What are your top tips for finding good winter shoes for your DCs? Tell Brantano for the chance to win a £200 Brantano voucher NOW CLOSED

[AngelieMumsnet]

As the weather gets colder, Brantano would love to hear Mumsnetters' top tips for finding good winter shoes for their DCs.

Brantano say: “As we approach autumn and winter, our stores will stock a range of shoes and boots suitable for little feet in the cold and wet weather. As with shoes, our expert fitters will measure and fit boots making sure they are a comfortable fit for your child. Brantano stores are also conveniently located in retail parks, with most open until 8pm so you don’t have to go too far with your little ones."

So how do you try to find good winter shoes for your DCs? Is there anything in particular you look for in winter school shoes? Do you have any tips or tricks for making the winter shoe shopping experience run a little smoother?

Whatever your experiences are, Brantano would love to hear about it!

Everyone who posts their comment on this thread will be entered into a prize draw where one Mumsnetter will win a £200 Brantano voucher.

Please note: your comments may be used anonymously elsewhere on Mumsnet and by Brantano on their website, marketing materials and possible elsewhere, so please only comment if you are happy with this.

Thanks and good luck!
MNHQ

[MumOnTheRunAgain]

My tip is to not rely on just one pair.... Having 2-3 reliable pairs of boots and shoes means they are never going to get too wet or damp. I made the mistake of having trainers as back ups.... They get wet too easily and aren't warm enough

[popperdoodles]

They need to be waterproof and built to last. I invested in a foot measure tool and now always buy online and wait for a discount code. What I dislike about certain shoe shops is you often don't find out the price until you get to the till by which time it's too late to shop around

[MakeTeaNotWar]

DD is only 5 so they've got to be easy for her to put on and take off by herself as well as being sturdy and waterproof.

[heymammy]

Shoes/boots need to be leather, not patent or have diamanté crud in them. If I'm getting shoes then they need to cover the whole foot (I have dds) so I've found that leather trainers are better than anything else. If I'm getting them boots then they need to actually be warm inside. The amount of 'pretty' girls leather boots I've looked at that aren't lined . Thank god our dc's primary school don't have any footwear rules!

[Ilikesweetpeas]

Need at least 2 pairs, so that they can be alternated if one pair gets wet / muddy. They need to be able to be washed. No suede or glittery bits that won't stand up to a rinse under the tap! Also I only buy leather so that they can be polished. I've had some great pairs from clarks which lasted well and looked good when cleaned up, even after lots of wear. Also, they need to be lined to be nice and warm. I don't mind spending as I've learnt from experience that good boots last all winter

[FeelingSmurfy]

Don't bother looking at the "girls" shoes, don't think twice about buying "boys" shoes for girls - much more practical

Check with the school what the rules are so that you don't have any trouble when they are first seen by the school

[mumsnit]

Over the winter months my DD only has Startrite shoes for school and trainers for the weekend. I learned the hard way that anything else is money down the drain. Party shoes were only worn a few times before they got wet/dirty/generally trashed or too small! Cheaper/non leather shoes are fine over the summer but I spend more on better quality shoes this time of year.

[Flapdoodles]

Sturdy and waterproof are a definite must. I buy snowboots for when it snows as all the boots I have seen have not been lined, therefore they wear snowboots for playtimes and then change back into school shoes once back inside. I also only buy leather, which do cost more initially, but are worth the expense as they clean easily and tend to last longer.

[babster]

My top tip is to be a boy. Most shoes sold for little girls are flimsy, strappy and impractical - try wearing Mary Janes in the snow! My dds wore boots - Scotchguard them so they last longer. As for ds, he has had some fab Gore-tex boots from Clarks which kept his feet dry all winter. Yes yes to snowboots. Now the dds are at secondary, they wear lace ups as boots aren't allowed.

[CheeseEMouse]

My daughter has some lovely robust shoes from the "boys" section. They are navy so don't looks as scruffy as quickly. We also make sure that we have a pair of wellies in the car so that if it is muddy or wet she makes the wellies messy and not her shoes!

[CheeseAtFourpence]

Absolutely spend more on winter shoes and go for better quality. We end up with 2 or 3 pairs of boots, so that when one pair is soaking wet we have others to choose from. School has rules about black shoes - which for me is simply not practical and if I can send her in boots so much the better. Boys shoes are much more enclosed - so much more practical for wet weather.

[CMOTDibbler]

Good quality wellies so they can wear them in all the wet weather!

[Katarzyna79]

nothing too bulky or too casual
should offer good protection against the elements
be thermal for warmth
have good tread for slush ice or snow
Should be just under the knees as a minimum
stylish but simplicity and practicality comes first
I would stick with leather or rubber for winter boots with thermal inners
sheepskin and faux sheepskins may look pretty but I wonder about their longevity and waterproof elements.

[purplepandas]

I agree re multiple pairs. Boots for winter are good.

In terms of shoe shopping trips, logistics mean that we have lunch out as part if the deal. Always a sweetener!

[BeeMyBaby]

Their shoes must have flexibility in the sole so that they can move their feet better and it's easier to run. Unfortunately some sandels/ boots have a very rigid sole and I have seen how difficult and unnatural this makes walking for my DDs and they tend to get tired more quickly if wearing a rigid soled shoe.

[EasterRobin]

I've just bought DD her first pair of shoes. She's not walking yet so I just made sure they would be nice and warm, easy to get on... And hard for her to kick off. Hurrah for Velcro!

As a separate point, I went to Brantano last week for the first time in years and LOVED it (for me, I haven't tried the kids range yet). There were so many great shoes and so much quicker and easier to shop in than any of the other shoe shops I visited. I highly recommend it.

[Nottheshrinkingcapgrandpa]

I really wish there was a better selection of shoes out there for girls. Pretty = impractical in most cases, unfortunately.

[Bellebella]

Look online first so that when you are trying on shoes it's not loads of pairs and tiresome for your child.

[SeveredHeadOnnaSpike]

Going by last year I'm leaving off the expensive nice ankle boots and sticking with a good pair of trainers each and snowboots. The leather ankle boots barely got worn. They automatically chose trainers when dry and snowboots when more cold/wet and they were sturdy enough for anything.

I spent a fortune on those lovely boots too

[RollingRollingRolling]

There needs to be an improvement in the girls selection of shoes, or have shop assistants happy when girls/their parents want to look/but boys shoes as they're more practical

[YouMakeMyDreams]

This year and last I've spent hours trying to find sturdy winter boots for ds2 who is 5, that don't cost more than I've paid for my own boots.
So many snow boots on the high street are clumpy and rigid, hard to get on and off and ridiculously I think, rarely actually properly waterproof. When his feet grow and he's in the older boys ranges like his big brother it will be so much easier but right now I'm struggling. End up paying silly prices for something that is actually any use.

[voyager50]

Find somewhere that has staff that are used to dealing with children and have a machine to measure them. It's also worth having a quiet word with the staff first so they point the kids in the direction of the more practical shoes for the winter rather than the ones they like the look of.

[asuwere]

Agree with comments about girls shoes. DD doesn't like me taking her to boys section but so much more practical.
I like the boots which are rubber type over whole foot then softer further up- means they stay dry but comfier than wellies.
Top tip is to have child wearing school trousers when trying on to check trousers can go over boots or be tucked in easily. Otherwise they can look very scruffy.

[Pixi2]

You need several pairs - school shoes, playing out boots (leather, even for boys), trainers (for street cred & street football), party/dressing up shoes and ultimately snow boots for very cold weather and days out.
In previous years when we've had to streamline things it's been school shoes/boots and snow boots only. Snow boots are ultimately a winter essential here though.

[FlukeSkyeRunner]

Shop somewhere with plenty of choice. Patent seem to stay looking good for longer than leather in my experience. Have more than one pair as it can take ages for shoes to dry out. Ankle boots are lovely, sturdy and warm for winter instead of formal shoes for girls.