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.

I completely agree that the choice of school shoes 'for girls' on the high st is appalingly bad - not easy to find an alternative to the strap-and-gap numbers.
However, I don't buy into the boys/girls shoes thing and have often bought from the 'boys' section for Dd1. I'm surprised at other posters who say their Dd's would be 'teased mercilessly' for wearing such a thing - nobody's ever bothered or commented on my Dd's school shoes over the years. She's 14 now, and so I've less influence on what she wears, but this year she's wearing
these

Never done a link before so hope that works

Bloody did work too

My girls have pumps with a little strap. I don't think they have ever worried about rain and wet socks.

Brogues are ghastly. Yuck.

DM's must be due a fashion revival surely!

those look like good shoes jock, my dd is wearing airwalks which are good too,practical and comfortable.

My 7 year old can't wear the pumps with the straps, her feet just won't do it Last year we got shoes from M&S. This year we went to a cheap shoe shop and got exactly what we were looking for, even if we need to replace them every term its still cheaper than Clarks [shrug]

OP I agree. I have a nightmare as my 5 yr old has a high instep and wide foot so those Mary Jane type styles are not suitable. Think those Clarks ones that are linked look OK I think.

Startrite do a T bar one which is ok but other than that there is very little.

Those vans and airwalks would not be allowed in dd's primary school, nor in ds's secondary school.
My niece (now 21) wore DMs all through secondary school and I think so will dd (she is currently, age 9, eying up a pair of purple patent boots for the winter so it won't be hard to persuade her to wear them for school. Have just not found any in her size for this year.

The brogues look too flimsy to me - surely one puddle and the water seeps through the leather into the shoe? The sole is too thin..

where did whatyalookingat go? Did she find her link to prove her point?

Fartattack, Whatyoulookingat was right in regards to state run primary schools, they cannot make a girl wear girls shoes or refuse her right to wear a more boyish pair for comfort or practicality. Comes under gender discrimination. OP then clarified that her DD attends a private school, private and independent schools have the right to impose any uniform they wish. Whether or not they still have a case to answer on discrimination I would not know.

From further posts it seems practical shoes that are dry and comfortable are vile and most children wouldn't want to wear them to school. So even if the rules were relaxed in OP's case to allow her daughter to wear shoes outside of the current dress code she wouldn't wear them anyway, and the OP's DD is not alone. Seems our daughters shall have cold, wet feet for a while yet.

I put DD in boys shoes for a term (winter) last year for this very reason. Plus they were a lot cheaper. Unfortunately within a couple of days she was coming home upset because her shoes were too 'boyish' - she was 6

It grips me that I gave in, but in the end I went back to the open/strap girls shoes because she wanted to fit back in (and was wilfully trying to destroy her hated boys shoes so I'd have to buy her another pair).

I will be getting her a cheap pair of ankle boots for the winter though - luckily at DDs school boots are allowed.

Vans aren't allowed in our schools either!

And boys shoes are no more sturdier than girls - when they are between 7-10 and playing football on the concrete playground every day they fall apart just as much as any others do!!! My sons shoes in yr6 had holes in the toes and almost scraped through on the top.

So I guess the answer is that it depends what they are doing in them!!