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Talk to Clarks about getting your DC's first school shoes and other milestones in their lives - you could win school shoes for your DCs for a year! NOW CLOSED

177 replies

AngelieMumsnet · 22/08/2014 17:47

We've been asked by Clarks to find out about what Mumsnetters remember about getting their DCs first pair of school shoes.

Here's what Clarks say,

"From tearful to triumphant, there are many words that parents use to capture the excitement and emotion they feel about their child starting school for the very first time. Clarks understand how important the First Day of School is for both parents and children, and how sentimental parents feel about sending their child off into the big wide world.

To celebrate this momentous occasion, Clarks have partnered with Ladybird to create a bespoke memory book, free with your child’s first pair of Clarks School Shoes. The memory book lets children and parents complete and capture all their first moments from their first year at school, from favourite lessons to favourite friends, and of course a space for a photo of your child in their perfectly crease free uniform and shiny shoes on their first day at school.

To complete your First Clarks School Shoes experience, you can also book a fitting appointment at a time to suit you. The occasion is made all the more exciting by being measured on a new Clarks iPad Foot Gauge! Book online at //www.clarks.co.uk/storeappointments, phone 0844 248 8408, or in store. Clarks also have over 7,000 trained fitters in stores over the back to school season and Clarks stores open for longer for the summer holidays to make sure your shopping experience is completely hassle free"

So, what do you remember about getting your DCs first school shoes? Maybe it's having their feet measured? Or perhaps it's the number of shoes they tried on before finding the right pair? Was this a big milestone in their lives? What other milestones are important to you?

If your DCs aren't old enough for school just yet, is getting their first pair of school shoes a milestone that you're looking forward to? Was being fitted for their first pair of shoes a milestone? Are there any other milestones which you think are important? If so, what are they?

Everyone who comments on this thread will be entered into a prize draw where one MNer will receive school shoes for their DCs (worth up to £150) for a year.

Thanks and good luck,

MNHQ

OP posts:
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MadMonkeys · 22/08/2014 19:23

I just got DD1's first pair of school shoes from my local Clarks - the overwhelming memory is how grumpy the sales assistant was! And how little choice there was in her size - only one pair of shoes fitted, so we got those ones... Happily DD1 liked them. It was still a bit of a milestone, along with buying her uniform.

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Rummikub · 22/08/2014 19:34

I think their first pair of school shoes was a milestone. My youngest knew exactly the pair she wanted and refused to try on any others!i still have the first shoes pictures and would have liked a first school shoes pic too. I don't think there are any other shoe related milestones I can think of right now.
Oh I also found that some fitters in some stores were better than others.

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3littlewomen · 22/08/2014 19:40

All my children's first school scho came from Clark's. No huge memory - sorry!

BUT would like to ask why oh why the fugly disgraceful range of school shoes this year, and do you really think mothers want dolls in the heel of shoes??? Really???? Bought not a single pair of shoes from Clark's this year (and from talking to other mothers locally) we are buying elsewhere in droves.... Please Clark's - sort it out!!!!

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BellaVida · 22/08/2014 19:55

By pure coincidence, I have just bought my 4 DC school shoes in Clarks this afternoon. It was my youngest's first school shoes too!

It felt like a ritual for the older ones, but a rite of passage for my 'baby' and the last time it will be a 'first school shoes' moment for us as a family.

I still remember getting my own school shoes from Clarks when I was a girl, in fact the shop is still in the same place in the town where I grew up, 30 odd years ago.

Of course, the measuring is a much more high tech affair now- the kids loved the iPads today, choosing their character and inputting their age! I really liked the new method for width measurement too.

My DD was made to feel special too with her 'first school shoes' booklet. For her, it added to the excitement of getting her uniform for 'big school'. In fact, she just said "I love my new school shoes so much, I could kiss them!" I am sure the flashing lights are a big influencing factor lol.

It's funny how you recall these little moments, snapshots of your children growing up. I recently found the Polaroid photo of my eldest in his first ever shoes,in a little paper frame with mutil-coloured footprints, taken at Clarks nearly 10 years ago. I still have the shoes and can't bring myself to get rid of them.

I know how fast these last 10 years have passed and maybe in another 10 years, I won't be doing this any more.....Hopefully they will remember it too.

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CMOTDibbler · 22/08/2014 19:57

Any shoe buying with ds is a case of a) finding the three that meets his schools very strict criteria and then b) seeing which come in his H fitting with high insteps. I can't call his first school shoe buying to have felt like a milestone, more of an ordeal!
His first trip to the uniform shop was a real milestone though. Both seeing him transformed into a little schoolboy, and strangely it made me feel like a proper mum

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Fairylea · 22/08/2014 20:01

Not sure if this counts but dd is starting high school in September and I took her to clarks in Norwich on Tuesday to get her shoes. It was such a lovely moment- it sounds daft but she is so excited about going up to "big school" and we've been broke ages so she hasn't been to have her feet measured for ages, just a case of try and see in tesco or from eBay! But I'd been saving and thought I'd treat her.

The staff were all amazing, especially the guy who served us. It was packed in there but there didn't seem to be any rush to hurry up. The guy chatted to dd about how old she was and going to secondary school etc.

It turned out she needed an adult style of shoe and fitting and rather than just send us downstairs to the adult department the guy went and got the shoes from the stockroom and fitted them. All very cheerfully.

It was a lovely memory for me. Dd looked so chuffed and happy and is very excited about her new shoes :)

My littlest one is only 2 but I always get him fitted in clarks. I love the shoes.

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teddygirlonce · 22/08/2014 20:33

Can't really remember that much about DS's first pair of shoes other than that they were the 'crawler' ones and I couldn't wait to get him into 'proper' Clarks shoes!

DD's features more clearly in my mind because she's always had incredibly long, slim feet and it's always been hard work finding shoes to fit her - even in Clarks! She had one pair when she was about two that literally only fitted for about six weeks which wasn't very pleased about when they'd cost me £28. When I went back to complain, the response was 'Madam, your daughter is to be congratulated on growing!' Hmm.

Love getting the DCs their school shoes from Clarks though (despite the lengthy queues during the summer hols!) - there's something so familiar and comforting about it....and the whole process hasn't changed that much since I was being fitted for school shoes many moons ago!

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gildedlily · 22/08/2014 20:39

Very happy and recent memories of getting DS2's first school shoes. We went to John Lewis as usual and got our favourite fitter who found DS some Clark's shoes he loves in the sale. Big smiles all round!

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Purpleflamingos · 22/08/2014 20:50

My dc love getting their feet measured. Ds never has a problem finding shoes in Clarks. Dd however is different. Spring, summer, possibly early autumn are fine. Winter however- Clarks you need a simple range of girls boots in wintry colours. Last year and the year before I could not get a pair of leather mid calf or knee high boots in navy or black in sizes 3-5. She's currently in a size 6. Small for her age but very active and wants to do everything her big brother does but in pretty dresses and tights (she chooses her clothes in the shops). I don't need brown boots with orange owls when she owns a beautiful red and navy coat. The first winter she was walking she was a size 3 and no one except UGG made a pair of boots that small. Please give me leather boots (not ankle) in navy or black.

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gamerwidow · 22/08/2014 21:05

We went yesterday to buy DDs first school shoes from Clarks. The staff member was so friendly and made the process really good fun. DD is absolutely delighted with her new shoes and is showing them off to anyone who will look.
She's also very pleased with the 'first school shoes' booklet and we've already started filling it in and drawing pictures.

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FrontForward · 22/08/2014 21:07

I'm another dissatisfied parent. I was fed up of school shoes being high heeled and totally inappropriate. I also had several bad fittings and shoes that wore out quickly.

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TheWildRumpyPumpus · 22/08/2014 21:17

We went school shoe shopping today, unfortunately mine have to wear brown and our local Clarks don't sell any for boys (and wouldn't order any in - why?) so we had to go to Russell and Bromley who stocked Start-Rite.

We still only had a choice of one style each for them both, the 4 year old is a 12 F and the 6 year old a 3.5 E, tricky getting anything to fit properly in brown.

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TenMinutesEarly · 23/08/2014 13:50

I bought ds his first school shoes from Clarks last week. The fitter was lovely and made ds feel very grown up.

The part I will never forget is going in to check on him that night and finding him asleep in his full uniform and new shoes. Priceless!

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Keepcalmanddrinkwine · 23/08/2014 17:52

I have always bought the DDs' shoes from Clarks but now they are both in Secondary I am finding it hard to find shoes that fit and wear well that they will actually wear.

I wish there was a teens range, not heels or flimsy ballet pumps, but good quality leather shoes that look stylish too. the brogues are ok but there is only one style and when one child won't wear the same as their sister I find myself stuck.

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RandallFloyd · 23/08/2014 18:08

I can't fault the staff in my local clarks, they are very patient and are always un-fazed by DS's mahoosive ASD meltdowns whenever they try and touch him.

My problem is with the range of stock. DS is a 6 1/2 H and had precisely one style to choose from. They're really flimsy and are already wearing out after 2 months. This for the bargain price of £35! How on earth can Clarks justify the prices they charge? Seriously, it's just wrong. I don't mind paying if I get what I pay for but £35 for a pair of non-leather shoes, not 5 inches long, which will last less than 4 months? No.

I'll definitely be shopping around next time.

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EmmaWB · 24/08/2014 15:05

My eldest is just about to start secondary school. When we bought his first pair of shoes, he had his photo taken in Clarks - what a treasured memory!

My youngest is just about to start school next month, so I'm glad that with 3 to buy for Clarks have made this more hassle free :)

Can't wait to have a picture of my children in their new uniform, new shoes and new school bags! Tissues at the ready, they're all growing up too quick :)

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KenDoddsDadsDog · 24/08/2014 15:21

First fitting for DD too. We were so excited then were told there was only one style selection due to her narrow feet. I now know the pain my mam had getting my shoes , she says my dad used to twitch when I needed new shoes Grin

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LEE88 · 24/08/2014 15:46

I took my son to Clarks last week last week for his school shoes and liked the new ipad fitting service which my son liked too, it makes it a bit more fun for him too.

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Kentmummy1 · 24/08/2014 16:19

Came back from my local Clarks very disappointed. Not one size in either of my son's sizes, not even the ugly shoes! Went to John Lewis who although very busy (I appreciate it's that time of year) had a wide range to choose from. Both my boys came away very happy, as did I.

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lizd31 · 24/08/2014 16:27

Clarks was the only shoe shop my Mum bought shoes for me as I had tiny feet with broad fitting & a high instep so none of the other shops catered for my shoe needs, I used to love going & getting my feet measured & coming out with perfectly fitting shoes

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chrriss · 24/08/2014 16:35

Always bought our Clarks shoes from from Charles Clinkard they made it fun for all the family and it was always a 'big day out' " We Love Clarks shoes, our feet are safe in your hands!"

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Holfin · 24/08/2014 16:39

My daughter is starting school next September and we will be going to Clarks for her first school shoes. She was a late walker but even at 20 months she was only a 2.5E. Clarks only did cruising shoes in that size so that's what we had. I am looking forward to getting the shoes I just hope they have them in her size and width fitting. I think the first time trying her whole uniform on will be a big milestone and I may shed a tear

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andywedge · 24/08/2014 16:57

Has to be how her eyes widened with joy and now she's doing her best to become a mini Imelda Marcos

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milliemoon · 24/08/2014 17:01

I was a very proud mummy when my little one got his first pair of shoes! I'm going to keep them. However, his feet are growing so fast now that we seem to be buying them every couple of months which is expensive x

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aaaagh · 24/08/2014 17:07

Not an ordeal at all. My son is just like his dad, he hates shopping so we were in and out like the SAS. Thankfully, with Clarks the shoes last for ages so we don't have to go back until he grows out of them.

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