At the rate boys wear out and outgrow shoes, it's nice to have a pair that's extremely versatile -- like a good casual shoe. Here are a few of my top picks in casual boys' shoes.
Available in colors that any kid would like, the Keen 'Ventura' is rugged and very cool-looking. The canvas uppers are casual and stylish, and the rubber outsoles are non-marking. I also love the built-in toe protection, but my favorite thing about these shoes (aside from how they look), is that they're vegan, with no leather materials used in construction.
These shoes are simple, but they look great -- and best of all, they're extremely versatile. The perfect style to be worn with school uniforms, jeans or even dress pants, these lace-up oxfords come with black or navy leather, or brown or black nubuck uppers. Reviewers at Zappos.com also give them very high marks for comfort.
For looks, convenience and price, it's tough to beat the popular "Jungle Moc" from Merrell. These slip-on shoes feature double goring and heel loops, so they're easy to slip on and off, and they come in a wide array of great color choices -- my favorite is the blue.
Sneakers aren't just for sports, and with jeans, cords, or khakis, they're a perfectly acceptable choice for casual wear. Medium and darker colors won't show dirt quite as much as predominantly white styles, so they'll look a little less like sneakers and more like shoes, but your kids will still love them. I'm crazy about the Simple shoes shown here, but any classic style from your child's favorite brand should do the trick.
Casual enough for jeans, but nice enough that they can double as a dress shoe in a pinch, these shoes from Jumping Jacks offer a classic look that never goes out of style, and will also work well with khakis and cords.
