Shoe Review - Soft Star Shoes
A few weeks ago, when the temperatures in SoCal were soaring in the 80's, Shoemama bought a pair of the Laguna Sandals from Soft Star Shoes. A Preschoolians Sucks blog reader suggested Soft Star Shoes as a good alternative to Preschoolians, saying they were flexible and soft.The temperatures have since dropped below sandal weather, but what a great suggestion! Handcrafted by self-titled "elves" in Washington state, Soft Star Shoes are indeed a great soft-soled shoe option. They do have a limited selection and the shoes they produce definitely appeal to a certain Euro-style fashion sense. However, I am really impressed with the quality of the leather and the stitching on the shoes. The bottom of the soles are made from a dense rubber material (like a luxe flip-flop), which is thick enough to provide cushiony comfort, but which remains VERY flexible. This rubbery sole comes "standard" on size 4 and up while sizes 3 and under feature leather only.
Super-supple leather is stitched onto the sole in several pieces. The shoes feature elastic that goes around the ankle to keep the shoes on the feet. The elastic is wide and soft enough not to dig into the foot. Plus, the company offers to increase the length of the elastic at no extra charge if it is not wide enough to accommodate your child's foot. Soft Star Shoes also features a "Design Your Own" shoe, where you can choose style, color, leather cut-outs, etc (sounds familiar...). I didn't try out this option but seems to be a really nice extra for those who want something truly unique.
The sizing seems to run large. I used Soft Star Shoes' printable measuring device, which your child stands on to get their size. The measuring paper told me I needed a full size larger than Shoebaby usually wears, and I ended up with a VERY large shoe that is way too long for him, causing him to trip during our test "runs". I'll have to put the shoes away until summer. Also, I ordered them in wide, which was probably not necessary as the shoes already seem to take into account the wider width of children's feet.
Despite the fit issues, I am definitely going to keep the Lagunas, so I can't write about the quality of Soft Star Shoes' customer service team. The shoes did arrive within 5 days - which is not exactly instant shoe gratification but WAY better than Preschoolians. If anyone has had experience with exchanges or returns with this company, please comment and let us know how it went.
Once Shoebaby grows into them in a few months, he is going to look SO cool (and comfortable) at the beach and around town.
posted by shoemama at 9:28 AM
3 Comments:
I ordered our first Soft Star pair in early January 2011 -- they arrived and although they were cute (blue with rocket ship & star), they were way too wide. I had added a note to my order of his measurements but apparently they didn't see it. I called customer service and they took several measurements and made custom shoes for my little guy. I had to pay for these at the time I placed the new order and was then refunded the full amount for the other pair when they arrived at Soft Star. I paid for the all shipping on both pairs including return. The refund was prompt and the woman on the phone was incredibly helpful. The new custom shoes arrived in 5 days. Overall, this was a really pleasant experience. My guy loves his shoes! He's even worn them at the water park - I was told they could be used as water shoes -- but they did leave a bit of a blue stain on his feet. The only possible down side is that I have noticed his feet turning in a bit when he wears these shoes. This could be purely developmental but it's only when he's wearing these shoes which has kept me from ordering another pair. He's fine in his See Kai Runs and as soon as my preschoolians arrive (30 days and counting, ugh), I'll compare. He is also irritated by the tag sewn in to the lining on the inside of each ankle. I'll be removing those as soon as I find my little shears. lol
Smelly sneakers or rubber shoes need to be cleaned and washed immediately. Otherwise, this will breed bacteria that might trigger the appearance of skin diseases such as athlete's foot. But you don't have to do this manually. If you have a washing machine, you can do it using your washer.
THIS COMPANY IS TERRIBLE. DO NOT ORDER FROM THEM EVER. THEY HAVE THE WORST CUSTOMER SERVICE AND WE HAVE NOT RECEIVED OUR ORDER FOR OVER 2 MONTHS. THEY PROMISE A FREE PAIR AND DON'T RECEIVE THEM EITHER.
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