Combat boots for a 4 year old

September 16, 2011 5:43 AM

My youngest son is going as a Ghostbuster for Halloween and I'd really like to get him some combat boots to complete the costume. Not surprisingly its hard to find boots for a 4 year old. Any suggestions? (thanks)
posted by senseofsurreal to Clothing, Beauty, & Fashion (16 answers total)

Black shoes and long socks?
posted by popcassady at 5:48 AM on September 16, 2011

Tricked up gumboots/wellies?
posted by bright cold day at 5:51 AM on September 16, 2011 [1 favorite]

You could sew some gaiters that go over a pair of shoes. Should be easy to make out of felt, and you could find a pattern from another halloween costume and modify it (maybe modified pirate boots?). It's really just a little sleeve of felt with an elastic band that goes under the shoe.
posted by belau at 5:52 AM on September 16, 2011

Agree with bright cold day: Get a pair of cheap rain boots and spray-paint them black.

Or, if you'd prefer a pair of boots he can continue wearing for a while, look for girls' boots. There are plenty of lace-up boots for girls right now that look very similar to combat boots.
posted by Andrhia at 6:00 AM on September 16, 2011

Check the girls' section? Yes, your son might object to this, but there may be something there that will work better (if I'm remembering my shoe-store days correctly, I think girls' and boys' sizes are the same).

Also, if it's just for a costume and you don't mind destroying the boots -- if you find something that's the right shape/style but wrong color, just spray paint them.

Otherwise, you may just have to fake the look -- gaiters work pretty well and look effective from a distance.
posted by darksong at 6:02 AM on September 16, 2011

V. expensive but come in toddler sizing.

Less expensive but only go down to size 12.
posted by Andrhia at 6:07 AM on September 16, 2011

On Facebook there is a group called Boys Be Cool. It is fashion-forward and in a current obbsession with boots.

Post on there and I would assume you'd have something within hours.
posted by k8t at 6:08 AM on September 16, 2011

Places like Brigade Quartermaster, US Cavalry, Cabelas or Gander Mountain might have kid-sized combat boots (or, failing that, something very similar-looking).

I'm guessing you've already tried local surplus stores.
posted by box at 6:09 AM on September 16, 2011

These are only $20 but you'd need to cut that ruffle out, and maybe polish them to be black and not brown.
posted by Andrhia at 6:11 AM on September 16, 2011

Cabellas has all the taking-your-kids-into-the-combat-zone crap you would ever need.
posted by H. Roark at 6:39 AM on September 16, 2011 [1 favorite]

Black adult athletic socks that you put on OVER his regular shoes. You can draw on them with a paint pen or whatever.
posted by hermitosis at 6:46 AM on September 16, 2011

I don't think you'll find actual combat boots. I would go to Wal-Mart and get a pair of these hiking style boots and just use black polish to dye them darker. You might need to use a Sharpie on the soles to darken them properly.

They'd be good enough for a costume and they're only $13 so they aren't too pricey to be for play. (They might actually come in handy in the coming months but beware that they are not waterproof.)
posted by TooFewShoes at 6:47 AM on September 16, 2011

I live in Maine; there are starting to be boots in stores because retailers want to remind me that the long cold winter is coming. thanks.
posted by theora55 at 6:48 AM on September 16, 2011

You could sew some gaiters that go over a pair of shoes. Should be easy to make out of felt, and you could find a pattern from another halloween costume and modify it (maybe modified pirate boots?). It's really just a little sleeve of felt with an elastic band that goes under the shoe.

Came to recommend this. My mom home-sewed all of our Halloween costumes growing up; special shoes are expensive. I think the only costume shoe-shoes we ever got were a set of cowboy boots for my brother for cowboy day in kindergarten. (Except that he came down with the flu on that day of all days and barfed all over them, and all he could say was "ohhhh I puked in my cowwwboy boooots," which was pretty hilarious.)

Anyway, the solution to this was to make shoe covers. She made ours out of heavy-duty, stiff canvas. There were brown ones with fringe for my cowboy boots, leaf-green ones for when I was dressed as a flower, etc, etc. Just slip them on right over a pair of sneakers.
posted by phunniemee at 7:06 AM on September 16, 2011 [1 favorite]

You can also buy shoe covers, maybe something like these, and alter them to look the way you'd like.
posted by chowflap at 7:50 AM on September 16, 2011

Response by poster: Heah, thanks guys! A lot of great suggestions and it led me to some pretty unexpected solutions, including Jessica Simpson brand girly boots if you can believe it (but they look perfect). Anyway, after a lot of Googling I found a pair of vintage, Justin brand toodler boots on eBay. Only pair I was able to find & in my kids size. Pretty amazing luck. Heres the auction if you wanna take a look. I love when stuff like this works out so perfectly. Thanks again everyone. Know I'm off to build a Proton Pack.


posted by senseofsurreal at 8:05 AM on September 16, 2011 [2 favorites]