footwear

The type of shoe I'm looking for really dictates where I shop. I want to note up front that I like quality shoes. I prefer shoes that will last through more than one child, and I want a shoe that is comfortable and made well. I avoid places like Payless because most of their shoes are stiff and of man-made materials. That's not to say that I haven't ever bought shoes from there. But when I have, it's for something that won't get worn very often (i.e. recital shoes or wedding shoes). What kid wants to wear a shoe that digs in to their ankle when they run? What toddler wants to learn to walk in a shoe that doesn't bend?

So here's a basic breakdown:

SNEAKERS - I have purchased from Target, eBay, zappos.com, and shoebuy.com. Zappos and ShoeBuy have free shipping both ways. This is a huge bonus because you can order, then try on, and ship back what doesn't fit. I do this often because my boys have wide feet, and many times I can't find what I need for them in a retail store. I LOVE eBay. But we'll save that discussion for another post.

ADULT DRESS SHOES - My favorite place is Aldo's. We both have wide feet and it seems that their shoes lean that way. The doc is on his feet most of the day and his days are long. Aldo's does a clearance twice a year. It's not necessarily in January and June like all the other stores, so you just have to keep an eye out. We like the style and everything is leather. Their shoes last a long time.

KID DRESS SHOES - Sears, Journeys Kids, or online are the places I have settled into for this category. Sears always seems to have a good selection. I hate driving all the way to a store, unloading 4 yahoos and all their gear, and then only finding 2 pair of shoes to choose from. My kids have always been a hard fit. Never have they been the kind that could buy the first shoe they try on. Sears also has a reward program that is linked to your phone number. So whenever you buy children's items (not just shoes) you get points, and eventually you get coupons or store credit after you've racked up enough. If you're going to spend money anyway, why not get a perk at the same time? Journeys Kids has benefited my children who are merging out of kid sizes and into adult sizes but aren't quite there yet. Those large kid sizes are really hard to find and on more than one occasion we've found something decent there. And, when retail doesn't give you what you need, scour the internet! My 2 favorite shoe websites were already mentioned above.

KEEN SHOES - If you have never heard of Keen Footwear, you can take a look at their website and see what they sell. Their shoes last forever! They make the best rugged outdoor adventure sandal I've found. My favorite place to buy them is at REI. Online REI has an outlet section and often will sell Keens that are old colors or previous year styles at huge discounts. You can have your order shipped to a store for free. Their return policy is unbeatable. Just prior to Labor Day they clearance out all their sandals that they had stock of from the summer. And in January you can find some great boots on clearance.

FLIP FLOPS - Of course you can pretty much find them anywhere these days, but my store of choice is Old Navy on this one. Their 2 for $5 price tag is good enough for me and they will usually last more than one season if you're passing them down to other children. I've tried ones from Target and Walmart and they just have fallen apart on me. They sometimes have ones with thicker soles for more money. But again, I've found they last longer. I have a pair with fabric straps that I bought in 2000 for $6 and they're still going strong.