featured image photo credit: Ashley Crandall Photography
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Our Philly editor shares her thoughts on Mason Dixon‘s boutique line of baby and kids shoes. Impressed? Get your tickets for this Saturday’s Brooklyn Baby & Family Expo at Industry City and enter our raffle for a chance to win a custom made pair of these shoes for your little one!
A local Philly mama, handcrafting kids shoes and baby booties (and more!) in her own studio in Fishtown? Hold the phone! Really? You mean I can #ShopLocal, support a small business and get super cool, high quality shoes for my kiddos right here in Philly? Bring. It. On. Heather Holiday is the woman behind the shoes of Mason Dixon, a boutique line of gorgeous leather derbies and baby booties perfect for your fashion conscious mini-style maven. She’s in the process of releasing her new spring line and there are lots of super cool things in store. For the most up-to-date shots of the Mason Dixon line, follow their gorgeous feed on Instagram.
And, now to the nitty gritty: the shoes. How’s the fit, the quality, the functionality, the style? If my daughter were writing this, she’d prioritize style over anything else, so let’s start there. These shoes are gorgeous. They’re made with high quality leather and materials and the various styles are stunning, with new leather patterns coming out regularly. As for fit, be sure to measure your child’s foot and consult with Heather regarding fit. With a boutique line, you can’t rely simply on the size your child wears in a commercial, mass-produced shoe.
Adorable leg warmers not included
Now, on to quality. These shoes are sturdy, handmade and clearly put together with a healthy dose of care and love. The leather is sturdy (and did we say gorgeous?), there’s a great, grippy rubber sole for traction and I can imagine these shoes being handed down to several little ones in my extended family. They seem like they’ll really stand the test of time.
And now, regarding functionality, I’m totally on board here except for one minor critique, and it’s a really personal one for me. I have this thing I call the “bendy test” that I do for all my girls’ shoes. I want them to be super flexible for their growing, active feet. The Mason Dixon line isn’t very flexible at the ball of the foot, which would probably bother me a little bit more if I wasn’t so bowled over by the amazing craftsmanship and gorgeous styles. My daughter hasn’t complained about this at all, mind you, but I wonder about the lack of flexibility since she’s so used to running around in shoes with a little more give than these. However, I hear that much like the beloved Birkenstocks of my college days (though I am in NO WAY comparing Mason Dixon to Birkenstocks), the soles will soften over time and the leather will mold to your little one’s precious feet.
All in all, Philadelphia is incredibly lucky to have an artist like Heather Holiday close by to wow us with her creativity, style, skill and amazing ideas. I, for one, am itching to see what she has in store for us next, so stay tuned!
Mollie Michel is a South Philly resident and a Philadelphia public school parent. A recovering non-profit professional, Mollie is also an experienced birth doula, Certified Lactation Counselor, and the mom of two awesome girls and a sweet pit bull named Princess Cleopatra. In her spare time, she is usually trying to figure out how Pinterest works, training for a(nother) half-marathon with her dog at her side, or simply trying to keep up with her increasingly wily daughters.