Back-to-Preschool Shoe-tacular Review and Giveaway - Nowali Moccasins

Isaac has discovered a new criteria which we should use to evaluate shoes: tastiness. You can see him here grubbing on his new Nowali moccasins. We are actually getting to put his new moccasins to more than just a taste-test today as it's only 56 degrees here in Chicago right now. We've got the windows open because I refuse to believe that summer is over already, and the house is a little chilly making his new moccasins the perfect thing to keep his little feet warm on an unseasonably cool day.

If you're not familiar with Nowali moccasins, they are a unique combination of sock and shoe. The soles are made of a soft, flexible leather which is also non-skid making them the perfect slipper for beginning walkers. The sock is made out of cotton and features double elastic at the ankle to help keep the moccasin on those active little feet. Isaac, who is just over 6 months, has been trying out a pair of the cars moccasins in the 6 month size. Seriously, has a kid ever loved a pair of shoes more? They are a little big on him yet, but stay on relatively well as long as he doesn't pull on them. Once he discovers them, he can't leave them alone, and eventually manages to pull them off. I don't fault Nowali because like I mentioned before, I've yet to find a pair of shoes that my children can't get off. They are determined little beings. I'm guessing that when they are a little bit more secure on his feet and ankles, he'll have a more difficult time pulling them off.


Since living in Chicago means that we have between 7 and 8 months of winter, we don't have the luxury of going barefoot in our home for very long. In January and February, the tile on our kitchen floor becomes painfully cold making some kind of foot covering a necessity. For Nadia, socks are fine now that she's a pretty confident walker, but for Isaac, he's going to need a little something more. I've found that most of the skid-proof socks we've tried don't provide enough stability for walking around on tile and hardwood. I really think that Isaac is going to get a lot of use out of his moccasins as he takes his first steps sometime this winter. The sock and shoe design will both keep is feet warm and offer him the stability he needs. Considering how big the 6 month size is on him right now, I'm guessing he'll be able to wear these for most of the winter which is nice.

Nowali began producing these moccasins in Sweden over 50 years ago, and they are still making them in almost the same way today. The stitching is all done by hand and the materials are high quality. You can expect these moccasins to be handed down to younger siblings. There are a ton of really cute styles, including my favorite, polka dots! Nowali is also committed to offering brand new styles each and every season! In addition to the moccasins, Nowali also sells some legit slipper socks. These socks have more of the non-skid material than any I've ever seen before. I'd love for Nadia to give them a try at gymnastics this winter. I wonder if they'd allow her to get enough traction for climbing the equipment? If so, it would be a great way to not leave with ice cold toes like we did last winter. Nowali also offers basic and patterned cotton tights for big girls, including some very cute ones that have stripes on one leg and polka dots on the other. They also sell these very intriguing suspender tights for baby girls. I loved putting tights on Nadia when she was small, but always hated how they cut into her fat little belly/waist. I think these would have been SO much more comfortable. I've never seen anything like them. Finally, mom and dad, if you don't want to be left out, you can buy a pair of moccasins for yourself, too.

The official review (based on a four-star scale):

Design and Ease of Use ***1/2- The slipper/sock combo is very unique. We'll get lots of use out of them this winter, I'm sure. They slip on just like socks which is incredibly convenient when dealing with squirming babies and toddlers. They are also super flexible and comfortable which means we can slip them on after the bath for those last few minutes of running around, but then don't have to worry about removing them or changing Isaac into socks before we put him to bed. In fact, he's napping in them right now!

Materials and Durability *** - As I mentioned before, these moccasins still are stitched by hand which is a nice touch. They appear to be made out of high quality materials which should stand up to lots of wear. I'm not 100% that they are designed to be worn outside of the house by children who are walking, but are definitely warm enough for non-walkers and crawlers to wear when you're out and about.

Cost - $$

$ under $20

$$ $20-$30

$$$ $30-$40

$$$$ over $40

While the most current styles sell for $24.95, you can get a real deal on some of the clearance styles. Some are selling for as low as $12 which is a steal!

Nowali moccasins are available in sizes 3M, 6M, 12M, 18M, 2Y and 4Y and 6Y. Soon, they will be offering select sizes in sizes 8Y and 10Y as well. You can also purchase them in adult sizes if you don't want to be left out! Nowali makes it easy to buy the correct size. Simply measure your child's foot from heel to toe and then refer to Nowali's handy size chart to ensure a proper fit.

Overall Rating *** - I mentioned that I don't really feel like these are designed for running around a playground, but for keeping toes warm on cold, Chicago floors, I think they are perfect. I also expect that Isaac will be sporting them around town this fall and winter before he learns how to walk. They are easy to get on and serve the function of both shoe and sock which is not only unique, but also incredibly functional. You can purchase Nowali moccasins, as well as the other foot coverings I mentioned, on their website. Definitely check out the clearance section. They have some really cute styles at unbeatable prices!

Would you like the chance to win a pair of Nowali moccasins to keep the little toes in your home warm this winter? Simply visit the Nowali website and choose your favorite style. Come back here and leave us a comment about which one you like best, and you will be entered in our contest to win a pair of Nowali moccasins in your choice of style and size. All entries must be received by midnight on Wednesday, September 17th. Please only one entry per household and you must be 18 or older to win. We will choose one winner using random.org. Feel free to leave your email so that we can contact you when you win, but also know that we will be submitting winner info to Prizey Winners. You can view all of our official rules here. Thanks for reading and Good Luck!