Docs for growing teen - what size?

[Passerillage]

DD1 is turning 14 in the new year and is currently a shoe size 7. She is definitely growing.

Her grandparents want to buy her docs for Christmas, and I want to order them today because they're £40 off. I should really get her a size 8, right? They're the 1490 Bex boot with 10 holes.

At that price we can't be thinking "oh we'll just get her the next size up at Easter". I want her to get a good long wear out of them.

Any feelings? Size 8 if she is still growing, right?

(I wish I'd had grandparents buying me docs at that age!)

Depends which model. If y you get unisex, they're actually mens size so a 7 is closer to a women's 8. In the women's styles (slightly more dainty, with ribbons etc) they're narrower and smaller, so you might be better with an 8

We went up a size (my dd was a 6 bought her a 7) not long before her 14th. They still fit her comfortably. Mine seems to have stopped growing.

I bought her the docs socks to break them in and she didnt get any blisters.

I thought mens and womens sizes in the UK were exactly the same.

Ignore me, I understand what you're saying.

Women have different shaped feet so for most brands a men's size is one size bigger, had a much wider heel and wider toes. Unisex brands tend to use the men's size, but anything below a 6 is likely to be more like a women's.

I find docs to be pretty big, I'm a 6 and fit in size 5 dcs, they do half sizes- maybe a 7.5 could work?

Thank you - I'm a 6, but my feet are the same shape as hers, so I'll take myself as a starting point and try some on this week.

Imo they run true to size, would be a shame to get her the 8s and she can't wear them because they're too big. Can you buy both to fry the offer and return a pair?

It's tricky with DMs as they don't do half sizes but they do run very big. I'm normally a 7.5, I have some in a size 8 but they are far too big really. Now got some in a 7 and there is still plenty of room in them.

Ime feet stop growing before the rest of them.

both of mine (and me, iirc) reached their adult shoe size around 14, even though they grew after - in younger dd’s case, she grew over a foot at 16.

i’d be inclined to get something that fits now- or at least fits with a pair of thick socks.

At this age It’s just as much a risk buying too big and then never growing to fit as it is buying the right size and then growing out of them. At least buying to fit they’ll get some wear.