Well. She won’t eat her rice pudding again, as she would rather be skipping about in her shoes that are free of harmful dyes and toxins such as Lead, Mercury, Arsenic, Cadmium, Antimony, Selenium and Barium.

Available over at Satara, these darling Mary Janes are all I would shod my daughter in, if I had one.

Classic, safe and so much nicer than sneaker shoes that light up and scare pets as they burst into battery operated song, Mary Janes almost guarantee a well behaved child. (How can one have a tantrum in shoes so sweet?)

Honestly.  These shoes look lovingly cobbled by doe eyed elves. And will go perfectly with all that is smocked.

Thank heavens for proper little girl shoes.

(And rice pudding.)

Warning: If you are from Fort Lauderdale, and are a “Topsider” purist, this will offend you.

You know you grew up in Fort Lauderdale if you had an entire drawer full of bathing suits, you have had to figure out what to do with green hair (if you were blond), you have seen as many Manatee as Georgians have ‘coons, and you had at least four pairs of Sperry Topsiders. If you grew up within 10 miles of The Galleria in the 80′s, those Topsider laces were curled into spiral things, rather than tied in a bow. It looked “totally wicked” with your double layer of pastel colored Polo shirts (both collars up). Just the thing to wear as you stole macaroons from the LYC.

Sadly, Topsiders have yet to go “green” – but Timberland has created a line of “greener” boat shoes that, though not Topsiders, are suitable for a go on your runabout.

From their site:

• 100% organic cotton canvas and burnished leather uppers from a silver-rated tannery
• Lightly padded collar for a comfortable fit around the heel
• 100% recycled PET and 100% organic cotton linings
• 360-degree lacing system for optimum adjustability
• 100% recycled polyester laces
• Outsole made with 5% recycled rubber
• Rustproof hardware

I know that Sperry-lovers will never buy them – but they ARE better for the environment, and that means better for the Manatee.

(Slight exaggeration, but it all ties in.)

Happy boating!

I must of had at least 10 argyle sweaters when I was in high school. Normally that wouldn’t be impressive – but I lived in Florida.

These too sweet organic argyle shoes are from Franny & June, via Etsy. Clearly they don’t live on East Coast, or they would develop an entire line, open a shop on the Cape and become zillionaires.

If you know a couple who think it’s quite normal to have trousers covered in little lobsters – this is the gift for them.

Happy Friday!

I’ve been searching for spring shoes for my boy – and I came across Bobux, a company that uses only eco-leather that is safe enough to go in babys’ mouth to create it’s tootsie confections.

I will not be buying these…

As I much prefer these…

Molly, our puppy, asked that I buy Alden these…

But I am most likely going to buy him these…

Bobux shoes are not only made of eco-leather, but they are Velcro free (honestly – our kids are in such a hurry that we need Velcro?), and only a few have laces (choking/strangulation hazard).  These are just safe and easy slip ons that every mum has time for.

Happy trails!

My son, via his Pa, has family in Wisconsin. (No, he will not be wearing a cheese hat as long as there is breath in my body.) And though I’ll dress him in blazers and Madras – when he has to travel “up North”, I know that “dungarees” are more suitable. (I am guessing that baby blazer sales are quite low up there in those them parts.)

These sweet organic overalls are just the thing for a trip to the woods. They seem as rugged as one expects overalls to be – and they don’t sport a huge “G” on them (mid-westerners will get that).

Coupled with these vegan booties – I think my boy will be just about as “country cute” as one can manage.

When in Rome….

(Well. One would rather actually BE in Rome, wouldn’t one….)

I’m planning a trip to my beloved London in May, and was plotting out “green” baby shopping….

…when I came across these I-must-have-them-right-now-or-I’ll-just-die shoes from No Sugar Added. Not only are these adorable shoes free of chrome, nasty dyes and all those other cheap Made In China additives – they are BIODEGRADABLE!  Oh, bless them, bless them.

I am SO ordering a pair!

Wot!

This is not a post about Chicago baseball.  I would never do that to you.

This IS a post about cozy socx  for your wee one that he is unlikely to wiggle out of, or that Molly – I mean – your dog, is unlikely to be able to pull off.

It’s almost November, and these Beba Bean  socx are perfect for junior to wear about the maison as those wooden floors look warmer than they actually are.

Note: Great gift idea, as you don’t need to get the size perfectly right.

Go Cubbies!

Think about the sidewalks that you walk on.  Think about the bottom of your shoes.  Think about the only way that that canine and human fecal matter, rat urine, throw up, spit, pesticides, lead, mercury,  petrol, tar, squirrel what not…all get into your house.  You walk it in.  And you leave all of that bacteria on your floor, and in your carpets.  The same ones your baby sits on.  And picks everything up from to lustily place into his mouth. The ones you then walk barefoot on before you jump into bed.  Ick.  Ick. Ick.

How anyone allows outside shoes on in their house - confounds me.  Would you let your child lick the bottom of your shoes? Exactly. 

Aside from the above, this, from the EPA:

“The potential impact of indoor air quality on human health nationally is considerable, for several reasons. Americans, on average, spend approximately 90 percent of their time indoors, where the concentrations of some pollutants are often 2 to 5 times higher than typical outdoor concentrations. Moreover, people who are often most susceptible to the adverse effects of pollution (e.g., the very young, older adults, people with cardiovascular or respiratory disease) tend to spend even more time indoors.  Health effects that have been associated with indoor air pollutants include irritation of the eyes, nose, and throat; headaches, dizziness, and fatigue; respiratory diseases; heart disease; and cancer.”

How does a great deal of that lovely pollution end up in our homes?

“…when people enter buildings, they inadvertently bring in soils and dusts on their shoes … from the outdoors, along with pollutants that adhere to those particles.”

According to the EPA’s “Door Mat Study“  lead-contaminated soil from the outside causes almost all the lead dust inside homes.  Trust me.  You  already have enough lead dust in your home. The same study explains that leaving your shoes at the door reduces your families exposure to lawn and garden pesticides, industrial toxins, mutagens and all manner of allergens.  (I would of added rodent poo and college student kegger vom.  But the EPA didn’t measure those sidewalk delights.)

The American Academy of Pediatrics  recommends that you to leave those Manolo’s at the door, as does the American Lung Association. 

So.

Why in the name of all that is holy would anyone, ever, allow shoes in their house?

If you are too embarrassed to ask people to remove their shoes, perhaps one of these signs  will help, as well as having a nice bench, rack or mat for people to place their kitten heels and driving mocks on.

You may also want to keep a stash of fresh socks or slippers for guests.

And if you have workers coming to the house – warn them in advance to wear clean socks.  I also keep hospital grade shoe covers  (ask them to double bag them), just in case.

It’s for the health of your baby and your family.

You’ll get used to it, as will your friends.

And if they don’t – sod’em. It’s the least they can do for free vino and nibbly things.

…sadly, she is me.  And if I were to live in a shoe – these would be it!  These darling things were not by mortal hands made – but spun by cobbler elves, of that I am sure.

Satch & Sol, (the employer of said elves), has a wonderful commitment to the environment, that will make you love these slippers even more – if that’s possible.

Okay.  Admittedly, the “Falstaff” shoes may a bit much (aren’t these the same children who wear capes or wings to school?), but I LURVE them!  Can you have enough polka dots?

And these “puppy” slippers are pure magic.  I think I’d curl up to sleep with them (if I didn’t leave all shoes by the door, that is). 

I’m sorry, but Crocs and sneakers that light up just don’t have the charm or inspire the delight that these do. 

Clap your hands if you believe in fairies….

I thought so….

As I have mentioned before – I think that crocs belong trolling the Nile, not on children’s feet.  And “sneakers”? For sports.  Full stop.  And though I detest the idea of velcro (really, are we THAT busy?), these Livie & Luca shoes feature the stuff subtly enough as not to look too “chi chi patti”, as we say in Panama.  (It doesn’t really translate.)

Sweatshop free, made of discarded leather with non-toxic glues, these tres European, easy to slip on shoes are too divine.  It can be quite difficult to find adorable boy shoes – so Livie & Luca  will be especially appreciated by the mums of little gentlemen.

Honestly. Wise owls? Nothing could be sweeter.

And for your wee lassies – are these pink boots not worthy of a duchess?

Magical mushrooms will take him on fantastical journeys…or to the Farmers Market.  Same thing when you are two.

So for the crisp and delicious Fall spare your child those plastic reptiles, or dingy tennis shoes when he hasn’t a racket – these Livie & Lucas  are what they should trod through the crunchy leaves with.

Cider anyone?