Back-to-Preschool Shoe-tacular Review and Giveaway!: shooshoos

Ok, so let’s face it. I, like most Moms I know, want my baby to wear shoes at 0-6 months even though I know he doesn’t actually need to. Luckily, shooshoos makes adorable leather and suede shoes for the youngest of our babies; boys and girls alike.

shooshoos was started in 1996 in Cape Town, South Africa, to help disadvantaged communities and has now grown to sell its product in over 20 countries. Their large selection is also available on line at the shooshoos website.

At the off, these shoes appear just like Robeez. The upper is made of soft supple leather while the sole is suede leather. In further comparing these two brands, there are several positive differences in the shooshoos’s construction. The shooshoos’s leather and suede is thicker, so top to bottom, baby’s foot is better covered. Once baby is crawling and cruising, the extra thickness would seemingly (Adam is obviously not doing this yet, so I can’t be 100% sure) keep the shoes from wearing through as easily- especially at the toe which gets dragged around more than the rest of the shoe. The elastic around the ankle is fully enclosed, meaning the leather is sewn together below the elastic. This makes the cuff around the ankle smooth and less irritating than a pinched-off edge finishing. This style is easy to get on baby’s feet, too.

Adam has been lucky enough to try out the Navy/Red/Beige Sports version of the baby boy shoes. Currently they are a little large on his 6 week old feet, but darn if they aren’t so cute on him! I love the look of a real shoe without the shoe actually being real. This pair has the simulated laces as well, a look I just adore. shooshoos makes a range of styles; some have velcro straps, some have a crossover strap closure, and some have this more standard elastic ankle. There are patterns to suit all tastes. There are cute decals, animals and flowers as well as the athletic shoe look. The color ranges are also wonderful, going from traditional to more trendy color combinations. These shoes are comfy and flexible but Adam was not able to shake them off (whew!). We got lots of compliments on the cute style.

Now for the official review (based on a four-star scale)

Design and Ease of Use- ****- Simple design, patterns that appeal to all tastes, easy to slip on little feet. Machine washable. Not much else to say.

Materials and Durability- ***1/2- I am going out on a limb with this as Adam hasn’t tested the durability enough (at six weeks, I can’t fault him that), but I believe that the thicker leather will make these shoes last longer and hold up better. The soft sole is excellent for growing feet and good grip in cruising and walking. All stitching is cotton and the dyes are non-toxic. It seems the shooshoos people have thought of everything.

Cost - $
$ under $20
$ $20-$30
$$ $30-$40
$$ over $40

The maximum price is $19.95- this is amazing for kids shoes! What a great price for such quality!

Size- shooshoos range from 0-24 month sizes, in 6 month increments.

Overall Rating- ****- A great new find for our family and I think others will feel the same. Shooshoos are soft leather shoes that are comfortable for little feet and allow baby to move easily. They are also easy for Mom and Dad to get on and off little feet. Shooshoos come in so many cute patterns. All of this at an extra reasonable price- definitely give them a try!


Would you like to win a pair of shooshoos for your little one? Visit the shooshoos website and check out all the available styles of these adorable shoes. Choose your favorite design and come back to tell us what it is. All entries must be received by midnight on September 17, 2008. Please click the following link to see our official rules for entering this giveaway: http://www.kidbuyproducts.com/2008/09/update-whats-new-at-kid-buy-products.html .