Sneaker madness!

[MonicaH]

My DD doesn't have a pair of sneakers yet (at 16 months old). She's wearing SKRs right now and these are the most rigid shoes she has had so far.

I love the look of these Eccos http://www.zappos.com/n/p/dp/10814533/c/100579.html
but don't know where to find them IRL. Are they comfortable and flexible? What other brands should I look at. As much as I am picky about clothes, I am REALLY picky about shoes. Poorly made shoes are so uncomfortable.

Thanks,
Monica

[lilycat88]

As far as BM stores around Indy that carry Ecco kids, you might call Goodman's shoes on 86th Street, Stouts Shoes on Mass Ave downtown, Nordstrom, and Yates Stride Rite on 38th Street. Those are the only places that *might" have them or be able to get them for you. Nordstrom has the "boot" version of this shoe on their website I think. Richards shoes is a venerable kids shoe institution in Indy on 86th Street but I've not ventured up there yet. If you're looking for an unusual but still flexible shoe for her first sneaker, I'd probably go to Nordstrom or Richards to start.

People seem to love or hate Stride Rite but they have always done well for our DD. Not all of their shoes are as flexible as I feel they should be but they do have some. They actually worked better for her than the Ecco ones we've tried. But, it's been a while since we tried anything other than Stride Rite...why fix something that isn't broken.

[nfowife]

Those are cute. I have a different style of ecco MJ's I got on bbb swap for DD and they are quite flexible- definitely stiffer than SKR but still very flexible. She had no problem walking in them. For her main sneakers that she wears most of the time (as long as she is wearing pink!), she wears the pedoodles runners and I love them. They are super flexible and she gets tons of compliments!

[mommyoftwo]

You could also try preschoolians. We LOVE ours and they have some cute sneakers. You can't beat the flexibility and they sell their overstocks on ebay for around $20 with shipping. Or if you sign up for their newsletter, you get 15% off your purchase. You can even have custom sneakers made with whatever color combination you like. We've had several pairs now and I couldn't be happier with them.

[mom2emma]

My DD tried on these exact Eccos when she was a similar age. They were really cute and seemed to be flexible and she had no trouble walking in them. We ended up with a different pair of Eccos though!

Bess