Finding Shoes That Fit

When Olivia was a baby, her feet and ankles were too weak to wear shoes.  It took a lot to just get them on her feet and then to try to keep them on, well good freakin luck!  Imagine a kids foot always pointed straight down (she can't lift her ankles herself) - the shoe just wants to slip right off!

At that stage I considered myself lucky.  We just wore socks everywhere and I put on some pretty cute socks.  I didn't have to worry about losing shoes, or her out growing them, or really something else to spend money on.  I was a bit sad but really kind of relieved it was one less thing to worry about.

Now, with her new big girl braces, we can't find shoes to fit over them!

(New Braces - pink vs. Old Braces - purple)

The pink new braces are SO much bigger/ wider/ longer.  We have one cute pair of Adidas.  Olivia picked them out all by herself.  They are not wide so they have to streeeetch a lot to fit over the braces, but they work.

New balance makes wide and XW so that will be our next stop.  But what about dressy shoes?  If we go to a wedding or want to put her in a dress, does she have to wear tennis shoes??

I decided to do some legwork and find some good dressy options that may work with braces.  Did you know there are a few brands of kids shoes that do come in wide and extra wide?!  Not many, but they exist.

First, Stride Right makes wide!  They are kind of narrow though so it seems like extra wide would be better with her braces.

At the stride rite store they also sell Keds now (perhaps they bought it out??) that also come in W and XW.  Not as many cute dress versions as stride rite but heh - options are options!

As we cycle through more shoes, I will give updates.  Hopefully I can help other parents with braces navigate the shoe waters!

Be Happy.  Laugh.  Enjoy Chaos.