School shoes - help please before this breaks us!!!!!

[MrsSpenserGregson]

We cannot find black school shoes to fit DD!!

DD (aged 11, year 7) has adult-sized feet, size 5-6, wide-fitting across the big toe joint according to Clarks (even though her feet look extremely narrow to me) but super skinny around the back/heel. This means that every pair of shoes in the world slips off at the back, no matter if they are slip-ons, laces or if they have straps. She cannot tolerate heel grips (frankly I don't blame her). We thought we'd found a pair in Clarks yesterday, with an insole, but this seems to be pushing her toes up to the top of the shoe so the leather is rubbing her....

She has tried on at least twenty pairs of shoes in Clarks, M&S, Sports Direct, Next, TopShop etc .... everything is huge and baggy around the back. She is a hormonal pre-teen. I am menopausal and frankly we've both had enough. Does anyone have any suggestions of other shoe retailers we could try, or am I going to have to tell her to suck it up and wear ill-fitting shoes? (Which seems harsh and not good for her tbh).

I don't want my first interaction with her new head teacher (going to secondary school next month) to be me whining about shoes and asking for exceptions to the rules because we are oh so special, but I can't really see what else to do...

All suggestions gratefully received in this hormonal house of hell. Happy to try any shoe retailer at the moment and honestly, prepared to pay £££ if I have to as she needs shoes nowwwwwwwww

I have a Ds with narrow heels . I got the trainer style shoe from sports direct . Depends on school though how strict they are

You need a good independent shoe shop. If you are in London Johnsons in New Malden or East Sheen. John Lewis have a v wide rabge.

Ignore what Clarks say look for the shoe that fits.

Have you tried Next, your DD feet sound like my dd1 feet. She been wearing these Next Brogues for the last couple years.

Have you tried Schuh? They have a lot of different women's black shoes which older girls can use for school.

Have you tried any outlets as they might have older styles. What about Skechers depending on how strict school is.

Oh god, I feel your pain! My DD has orthotic insoles but very narrow feet so we were looking for exactly the same, a shoe that was wide enough at the toes to fit the insoles but narrow at the back so they didn't slip off. We tried every single shoe shop in a wide radius. Finally had success at a small independent shop, the first pair she tried on there fit and we nearly cried!

Kickers?

i call them my hobbit feet. Try adult shoes in independent store, try European brands. Try doc m's. A good lace up can be bought too long and then laced to prevent heel movement.

Have you tried John Lewis or https://www.jonesbootmaker.com Jones] (in RL, of course, not OL).

They may be relatively expensive, unless you catch a Sale, but they carry a range of makes. Gabor and Van Dal at JL do women's shoes with wide toes. Jones carry Continental makes that have different fitting styles.

You may find an ankle-boot that looks sufficiently shoe-like to pass school rules, but laces high enough to stay on her foot.

go to an independent shoe shop.
try on loads of shoes.
stray into boys and ladies section.
buy what fits best.

Geox are good - lace ups are best as they hold the feet and a feel grip.

Heel grip!

Independents all the way. Dd tried on loads of pairs but found some hush puppies.

Where are you? I can recommend a children's specialist shoe shop in Birmingham if that would help?

Retailers:-New Look, River Island, John Lewis, Debenhams?
Brands:- Kickers?

Sorry just thinking off the top of my head..

Hi. I have an 11 year old Y7 with 6.5 size feet and extra wide fitting with narrow heels which slip out of a lot of styles. We ended up trying on all flat black shoes in three city centres. Finally bought shoes from Hotter which are available online. Will post a link to the style in a sec.

Black leather Converse? My DD wears these to her strict Grammar & no-one has mentioned a thing.....(So far!!).

If you are local to London you could try these independents in Kew village
www.canopy-kew.co.uk
www.theshoestation.co.uk

comfortableshoeguide.com/womens-shoes-with-a-wide-toe-box-and-narrow-heel/

Don’t know if this helps

My feet are exactly the same. To cap it off I have Autism resulting in sensory issues.
I used to wear shoes like kickers and pod for school.

Clarks Hamble Oak (the women's brogues) in a narrow fit ordered on line? (And half a size smaller)

Feel your pain.

You need an independent shoe shop. You can go to high street stores but it’ll drive you crazy.

If you can get to Southampton, French &Co in Bedford Place are amazing.

You can get a 3/4 insole that doesn't therefore lift the toes... also try European brands such as ricosta, petasil..