Baby Dress Shoes
Most of the time, babies could do without wearing shoes. Besides, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that babies do not regularly wear shoes until they begin to walk—and research suggests that babies should start out walking barefoot. But, parents sometimes bring their babies to formal events and to traditional, long-established ceremonies—and the parents do not wish to have their babies attend while wearing only socks. So, there will be times when babies need to wear shoes.
Choosing Baby Dress Shoes for Non-Walkers
When looking for baby dress shoes for non-walkers, some parents may be tempted to select the cutest shoes that they find—and, of course, there are some very cute dress shoes being sold these days! However, there are a few other factors that parents should keep in mind:
- Whether selecting dress shoes for a very young baby or for a beginning crawler, the recommendation is the same—be sure to choose shoes that have a flexible, soft sole.
- Keep an open mind about the style of baby dress shoes. There are many styles of soft sole shoes that will work very nicely with dress clothing, even if they may not be typical dress shoes. For example, Mary Jane styles for little girls are quite nice. As for boys, there are many styles that mimic the look of adult men’s slip-on driving shoes or slip-on moccasins.
- Be sure to get a proper fit. Either have a pediatrician measure the baby’s feet or visit a shoe store that sells baby dress shoes in order to ascertain the correct size. Or, check with some of the popular online baby shoe websites; many of these have free sizing tools that they will send out to interested parents.
- Select shoes that have safe and effective closures. Babies will try to remove their shoes; therefore, it is best to make sure that the shoes fasten well.
Choosing Baby Dress Shoes for Walkers
Babies who are beginning to walk or already walking have different needs in shoes than babies who aren’t yet walking. Here is what parents of walking babies need to keep in mind when choosing baby dress shoes:
- Avoid stiff, high-top shoes like the shoes that were recommended years ago; these are no longer suggested. Instead, parents should opt for dress shoes that are flexible. The shoes should allow the baby to use his feet to grip the floor and to maintain his balance while walking. The toe of the shoes should be able to bend up about 40 degrees.
- Check to make sure that the soles of the dress shoes are non-slip. If they are not (which can often be the case with baby dress shoes), parents can rub the soles with sandpaper to improve the traction.
- Purchase the correct size and the proper fit, as mentioned above for non-walking babies. Even though these are dress shoes and will not be frequently worn, do not be tempted to buy shoes with room to grow. Shoes that are too big will make walking difficult for the baby.
- After the baby has worn the shoes and walked around for a few moments, take the shoes off and look for red marks on the feet. Any red marks indicate improper fit. Redness on the sides of the feet signifies that the shoes are too narrow, for instance.
Shopping Online versus Shopping Offline
Most of the time, it is important to try on shoes before purchasing them. However, many people of all ages have had a great deal of success in buying footwear online. So, which is best for buying dress shoes for babies—online or offline shopping?
With offline shopping, parents will be able to take their babies directly to the shoe store. Staff members will be able to assist the parents in measuring the babies’ feet and in finding the right shoes. The babies are able to try on the shoes and walk in them (if they are walking already) before any decisions are made about purchases.
Online shopping is completely different. The parents must already know their babies’ shoe size before shopping, and the parents are completely on their own as far as hunting down styles of shoes. The babies are not able to try on the shoes until after they are bought and shipped.
This comparison makes online shopping sound quite unpleasant; however, this is far from the case. Online shopping has several advantages over offline shopping. Parents can shop online whenever they have time, such as when the baby is sleeping or late at night. Plus, there is an incredibly wide selection of baby dress shoes online—much more so than what is available in any offline shoe store. And, parents can find shoes in any size by searching different retailers. Probably the best advantage, though, is that parents do not have to ever deal with cranky babies trying on several pairs of shoes in a shoe store!
Some parents prefer one method of shopping over the other, of course. But, each can be a practical method for finding baby dress shoes.
Special Baby Dress Shoes
Some parents may want extra special baby dress shoes for an extra special occasion (a wedding, perhaps, or maybe a religious ceremony). Rather than search through dozens of online and offline shoe stores, looking for the perfect shoes, these parents can create their own personalized baby dress shoes.
Customized baby shoes are available at several different places, though most are easier to access online. Depending upon the shop chosen, various features of the shoes may be available for personalization. Different styles of shoes may also be presented as choices to customize.
Parents can opt to have the name of their baby etched onto the bottom of one baby dress shoe and the date of her birth etched on the bottom of the other shoe at one website. Another site allows parents to completely customize their shoes, choosing colors for all parts of the shoes. Personalization can really create unique and good-looking baby dress shoes.