Review¦ I discovered Dottyfish when Autumn was a toddler. I previously worked on a review with them and was so impressed by their work with the London Podiatry Centre to make sure that their shoes help children’s feet to grow healthily. When I attended BlogOn in October, I was excited to see that since Autumn grew out of their shoes, their range has expanded. They now offer bibs to match some of their shoes and I was especially delighted by some of the Christmas designs they had on their stand. I am pleased to be working with Dottyfish again, this time on a review of one of their pairs of Christmas shoes for Reuben!
Foot Development
Reuben isn’t walking yet, but he frequently pulls himself up to stand. Of course, ideally he would be barefoot when standing and cruising. However, that just isn’t practical in the winter! As Dottyfish are ‘barefoot shoes’, they are the next best thing. In these shoes, he can still grip the floor thanks to their thin soles. Also, the contact points on his foot making contact with the floor will just be the same. This will enable him to retain just as good balance, helping his development. Not only that, but the flexibility of the materials that they’re made from will allow his feet to spread out. It’s so important for growth and development that their little feet aren’t restricted!
Jolly Snowman Shoes
Dottyfish have several designs that are perfect for winter and the festive season! I chose Reuben a navy pair with little snowmen on. They’re so cute and I especially love that the snowmen are wearing a rainbow scarf! Reuben is a rainbow baby, (plus I love rainbows), so anything with a rainbow on is a win for me. He has such a friendly, smiley face too!
When they arrived, I was pleased to find that they’re still made of super soft baby safe leather with a suede sole. Their shoes still come in an organza bag, perfect for gifting. For an additional cost, you can also add a ribbon and a gift note if you select gift wrap at the checkout. There’s also the option of a gift video message.
I showed them to Reuben and he took them from me. He inspected them, turning them over and over in his chubby little hands. He smiled at the snowman, then got angry as I confiscated them when he began to put them in his mouth.
If possible, use the size guide. I always suspected that Reuben had very big feet for his age. When I used the size guide, it was no real surprise to find out that my 9 month old needed size 12-18 months! They are the perfect fit length-wise. Thanks to the elasticated ankle and wide toes, these shoes are easy to put on (and stay on too!) The only thing that makes it difficult is a cheeky, wiggly baby! However, Reuben has such fat little feet that they only just go on him (thank goodness for the elastic, I haven’t come across any other brands that do fit yet). Reuben seems comfortable in them, though, and they look adorable.
Pricing
Jolly Snowman shoes are £12.99 for smaller sizes, or £13.99 for larger sizes. A matching bib is also available for purchase and prices include free standard UK delivery.
Disclosure: We were gifted the aforementioned shoes for the purpose of this review. As always, all views are honest and my own.