. Their styles are always spot on for trends and complement boutique and designer clothing perfectly. But they don’t just look good, they fit well as well. I reviewed Umi shoes last fall and am happy to report that the shoes I reviewed last year held up to so much abuse and constant wear from my kids that I put them top of my list for this year as well. These shoes are designed to support your child’s feet. My kids attend a school where active outdoor play is stressed and I felt great knowing that even when my daughter had on a cute pair of patent boots, she wasn’t going to miss a beat skipping around on the playground.

This year we are loving the Opera boot for my fashion concious daughter. It has a rubber sole and easy fit that will work for dinner out and double dutching. My sons are in love with the Dingo and Major styles of shoes that they got.  The dingo is flexible and perfect for my rough and tumble toddler to kick around the playground in. I really appreciate that the Dingo style works with more formal/dressy clothing for my 5yo son but fits & feels more like a sneaker.

Our last, but never least, stop for shoes, to complete our shoe wardrobe, was at Stride Rite. How can you go wrong at Stride Rite? These people have something for everyone. I’m particularly excited about their new SRT Sensory Response Technology that has taken their baby shoes to the very next level. It’s tricky as a parent dealing with a new walker. On the one hand you want a shoe that provides stability and protection. On the other, you know that the sense of touch is a big part of their balance. Babies walk best barefoot. The new SRT shoes are designed to preserve that sense of touch, while supporting and protecting your baby’s feet. The result is a shoe that makes them more sure-footed, comfortable and less likely to fall over.

No trip to Stride Rite would be complete for my 5 yr old son, without a new pair of Superball Sneakers. As far as he is concerned these are the only sneakers worth wearing. He will offer you scads of anecdotal evidence about their ability to make you jump higher and run faster than any other sneaker in the world. Who am I to argue? I love the concept of putting Superballs in the soles of the shoes, and I love the confidence and comfort it gives my son to wear them.

Stride Rite has so many styles to offer and for my daughter, there was also a “must have” pair of boots that fall in the fashion category. They are made by Jessica Simpson (yes, the same Jessica Simpson! She does kids shoes too!) and are so hip looking that I kind of wish I had a pair of my own. Sadly Stride Rite does not sell them in my size!

I’m thrilled with my kids back to school & fall shoe wardrobes. I feel so good sending them back this yr, knowing they all will be putting their best foot forward. Now no more growing, kids! At least not till spring!