Dear Toms,
It’s true. I’ve been cruel about your brand for years, likening them to my Grandmother’s Shriner Slippers, saying they looked like my 1986 Keds rolled with toilet paper, poking fun at anyone who would want to be like you, and absolutely refusing to even consider wearing a pair.
I admit that I thought them flimsy, faddish, and crack for hipsters.
But here I find myself, offering an apology.
Because you see, on a whim and thanks to my friend Zulily, I bought a pair of Toms this summer – gray Tiny Toms, for my two-year-old son.
There was something about the Velcro flap that made the design so much more palatable than the shapeless adult ones…and my kid hated the sandals I’d bought him. What was a Mom to do?
The Tiny Toms were perfect. Easy to get on, easy to get off, and he loved them – which was quite the accomplishment.
He wore them every day and would have kept wearing them nonstop if I hadn’t inadvertently raked a massive glass door across his foot and ripped a hole in his left shoe.
Although I would have preferred the Left Tom to have not torn, I do appreciate the fact that by doing so, he apparently mitigated the impact. Noah didn’t even flinch, despite my great negligence on his behalf.
I was saddened by the ripped turn of events, and immediately began trying to fix his lack of Toms. I had gotten them for nearly half-price on Zulily, and thought that surely I could mimic this deal on Amazon or somewhere else.
But no.
No one had them any cheaper than the Toms website – and it seemed like ordering them directly from Tom himself would surely be labeling me a groupie and make me complicit in smoking the hipster crack.
I MEAN, Tom would have my name and my address and my credit card expiration date!!
But I did it.
I swallowed my pride and ordered him the most fantastic pair of Red Toms ever – just in time for football season.
They came in and Noah was more enamored with his feet than ever before. He immediately named them his “Spiffy Red Shoes” and referred to them in that manner every time he mentioned them – except it came out as “Fiffy Red Shoes”, making them even more endearing.
He thought they made him more attractive than any other foot covering ever – except, obviously, his sister’s ruby slippers.
(So maybe it’s the color.)
Fiffy Red Shoes became a huge part of our life – going everywhere with us (and making people point out my Toms Hypocrisy now and again.)
They accompanied us to Pumpkin Patch Nightmares,
And of course, football.
I cherished Fiffy Red Shoes so much that other Toms then began to grow on me – especially the women’s wedges. I won’t deny that a couple of pairs even made it into my shopping basket on the Toms site – but I didn’t go all the way.
Okay they’re still in my shopping basket.
Whatever.
And so our life went on – until a week ago.
Fiffy Red Shoes disappeared.
They’re probably in an overnight bag or under a car seat or at the bottom of a toy box or somewhere else as easily accessible, but cry as I might, I cannot find them.
There has been a great cloud of sadness over our household as the bright glow of Fiffy Red Shoes has been extinguished.
And in such anguish, I have realized the completeness of my Toms Conversion.
And so, Dear Toms, I am sorry.
And I sincerely hope that getting this off of my chest will make Fiffy Red Shoes emerge from their hiding place AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
Because without them, life has no spark.
Oh. How sad!! I hope they show up before his foot grows another size. That how it usually works for us. Lose something and once it reemerges it’s too small.
But what I really want to know is do they make little people’s feet stink? What are they like on the inside?
His feet never stank, and he seemed to be extremely comfortable in them.
I have been on the fence about Tom’s for a couple of years too. I was wondering if the flat Tom’s (like Noah has) were comfortable and if the sole was thick enough? They seem so thin and like your feet would be hurting by the end of the day.
I have seen some really cute wedges. If you do take the plunge, please let us know your thoughts!
He was comfortable, but I don’t know about the adult shoes.
I will keep y’all informed of my Toms Explorations.
My thoughts on Toms are exactly like yours, before your conversion that is. Although I have to admit that on children they look really cute. Maybe is just the adult version that have no place in my heart.
I agree – I still don’t think I could do the plain flats.
I want
I tried on some Toms, even though I really didn’t like the way they looked. (I figured since everyone seems to be wearing them, they must be awesome.) They made my nice, average-sized feet look like boats! Incredibly unflattering. So, no thanks to the regular Toms. Those wedges are cute, though.
I just don’t know how I feel about an open toe on a shoe that looks like it was designed to be a winter shoe. I like not maintaining my toenail polish for half the year!
I felt the same way with crocs. Until I had a spa massage. And they have my crocs flip flops. And they were amazing. So I ordered some and justified it that I wasn’t buying the holey ones. Then I found fuzzy lined clogs by crocs. And they are amazing. Then Gymboree didn’t have sandals in my son’s size (that I liked–they discontinued last year’s, of course!) so I bought him TWO pairs of sandals. Now I’m considering buying him the fuzzy clogs too. (Sigh) How did I do it? I hated crocs. Made fun of crocs. Now? Nope. Oops. =( So I totally understand the switch on Toms and hope you find the red ones ASAP!!!
Ooooh… I still can’t do Crocs. More power to you.
I’ve never bought a pair of Toms myself because I’m a cheapskate, but my $1.50 knock offs (from the grocery store of all places) are finally starting to rip so I might have to save up. I just hope I can manage to buy the everyday ones instead of the wedges, they’re cute!
I have had 2 pairs of Toms, my current ones are also red and are warn mostly on Game Day with my Alabama Tshirts! I justify the price this way: when you buy one pair, they donate a pair. It’s a lot easier to think I am paying $50.00 for TWO pairs of shoes, not just one. As for the soles, they are thick and I don’t feel very much through them at all. My last pair I wore ragged and they lasted several years! They are great shoes!
I’d noticed his red shoes in a few pictures. The girls have some knock-offs and I like how easy they are for them to get on. I’m definitely too cheap to buy real Toms for my kids who TRASH their shoes quicker than I ever knew was possible!
It’s awfully big of you to admit this on your blog. Kudos to you.
I have a policy of openness and honesty. Even when it comes to my fashion failings.
I too, fought the TOMS craze. Until my 5 year old daughter found the sparkly TOMS which fit better than sparkly ruby flats when you need to run on a playground. Also, have you seen the Outlet websites? I haven’t been brave enough to try one of them (there are quite a few), but it certainly looks intriguing! Here’s just one I found:
http://tomssale.us/5-toms-tiny
That site does look tempting….I may break. I just don’t know.
I don’t love the look of Toms at all, but I like what that company does. As much as I’d like to be cynical about it (and I was for several years), the more I delve and/or hear about them, the more that I’m kind of convinced they’re doing a good thing and for the right reasons, and in the right way. That being said, I still don’t like the way Toms look. I do, however, agree that they’re cute on little kids…much like the holey, clunky Crocs. Hate them on adults, slap them on both my boys. The wedges? That’s a totally different story. I happily have an awesome pair. They’re different, cute, and sassy, if I do say so myself. I got them on sale, so that was nice. At the same time, someone, somewhere, who needed them, got some shoes too. I’d be lying if I said that’s why I bought them though. The sassy bit played a bigger part in that decision.
Your shoes are fantastic. Totally worth getting flowers from my husband over not getting ones just like yours. ;-)
I love Toms! It took me a while to try a pair for myself because of that square clunky toe. But I finally bought a pair just to support their mission. They are so comfy! It really is like wearing a pair of slippers all the time. Now I’m addicted. So far I’ve just had the classics and one pair of boots. I’ll admit, the boots look kind of dorky, but man they’re comfy. Both of my pairs of classics have holes in them, but admittedly I sometimes still wear them.
I’m also one of those people who would prefer not to wear shoes at all, so I like the minimalist design.
I think the original TOMS shoes are…how do I put this delicately…not attractive. Except on kids. But everything is cuter in miniature.
Their wedges and ballet flats, however, are adorable and I would really like to try some on to see how they feel on my weird feet.
Here in Mississippi, Toms have been on feet old and young for years now……so you can wear them without fear of the hipster label even if you have made fun of them in the past….
Order that precious child a new pair of fiffy red shoes ASAP just so you can hear him call them fiffy.
I personally did the whole lose them and replace them –then find them with some adorable little red sandals my youngest had…totally worth it … Those baby feet don’t stay cute long enough to waste any time!
love the red so much it hurts.
his charm and love of his own look makes it totally work.
anything can look good with confidence and a little imagination.
even crocs. =)
Thanks so much! I’ve GOT to find those shoes…
I’ve been considering getting a pair of Toms, but I have not yet got to the point where I will shell out $80 for a pair of flats.