DH says I 'can't' buy these school shoes for a girl!

[dontyouworrydontyouworrynow]

Opinions please!

Are these shoes ok for a 5 year old girl (going into Y1) for school?.

They come up listed in the girls section on Clarks. My thinking is they look tidy, practical and not likely to cause wet feet when it inevitably rains this autumn. DD insists on pinafores and tights so this is more of a pain to change than socks if she gets wet feet at school (and she won't tolerate wet feet, she has diagnosed ASD with sensory issues).

DH says they are boys shoes and I can't buy them it's mean. I think they're unisex and anyway they're five years old so surely practicality wins out!

I've looked at all the girly shoes but they're nearly all very low at the front or gappy!

Anyway... thoughts? Am I condemning her to being teased?

Look alright to me if that's what she chose.

OP I'd love to see your DH face if you proposed that he wore a male version of 'girls shoes' lol.
Maybe Clark's could do a range of strapy 'girls shoes' with boy type stuff like diggers on and see what people think
People have campaigned on this for some time.. because active girls need dry feet and practical shoes too

@itsgettingwierd

https://www.kickers.co.uk/tovni-lacer-junior/13164725.html

I like these for young girls.

Sturdy soft and practical.

Ds had kickers boots for out of school and they always wore well.

Kickers of any sort not allowed at dts school. Fuck knows why.

@zubaspal

Have you looked at the chelsea boot style Doc Martins? My daughter is after another pair for this school year. They survived all winter even while sledging her feet were dry. Totally recommend them

Also not allowed at dts school. You really need to check the uniform policy and see what is allowed. Trainers / kickers / boots / anything above the ankle not allowed for boys or girls in a big standard primary.

I would wear them.

OP I love this post because this happened to me!

When I was 5, my mum picked out these exact shoes for me from Clarks so they have clearly been running for a while! At aged 5 I argued with her because they were 'boys' shoes. She pushed back and we bought them. So comfy.

Anyway in the end I was raised fairly gender neutral and I think this was really good for me and the person I've become. Nothing was out of reach for being a boy's thing, nor more suited to me for being a girl's thing.

Funnily enough I was just about to start a thread asking for recommendations for nice girls school shoes for Year 1, that don’t let feet get wet!

I’d personally love to see DD in a lovely T-bar or pair of Mary Janes but I just can’t bear the thought of her sitting in school with wet feet.

And I’m assuming it’s not like Reception where she was in and out of her wellies all the time?

I love those Start Rite ones.

Also just want to say that my mum chose them because they were comfy and robust. The girls shoes were neither.

From teenage years on, I've had constant foot problems and my podiatrist has now told me to try wearing men's small size shoes. Most women's tapered shoes are harmful to women's feet though YMMV

www.kickers.co.uk/kick-hi-zip-junior/13164507.html personally I’d go for these if she toe walks. They’ll help to support her feet and encourage her to walk with her feet flat. They look nice and they won’t let water in. Win win!

I don’t like them for a 5 year old, they look heavy.

No primary school uniform is legally enforceable.

And, while we're at it, ill-fitting tights can hobble little girls just as much as girly shoes made for cuteness instead of comfort. I've seen girls struggle to run around freely as the crotch drifts down around their knees, stopping all the time to yank them up.

@dontyouworrydontyouworrynow. Startrite come up a half size larger than Clarks, so if DD is 9.5 in Clarks, you will need a 9 in SR. Widths seem to be the same. I live near the SR factory shop, so used to spend a lot of time there when DC were small.

[quote Velvian]@dontyouworrydontyouworrynow. Startrite come up a half size larger than Clarks, so if DD is 9.5 in Clarks, you will need a 9 in SR. Widths seem to be the same. I live near the SR factory shop, so used to spend a lot of time there when DC were small. [/quote]
That's useful thanks. I've ordered a startrite foot gauge that's coming today so I can measure her using that and look at the startrite range. She likes the ones linked on here earlier so they might be an option as they are much nicer!

@NewlyGranny

And, while we're at it, ill-fitting tights can hobble little girls just as much as girly shoes made for cuteness instead of comfort. I've seen girls struggle to run around freely as the crotch drifts down around their knees, stopping all the time to yank them up.

Yes, we found that with the Next tights, the waist elastic went quickly and was a pain! I've found the Jojo tights the best, they're not cheap but they're such good quality that I've been able to put last years up for my youngest as they're still like new!

@LadyCatStark

www.kickers.co.uk/kick-hi-zip-junior/13164507.html personally I’d go for these if she toe walks. They’ll help to support her feet and encourage her to walk with her feet flat. They look nice and they won’t let water in. Win win!

Those are nice, but she can't do laces independently yet she needs help and I doubt the teacher has time to help all of the children who can't do their laces by themselves yet.

@dontyouworrydontyouworrynow no not a bad day at all. But it does push my buttons when I see a thread full of sexist and misogynistic comments.

It also makes me despair for my daughter when there are parents seriously debating whether a pair of shoes are ‘ok for a girl’ when they’re apparently ‘fine for a boy’. I mean is the aim for a 5 year old to be conventionally sexually attractive here? If not, why do their shoes matter beyond comfort and what they themselves want to wear?

@eatenpig congratulations on your wonderful daughter.
My daughter is also amazing, strong, sporty, very clever and brave.
She also would absolutely not have worn these shoes to school.
There is always that one diva in school who will notice something like a girl wearing what are typically boys shoes. Why set your child up for that?
My daughter also has 2 older brothers so has spent a considerable amount of her life in her brothers’ out grown wellies, trainers, football boots, pjs, shorts, joggers, hoodies, coats etc, etc, etc, so does not have an adult determined to stuff her into a gender stereotypical box.
She has a mother who doesn’t want to set her up for the possibility of ridicule at school.
Her mother was also answering with her thoughts as requested by the op regarding teasing.

A) of course she can wear them, your DH needs to have a word with himself as to why he thinks it's his 5yos job to be decorative
B) they look clumpy, my eldest has asd and poor gross motor skills and would have fallen loads in those. There are a lot of trainer style shoes around that are better for running about.

Clarks are not mandatory!

I wouldn't you can get much nicer fully closed in girls shoes.

theyre ugly

@honehmooh

theyre ugly

Not everyone cares what their shoes look like. They care that they’re comfortable and practical.

In DD's (private) primary, we could only have plain blue Mary Janes. I don't ever remember them being an issue for wet days...... they are not out in the pouring rain. White socks in the summer, and revolting blue woolen socks in the winter, that always came down.

TBH we had way more issues with the blazer/coat/hat combo!

My 9 year old daughter is away to school today wearing these.

I like that Clarks now sell shoes by style and colour and size rather than by girls and boys. The 'girls' shoes have always been completely rubbish. Certainly of no use to any child that actually wants to play and run around.

Loving the ridiculous competitive gender neutral/ anti pink / my daughter is strong and amazing 😂😂😂