The Jambu Rainbow Mesh - Vegan . . . Stylish, Sporty, Comfortable Flats

Having tried and fallen in love my first pair of Jambu shoes last fall, I was eager to test out a pair for the warmer months, during which comfort is key for someone like me, whose favorite season is autumn.  Over the past year, I have gradually replaced my less-than-comfortable heeled shoes with flat-soled shoes.  I have purchased several pairs of sporty flats, but I am having a difficult time adding to that collection because they are all starting to look too similar.  That is why I chose these Rainbow Mesh - Vegan Flats in Pistachio for myself.

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Like all other Jambu shoes, these have a unique look due to the attention to detail that Jambu has come to be known for . . .

In addition to grey being one of my favorite colors lately, what really attracted me to this shoe is the two-color twisted and knotted cording that spans the the heel and the vamp.  This is such a unique detail.  Also, this shoe has reflective strips across the Velcro strap, on the heel, and across the vamp, but these strips simply look grey like the rest of the shoe until light is directed upon them.  This makes the shoe look slightly less sporty, making them suitable to wear with a causal dress or skirt.

I wore the Jambu Rainbow Mesh shoes to my son's soccer game during a very unusual heatwave last week.  With other shoes, I have had the problem of their becoming uncomfortable the longer I wear them because my feet tend to expand slightly when I am warm and I have been on my feet for awhile.  I did not have any problems with this shoe because my feet never felt hot.  The mesh, as promised by Jambu, is very breathable.  Between the memory foam footbed, the rubber outersole and toe bumper, and the extremely secure Velcro strap, this shoe was comfortable enough for me to wear while warming up with my son before the soccer game.

Besides the style, comfort, and wearability of their shoes, Jambu is also known for its efforts to produce eco-friendly shoes.  The Jambu Vegan line of shoes is 100% animal-friendly.  The outersoles on all the shoes are made of partially recycled rubber.  The sturdy reusable shoe box is 100% recycled and recyclable, as are the accompanying shoe bags.

The Jambu Rainbow Mesh - Vegan Flat retails for $99.  To learn more about Jambu, visit Jambu.com and the Jambu Adventure Designs blog, as well as Jambu on Facebook and on Twitter.

The Jambu Tokyo Mary Jane . . . a Sporty Shoe with a Little Edge

Over the past 8 months, I have slowly been converted from being a loyal full time wearer of heeled shoes to a part time wearer of flat-soled shoes. I know that I feel taller and more confident in heeled shoes, but the comfort that flat shoes offer sometimes make me forget about that.  These Sporty Wedge Designs Tokyo Mary Jane shoes by Jambu have renewed my faith in heeled shoes.

One thing that bothers me about sporty flat shoes, other than their making me feel short, is that they are too casual and are only a half a step dressier than sneakers.  I like to wear shoes that will look just as stylish with a pair of jeans as with a skirt.  I loved the look of the Quebec ankle strap shoe, but my size was out of stock.  The main things that drew me towards the Tokyo Mary Janes were the details of the side zipper and the red contrast stitching.  Nothing is better than a little hardware to give shoes a little touch of edginess.  The combination of brushed suede and vintage leather is right in line with the Fall 2011 trend of mixed media clothing, shoes, and handbags.

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Although I very much like the look of these shoes, the comfort of the memory foam footbed was what made me love them.  That combined with the cushy rubber outersole made these shoes surprisingly comfortable.  One thing I had been worried about was that the wedge bottom would be rocky and unsteady.  I own a pair of clogs with a similarly shaped bottom that never fail to cause me to sprain my ankle because my foot would tip too easily.  It turned out that the bottom of the Tokyo shoe was not tippy at all and were very secure to walk in.

Something Jambu footwear is known for is their efforts to use recycled materials.  The outersoles of these shoes are made of partially recycled rubber.  The shoebox these shoes came in is 100% recycled, recyclable, and reusable.  In fact, there is a message printed on the inside bottom of the box that reads "A Keepsake Box for You - 100% Reusable".

To view Jambu's full Fall 2011 line, including the Sporty Wedge Designs, Metro Designs, Bare Feet Designs, and more, visit Jambu.com.  The Tokyo shoes retails for $120 and is available in Black and Moss.  You can purchase these shoes at Athleta.com.


Thank you to Jambu for providing a complimentary product sample for us to base this review upon.

Review: Teva Women's Mush Frio MJ Mary Jane Shoe

If I had a dollar for every time I heard someone say that they wished they could wear flip flops all year round, I would be rich!  My personal wish was that someone would make a shoe as comfortable as flip flops, but were designed to stay more securely on the foot and was not a thong-style shoe.  Well, someone must have been listening . . .

Teva's new Flyweight Collection for men and women features shoes that weigh only a few ounces just like flip flops.  I was able try out a pair of the Women's Mush Frio MJ mary janes.  I have to admit that I was skeptical.  I wondered how much comfort and support a shoe so light could possibly offer?

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I have only recently been easing into the idea of wearing flat soled shoes.  I also never thought I would be wearing shoes with a Velcro strap.  Those are for children, right?  Well, after trying these Tevas, I am wondering why all shoes do not have a Velcro strap.  They ensure that the shoe stays on the foot very securely and allow the shoe to be adjusted for your comfort.  The back of the shoe is also elasticized for an extra-secure fit.

I tried these shoes out in the house, at my son's soccer game, and at the mall.  They turned out to be very comfortable.  I actually prefer to be barefoot in the house.  These shoes give me the same feeling and the soles are cushy enough so that walking in them feels similar to walking barefoot on a thick carpet.

I do want to point out that these shoes seem to fit true to size.  They fit my feet exactly.  For this reason, I would recommend purchasing a half size larger than you normally take.  I say this because, after 2 hours of walking around the mall, my feet were warm and most likely slightly swollen, causing the shoes to feel smaller than they did when I first put them on before leaving the house.

Since Teva's Flyweight shoes are so light, they are perfect for throwing in your purse, your briefcase, your suitcase, or even the glove compartment of your car.  They are really perfect to keep handy when you need to change out of your heeled shoes to give your feet a rest.  The best part is that you can wear these shoes all year round, except for during snowy and icy weather.

The Mush Frio MJ shoes by Teva are available in Black, Brown, and Wild Dove (grey).  They retail for $45 and can be purchased on Teva.com, where they are currently offering Free Shipping on orders of $45 or more.


Thank you to Teva for providing a complimentary product sample for us to base this review upon.

Back to School 2011: Classic Mary Janes from Venettini Children's Shoes

As difficult as it is to believe that school will be starting up again in less than two months, I am looking forward to it.  Fall is my favorite season.  I love the weather and shopping for fall fashions is much more enjoyable to me than shopping for shorts.  If you end up purchasing only one pair of shoes for your little girl aside from athletic shoes, I highly recommend a pair of Mary Jane shoes.

This pair of Venettini Kids' Jazmin Mary Jane shoes in Lilac patent leather is one of the most versatile pair of shoes my daughter has ever owned.  Their classic styling allows them to be paired with a skirt, a dress, leggings, khakis, or denim.  I also love the neutral colors available for these shoes, proving that not everything needs to be pink to be girly.

I must admit that I was concerned that the moccasin-style stitching around the slightly narrow toe would be uncomfortable for my daughter.  She normally wears shoes with more rounded toes.  When she first put the shoes on, she thought they felt "funny," but after about 15 minutes, the soft leather turned out to be extremely comfortable for her.

One of the features I like very much about these shoes are the secure Velcro closure.  The Velcro spans the top of the foot and is not just a tiny tab on the side.  I also appreciate very much that the strap does not need to be threaded through the loop every time my daughter puts on these shoes.  That is a huge time-saver.

Two other features I love are the extra cushy ventilated arch supports built into the leather insoles and the bumpers on the back of the shoe.  Those little raised bumps are not just decorative, but they also help to prevent the back of the shoe from being scuffed up so easily.

The best feature about this shoe is the ultra-flexible rubber sole.  Not only is it super-comfortable, but it also ensures security for when our extremely active daughter is paying attention to everything besides the possibility of slipping.

My daughter did quite a bit of dancing and jumping in these shoes.  Comfort was definitely not an issue.  It has, however, been very hot and humid around here, which caused her to realize that the shoes made her feet too warm after awhile.  Of course, I do not expect this to be a problem during the fall season when the climate will be both cooler and drier, and she will be wearing socks or tights.

To learn more about Venettini luxury children's shoes, visit Venettini.com.  You can purchase Venettini shoes from major shoe retailers, such as Zappos.com, Shoes.com, Amazon.com, and SaksFifthAvenue.com.


Thank you to Venettini for providing a complimentary product sample for us to base this review upon.

Back to School 2010: pediped Flex Adjustable Fit Girl's Shoes

Just about a year ago, I had tried pediped children's shoes for the first time in the form of girl's leather sandals for my daughter. I was extremely impressed with the pediped Flex sole on those sandals then, but seeing the Flex sole combined with the custom fit feature of these Giselle leather mary jane shoes made me an even bigger fan of pediped.

The pediped Flex is the line of shoes especially designed for walkers in the pediped Footwear System. The Flex shoes are available for both boys and girls who are approximately ages 1 to 6. This line includes casual shoes, dress shoes, athletic shoes, and boots . . . everything your child needs for back-to-school.

Aside from the ultra-flexible sole and the supple leather upper, what impressed me the most about this shoe is the extra set of insoles that are included in the box.

These insoles are meant to be placed under the existing insole of the shoe. They not only provide an extra cushion for added comfort, but they extend the life of the shoe for your child. Our children go up a half size about every 3 or 4 months as far as shoes go. Adding an extra set of insoles to shoes normally make them 1/2 size smaller. So you can purchase shoes just slightly larger than your child needs and have them use the extra insoles until their feet grow a bit. When it is time, you can remove the extra set of insoles and for a roomier fit.

I am loving these Giselle shoes for fall! They will go well with everything from jeans to skirts to dresses. Plus it is wonderful to be able to have an option other than sneakers when looking for a really comfortable shoe. My daughter loved these so much the first time she put them on that she wore them in the house all day long. She would never do that if they bothered her feet at all.

The same style of the Giselle is also available in pediped's new Grip 'n' Go shoes collection designed for toddlers ages 9 months to 3 years old. Both styles of the Giselle retail for $45.

To view the new fall styles in children's shoes, visit pediped.com . You can order pediped shoes right on the website or use their store locator to find additional retailers. You can also find pediped on Facebook and on Twitter. For a limited time, you can receive Free Ground Shipping on orders of $75 or more when you use Code: 75Ship at checkout!

Thank you to pediped for sending us a sample pair of shoes free of charge to base this review upon.