OT-where else besides stride Rite?

[MrsJ Henry]

Where else do you get your toddler's shoes? We got her first pair of walking shoes at Stride Rite but I'm wondering where else do people get their little one's shoes?

 

[Elmo888]

Nordstrom and zappos.com (free shipping and free return shipping!). I love See Kai Run shoes (very flexible soles), and they have them at zappos.com. I think that I have also bought them at dandelionbaby.com. (Zappos.com also has free overnight shipping on business days if you order by 1 pm Pacific - almost instant gratification)

I'm shoe shopping for DD now, and I keep going back to the See Kai Run shoes. They just fit her so well!

Enjoy!

 

[SnowWhite12]

We bought the first pair at Stride Rite, when she first started walking b/c we wanted really good quality. Now that she is 2 1/2 years old, we buy them at Rack Room Shoes or Payless. Usually the Sketchers at Rack Room are really good and comfortable. I bought her some Nike tennis shoes at Kohl's on sale. Her foot size changes so rapidly that I just can't justify paying top dollar. (It would be different if she were having problems and needed special shoes.)

 

[daisyduck123]

We only used Stride Rite or Nordstrom.
We still only use Stride Rite for DS9....although now he's in their largest size.

 

[My2Cinderellas]

I still go to Stride Rite. Their sizing does not run consistent, but the staff at the store I go to are generally well trained and know how the different styles run. DD7 has extra wide feet that are difficult to fit, so I pay the $$$ and get her good shoes. New Balance wides fit her when we can find them, and also Lands End has kids wides and they are wonderful! I was so excited to spend just under $20 for a pair of sandals this year.

DD9 I can find shoes anywhere for her, but I still stick with well made brands. About half the time they are from Stride Rite because we are there shopping for my other DD. The only time I go cheap is for dress shoes that are worn for a couple of hours on Sunday, usually from Target.

 

[Princess Roo]

I've asked 2 pediatricians at our practice who both have small children and they said that as long as the shoes fit, the brand doesn't matter. Carter's brand shoes seem to fit DS really well, so we've been getting them at Kohls.

 

[mom2aredhead]

I can't justify more than about $15.00 per pair since they outgrow them so quickly.
And I buy sneakers whenever/wherever they're on sale as long as the size is bigger than what he is wearing now. Sneakers are generally not seasonal so you can wear them whenever, so if he's a 9 now, he'll be a 10.5 at some point...

 

[bumbershoot]

I have never been big on the big clunky shoes for little ones, so our guy was in his Robeez for a LONG time. Then we moved up to See Kai Run, which are just incredible shoes. They are so flexible in the sole, and are very very cute.

One place I have wanted to buy from, but still haven't, is preschoolians.com, because I like the way you can see through the bottom of the shoe for the fit.

Other than that, DS had one pair of used Stride Rite sneakers that were great, and now he's in Buster Brown sandals, a Stride Rite dress shoe/sneaker hybrid, and a brandless Buzz Lightyear shoe he saw at Disneyland...

 

[Aneille]

My guy is in Stride Rite shoes and Robeez. My favorite right now is a T-Rex hard soled shoe by Robeez. He wears those when he's not in his Sailboat soft soled Robeez.

We shop mostly at Marshalls though. The Marshalls nearest me has the best shoe selection. All very nice brand name children's shoes.

 

[Disney_Dreaming]

I purchase my son's shoes at REI, Stride Rite and Kohl's.

 

[scrapquitler]

Walmart and Payless.

 

[blana]

We had a lot of Shoo-shoos when DS was smaller, but now that he's a "big boy" we get him mainly shoes from Walmart. Thomas the Tank Enginee sneakers are a hit, and no where near the cost of Stride Rites, even at the outlet store.

 

[MomWith2Cinderellas]

Where else do you get your toddler's shoes? We got her first pair of walking shoes at Stride Rite but I'm wondering where else do people get their little one's shoes?

This may sound really tacky, but I use to go to Stride Rite have my daughter measured. Than I would come ome with the shoe size and order the shoes I wanted from Shoebuy.com!
It saved me big bucks in the long run.

 

[lizally]

Payless has a line of shoes for toddlers called "Smart Fit." They are quite nice and comfortable feeling...they remind me of Stride Rite shoes, actually, but a whole lot cheaper!

 

[Stasieki]

My dd also wears Puddle Jumpers (I think that is the name) - at work right now so am not 100% sure. She actually LOVES wearing them. I usually get them 1/2 size too big so they last 2 seasons, too.

 

[zoemurr]

This may sound really tacky, but I use to go to Stride Rite have my daughter measured. Than I would come ome with the shoe size and order the shoes I wanted from Shoebuy.com!
It saved me big bucks in the long run.

Or I have been known to order the same shoe in 2 sizes and return one, since they have the free return s/h. With a $10 off coupon and the 10% I usually get a good deal, and they come quickly.

does your toddler have wide feet? My kids are now 6/8 and both need wides.. I can't buy cheaper shoes even lands end, sketchers and llbean don't usually fit, and nothing at Target or Walmart even come close. I have no idea what we will do when we ourgrow Stride Rite XW. I have also gotten good deals on them at Marshalls. I have never bought a pair at the SR store, as they are crazy $$ and we have an outlet an hour away.

 

[My2Cinderellas]

Or I have been known to order the same shoe in 2 sizes and return one, since they have the free return s/h. With a $10 off coupon and the 10% I usually get a good deal, and they come quickly.

does your toddler have wide feet? My kids are now 6/8 and both need wides.. I can't buy cheaper shoes even lands end, sketchers and llbean don't usually fit, and nothing at Target or Walmart even come close. I have no idea what we will do when we ourgrow Stride Rite XW. I have also gotten good deals on them at Marshalls. I have never bought a pair at the SR store, as they are crazy $$ and we have an outlet an hour away.

Have you tried the Lands End WIDES in the kids sizes? you have to order them, Sears only has the regular width, but the velcro sandals worked for DD this summer. She can't wear the regular width from LE, just the wide. they introduced the wide width last spring.

If you have boys, once they hit adult sizes, the best selection of men's extra wide shoes that I've found for DH is Dunham. they are a division of New Balance and come in a wide variety of styles. DH has leather sandals, casual leather shoes and dress shoes, all bought on line, usually from shoebuy but there are other sites as well. He needs a 4E width and they are tricky to find around here. Heck, even Crocs didn't fit him...

 

[**eeyore**]

This may sound really tacky, but I use to go to Stride Rite have my daughter measured. Than I would come ome with the shoe size and order the shoes I wanted from Shoebuy.com!
It saved me big bucks in the long run.

Don't worry about tacky - I've done the same thing for my twin daughters. Now that I know their size though, I'm pretty much able to estimate when they need the next size up - my experience has been that most Stride Rite shoes are consistently sized. I can't justify buying shoes anywhere other than Shoebuy anymore - I'm almost always able to get 20% the shoebuy price with a discount code, then my additional 10% member discount, then my 13% sunshine rewards rebate, plus my 1% disney visa rebate - I keep telling my husband that they are practicallly paying ME to buy shoes from them! For some reason he doesn't agree with me!

Anywho, shoebuy is great - they have all sorts of great brands for kids - Stride Rite, Merrell, Ecco, Umi, Crocs...

 

[aprincess'smommy]

We buy shoes everywhere. My DD3 loves shoes. We buy her Puddle Jumpers (polka dotted adorable shoes) and crocs mostly.We don't really worry about the escalator thing since she's afraid of them anyway and loves elevators. Other than that we buy her mary janes at Target and her tennis shoes at Academy Sports. Her first non crib shoes came from Stride Rite also, but she hated them because they were not pink so we soon switched to New Balance and of course purchased PINK

 

[kribit]

My kids are 5 and wear primarily Stride Rite. Last year I bought shoes from Lands End and they wore well too.

ETA: - We usually buy at the Stride Rite Outlets (1/2 the price tham the regular stores).