When I first laid eyes on Freshly Picked Moccasins, I wanted a pair for my little girl and secretly wished they came in my size. Those around me know I have a bit of a baby shoe obsession. Really, it’s hard not to gush over how tiny and adorable baby shoes are. So naturally when Freshly Picked sent Carli a pair of moccs, I was ecstatic. They arrived in an adorable drawstring bag complete with a matching branded pin. It was clear she was just as excited as she quickly rushed off with them and eagerly tried to put them over her chubby feet.

Some of you may have seen Susan Peterson, owner of Freshly Picked, on “Shark Tank” so you know her story.  If you aren’t familiar with it, check it out here. Susan started making moccasins when she couldn’t find a well-designed baby shoe for her son. She didn’t have much money to start her business so she got resourceful. She convinced her brother who owns a window installation business to let her keep the old windows he removed from the houses. She spent an entire summer banging the glass out of the windows in order to recycle the aluminum frames and managed to make $200 to start her business. I really admire Susan for her determination to go after her dreams despite her circumstance.

While the moccasins have gone through 6 design changes, the soft-soled shoes has always been handmade in the U.S.A. Not only are they cute and stylish, they are well-constructed. Made of 100% genuine leather, these moccs are very soft and flexible yet amazingly durable! They have a variety of colors to choose from and their limited editions and signature collection moccs are simply adorable. Sizes range from 1-9.  We received the Weathered Brown from the Utah Collection and I love how the neutral color goes with pretty much anything she wears. We get a ton of compliments wherever we go.

The elastic opening is perhaps one of the best feature. They are easy to slip on and they stay on until you're ready to take them off. Carli is active…like really active. Shoes come off her feet more times than I can count but never once did we go through that with these moccs.  It’s definitely one less thing we have to worry about when we are out and about. I also love that I can easily slip them on and off while carrying her…literally seconds. It definitely saves us time when we are short on it and rushing to get out of the house. But that still doesn’t come close to the best part and that is she can put them on herself without our assistance. It takes her a little bit longer, but I love that by accomplishing this task on her own, she is building her independence and confidence, not to mention a sense of achievement. 

Let’s talk about price for a minute, shall we? A pair will cost you $60 and while that sounds a bit much to spend on kids shoes, it’s well worth the investment. You really do get what you pay for. Like I mentioned, Carli is a very active girl and they have held up very well with all the running, jumping, and climbing that she does. I see it lasting for a very long time. I do, however, suggest purchasing their Leather Cleaning and Conditioning Wipes or Suede Cleaning Kit to protect your investment. She gets them pretty dirty fairly quickly but I’m able to get them back to looking close to new with the wipes and a little bit of elbow grease. 

Aside from the amazing quality you'd get with these moccs, you'd be supporting an amazing mama who's passionate about what she's doing. One of the things I admire about Susan is how humble and grateful she continues to be despite how big her company has grown. In addition, she selflessly gives of her time to help other entrepreneurs through her weekly discussions, Enntrepreneur Empowerment Movement. 

Overall, it’s seriously one of our favorite shoes but don’t take my word for it. Take it from the mocc wearer herself! She will ALWAYS choose to wear her FP moccs over any other shoe in her closet if given the choice. There have been several occasions where I attempt to put on another pair of shoes and she immediately cries “No, owie. No, owie.” and reaches for her FP moccs and say “That one.” The little lady has spoken. She knows a good thing when she sees it.

Now for the exciting news!! I have teamed up with Freshly Picked to give one of you a chance to win a pair of your choice.  Giveaway is open to residence in the US and Canada. To be eligible you must not have won a pair of Freshly Picked moccasins in the last 60 days.
 
Follow Designs by Yu on Instagram (@designsbyyu) and/or Facebook (facebook.com/designsbyyu) as we count down the days to an amazing giveaway in celebration of Carli’s 2nd Birthday. You don't want to miss this!                               

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 I received a pair of Freshly Picked moccasins for the purpose of this review.  All thoughts and opinions are entirely my own.
  
Photography: Pirouette Photography
Headband: Miss Giggle Buns
Romper: Gap