to feel annoyed that all girls school shoes

[kingfergus]

have that stupid strap and gap which makes their socks go sodden if walking in the rain.

The boys shoes at my DS's school mean they all arrive with dry feet but the girls always get wet socks if it rains in the playground or on the journey to school.

Why do girls shoes have that strap style and boys have nice water tight boot style. Surely it's time this changed.

I remember this as a child too wet socks all day after heavy rain.

My DD wears DM type boots.

As does my DS2 when she grows out of them, because they last For Ever.

I looked at the pile of shite shoes this year and laughed at the thought that I would pay all that money for a stupid girly shoe that would last about half an hour.

DS1 has to have leather boots, and goes through a pair every 6 weeks on average. He is a money pit.

Punk - I searched for HOURS to find Kickers that DD2 would wear (she's 4y and wants to wear 'pretty' shoes that offer her no support like her friends/sisters wear) and these were the winner. She actually wears them without a fight which is the main thing

I just wish they did more supportive yet nice looking shoes for girls - like these but in bigger than toddler sizes! DD2 would love these (and all the other colours).

punkindublic "What you meant in OP was Why does my school enforce shoes that for girls have the strap style and the boys have nice water tight boot style"

Actually I don't mean why does my school enforce these shoes. I went to 5 shoe shops yesterday and regardless of my daughters needs the shops (including 3 independent had separate areas for boys and girls shoes and styles were without exception as I described.

The brogues DO come up very narrow in Clarks - but that suits my 'D' fitting DD. All other shoes flop around on her feet and offer no support.

I am increasingly tempted to buy her DM's for the winter though, despite the 'no boot' rule at her Academy, for practicality. Would work well unless it's a PE day, when she would end up Iso for it...

ONLY LA run state schools have to follow those 'rules' where they can't officially dictate shoe types (but many still do, by calling the parents in, and not everyone has the money to mount a legal challenge), Private schools and Academies can and do have VERY strict rules on things like this.

icbineg have you got a helpful suggestion?

My DD kicks the toes out of her school shoes as she is very active, but even when she has wellies for the walk in bad weather and uses them at break time, she still wants to wear "pretty shoes" like her female friends. Sigh.

On the weekends I put her into baseball style boots (like converse but cheaper) and have persuaded her that pink and sparkly don't always look so nice when covered in mud, so she has accepted plainer colours more recently (she's 5 so is finding the laces tricky though).

I've only just realised, since she started school last year, how the children are already indoctrinated into girl/ boy behaviour. (My initial new mum friends all had girls too) I wonder how much of this is started inadvertently by saying don't touch that, that belongs to your brother/ sister?

On the plus side, at least the children are all equally active at this age.

I understand that King, I was just wondering if the reason you don't go for a more practical shoe is that the school doesn't allow them or you can't find them in mainstream stores.

I agree completely that the way shoes are designed is disgraceful, however if the shoes were designed to be more practical but girls refuse to wear them it would be pointless so we're playing a bit catch22.

You implied the school doesn't allow girls to wear practical shoes so with all the searching in the world there's no point us directing you to practical shoes for you DD if the school won't allow her to wear them, in which case I would suggest you take issue with your school.

I emailed Clarks about this last year, they said they'd pass my comments onto the design team...

this years selection doesn't seem to be much better

What was wrong with the shoes spoonsspoonsspoons linked further up the thread? Here they are again.

ICBINEG

Who said I pay for my DD to go to private school? Please don't make incorrect assumptions and laugh at me. It's not nice.

Truth sweet thank you for your suggestions

Awimbaway. Those shoes don't have enough depth for my dd.

Punk

It stems really from a general observation of what is available. I agree it probably is a bit catch 22. After all many adult women 'choose' to cripple their feet in high heels only to walk home bare foot when they can take the pain no more.
It's the wider issue I am struck by and how young it starts.

awimbaway

I have to say those shoes did not feature in any of the shops I visited yesterday. I agree though they are not bad.

AWimbaWay I did comment on them and said I thought they were bloody horrible and no way would my DDs wear them

I agree completely BitOutOfPractice, they just sounded like what the op was looking for. I'm perfectly happy with the patent leather ones with a strap across that my Dd1 wears, wet socks have never been an issue.

DD has slim brogues; they are the most popular shoe at the moment it seems.

Hers are from Start Rite - far better than Clarks because they are sturdy around the heel and support the foot. The soles are not particularly thin, they have a slight heel and do up over the foot.

And they are girls' shoes.

kingfergus - look at them in the flesh in a shoe shop if interested. I have them in front of me now and I observed dd in them this afternoon, there is no heel. The inside of the shoe is flat, dd's foot is flat.
I think the picture perhaps does not do them justice.

That said, they have been decreed as fugly on here. I don't care though, dd likes them, they are sturdy and will keep her feet warmer and drier than strappy shoes, ballet shoes or brogues will.

I hate the shoe choices for girls, only non strappy get wet choices were only in large sizes. MN campaign for school shoes you could climb trees in (if it was allowed)?

I agree mumsnet campaign for girls shoes that you can climb a tree in

Blimey I must be lucky.My dd is v outdoorsy, we live in an outdoorsy area and she's never complained about her Startrite Sambas giving her wet feet.

Kind of glad as I love seeing her in them,in a few years time she'll be wearing hell knows what until then I love seeing her trotting off in her Maryjanes.

I took these back to Clarks today.

They were without doubt the most ill fitting shoes i have ever brought. The assistant who helped us said she realised that the style was such a bad fit she stopped offering them to customers and she wasn't at all surprised i was bringing them back.

My dd2 wears boys shoes, she is completely not bothered that she is different to the other girls.
I'm pleased as they are much more hard wearing than dd1's shoes.

Could she wear plastic bags over her shoes?

I realise this is not exactly the point of the thread, but can you send her to school with a dry pair of socks in her bag? At least she wont have the discomfort of damp feet all day until uou can find a suitable pair of shoes