Help - Plimsolls!!!!

[ConstantlyTired312]

Hi all!

DD starts reception class next week and I am really struggling to find plimsolls that fit her. We went to Clarks for school shoes last week and she is measuring at 10.5 but she is over a H (wide feet paired with high instep). We had to get 11H so her poor little feet weren't squished!

But....I can only find plimsolls in G fit and they are all too tight or end up falling off the back of her feet (not ideal for PE!). Also struggling with trainers (tried on 10 pairs in Deichman!)

She has worn Nike for years, but everything seems too tight now. I would greatly appreciate any brand suggestions! Thanks 😊

Have you tried Next?

Yes, got a Next delivery yesterday but (frustratingly) the same problem!

Does it have to be plimsolls? My child’s primary school said plimsolls but then I realised all the other kids are in regular trainers which seem much better for PE anyway.

I thought that and am happy to have the conversation with her teacher if I can find any trainers that are more suitable (happy to get black etc). She tried on so many pairs of trainers in Deichmann last week and they were all too narrow too!
We've usually gone for Nike trainers, even they weren't suitable this time!

If Clarks worked for her school shoes you could try trainers from there also? We've also had success with decathlon trainers if you have one near you.

Thanks for Decathalon tip, I'll give them a try.
I've just checked online and Clarks only have one trainer in H, but all the reviews say the velcro is too short 🙄 It's also extremely frustrating as they cost £40 where plimsolls are about £6, her uniform has already cost £200!!!

I follow someone called Barefoot Brit on Instagram and she was showing some barefoot alternatives to traditional plimsolls the other day. Barefoot style shoes are much wider fitting than normal shoes, might be worth having a look. I think the brands were Beta Barefoot and Splay.

Our uniform code says plimsolls, but every child wears trainers. Much more appropriate for active PE anyway! Is there a school group you could ask in? Or she’s fairly unlikely to need to change for PE in the first week so you could check first.

Testing whether this gets hidden!

My DS has really wide feet and we struggled when he was little (he's 16 now!) I remember we had success with Geox trainers, they were a bit pricey but v good quality and fit well.

Not sure why my reply was hidden!?
You could try barefoot style shoes which are much wider fitting - I follow someone on Instagram called Barefoot Brit and she was recommending Beta Barefoot and Splay brands as an alternative to traditional school plimsolls.

Do they do PE in them?

A lot of primary schools since COVID wear PE kit the whole day so go in trainers (all our local ones do). Might be worth checking as if they are not for sport don't need the same support.

Ours wear indoor shoes which are usually plimsolls. But my daughter is a nightmare and none stay on her feet. I just bought a very cheap pair of black shoes with the cut out and strap across (easier on wide feet). They were about £8.

Hi OP,

I just got my DD plimsoles in shoe zone for £3.99! Her usual size was too small so I've sized up and I have found them to be very wide. Might be worth a try? I got the girls version which has a strap rather than slip ons. Trainers were a disaster too. I found most were really hard and worried her feet will hurt. Ended up finding some in sports direct. They had a lot of choice.

I had (have) super wide feet as a child, and my son has inherited my feet but taken it to the next level in hugeness bless him. They’re the H++ etc type.
We always managed with Clarks trainers (suggest you buy from the boys section as they may come up wider and have more options in H, or at least an option).

Post Clarks, we found these Nike Revolution ones a good compromise- they’re v soft fabric and broadly the right shape. Also karrimor ones from sports direct are possibilities. Again, look at boys ones in black. And Skechers wide fit.

https://www.sportsdirect.com/nike-revolution-7-psv-021701#colcode=02170103

Independant shoe shops that stock geox / Skechers are worth a look - if you are near farnborough we went to a sister shop to this one a while ago: https://www.shuscape.co.uk/collections/boys-trainers?page=2

And plimsolls - no chance. They don’t go on wide feet! Black trainers with Velcro are best.

I saw the short strap reviews for these Clarks ones https://www.clarks.com/en-gb/cica-star-orb-kid/26175358-p. But I’d just suggest ordering them into store and trying them. We had ones that looked like that for years and they were fine. Plus if they are school trainers they don’t get that worn out.

Haha my reply’s been hidden - I did post a few links, maybe that’s why? Good luck op - wide feet are good for walking on and mine have done me well for years. You don’t have to mind about having v little choice though! And plimsolls can shove off.

Thanks for the tip! I think I've left it too late for this year as had a quick look and either sold out or long delivery - will definitely keep I'm mind for the future though!

Thank you so much! I really appreciate all the suggestions! I've ordered a pair of the Nike Revolutions to see how they fit. We're going shopping tomorrow so will pop into Clarks and try theirs on too

It was there, I noticed replies were a bit slow loading yesterday so maybe there was a problem?
I have standard fit and really flat feet (so, complete opposite to DD), I've had so many problems with my feet and knees over the years from wearing the wrong shoes and just want DD to not have to go through the same.
It's a real challenge trying to get this right and please her though - very opinionated 4 year old who likes to choose her own things!

I thought the P word was banned on here

Our local Shoezone closed down last year, such a shame - think I'm destined to pay a fortune for shoes for years to come 🙄

Plimsolls?🙊🤣 Hope I'm not getting us all into trouble 🤣

You're right - my reply is being checked!

My daughter was measuring an I at one point (which Clarks don't even sell). Her best fit trainers are puma from sports direct. Velcro doesn't join properly for her so it has to be lace ups. If your child struggles with laces, you can buy elastic ones from Amazon to make them slip on.