Nike Adds Accessible Shoes To Their Legacy
Adiba Nelson
I'll admit it. I was a bumbling, crying, can't see through my mascara MESS while watching this video. As a lover of fashionable shoes, I have always shunned the shoes Hanger tried to hand me when my daughter would get new ankle-foot orthotics. Ugly. Clunky. Not matching with ANYTHING.
There was no way my daughter would be caught dead in those shoes.
So when she got her first AFO's, she also got her first pair of Converse Chuck Taylor Slip on Sneakers. And we have continued down this vein of lightweight fashionable sneakers that could accommodate her braces - most of them coming from Target. However, with age comes a strong desire for independence. In short, Miss E is ready to dress herself, so imagine my surprise when the video of the NIKE FlyEase came across my Facebook feed!
Finally, a shoe she could put on and take off by herself! She could put her little finger through the loop on the zipper, unzip the heel, slide her foot in, zip it up and secure the velcro tab across the front and VOILA - SHOES ON! This made me wonder if other shoe companies were FINALLY starting to notice our babies, and making accessible shoes for independent living.
Sure enough, Converse has added to their slip on shoe for toddlers with an older kid shoe called the Converse Chuck Taylor All Star Block Party Satin High Top (for girls) and the Converse Chuck Taylor All Star Simple Step Americana (for boys). Both models allow for easy on and off, as well as independent dressing (not to mention EASE of independent dressing) through the use of either zippers or velcro.
We are over the moon about these snazzy new shoe finds (even if we are late to the game), and we just had to share them with you! If you've found other accessible clothing or shoe companies, drop their link in the comments! We'd love to check them out and share the news!