With Ella nearly walking, her need for robust, yet stylish shoes has led me up the garden path so to speak. Lets face it, the fact that I have had a girl has ensured that my love of shoes could only be strengthened. The options for little girls is endless: glitter, animal print, patent Mary Janes – oh my! However, it been my experience so far that I’ve not known where to turn when it comes to value for money. Buying shoes that look great, but withstand toddler treatment is a challenge. It’s also been a struggle to find the right size….for some reason stores only stock a small amount of ‘pre-walker’ sizes. Once I find the right shoe I’ve been struggling then to find a size that suits her right now!
I recently bought her a pair of shoes, only to lose on in the Supermarket the same day. I should have known that whilst the ‘elastic’ looked nice, it was not ‘Ella’ proof and she pulled them off within an hour. At least I received a nice phone call later in the day to say that the shoe had been found. My little Cinderella was then reunited with her glass slipper so to speak!
When it comes to advice, I’ve come to realise that the best solution is listen to your friends. So for those of you who are in the same boat as me, and struggling in your search for toddler shoes, here is a list of recommendations that Ella has tested and approved..
Any advice from my friend Amy is a sure thing. Her recommendation of the ‘Walnut’ brand has been fantastic. Super cute, sturdy shoes that come with the good old velcro strap.No more missing shoes in the supermarket. They are also a Melbourne company, so purchasing these helps out a local business! These Silver Mary Janes were our pick, but their entire range is gorgeous and at $29.95 quite reasonable..
‘Sprout’ footwear by Myer is super cute, and on sale at the moment..
Seed’s toddler canvas Mary Janes are also a must have if you can find the right size…
I have also found Babyology’s guide to buying baby and toddler shoes fantastic. A great range of hand made and Australian brands, with robust reviews for busy Mums and Dads. A great read for any parent. After my search, Ella is well equipped with a ‘few’ pairs to add to her collection. I recently added this photo to Instagram with the caption – ‘I think it’s a problem when…your baby daughter has more shoes than you’. In this case, I think it’s a problem…agreed?
*All images are linked to their original source.
