The Perfect Summer Kick-Off: Tidewater Sandals for the Whole Family! #Review + #Giveaway

Tuesday, May 20, 2014

With summer just around the corner, I am happy to say that I have ditched my boots and closed toe flats, and traded them for sandals! I love shoes and boots of all kinds, but just between you and me- I pretty much live in flip flops and sandals year round. This past winter was torturous, because it was a really cold winter. Here in NC, we're used to milder winters, and this is the first season in many years that I went weeks without wearing my flip flops in the house, because it was just too chilly! Everyone in my family loves to be barefoot, so we're ready to celebrate packing the boots away in a big way!

Though we love our sandals and flip flops, the tough truth is that they can be uncomfortable, and dangerous. Many a time have I busted my behind on a slippery surface, due to poorly designed sandals. I was happy to find Tidewater Sandals, a NC based company in Winston-Salem (a close neighbor to me). Tidewater aims to connect their customers with a comfortable, unique vacation sandal that goes way beyond vacation time.

Tidewater brought their lovely ribbon sandals to the market in 2002, and many customers discovered Tidewater while on their vacations. The response to Tidewater's lightweight, comfortable sandals was so wonderful! Today, Tidewater matches whimsical designs with the comfort and style that their customers desire, and their new 2014 sandal line is perfect for the whole family!

An early morning delivery meant starting our day with a special package from Tidewater!

We were thrilled for the opportunity to work with Tidewater. Tidewater specializes in comfy sandals for men, women and children, which meant that each member of our family received a new pair of sandals from Tidewater! I couldn't wait to see what my husband and son would think of their new sandals, and of course, I couln't wait to try the sandals that Tidewater sent for me, as well!

Eager B was reaching into the box to help me unpack our goodies!

Each pair of sandals was wrapped and packaged in plastic, to keep them protected during shipping.

What a great looking collection of sandals for the family! His, Hers and little man's!

Both my husband and son were so excited about their new Tidewater sandals! I was enjoying their reactions to their new sandals so much, that I almost didn't see that my new friends at Tidewater surprised me with a pair of casual sandals that I wasn't expecting to receive!

A most wonderful surprise... Women's Blue Chevron Flip Flops!

As soon as I saw the pretty blue chevron flip flops by Tidewater, I knew I was going to love them. The pattern in the strap design is so on trend right now, and I couldn't wait to slip into them. As I picked the flip flops up, I immediately noticed that they were extremely lightweight, and that they were thick. So many of the flip flops that I have previously owned were so flimsy, that if I were to hold them by the heels and shake them, they would flop all over the place. I have had a lot of pairs of flip flops fall apart after wearing them only a few times, that get caught on pavement or cement when I've been wearing them, and others that were just down right uncomfortable.

When I slipped into the Blue Chevron Tidewater Flip Flops, I had one of those 'where have these been all of my life?' moments. Tidewater sandals stand out from the rest, because of their classic footbed with arch support. They felt light on my feet, but as I wore them for the first time, my feet felt fully supported all day long. I thought that I would wear these every so often, especially on more casual days, but I have to tell you... I have been loving these flip flops so much, that I have hardly been wearing anything else! I have been spending most of each day- working, managing the house, playing my my son, running errands, etc- in these flip flops, and they have been amazing! Not once did my feet feel like they were sore or uncomfortable!

The Blue Chevron Flip Flops are cute and comfortable!

Not only do these flip flops feel wonderful on my feet- they look great, too!

I have received a lot of compliments on my Tidewater Blue Chevron Flip Flops, and I have been happy to share about them! The women's flip flops by Tidewater come in lot's of fun styles for summertime! I love these sandals so much that I plan to take them on all of our summer trips, because they look great with shorts, pants, capris, skirts and dresses!

Features of the Women's Blue Chevron Flip Flops

Tidewater Flip Flops are the perfect combination of comfort and fun. This flip flop is designed with blue chevron straps and features Tidewater's classic foot bed with arch support, a lightweight sole, and a brushed finish.

• Super cushioned black footbed

• Brushed finish

• Arch support

• Lightweight sole

Next Up- Mandals for the Hubby!

So, my husband is not a great lover of flip flops or sandals for guys. He is probably the pickiest guy I know when it comes to most things in life, especially the things he wears. Basically, if it isn't high quality, or if it's the slightest bit uncomfortable, he's not going to wear it.

I had a feeling that he would really like the handsom Hampstead Natural Mandals. They have a beachy look and feel to them, and if there's one place in the world that my husband would love to spend the rest of his life- it's at the beach.

Sacha's stylin' in these handsome mandals by Tidewater sandals!

Beachy keen- already dreaming about a summertime beach vacation in the Hampstead Natural Mandals!

Sacha was actually pretty excited about trying on his new mandals from Tidewater. He really liked they way they looked, and admired the craftsmanship before he put them on. He's not usually a fan of the natural look, but he really liked the combination of the natural thong with the tan sole and insole. He said that these were so much more comfortable than any of his other sandals. He felt that his feet were wonderfully supported. Normally, Sacha doesn't like to wear sandals or flip flops when we're out and about, but after he wore the Hampstead Natural Mandals out to dinner one night, he said he was sold, and has pretty much been wearing them ever since, except for bedtime and work. I know he's also planning on packing these and bringing them along on our upcoming trips to the mountains, our family vacation in July, and hopefully on a beach trip in late summer.

Details of the Hampstead Natural Mandals

For a look which is laid-back, beachy and fun, Tidewater Mandals feature a cushioned footbed, contoured edges, premium arch support, and a durable outsole. This sandal is the the perfect everyday go-to sandal.

• Super cushioned footbed

• Contoured edge

• Premium arch support

• Durable outsole

Last but Not Least- the Little Dude...

Perhaps most excited of us all, was B, who was freaking out with excitement over his adorable Pirate Flag flip flops from Tidewater!

B loves all things pirates, so these snazzy flip flops were the perfect choice for him!

When I saw the Pirate Flag Kids Flip Flops by Tidewater, I knew B would love them! We spend a lot of time playing pirates, and when he was able to slip into these adorable flip flops, they made his day! These cute flip flops are so cute on B, and though I was a bit anxious about how he might react to flip flops (these are actually his first pair of flip flops), I couldn't wait to see him wearing them!

B's tootsies are super comfy in his Pirate Flag Flip Flops!

Check out this matey in his cool flip flops!

B has pretty much been wearing his Pirate Flag Flip Flops by Tidewater Sandals every day since we received them. B has thick feet, and we have never been able to comfortably get him into a pair of flip flops that weren't too tight across the top. We went with the youth size small for his cute little feet, and it was a wonderful choice! The flip flops stay on his feet, but they're not too tight. They're an easy on/off for him, and he has been enjoying being able to put these on all by himself. The kids flip flops have the same thick, comfortable arched sole as the flip flops that I received, so I know that he i experiencing the same comfort that I am when he has these sandals on.

B feels so super cool in his pirate sandals, and has already told me that he can't wait to show them to his cousin C, and wear them to the beach! For right now, he's enjoying wearing them at home, when we run errands, and out into the yard while he soaks up the sun and hits the kiddie pool!

Details of the Pirate Flag Flip Flops by Tidewater Sandals

A festive pirate flag design strap makes this sandal both beachy and fun. This flip flop features Tidewater's Classic footbed with arch support, a lightweight sole, and a brushed finish.

• Super cushioned footbed

• Brushed finish

• Arch support

• Lightweight sole

The whole family- me, B, and Sacha, in our new Tidewater Sandals!

B & me- showing off our Tidewater Flip Flops...

Every single one of us has been enjoying our Tidewater Sandals! We love wearing them all together, whether we're hanging out at home, or headed out somewhere fun! One thing is for sure- we'll all be wearing our favorite Tidewater sandals when we go on our summer trips this year! We know we'll be comfortable and stylish, no matter where our travel adventures take us!

And if that wasn't enough, here comes a special encore!

I also received a second pair of wonderful Tidewater Sandals!

I was excited to see this casual, yet dressier pair of sandals by Tidewater!

It's been a really long time since I bought myself some sandals that could be a bit dressy, but also casual. When I'm out looking at sandals, I find that a lot of them look the same, and I'm not the type of gal who likes to be wearing the same thing as every other gal in town. Tidewater's Classic Slides in Beaufort Tan caught my eye, because of their classic, yet unique style.

Meet the lovely Classic Slides in Beaufort Tan by Tidewater!

The Classic Slides are beautifully designed, and uniquely detailed. When I first wore the slides, they felt a little tight across my toes, but after wearing them a second and third time, I noticed that they loosened slightly after wearing them. The slender strip across the toes is comfortable, and I love the gromet and lace design. A lovely braided strap accents each side of the top of the foot, offering additional support to keep the slide in place on the foot.

I am loving the way these classic slides look and feel on my feet!

Beautiful from very angle- the details of these pretty little slides make them stand out.

The Tidewater Classic Slides offer the same amazing support as their flip flops, which I fully expected, after wearing the flip flops. My arches are supported by Tidewater's attention to arch support. These slides feature a very low heel which I love, because just about every other sandal I own is flat, flat, flat. These are so wonderful that I have been wearing them with skirts and dresses, as well as with casual ankle cut skinny jeans, shors and capris. They really look a bit nautical, and I love wearing them with one of my favorite blue and white striped tops! They're comfortable enough to spend all day in- at the office, with the kids, out for a night on the town with the gals, or to dinner with the hubs.

I love these stylish slides so much that I'm tempted to get them in other colors, as well!

Features of the Classic Slide in Beaufort Tan

Your vacation style won’t be complete without our Beaufort slingback. If you need something a little casual we offer out tan style. The Beaufort design offers premium sock materials and amazing arch support.

• Premium sock material

• Super cushioned footbed

• Arch support

• 1.25"" heel height

I can't wait to make the Classic Slide sandals my go-to sandal for a dressy, yet casual style for our summer travels. If I pack these, and then my lovely Blue Chevron Flip Flops, I won't need to pack any other sandals for my trips... these will be all I'll need!

Tidewater Sandals has gorgeous, comfortable, classic sandal selections for the whole family! Take a look at some more wonderful Tidewater sandals that I'm loving...

Duxbury Gold Wedge

Men's Orange Palmetto

Girls Amelia Sandals

Kids Sea Turtle Flip Flops

Women's Nahunt

With so many wonderful sandal styles for men, women and children, Tidewater is sure to become your go-to sandal for every memeber of the family! Outfit the kids for a fun summer vacation, surprise dad with a pair of mandals for Father's Day, and treat your feet to stylish comfort for special summer occasions, like graduation parties, weddings, baby showers, or just enjoying the lovely summer weather with your favorite people!

Want Some? Buy Some!

Head on over to Tidewater to browse their wonderful collections of sandals for the family! You can also connect with Tidewater through Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest!

Want Some? Win Some!

Thanks to our friends at Tidewater sandals, one lucky MBP reader will win a pair of Tidewater Sandals, plus a super cute Tidewater T-Shirt! What beter way to kick off summer, than with a comfy pair of sandals and a spiffy new t-shirt? Giveaway is open to US residents, 18 and older. Just use the Rafflecopter entry form below to enter for your chance to win!

Special thanks to Tidewater Sandals for allowing our whole family to experience the comfort of their wonderful sandals, and for offering this special giveaway to our fabulous readers!

Good luck!