Red Shoes for Alice

There's pretty much only three children's clothing stores to buy from in New Zealand. That is, for the middle class. Pumpkin Patch, JK and Farmers. I want my kids to be well dressed, respectable, cute and pretty, but I can't afford $80 onesies, and $90 designer dresses, and you can forget about the $150 leather shoes. As for the cheaper clothing, it's really a false economy when the $12 cotton tops start looking old and out of shape after the first wash, or the sleeves are longer than their arms, but the bodice length is too short.

Anyway, yesterday I had a chance to go and do some shopping. By. Myself. Because my husband took the day off from work. I had a lot of errands to run, and also had a $20 voucher to spend at Pumpkin Patch.

I had to get some jeans for my boy - don't get me started on the quality of jeans. But as I wandered down to the boys section of the store I happened to pass these adorable, little, red, Mary Jane shoes. The price tag on them could have been $150 and I would have ignored it. They are so sweet! They were the last pair in Alice's size, and they were on sale. I was totally sucked in by colour and cutesiness and marketing. I wanted them. I needed them.
I really did!

I love them because they're Mary Jane's, and they are red. Happiness.