Anyone one else got a girl with H width feet?

[Allegrogirl]

Just had an annoying afternoon trying to find size 5H shoes for my 20 month old. After the stupid teen shop assistant in Clarks finally realised she was in fact an H after trying to shove her feet in F fittings (I TOLD her dd was an H).

I ordered some shoes from Jones who didn't have a single pair of Start Rite Hs in store but at least their assistant could measure feet properly.

Clarks told me she was not a standard size and their website only had 4 5H styles, all gross. Any else have this problem? I've discovered the joy of Crocs (2nd hand off ebay) but she can't wear them all the time.

[BoffinMum]

I have very wide feet and had this problem as a kid. Luckily my mum is German and lots of people have wide feet over there, so she used to stock up with shoes and so on for me once a year when we were over there.

I was told by a shoe guy once that the root of the problem is that a lot of UK shoes are based on Italian lasts and therefore on the narrow side, rather than German lasts which are wider. I don't know how true this is.

BTW did you know you can order online direct from Start Rite and they have a lot more choice than most other places? Buckle My Shoe us quite good for wide shoes as well.

[BoffinMum]

This looks a fun way of measuring kids' feet and avoiding silly shoe shop people who get it wrong:

Clicknfit

[WhiteWineAndJaffaCakes]

My dd's feet are 3.5H and she has a high instep as well so we struggle finding shoes. Clarks were helpful even though the choice of shoes was very limited - probably a case of happening to get the right assistant. For the summer we've found ordinary size 4 sandals from places like Next to be ok.

[wahwah]

just found out 1y old is 4.5 H when we got her measured for her first pair and the crap choice prompted my thread in Aibu. Why are all the shoes in Clark's pink and spangly? They're not much better in Start Rite either.

However, some very nice people sent some very useful links to me for wide shoes, but they didn't specifically say they were H width, so I won't be ordering yet.

[lou031205]

I fully intended to put DD2 in DD1's old shoes. But DD1 is an F, and it turns out DD2 is a G

[GrimmaTheNome]

My friend has a DD with H width feet. She found an independant shoeshop near her which stocked shoes that fit... I think they might have been German come to think.

Perhaps you should look in your Yellow pages and phone to see if they stock anything likely.

[dooit]

My 2 younger DDs measure above an H. They mainly wear Crocs and trainers. God knows what they'll wear when they have to have regulation black shoes for high school in a year/2 years.

[fifitot]

Mine is an H - didn't realise it was a hard to get fitting. Got Clarks' Doodles and trainers in H.

[plonker]

My dd's feet are apparantly off the scale and are above a 'H' fitting.

I tried an independant shoeshop near me (am I your friend Grimma? ) who stocked some lovely shoes (yes, including German ones ) which fitted dd.

I ended up buying some hush puppies in the sale which fit beautifully, aren't pink, and are v v cute!

[BoffinMum]

The other annoying thing is when you are sitting in the shoe shop with all the other wide-footed people, gazing in utter despair at the paltry offerings, and you ask 'why isn't there more for me to buy?' they say 'there's no call for it'. Anyone else had that?

However you may not need an H if you get canny. If you go for a wider looking design, then the actual width fitting sometimes seems to matter less. Also I have had very good experiences in places like Peter Jones (John Lewis at Sloane Square) in the past, buying Start Rite shoes for my DD, and then the shop putting special bits and pieces inside the shoes to make them fit better generally, such as special bits of foam under the insole.

German and designer makes that fit our wide Boffin feet include Salamander, Elefanten and Kickers. Sundaes Sandals are another good firm who will make some shoes to order very cheaply to your own design from their range (eg heel/colour/strap combinations).

I haven't bought Clarks shoes for a long time, because the quality of the leather and stitching is atrocious IME, and the shoe shops never have more then about two random sizes in for any style. In my next life I want to start a shoe shop for children with a more limited range of good quality classic shoes that are more timeless than the spangly yukky shoes on offer these days, and which fit all children. If we can put a man on the moon, we must be able to do that!

[BoffinMum]

Sundaes Sandals Also good for slippers out of season, as German people tend to wear them all year round.

Salamander shoes German site but some pages in English.

Elefanten shoes Make Clarks look like cardboard.

Kickers

Start-Rite sandal Example of a sandal that may well 'come up wide' and mean you can get away with a G perhaps.

[BoffinMum]

See what you mean about the choice being limited. I mean, just black or sickly pink??? UGH!!

Clarks

[TheHeathenOfSuburbia]

Don't forget to look at the boys' shoes too, DD is wearing these at the minute...

They look perfectly sensible with a pair of jeans.

[UniS]

Nike do a pretty wide velcro sneaker shoe.
www.champion.ie/products.php?dept_id=3&cat_id=11&subcat_id=46&prod_id=3368 My lad is a K fitting and they work well for him. I bought them at sport soccar for about 15 quid. I've given up on Clarks entirely. Geox seem to be wide enough, if a bit pricey.

We have bitten the bullet tho and have one pair of shoes that were made to fit by a boot maker.The smallest that could be made were a size 5 and since then he has had 3 pairs in 2 years, all out grown rather than worn out ( he is still in pair 3). I expect we will continue to do this for his school shoes. Cost a bit more than Geox or clarks but FIT, are made of real leather in our choice of colours and look good.

[TwoToTango]

My DS is an H fitting. Shoes are OK as Clarks do an H fitting. Main problem I have are the blacks pumps he needs for PE as Clarks only go up to a G so have to get him a half size bigger in a G and have tried loads of cheap makes but all are very slim vitting. Other problem is trainers - only ones found to fit him are Geox and the nearist stockist for them is 12 miles away although sometimes Rackhams have them in stock. I did get him some from a website, will try and find the link. Other problem is footy boots - if anyone knows anywhere that sells wide fitting footy boots I would love to know.

[karise]

It is so annoying isn't it?
We travel 15 miles for a really good independant shoe shop just because we know they will size DD perfectly.
My big tip is to find a local town with a high profile private school. You are more likely to find a good independent shop there as many have deals with the prep or senoir that some items are only available from them. Indie parents don't shop where there is bad service! & the range is normally fantastic

[CMOTdibbler]

Elephanten, Baby Oop, Ecco, and Ricosta (who have an actual wide fitting) are all great wide shoes.

DS is an H/J fit, and has very high insteps.

We go a long way to buy his shoes from a lovely independant shop, and they are suprt helpful.

I never go to Clarks as they always try and jam DS's feet in unsuitable shoes, and try and convince me that buying shoes that are too big in the length to get the width would be a good idea

[blametheparents]

Another vote for Ecco here, I have a DD with H fitting feet and a high instep and I have found Ecco good.
I did have to pay £38 for her summer sandals this year though

[wrinklytum]

DD wears AFO'S (orthopaedic splints)so finding shoes to accomadate her splints is a nightmare.

I have found a shoeshop called Diechmann on our high street that does wide fitting shoes .Unbelievably I got her a BEAUTIFUL pair of shoes in pink suede/leather with a bar across that velcros for a paltry £9.She was really chuffed and kept signing "Beautiful shoes" at meBefore we have only managed to find her trainers!

I also recently got a bargainous pair of bright pink start rite shoes in TK Maxx for £7 in theri clearance bit.They were leather too,and wide fitting.

[pinata]

woo hoo - I'm not the only one. what is it with the skinny shoes already? 18 month DD is a 5-6 Hand I recently spent a sweaty afternoon trawling round shops before discovering the airconditioned haven of Russell and Bromley for kids

Found 2 pairs of trainers in there that fit (including the Nike velcro ones UniS mentioned, which look very cute on)

then, it being summer and all, I went to next and got some birkenstock type adjustable sandals - buckle over the front and round the ankle. They are fab and were just £9

also got a pair of crocs, which I can't rate highly enough.

[Allegrogirl]

Thanks all for your really helpful tips and shared experience of shoe shopping hell. Jones called to say the H width shoes I ordered on Friday, and paid a deposit for, are unavailable in that size until September.

I'm a bit stuffed for shopping options living in Plymouth so I'll have to give online ordering a go. I was reluctant to buy shoes that hadn't been fitted in store but the shops here are so useless I don't think it will make much difference. Will definately check out some of your suggestions.