Closed-Toe Action Sandals, £30
I think I must be famous in the catalogue world. They must all talk to each other and go “That Esther CorenWalker whatever her name is, she’ll buy anything. Just send her a catalogue. She loves it. She’ll spend £30 minimum.”
The message has got as far as Land’s End, (which is quite far, if you think about it – especially if the message started in John O’Groats), that purveyor of wind-proof and style-resistant clothing, who sent me a catalogue for their children’s range of clothing, which was unremarkable except for these rather excellent-looking action sandals for Little Sam.
Poor Little Sam, who will be 3 in May, is not very light on his feet. They are basically square, with the toes all squished up to the side. He hasn’t got great feet. Crocs make him fall over.
We’re going on a few beach holidays this year (massive air punch, klaxon horn, cartwheels) and while Kitty is basically a wild animal, happiest shoeless or in the aforementioned Crocs, Sam’s feet are a constant worry to me.
He had a pair of sandals last year, which were beastly and stiff and his little fat feet kept poking out of the end, the flappy bit of the front threatening constantly to fold back on itself and send him flying, teeth first, onto some sort of concrete angle.
But these look terrific don’t you think? Soft and bendy and non-tripping. Other people might be depressed that their lives had become about getting a thrill from a really good boys’ action sandal in Land’s End Kids. Not me.
At £30 these seem a little steep? Or is that just me? Or is that just Land’s End??
The other downer is that these only start at UK size 9 (kids) – which is basically age 3-ish, so no use if you’ve got a weeny one.
I also like the look of their beach cover-up, but they only do one for girls and not boys, which strikes me as odd. Also, a good range of skorts, which I would buy for Kitty if she was remotely interested in wearing dresses or skirts, as it is she is happy in shorts or playsuits in the summer.
I am, as it happens, looking for good kids beach towelling ponchos, so if you have bought a great one recently, let me and others know using the handy comments box below.
Please do not say things like “Maybe try John Lewis?????” Not helpful.
Hi they discount all the time. Get on their email list and they’ll send you voucher codes constantly. Then you never pay full price for anything. Guessing they are marked at £30 on assumption that a lot of sales will be at 30% less. I bought a coat once in the sale and they’ve bombarded me ever since.
I bought a couple of great ponchos for my boys from Kats Kanga. Soft and absorbant with good hood and I like the ties which you can leave loose or makes it a bit more fitted for walking around.
Great choice of colours (ie more than pink for girls and blue for boys) – edged in fun bold kenyan prints (kanga) and ticks the ethical box too.
New company so can’t purchase through website, but super helpful if you contact them. http://www.katskanga.com/
Check out on Insta (@katskangalondon) too- lots of pics of the ponchos etc.
Boden mini new catalogue has a couple of cool towelling hoodie/jackets- considering one for my 4yo girl X
Jojo maman Bebe have some good towelling ponchos.
Also this site has some gorgeous stuff but it is definitely a £30 spend sort of site!
http://www.bygraziela.com/children/hooded-towels.html
Hello. I bought ponchos for mine last year. Boden had a blue and white stripy boy one (I think they still have it). The equivalent for a girl was a towelling dress for some reason which is just not as good after a swim. I found her one in the end in John Lewis (sorry!). They have a spotty “nautical” one for girls at the moment. To be honest, either would do for either child though.
And this is what I have to say about ponchos……
Clarks do a closed toe sandal for around 20 quid but they don’t look as light and flexi as that. Hope they work out for Sam, my two have always lived in Crocs in the Summer. They have big wide feet so are a pain to find shoes for the rest of the year, reading this has made me grateful that at least they both get on with Crocs!
Can’t help with Ponchos, I’m probably going to go cheap Superhero type from Tesco or similar, as they only wear them for about thirty seconds, and my son probably not at all if it doesn’t turn him into Iron Man.
If you find great shorts for girls (that would also work for a toddler) I would be very interested xx
Having no children, I can’t comment on the towelling poncho issue, but I freaking LOVE the Lands End monogrammed canvas tote bag things. Got a few done when we were living in the USA and they are so handy, and they do them here in the UK too. You could have each kids name put on them and store them in the car, full of the crap that they usually throw all over the floor, or for individual beach bags. I use mine for all my random horse stuff, or any random stuff, they do loads of different sizes.
Kristy you sound like you know a suspicious amount about children for someone who doesn’t have any. The phrase “the crap that they usually throw all over the floor” has an alarming ring of truth about it
I have been exposed to “cars of girlfriends with children” on more than one occasion. 🙂 Oh, and Lands End gives you 20% off the top if you sign up for their email newsletters.
Bought the Boden red and white striped poncho – £22.50 for age 2-5. Really good quality towelling.
Happy chick for the Towel ponchos. They are white but wash really well and they usually have a deal on.
I absolutely LOVE Landsend – but only for some things. One advantage is that they are a bit less distinctive than Boden – seriously, this half term I could identify what year all the kids’ ski jackets were bought, there was so much Boden.
Mitty James beach robes – not so much a poncho but they do the same job. A unisex classic and they last years. http://www.childrensalon.com/mitty-james-red-striped-hooded-cotton-towelling-robe-120517.html?gclid=CPTmqeuss8sCFYpAGwodXsYHyw
Towelling-lined kikoy ponchos – even better when a bit battered and faded. Various options but one is http://www.kisiki.com/children/kisiki-kids-kikoy-ponchos The dressing gown/beach robes are good too.
Decathlon have the same ones, but way cheaper.
Hello! As a Brit living in the US at the moment Lands End has been a go to for all manner of good ‘active’ kids wear and also school uniform. And agree always wait for the sale! However a little recent furor over their decision to support and then withdraw support of Gloria Steinem (Google will tell all) has me wondering if I should be spending money with them anymore. Not usually militant but as mother of a girl this has made me think.
Anyway, onto the real point… also have kids with challenging feet….wide and high in steps….in US a brand called Keen does great line in action sandals…super high quality, designed for in and out of the water, can sling them in the machine. And they fit wide feet comfortably. Def not cheap but worth it. Looks like you can source in the UK also- http://www.cotswoldoutdoor.com/keen-kids-newport-h2-sandal-c1452085?id_colour=4524
Poppy thank you for this x
Urgh. Land’s End catalogue has gone straight back into the recycling. Thanks Poppy!
Boden or Mitty James have always been my reliable go-tos for towelling beach robes. Am a fan of the Lands End skorts too, Purely as a change from the Boden options. Skorts are fab for my cartwheeling daughter, otherwise she insists on wearing cycling shorts under her skirt. Whatever happened to tucking your skirt in your knickers like we did??
I agree with the Mitty James suggestion. As long as none of your forthcoming beach holidays are taking place in Rock or Salcombe. In which case your child will be utterly indistinguishable from thousands of others and you may well go home with two new ones. (Who knows, that might pan out quite well, if they’ve already been potty trained etc).
Aaalso, my children and my nieces and nephews had a habit, when younger, of squealing “where’s my Mitty?” when they came out of the sea, shivering. Which made me shudder at the bonkers middleclassness of it all. But hey, you just wanted to know where to buy a nice towelling dryie thing, not be immersed in my inverse snobbery neuroses.
The Mitty James do look good. If I thought mine would wear it that’s what I’d go for.
We had those shoes last year – though bought with a discount code. Fantastic – hard wearing, smart enough, dry quickly, closed toe so good for outside activities such as climbing.
If you’re interested in buying from Landsend, I’ve just used discount code F31625PC to get 25% off.
good freaking tip babez x
If you are feeling a bit spendy, what about Elizabeth Hurley beach? The towelling wraps for kids are here http://www.elizabethhurley.com/products/kids-beachwear/mini-pom-pom-jacket/whitewhite/59-169-97 and they are good quality but apart from that, check out her swimwear sale for ladies and girls (special offers). Good if you are slim and big of boob. I am only one of these just now though.
Another vote for Keen action sandals – they last for ages, and have an elastic lacing with a toggle which means they can be adjusted as the kids grow.
La Redoute towelling ponchos about £14. Possibly not best ever quality but large v neck so easy to put on wet child.