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?

They definitely look like boys shoes.

@6fingerkitkat

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

😉 😂

No dont buy them she might get teased

If your daughter likes them, that's all that matters. Having said that, they are very ugly shoes. I think Clarks are so old fashioned and overpriced. Could get some nice Kickers or Vans for the same money (in all black). Sainsbury's also have some trendier chunky style girls shoes that wear really well.

The kicker ones linked to earlier look like they have a zip down the side, so the laces aren't actually used!

I personally wouldn't buy them, they do look a bit more for boys I think.

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

No-one has mentioned being anti-pink or gender neutral. Even if you were gender neutral why could you not wear pink? Where did you get that idea from?

Secondly, I would hope all of us that have daughters hope to raise them ‘strong and amazing’. Wouldn’t you? I’m not sure why you find that hilarious?

My little one wanted these for when she starts school in September, she loves shoes

@pointythings

Eminently practical and sensible going into autumn/winter. Your DH is an idiot.

This. A good comfortable, easy to put on shoes is a godsend in the morning.

I loved velcro for getting them out in the morning.

One less job.

I had slightly boyish school shoes for a year when I was about 8 and have never forgotten the merciless teasing I endured. This was in the 80s.

They’re smashing shoes
Reading some comments make me wonder where the kick ass girls go for fun

If it's pouring go to school in wellies. Change at drop off into school shoes. Most schools in England don't let the kids out in the rain anyway.

Let her choose from your curated selection.

5yo are less likely to give each other grief for shoes than older kids.

Couple of girls in my DD class wear chunky shoes and noone cares.

Tell your DH to stop putting his generded expectations onto his daughter! Shoes are just shoes.

No. A mindset of what girls have to put up with by adults determined to stuff them into gender stereotype boxes.

No. You can spout your ideals all you like but there are many dd's whose parents would put them in these shoes then they would be teased for wearing 'boy' shoes. I was one of them, terribly upsetting and unpleasant.

Just because your daughter hasn't encountered such vile behaviour, doesn't mean it doesn't happen to others you know.

Clearly the children at my kids school (and their parents) have evolved because no one seems to bother what kind of shoes either girls or boys wear and there is certainly no bullying of girls for wearing comfortable shoes.

They look perfect. It annoys me that shoes for girls (and women) are based on looks rather than comfort and practicality. Your dh needs educating!

Not the same but my youngest had the majority of the girls in her Reception class tease her about wearing grey shorts. Even though they were 'girls' city shorts. It caused much upset and anxiety. The teacher was confused why it was happening and ended up speaking to the class about it. So a lot of kids do have their own ideas about what are for girls and boys no matter how much we wish they didn't.

I had these exact shoes for my son in reception. They would fine firvgirl or boy. But, the toe got scuffed, horrible very quickly ( not helped by endless football kicking, foot dragging when playing and running). So i didn't buy again and went for something more robust in the toe!

@Nataliefrances123

My little one wanted these for when she starts school in September, she loves shoes

I like those, and they're what I'd buy in spring but I can guarantee with mine that'd be wet feet by break time and a huge rigmarole over changing tights because she cannot tolerate wet feet!

When she's a bit older and can change easily without help it'll be less of an issue.

I don't like them but I think it is a good idea to get closed shoes for girls and I am looking for a pair for my dd.

I just wish there was more choice...
The patent start-rite ones are a step in the right direction - but I wish they were in the softer normal leather. (Patent might look pretty but they are so stiff and take too long to soften up!)
After the last 2 years we are taking a lax approach to school shoe purchases this summer - as we have neither the money for expensive shoes and plenty of hand me downs and will only buy something new if we get into trouble in September and hopefully the kids shoe shops are less manic

We always choose from the ‘boys’ section. (2 girls) as they are much more practical and harder wearing.
They did want some patent Mary Jane type shoes but I offered them ones with a faint dinosaur pattern with flashing green lights which they chose instead.
Ridiculous that girls shoes are made more dainty and less practical. We should be encouraging all young children to be as active as they can be.

The notion that a little girl of 5 or 6 would be ridiculed for wearing comfy, sturdy shoes she can run about and kick a ball in and forced into flimsy fashion girly shoes instead fills me with rage. School should surely be tackling this kind of gender policing from other children, and I'm sure they would if it were reported!

DD1 goes to school in Doc Marten's - and she's the teacher!

How confident would any of us be picking which bare feet belonged to Y1 girls and which to boys if we just saw a photograph of a feet lineup?

Feet are not gendered.

If she does get any nonsense, speak to the teacher. DC1 had an awesome (male) reception teacher who clamped down hard on any gender stereotype bollocks, as he rightly understood that it damages learning and aspiration. It would be a pretty toxic school that let 4yos be bullied for their shoes.