Creature of Habit - Shoe Edition

I just pressed send on my most recent online order for Little L: two pairs of Pedipeds in larger sizes in anticipation of her feet growing again. She has outgrown nearly every pair of her shoes, versus having worn any of them out. Her hands and feet are, IMHO, unusually large.

This is probably the 20th pair of Pedipeds I've bought for her in the past four years. She didn't need them for the first non-mobile year of her life, but when she finally figured out her steps, I was desperate for some good shoes for developing walkers. I mean, she wasn't very stable back then, so I needed to get something that would support her as she figured out how to walk and run; this kid has my piss-poor coordination genetics, after all. That is where the Pediped habit began. 

Since 2013, I've kind of stuck with this company despite not really needing to. I mean, Little L's current favourite shoes are her rubber boots from Superstore, which make her feet smell like pungent pickles. Her most recent Pedipeds, a gorgeous pair of suede ankle boots, have remained largely unworn due to her preference for some random other boots I ordered off Zulily (which, incidentally, are beyond cheap and may very well be the first pair of her shoes to ever fall apart on her). 

So why the heck do I keep paying the big bucks for Pedipeds when my kid is completely okay wearing no name brands?! 

I am a sucker, a creature of habit and predictability. That is the only conclusion I can come to. It is easy to order from the same company because they always use the same sizing system, so you know that if your kid has outgrown 29, she probably needs a 30. For online purchases, this offers some peace of mind and saves me the time of having to return a pair that doesn't quite fit because its sizing is different or it just isn't wide enough. 

Also, I have guilt about her wearing non-ergonomic shoes. The ones we purchase tend to have the support she would need for good posture when she walks, versus some of the cheaper alternatives out there with zero in-sole or arch support. I'm honesty not even sure if this makes a big difference or not, but the part of me that is all about comfort over couture and function over fashion likes that I can have both with this brand. 

Anyway, I've heard amazing things about Stride-Rites, and I'm sure as Little L gets older and starts caring more about footwear, we will be forced to commit our hard-earned dollars to other overpriced brands. Until then, however, I plan to order Pedipeds (on sale, of course) because it makes one aspect of this crazy parenting adventure just a little easier. 

Do you have any brand loyalty for your kids' stuff? What are theirs (and your) favourite brands of shoes?