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Little (big) business: toddler shoes
Categories: Toddlers, Preschoolers, Kid Decor & Style, Shopping
Chances are, your kids have feet and those feet are, more often than not, enclosed in shoes when they go to the playground or park. The question is, what exactly are they wearing? Soon, they may be wearing Cookie Monster, Oscar the Grouch, and Elmo on their feet, thanks to a new line of shoes coming from New Balance. The deal is a first for both New Balance and Sesame Street. The shoes will sell for more than forty dollars a pair.I'm not a big fan of shoes on kids, but if they're going to wear them, I'd like them to be good shoes -- light and flexible and easy to put on. That's why I've been a fan of Tsukihoshi shoes for a long time. Now, however, companies like New Balance and Reebok are vying for a share of the toddler shoe market. But are these shoes worth it when the kids will outgrow them in a matter of months?
It's a tough call, of course. Do you spend the money for good shoes over and over again, or buy less expensive ones knowing that they'll only be worn a short while? And now, part of that decision is given to the kids who will undoubtedly be clamoring to see their furry friends on their feet.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Kerri 6-24-2008 @ 10:39PM
My son is 3, and I don't think I've spent more than $15 on a pair of his shoes. I just don't see the sense in paying a lot for a pair of shoes that will be outgrown in a couple of months. Now, if the shoes were going to be used for sports or something like that where the he would need good foot support, then I'd be more likely to pay more. But I think $40 for an everyday pair of shoes for a toddler is ridiculous! JMO
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mj12 6-25-2008 @ 10:11AM
I think proper support for growing feet is very important. Plus my eldest daughter is so rough on shoes that I have to get her better quality ones so they last through her version of quality testing.
I've had great luck with Stride Rite shoes for my girls and being girls they have some VERY cute ones too!
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Mel 6-25-2008 @ 10:37AM
I buy my 14-month old son's shoes at places like Ross or TJ Maxx, where I can get Nike, Adidas and Stride Rite shoes for less than $15/pair. You can have quality without paying too much. They may be last season's style, but with boys' shoes, you can rarely tell the difference anyway!
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Tamyu 6-25-2008 @ 7:09PM
I`ll be in the minority here and say that I do regularly spend $40~$50 on shoes for my son. Other than a heavily discounted pair (originally $40 something) that was $10, I have never spent less than $30.
I have reasons I feel are good enough to justify the expense in my mind. In the beginning, it was because my son`s feet were smaller than any "walker" sizes, although he was already walking. We tried some cheap baby shoes that *looked* like real shoes and discovered the ankle didn`t bend, the sole was hard as a rock, and that he couldn`t walk more than 5 steps without falling down. $60 specialty shoes? He didn`t have a single problem. It convinced me.
Now I stick with shoes that he is comfortable walking in (You can tell even with toddlers by trying them on and watching them walk around for a few minutes) and by the actual quality of the shoe itself. If I could find a shoe like that for $15, believe me I`d jump on it! But as we`ve tried on countless shoes, and haven`t encountered any like that, I`m happy to stick with paying for a shoe I feel comfortable letting him wear all day. I wouldn`t want to wear shoes that were uncomfortable or hard to walk in, and I don`t want him to have to (as I did as a child because "You`ll just grow out of them!").
To dish out for some character picture on the shoe though seems like a complete and total waste, and even if my son was interested there is *no* way.
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