I grew up wearing a pair of bright, patent leather red mary janes over white tights and darn if I don’t still carry a torch for shiny shoes for girls. You too? Well Umi Shoes has plenty in the shiny but practical department this fall for little and big girls alike.

My own 16 month old will be strutting her stuff in their embroidery and button-embelished bluebell shoe in ruby, which is actually a rich cranberry color in person. Very pretty. Bigger girls can choose from the more classic Queenie in black, red or chocolate, and still bigger girls have the Sophia and the Twirl in black.

There’s a lot to love on the Umi site in both glossy and non-glossy leather and they hold up really beautifully over time. Poke around. Birthday party season is upon us. –Liz