What We're Wearing: Vol.1 (Mini Boden)

Being a website that only offers shoes/accessories, we like to have fun and imagine what our shoes would be like with some of the popular children’s clothing brands on the market. In this series, "What We’re Wearing", we will highlight our products alongside our favorite clothing lines to create a complete ensemble!

First up we have Mini Boden. Mini Boden is the children’s line from a great British company called Boden. Boden introduced their line for little people in 1996 and its popularity has grown immensely. A Baby Boden offshoot was also created in 2007. 

We love Mini Boden because it is playful, colorful, and unique. The clothes go well with Friendly Rooster shoes because the pieces are vibrant and the attitude is fresh and young. Boden also shares our desire to be green by practicing ethical trade and using recycled paper for their printed materials. Learn more about these endeavors here. 

Here is a small sampling of what Friendly Rooster paired with Mini Boden might look like. 

What outfit ideas do you have? Any children's brands we should highlight? 

Send us pictures of your little ones in their Friendly Rooster shoes! 

Well guys, it’s a new year!

As the year came to a close, we here at Friendly Rooster had a period of reflection over the last 365 days. What worked, what didn’t, what will the new year hold? All of those questions crossed our minds and while 2014 was amazing, we can’t help but believe 2015 will be even better! 

Trying new things served us well and we intend to keep the theme going next year. We plan to bring popup shops to different cities around the United States and need YOUR help deciding where! 

Another change will be the introduction of brands that have a charitable approach. Friendly Rooster currently has an initiative called Share Your Love of Shoes™ which you can read about here. In 2015, our aim is to partner with other shoes brands that fit within our vision:

• developmentally appropriate 
• charitable/philanthropic
• unique

Friendly Rooster strives to be a company that stands for something and gives back in some form or fashion, so we are super excited! 

Do you want for us to bring a popup shop to your city? Do you have ideas/feedback for our year ahead? We want to hear them!

What's Next for the Rooster?

Friendly Rooster is having a banner year! 2014 has been good to us and we are so thankful for everyone's patronage and and support.

If you are at all familiar with our brand, you know that our mission is to provide cute shoes with a purpose. The Share Your Love of Shoes™initiative is our way to give back and our main brand, Tip Toey Joey, does this by giving a pair of shoes to an American child born into poverty for every pair sold. We have other brands represented on the site, but are hoping to partner with more charitable brands in 2015.

After some research, we've uncovered a few brands that could work well with the Friendly Rooster vision; RileyRoos, Pedoodles, and Kepner Scott. All of them give back in some way and we are in the exploration phase. Do you have any personal experience with any of these brands? We'd love your feedback.

Below is a poll for you to express your interest in what's next for Friendly Rooster. Click on the active brand links above and let us know your thoughts!

Use Wufoo templates to make your own HTML forms.

But Their Feet Grow So Quickly!

Why invest in good shoes for your children, right? Their feet grow like weeds and they play rough. Well that’s precisely why they should have shoes of quality. 

Never mind the cute factor in our shoes, Friendly Rooster is more than just looks. We all want our children to have cute shoes, but we also want shoes that are developmentally good for their feet. 

Some facts about children’s foot health:

• Critical foot development years happen from infancy through the toddler years
• A shoe that is too rigid or too tight can change the shape of your child’s foot
• Around 70% of foot problems come from wearing the wrong footwear
• A child’s feet grow in spurts and often require new shoes every 3 to 4 months

And what does a doctor say have to say about it all? Let’s hear from Dr. Pamela Johnson, a pediatrician in Charlotte, NC. 

“Once a baby starts pulling up, that’s a great place to start introducing shoes. In the past, hard-soled shoes were recommended, but studies show that flexible soles are better for the feet and aiding in walking. Have your children's feet measured because they grow so fast. Ill-fitting shoes can do more harm than good and don’t forget to consult your physician if you have questions or concerns.”

Also, check out what the American Podiatric Medical Association says about buying children's footwear here. 

*Opinions expressed in this blog post are unique and may differ from others. Consult your physician on what is best for your child*

Share Your Love of Shoes®, But Why?

Here at Friendly Rooster, we have an initiative called Share Your Love of Shoes®, which gives shoes to babies in need, thanks to our partnership with Tip Toey Joey.

When mentioned, people say something along the lines of, “Oh yeah, that’s like [insert big, philanthropic shoe company]” We do give shoes to children in need, but that is where the similarities stop. 

So how is Friendly Rooster different? Here are a few things we are advocates for:

• helping at-risk children here in our own country, the United States
• pairing with national organizations that are already making a difference; no need to reinvent the wheel
• giving quality footwear to help beginning walkers take their next steps (Our shoes look good and are developmentally healthy for children's feet with natural materials and adjustable fastenings)

The two charities we work with currently are Room To Grow and My Stuff Bags Foundation. Check them out and you'll get a better idea of what they are all about. 

Maybe we will grow in the future to donate to other charities or expand our product base, but for now, keeping it close to home is good enough for us :)

Summer Happenings!

There has been so much going on here at Friendly Rooster and we are so excited to share our happenings with you!

www.friendlyrooster.com is all new and was recently relaunched on a different platform, giving you more user-friendly options:

• search by size, brand, etc
• pin items to Pinterest boards
• access the blog from the site

Let us know how you like it! 

We sent 120 pairs of shoes to our partner charity, Room to Grow, to help support low-income families by providing supplies for a healthy upbringing. Giving back is what we're all about here at Friendly Rooster! 

  

Friendly Rooster now has an Instagram!

Follow us and tag your little ones in their shoes using @friendly_rooster and #friendlyrooster

Help us grow and spread the word!

July Coupon Code: JULY15
Good for 15% off your purchase through 7/31/14

Lost in thought

Charlotte is an absolutely perfect place to live but most people complain about the humid summers at some point or another. It's true that it is hot here but we've also adapted to dealing with the heat and even occasionally making an enjoyable aspect of life. Summer is officially over and the Friendly Rooster team has been reflecting on some favorite things they loved about living here this past season. Of course in Southern North Carolina we'll still have a month of summer weather so this list is just a touch of arbitrary/wishful thinking. 

Food:  Food Truck Fridays in South End can be a load of fun. Lots of good choices here.  Also, the eclectic group of restaurants in Plaza Midwood are all standout choices.  Soul Gastrolounge, The Peculiar Rabbit...even Fuel Pizza are great choices.

Water: As hot as Charlotte can be, we thankfully have tons of water to cool off in. The US National Whitewater Center is one of these places, and it is fantastic.  At times it feels like you are in a jungle in Costa Rica.  It has zip lining, a whitewater course, mountain biking, flat water kayaking, paddle boarding, ropes courses, and a pretty cool restaurant with a good craft beer selection.  We also have some great lakes for wake boarding and jet skiing (or just parking some boats together and hanging in the water.

Sports:  Knights games are held just over the border in Rock Hill, South Carolina.  This Minor League team has a nice low-key feel to it.  It's family-friendly, and there isn't a bad seat in the house.

Movies:  Badin Drive in Theater is old-school and a great throw-back way to catch a flick.  Get there early and the kids will play a round of touch football under the south screen.  The concession stand also has some pretty good food that isn't your typical theater fare.

Fall is starting this weekend, and the leaves will be changing in about 6 to 8 weeks.  Looking onward to our next fun season in this great city!