To refuse to buy DD "Daisy" school shoes

[Maggietess]

Dd1 has been on at me forever and a day about her these blooming Clarks shoes with the daisy doll in the heel. I have said no as they look to me like in making a space for the doll to be stored they've almost made a chunky heel on the back of the shoe.

She's only 5 so my rationale was that 5yos just need sturdy black patent leather that will last, they don't need heels. (And she has her father's clumsy gene so I don't think a heel would help that!) However, the other choices in her size (12) all seem to be very ballerina pump style and I just don't think they look right either.

Is it just me or have little girls school shoes gone from being smart and sturdy (maybe with the odd embellishment at the top) to some kind of fashion item that would be better placed on 10 year olds plus???

S i make her have the one pair of "sensible" shoes I've seen ...Or AIBU and should I just get her the doll shoes like everyone else in her class appears to be doing?

(Or indeed am I way over thinking this ????I just have it drummed into me from my own mum about the importance of kids having good, well fitting shoes)

[CorrieDale]

I am entirely with you on this. Snd don't get me started in how hard it is to find co

[CorrieDale]

Doh!

... How hard it is to find shoes that cover the foot for walking to the bus/school in winter!

[TeenAndTween]

try Startright shoes instead.

[KnittedWaffle]

No. I'm with you on it. My DD is 4 and starts reception in September.
No heel of any description (they fall over enough!) and anything with a marketing gimmick like a doll in the heel screams 'crap shoes' IMO
She's going to be running around in the playground and goodness knows what else so the shoes need to be sturdy/hardwearing.
Luckily DD wasn't interested in the 'doll' shoes but she did want a shiny black patent pair. She had a similar pair in pink and I know how much of a bashing they took but never got scratched so I've agreed to the patent ones.

[Umlauf]

I've just had a look, I think they look lovely and sturdy!

Its nothing new though, I remember begging my Mum for a pair that had a little key that came with them and a keyhole in the sole of the shoe, when you turned it a princess came out or something.

Clarks shoes are usually really well structured and well fitting, and if you take her somewhere to make sure she's fitted into them then I don't see the problem.

[ZombiesAteMyBigToe]

The hole for the doll means there is not a lot of heel support in those shoes. After a while the inner sole seems to collapse into the space.

I buy DD leather trainer type Clarke shoes, I suppose they are nominally for boys but DD (going into year 4) is not the only girl wearing them, especially in the winter. She says they make her run faster too.

[Pozzled]

My DD wears boys' school shoes. The high street shops sell styles which are utterly stupid designs for a young child IMO. And I can't be arsed to spend time searching for something more 'girly'.

So until they make girls' shoes with decent grips, which cover the whole foot and look like they're designed to last, I'll buy from the boys' section.

[VenusSurprising]

Clarks Daisys are pretty good shoes. They have a strap iirc. Ballerina shoes are worse than useless, as they have to grip their toes to keep them on.
If you don't like the gimmick then go for startrite.

[Sparklymommy]

Patent is not good for feet. It doesn't allow feet to breath and can restrict growth.

Startrite are a good make but more expensive and clarks shoes are a good make. My daughter has had the doll shoes in the past and the heel is no deeper than on any other shoe.

[sonlypuppyfat]

I have been looking for a decent pair of kids shoes what is it with the straps I just want a pair of shoes that cover the whole foot.

[GW297]

I agree! The children do take their dollies out on the carpet at school or stamp them to see them flash. I prefer startrite for school shoes but I started school in 1987 in red Clarks magic key shoes and I loved them!

[itsallaboutyoubaby]

Dd1 has just grown out of the hush puppies I bought her for school from amazon and they lasted really well. Just seen tk maxx have them in atm, they are so sturdy and practical. She doesnt go a bundle on them as they arent girly but I dont care...I have just ordered them again [http://www.tkmaxx.com/kids/girls-shoes/icat/2601#esp_cf=Size&esp_filter_Size=12%20INF fourth row down]]

[itsallaboutyoubaby]

[http://www.tkmaxx.com/kids/girls-shoes/icat/2601#esp_cf=Size&esp_filter_Size=12%20INF 4th row down]]

[itsallaboutyoubaby]

Rah!! [http://www.tkmaxx.com/kids/girls-shoes/icat/2601#esp_cf=Size&esp_filter_Size=12%20INF]]

[itsallaboutyoubaby]

Here www.tkmaxx.com/kids/girls-shoes/icat/2601#esp_cf=Size&esp_filter_Size=12%20INF

[Dontletthemgetyoudown]

I find clarks shoes rubbish for dd. I don't object to the doll but I to object to buying a pair of £30+ shoes each term. My daughter is hard on her shoes but still they seem to fall apart excessively quickly.

[youarewinning]

Id say look elsewhere. DS is now 8 and just finished year 4.
I'm very lucky in that he's never grown more than a size in a year. First 2 years his Clarks shoes lasted the year. Then I noticed they seemed to last less time. I thought because he was getting older and wearing them more heavily iyswim?

So 2 years ago decided to get some Next school shoes - £16 ish. Thought at least when he wears them through they are half the price of Clarks. They lasted a year - just like every pair of Next school shoes I've bought him since.

I've just bought him some for September in their sale - £32 worth of school shoes for £12.

[Lagoonablue]

I hate the way most girl's shoes don't cover the whole. All mary jane style which means wet socks and feet when it rains.

[EweHaveGoatToBeKiddin]

I took my 5yo dd to Clarks yesterday for school shoes.

After measuring dd's feet, I specifically told the saleswoman i wanted a school shoe with no heel. I also said i preferred patent to leather.

Only three styles were available in dd's size. And only one pair was completely flat-heeled.

But i fell in love with this pair. www.clarks.co.uk/p/20354813

DD didn't like them because they were black. Only when she threatened to kick up a fuss did the saleswoman reveal a doll in the heel. I'd never even heard of these before. Anyway, this of course persuaded dd to like the shoes.

Anyway, the shoe is very comfortable dd tells me and the heel really low. In fact, it looks much bigger in the picture. The shoes are quite heavy though compared to the ones (non-Daisy) she had last year.

I've downloaded the app but dd isn't very tech-inclined, so not interested in it. And tbh i don't even understand what the doll and the little paintbrush/charm thing that came with it is for? What do they do?

[Maggietess]

So it's not just me then! Thanks for the replies and links.

I'm especially loving the Hush Puppies itsallaboutme!! I might get away with them with the colourful inside!

Start rite were the ones I'd wanted to get instead of the Clarks (the "sensible") ones and you would have thought I'd suggested killing a puppy from her expression!

Think I'll hold firm though. I really don't agree that the heel is no higher - we tried them on in the shop with a different ordinary pair on the other foot and there was a noticeable height difference. And I do think she walked funny in them (maybe that's her).

Gonna def order the Hush Puppies I think unless anyone has suggestion of something similar that has like a heart or sparkle or something that I can sell on the toe!!

Btw to those saying about Clarks shoes falling apart - she had the ones with the lights last year and they cracked in the heel in the same place on both shoes. I took them back and complained and they gave me new pair at 50% discount (they would have replaced them free if they'd been you get but I'd had them for 9 months). Worth trying!

[youarewinning]

what about these?

[jamdonut]

Miaow - totally agree - they are a bloody nuisance. Its hard enough as it is to stop kids getting distracted by lego figures/bits of blue-tak/paper-clips,without an actual doll being inside the sole of the shoe!!! And you are right, the shoes seem to collapse in on themselves once the doll is lost. Looks very uncomfortable.

As for Velcro fastenings...Gah! Why oh why do they sit there on the carpet undoing them and doing them up again, over and over and over....it is torture!

[daisychain01]

Daisy shoes are great, only wish I had smaller feet