In the beginning, they were eight. With the arrival of Disney’s first animated feature film, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, came the first Disney Princess – Snow White. Others that followed were: Cinderella, Aurora, Ariel, Belle, Jasmine, Pocahontas, and Mulan.

Each of these royal young women has a message she embodies, a value that young girls all over the world can look up to. They range from Snow White’s “be a friend to all,” over Ariel’s encouragement to “explore new worlds” and Pocahontas’ “respect the earth,” to Mulan’s “find your inner warrior.” As we mentioned before, the mentality and characterization of these characters changed over time, and they have gotten progressively more independent, and more feminist as the years went by.

As more Disney animations rolled around, more princesses were added to the line-up, making them a total of eleven. That’s how today we also have Tiana from The Princess and the Frog, Rapunzel from Tangled, and Merida from Brave. They all bring a set of their own quirks and uplifting messages to the world.

Of course, if you’re looking for footwear with a princess on it, you don’t have to limit yourself to only these eleven characters. There are many more animated young women who can easily fit the bill and who are not part of the official Disney Princess group. Most notable are Anna and Elsa from Frozen, Megara from Hercules, Esmeralda from The Hunchback of Notre Dame, and Moana.

We could get into a debate that, technically, some of these characters don’t have a royal background, a tiara, and a kingdom, but that would be nitpicking. Ultimately, all of these animated girls are an inspiration to generations of children all over the world, and they are a perfect representation of strength, wit, poise, and beauty.

We were careful to include a wide variety of footwear styles in our list so that your kid can enjoy their favorite character regardless of where they’re going or what they’re wearing. Let’s take a closer look at each of these types, and what they’re most suited for.

Sneaker

Kids love sneakers. Adults love sneakers. Really, everyone loves sneakers. The reason for this is that this type of footwear is amazingly comfortable and easy to wear, and it is the go-to shoe for any occasion.

Children, in particular, benefit from sneakers as these allow them to move about freely. They love running, jumping, sliding, climbing, dancing and everything in between, and there is no better shoe to keep them secure and safe in all of these activities than the sneaker.

When picking out a good sneaker for your kid, take a look at the closures. If your child is not old enough to properly tie shoelaces yet, maybe a velcro strap would be a good option or a simple slip-on design. Otherwise, lacing systems are an excellent way to adjust the fit of the sneaker and to make sure that your kid doesn’t lose them when it starts running after cute little dogs.

Speaking about running around, the style of the sneaker itself usually determines its security level. For example, if your kid is extremely active, then consider a design like high tops, where they will have extra support around the ankle. This will not hinder them in their play time in any way but will reduce the risk of sprained ankles and similar injuries.

Clog

Originally, clogs were made partly, or completely, from wood, but here we are not talking about these types of clogs. Rather, we are talking about the well-known flexible, lightweight clogs for the beach, such as Crocs.

This type of footwear is simple to get into, as it has only a backstrap which can be rotated forward for a quick and easy entry. They are also very comfortable, usually designed to be worn on bare feet. Beach clogs are waterproof, allowing your kid to make the most out of their time by the sea, be it by building sandcastles or searching for seashells in the shallows.

It is important to mention, however, that because clogs are not the most secure type of footwear – they can easily fall off – they shouldn’t be worn as everyday shoes, especially not if your child is intent on running around and playing tag with their friends. They’re great for the pool and the beach, but not supportive enough for the playground.

Boot

Boots are a must in places with a lot of rainfall, snowfall, or simply where cold, unforgiving winters are common. These shoes are made from waterproof materials to keep the water out, and no matter what adventure your kid decides to embark on in rainy days, you can be sure that their feet will be dry and comfortable.

Additionally, boots serve to contain warmth inside when it’s chilly outside. There are varying lengths to a boot, but for kids, they usually come up to their calves or knees. This protects their legs from getting cold – if you get a boot with a wider fit you can even add an extra layer of coziness by having your child wear fuzzy socks underneath.

Ballet Flat

Ballet flats are one of the most adorable types of footwear. They are modeled after pointe shoes that ballerinas wear, and are very comfortable and stylish. They come in a vast array of colors and combinations, blinged up with rhinestones, crystals, beads, studs, glitter, ribbons and more.

What is great about flats is that they are unbelievably versatile. They go well with jeans and shorts and also skirts and dresses, and your kid will love wearing them wherever they go.

However, it is important to keep in mind that ballet flats shouldn’t be worn all day, every day. They usually have no support in the footbed, meaning that your child can develop some ailments, such as flatfoot if there is no contouring to the insole. They don’t correct overpronation or supination – inward and outward rolling of the foot during walking – which can lead to many problems later on. Short-term wearing is not a big deal, just make sure that your kid doesn’t wear flats constantly.

Sandal

Sandals, the saviors of summer. Everyone loves when their feet get to breathe a little when their toes have the freedom to wiggle and soak up the sunshine, and your child is no different. Sandals are amazing in hot temperatures because they prevent sweating of the feet and all the issues that come with that – bad odors, itchiness, and possible infections.

Sandals can also be quite trendy, with many different decorations and ways of arranging the straps. If your kid doesn’t yet have a great pair of sandals to wear this summer, make them happy with sandals with their favorite princess on them.

A shoe that breathes is critical to providing the wearer a comfortable and healthy experience when sporting a pair of shoes, sandals or boots. A lack of breathability will create a wet and humid foot, leading to discomfort and possible fungal or bacterial infections that are painful and difficult to cure.

How does a manufacturer ensure their product will allow maximum airflow? There are several ways to achieve this, including using special fabrics in the upper of the product, lining the midsole with moisture-wicking technologies and finally, the good old use of perforations of holes throughout the product.

If a product scores high on this metric, the buyer can rest assured that the manufacturer has used some or all of the above techniques to ensure the wearer a comfortable and dry wearing experience.

The outsole, or more simply, the sole of the shoe, makes direct contact with the ground and therefore supports the entire foot and body when in motion. Needless to say, a poorly-constructed outsole will lead to discomfort, slipping and foot or other bodily injury. For this reason, many manufacturers use materials that are water-, weather-, heat-, and impact-resistant.

Depending on the type of footwear, one will often see outsoles made from natural or synthetic materials, such as PVC, EVA, rubber and leather. Each of these has their advantages, depending on the shoe’s purpose; however, as a general rule, they each are resistant to the aforementioned factors. They are also flexible enough to support a proper foot cycle when in motion, but they are not so flexible that they feel like a pair of socks.

A sole made of the materials above tend to score higher on our product evaluations, as they are not only comfortable, but also support other criteria, such as “support” and “durability”.

The insole is the proverbial foundation of the entire shoe. The sock liner lays on top of the insole, which is then fused to the midsole, and finally the outsole. A firm insole will give good structure to a shoe and increase its stability and durability, but it will also increase the weight of the overall product and be less comfortable.

A softer insole might be more comfortable, but that comes at the expense of stability and durability. We tried to balance these weights when evaluating our products, but each reader and wearer is different, so be aware of this trade-off.

The final word on insoles is that the higher the score the product receives, the firmer it will be; however, it might also mean the insole experiences one of the trade-offs discussed earlier.