*Image above of mini on Palm Sunday two (!) years ago (!!) wearing these adorable Namoo linen shoes (05.). Get the look for less with these or these!
01. // 02. // 03. // 04. // 05. // 06. // 07. // 08. // 09.
11. // 12. // 13. // 14. // 15. // 16. // 17. // 18. // 19. // 20.
My top recommendation for warm weather shoes for toddler girls are Cientas in either the t-strap (09.) or Mary Jane style. They work with dresses or shorts, wear like sneakers, can be worn with or without socks — and I like the timeless, slightly dressy look. Mini already has a few pairs in solids and ginghams as we ease into warmer weather. Navy and pink are always good starting points for our wardrobes in the summertime! You can get this look for less with this $13 pair (20.)!
I also liked Cientas in navy and white for micro last summer, but am debating whether the t-strap might be a little too baby-ish for him this year. I think I will probably go for the plimsoll style (15.) in blue or try the Keds Graham style in khaki or red (11.), which I know a lot of you LOVE for your little men. (I learned from Bridget that you can keep them looking spiffy by putting a tiny scoop of powdered Tide in hot water and then scrubbing them with an old toothbrush! I tested this recently on some marked-up rain boots and scuffed-up Cientas and it really did work well!). I also love velcro Supergas, so will buy him a pair of those, too. They are a little sportier than the Cienta/Keds look — somewhere between Cientas and a New Balance.
And every little boy needs a pair of Sperry boat shoes (16.)! This particular style runs a tad big and is genius because the entire upper part velcros (no lacing/tying necessary). I bought them for micro to wear on Easter and he’ll be wearing them all summer long!
For sandals, historically, I have bought mini and micro Sun Sans (I love the sweetheart style in white or pink for mini and the Sea Wees (14.) in brown for micro). They’re fantastic because they are waterproof and they have a nice thick rubber sole for padding around the splash pad / beach / puddles / city streets. I do have to say they take a bit of wearing in — the leather can be rather stiff and mini did get a blister or two from wearing them the first few days of the season; plus, you have to buckle them, which is very difficult for small children to do on their own. This year, I am going to try Footmates’ variation on the same theme (01.), which people tend to prefer because of the velcro versus buckle closure. I love the mint and lavender colors but debating whether white is a safer bet…
For athletic shoes, I have been buying mini Vejas (08.). They are incredibly sturdy and well-made, and I like the style. I will probably buy some for micro, too, but he’s been rocking these New Balances (13.) at the moment.
For dressy shoes, I am going to go with a pair of these gorgeous La Coquetas (06.) for mini. We have been Elephantito wearers in this house forever, but I like the colors and slenderness of the strap that La Coqueta has at the moment. These under-$20 scalloped styles are also beyond adorable and come in fantastic colors. For boys, I like these Elephantito loafers (12.)!
As we head towards summer, Natives (02.) are a go-to of ours for making our way through New York City’s splash pads! I like the milk pink for mini and the red for micro. I’m sure everyone’s already tried these, but they are amazing because you can literally wash them in the sink/hose them down.
A couple of other spring shoes I love for this season…
THESE MINI MELISSAS — I KNOW PEOPLE RAVE ABOUT THIS BRAND!
SOME OF THESE UNDER-$20 SNEAKERS COME IN ADORABLE PRINTS (07. & 17.)
TINY GINGHAM RUFFLE SANDALS FOR AN ITTY BITTY GIRL
THE AFOREMENTIONED $13 CANVAS SNEAKERS — CUTE IN BOTH COLORS!
FOR SLIGHTLY OLDER GIRLS, THESE CANVAS BALLERINAS (04.) ARE ADORABLE, REASONABLY-PRICED, AND COME IN GREAT COLORS
CHUS ARE PRECIOUS AND COME IN GREAT COLORS — THOUGH I PERSONALLY THINK THE QUALITY IS INFERIOR TO CIENTA
ITTY BITTY JACK ROGERS (MEEP)
BIRK-LIKE SHOES FOR A TINY FOOT
CLASSIC CHUCK TAYLORS IN WHITE (19.)
THESE SANDALS LINED IN A STRAWBERRY PRINT ARE DARLING
FLORAL SNEAKERS WITH A BOW! (03.)
POOL SLIDES FOR BIGGER KIDS AND LITTLE KIDS (18.) IN GREAT COLORS ($10/POP!)
CUTE CANVAS SNEAKERS WITH FLORAL LACES
P.S. All the best shorts for your little ones.
P.P.S. Great activities to preoccupy children when indoors/at restaurants/in car.
P.P.P.S. Quiet thoughts on parenting followed by some auspiciousness in the same department.
I used to really love Native shoes — especially the floral print ones! However, I found that they are only easy for my toddler to put on if they are slightly large. Once they fit correctly, she struggles to put them on, but then I don’t want her to wear them yet if they don’t fit right. And of course we are at the stage of “I want to do it myself!” and the resulting frustration of not being able to do it and not wanting to accept help either. I learned about a “dupe” from Dick’s Sporting Goods from Jean (Extra Petite blog), which has a Velcro closure. So much easier! I got her the “teal” ones (which are more like turquoise/mint) for under $10. So much easier to put on! I’ll have to see how they hold up this summer as she’s pretty hard on her shoes. (You can search “DSG Toddler EVA Slip-On Shoes” if the link below doesn’t work!)
https://www.dickssportinggoods.com/p/dsg-toddler-eva-slip-on-shoes-19qyfbvslpnblbtdxggs/19qyfbvslpnblbtdxggs?sku=19828477&camp=CSE:DSG_92700048881862687_lia_pla-827498799028&segment=&gclid=Cj0KCQjw4cOEBhDMARIsAA3XDRgDrcuBizCJfCOxTVVj_MGHBYkwpnat8GOs0KyFYbMv3qR8MhOYsFYaAmNWEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds
Thank you for the tip! Can totally see how that battle would play out. Mini hasn’t been too fussy about that yet but I can imagine it happening!
xx
Very curious to hear your review of the footmates sandals! We are on pair #3 of the Sun Sans and Velcro *would* be easier…but I like the classic buckle look, even if I have to buckle them myself. Also, we just got some classic chuck taylors in pink, and I would agree with Nordstrom’s advice to size down. I always think new, larger shoes make my daughter’s feet look huge at first, but these looked clown shoe huge! Better too big than too small though…
Ooh I know, I am such a sucker for aesthetics. I will for sure report back on Footmates. It’s funny because I am going velcro with that sandal but I now have TWO PAIRS OF LACE-UP SNEAKERS FOR HILL. What am I thinking.
xx