Clarkes "don't do walking shoes for girls"

[PuffingPanda]

Yesterday I went into Clarkes shoes in Broughton, near Chester, to get my 5 year old daughter some walking shoes. On the demarcated ?boys side? (all blue and black, of course) I counted over 5 different styles of hiking/walking shoes.

On the girls side (all pink of course) ....nothing! Not a single walking shoe.

I asked the shop attendant to please show me walking shoes for girls. She said that they don?t seem to make any!

I asked if she felt girls don?t go walking. She giggled nervously and shrugged her shoulders.

Eventually they found a single pair in a catalogue, which would take a week to order.

I left with some perfect blue ?boys? shoes for my 5 year old.

I was flabbergasted.... already so many limits being placed on my daughter.

PS: My daughter loves dinosaurs. Al the dinosaur shoes were on the ?boys? side, so she felt she couldn?t take them. It really makes me sad.

Clarks probably isn't the best place to go for walking boots.

An outdoors/camping shop would be better, but to be honest most shoes of that type are in fairly neutral/dark/dull colours.

My boys wear all colours, so do the girls.

I was at Broughton today too!! But not in Clarkes.

YANBU at all, but I've nothing to add but say "OOOOOH should've worn an MN bagde!"

After re-reading your post though, it would have been pointless seeing as you weren't there today

What's the difference in boys and girls shoes then?

I thought they were all the same? Or is it that one sex is slimmer fitting than the other or something?

I don't buy Clarkes so excuse the ignorance

If you look on eBay and know what size you need, there are many suppliers of Clarks shoes on there - if the shoes come by mail then there's no gender expectations!

Toys and clothes seem to be a lot more gender-specific than when I was growing up in the 70s and 80s.

I think sometimes it goes both ways. Earlier this year I wanted to get both my boys (6 & 5 at the time) some decent raincoats for walking in. On the girls side in every shop we went into there were loads to choose from in all sorts of different designs (not just pink!) but for the boys all they could have was plain boring grey or navy.
YANBU and nor was I.

that's the way society has assigned us.

Girls are decorative, boys do stuff. Learn it, learn it well and learn it early.

Well it seems like your DD didn't want the "boys" ones because they were on the boys side - that's quite sad. I don't know why clarks or other shops don't mix things up because I'm not convinced there's any difference in feet sizes at that age - they measure width anyway?! I find clarks frustrating for sticking to the blue/pink gender divide.

Just to redress the balance, my 11yo DS now has feet too large for children's walking boots and too small for men's walking boots. He strode out across the fells last week in ladies' boots.... nice neutral colour, obviously.

That would piss me off as well. It's ridiculous, Maybe worth writing a letter to head office?

My DD chooses ''boys'' shoes more often than not which is a bonus as she now has a little brother who can inherit them. :)

You should see the amount of pink, sparkly stuff she got for her birthday. Not my cup of tea but people mean well.

YABU for putting the assistant on the spot. She only sells what she's provided with. Take it up with the big guns if you think there's a problem. Not saying there isn't a problem btw, just that grilling the poor girl behind the counter isn't the way to go.

I've got some very good Goretex walking-style trainers from Clarks in the past, but couldn't find any this year. So disappointing. They lasted well, washed well, were supportive and nice colours. Great for trudging to school in the rain and climbing trees.
This time we just had to leave with sparkly Cica trainers.
I liked the dinosaur trainers, too, I should have pushed for them instead.

This is riduculous but sadly very common.

The boys boots thing is also a problem. It would appear that boys dont have size 5 or 6 feet.

Boys stop at size 4 and mens dont go below 7. I have 2 boys in womens running shoes and walking / ski boots ATM

Clarkes sell what experience says you will buy.

That is a disgrace. Bet if questioned Clarkes would claim that there isn't as much customer demand for the "girls'" walking shoes. Which, sadly, may be true.

Awful.

But if it's just a colour thing and the OP doesn't like the thought of her daughter wearing black or blue walking boots....then surely she's placing just as many 'limits' on her daughter?

Yes, there should be more choice but remember they're a business so it'll be supply and demand related.

I really don't see how the fact they were black or blue...or which side of the shop they were placed on makes any difference.

elegangle It took me weeks to find a rain mac for my DS. They had girls ones, but nothing for boys!

Hi me again sorry! I love the Karrimor ones here and many other possibilities!

Yanbu
I'm sick of trying to find shoes and clothes for my 3yr old DD that aren't too boyish. Her favourite colours are blue and red and she likes superheroes and postman pat.

The only good thing about size 5 and 6 being only in womens is that in the past year I have aquired a very nice pair of black nike running shoes and a pair of walking boots outgrown by DS1! DS2 will grow into them next yr!

Clarks..... and if you were that bothered why didn't you buy boys walking shoes.

And you're wrong about the walking shoes. They do a style for girls....£48.

I have the same size feet as my 8yr old (size 3)

And the market dictates what people wear not manufacturers.

When you write to the Head Office, 40 High Street, Street, Somerset BA16 0AD.....ask them for sales figures for the girls style against the three boys styles.