Giveaway! Eleven Collection Shoes

We finally had to retire Nadia's very first pair of Eleven shoes this summer. She had been wearing her Sofia mary janes for a good 9 months, but one day at the park, we somehow lost one. They were on her feet when we left the playground, but I believe one of them fell off when I was putting her in the car. She and I both loved those shoes for many of the same reasons. They were very easy for her to put on and take off with their elastic strap, they were beyond comfortable with their padded collars, and as far as durability goes, they made it through a Chicago fall, winter and spring, and most of a Seattle summer. Nadia wore them almost every day, rain or shine. They got wet stomping in the puddles, had snow dumped out of them numerous times, and climbed more play equipment than you can imagine. I'm certain she would have continued to wear them those mary janes until her toes grew through the end of them if we hadn't lost them. We were both so torn up over the loss that we made two or three trips back to retrace our steps, but alas, we never did find the missing shoe.

You can imagine our joy when the new fall Eleven Collection was released. There was a new version of our favorite Sofia, the Phoebe, which are the adorable shoes that Nadia is wearing in the picture above. The copper color with chocolate trim is very hip and while it doesn't scream baby, I don't think it's truly a "grown-up" shoe, either. The Phoebe has the same elastic strap as the Sofia had which has been great for Nadia's independence. We love the Phoebe, but also many, many of the other new styles. Click on Read more below for a look at the new fall Eleven Collection and to find out how to win a pair for your preschooler.

If you're not familiar with shoes from Eleven Collection, you can read my original review of them here. We are on our third pair of shoes from Eleven Collection, and I've only grown to love the brand more and more with each pair. The durability was really put to the test with Nadia's Sofias, and they outperformed my expectations. They can really stand up to the abuse a preschooler can dish out! They are a great playground shoe, and I never worry about Nadia climbing on the equipment or the rocks when she's wearing her Eleven Collection shoes. They are marketed as a shoe that comes ready to wear with no break-in period, and I have to say that I agree. I wish they made them big enough for me!

I promised a look at the new collection, and here it is:


I know, I know, I always start with a girls' shoe, but COME ON, these Helenas are gorgeous! Anyone who knows me personally knows that 99% of all my clothing is either berry or green!

Here is the Trevor, probably my favorite boys' style. I love the red and black which is totally toned done by the gray. Too bad Isaac is still too small for Eleven Collection.

Next up is the Mira. I love this shoe, too. Just like all the Eleven Collection styles, the Mira is very age appropriate. Not too babyish, but not too grown-up.

And finally, the Caper for boys. I heart the green and gray combo.

The older that Nadia gets, the clearer it gets that she and I are not always going to have the same taste in clothing and shoes. (Yes, we battle already!) However, there is one thing that we can always agree on, and that's her Eleven Collection shoes. They are comfy and cute and ultra-durable. If you have yet to experience a pair, maybe this fall is the time to do it! Priced at around $50 for the current styles, or $40 or even less for past season styles, they are about average in price for a pair of quality shoes for your preschooler. I know that it's unusual to get 9 months of wear out of a shoe because typically a child outgrows them sooner than that, but Nadia put 9 months of hard wear on her Eleven Collection shoes, and again, I was blown away by how well they held up. Available in sizes 9-3, Eleven Collection shoes are perfect for toddlers/preschoolers all the way up to kids around the age of 8. You'll never be disappointed in the quality, the comfort or the style when you choose Eleven Collection for your "big kids"!

And now for the giveaway. We have one pair of winner's choice shoes from Eleven Collection for one lucky reader. To enter, take a look at the latest styles from Eleven Collection. Come back here and leave us a comment about your favorite style NOT mentioned in this post and you'll be entered to win! All comments must be received by midnight on Monday, November 2, 2009. Winner must be 18+ and a resident of the U.S. You can read our giveaway rules here. Thanks for reading and Good Luck!