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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To refuse to buy DD "Daisy" school shoes

90 replies

Maggietess · 02/08/2013 19:39

Dd1 has been on at me forever and a day about her these blooming Clarks shoes with the daisy doll in the heel. I have said no as they look to me like in making a space for the doll to be stored they've almost made a chunky heel on the back of the shoe.

She's only 5 so my rationale was that 5yos just need sturdy black patent leather that will last, they don't need heels. (And she has her father's clumsy gene so I don't think a heel would help that!) However, the other choices in her size (12) all seem to be very ballerina pump style and I just don't think they look right either.

Is it just me or have little girls school shoes gone from being smart and sturdy (maybe with the odd embellishment at the top) to some kind of fashion item that would be better placed on 10 year olds plus???

S i make her have the one pair of "sensible" shoes I've seen ...Or AIBU and should I just get her the doll shoes like everyone else in her class appears to be doing?

(Or indeed am I way over thinking this Confused????I just have it drummed into me from my own mum about the importance of kids having good, well fitting shoes)

OP posts:
Original poster
Maggietess · 02/08/2013 21:36

youarewinning I like them but much as I plan to teach laces I haven't done it yet Blush everything is normally Velcro or buckles.

daisy lol yeah not to say I wouldn't buy the, myself Wink

OP posts:
Original poster
Maggietess · 02/08/2013 21:37

miaow and jam I'm with you! Grin

OP posts:
FromageFrog · 02/08/2013 21:40

I had to get dd a pair of trainer style shoes because they were the only ones that clarks did that covered the whole foot.

Then a boy at school told her she had boy shoes on, which upset her.

If she didn't have such wide feet I would get them from somewhere else.

blueberryboybait · 02/08/2013 21:43

Why do they also no longer make t-bar shoes over a size 8.5? My DD has a very high instep and the single strap shoes don't fit despite then shoving her feet in and watching them bulge over the top they telling me not to worry they'll stretch.

GW297 · 02/08/2013 21:53

Fromagefrog - I think that happens a lot at school sadly.

ThePowerof3 · 02/08/2013 21:58

Doll coffin! I'm going to have nightmares. My DD1 is six and has been asking for them for ages but has v small feet (8 1/2) so they don't have them in her size, boo hoo. I buy startrite

Original poster
Maggietess · 03/08/2013 00:21

Exactly blueberry why don't they do nice t-bar shoes, I'll not expect them to be worn when she's at big school but at primary, why not??!!

I'm thinking since apparently ianbu Wink I should start a campaign with Clarks to get them to make proper shoes again!

I looked at the next ones and a few others and I'll grant you they will be fine for sort of 8+ I don't think they're what the you get kids at school need.

T-bar shoe is what we're looking for. Not (like most of the collections I've seen) ballerina with strap (ie cut away at toe and will get soaking in the rain). They're trying to serve every age group til 16 who the same style of shoe as it's cheaper and I think it's not what parents of

4-7 year olds want (ie size 8.5 - 1ish)!!!

There's no point in stopping t-bar back shoes in an 8.5 that would barely fit my 3yo! Junior school kids need proper shoes for playgrounds with climbing frames etc and they need to be able to walk to school with support and comfort, no wet feet!! GrrrrAngry

OP posts:
Original poster
Maggietess · 03/08/2013 00:22
  • youngest not you get
OP posts:
Xihha · 03/08/2013 02:20

Threads like this make me so glad both my DC's schools have banned all shoes with toys, flashing lights or wheels! I can blame the school and don't get 'but all my friends have them mum' Grin

blueberry and Maggietess Startrite have some T-bar shoes that go up to 1.5, they really aren't cheap though.

JessieMcJessie · 03/08/2013 05:05

I am beyond horrified that any school allows shoes with flashing lights or dolls in the heel.

Madamecastafiore · 03/08/2013 06:15

She'd have T bar kickers if she were my child, I refuse to buy Clarks or Startrite as they are crap and fall apart much quicker than most other shoes and what it is with patent, yuck, horrid. Get good old matt leather and give them a good polish.

here

IneedAsockamnesty · 03/08/2013 07:28

I would also go with kickers every time.

youarewinning · 03/08/2013 07:28

Yeah - didn't think the laces thing through!

My DS is 8 and going into year 5 - he still has Velcro Grin

bdbfan · 03/08/2013 07:48

I bought them for dd1 last year (only ones in the shop that fitted her) the dolls lasted about 90 seconds before they fell apart and the shoes rubbed her feet so had to be returned.

Lonecatwithkitten · 03/08/2013 08:01

I found that the flap of the insole over daisy rucked up and irrated the foot. The Daisy shoes lasted a single term, when DD's shoes normal last a whole year(her feet seem to grow in the summer). Daisy shoes were a waste of money and I never bought them again.

primallass · 03/08/2013 08:04

My DD is 5 and has these for school. The have a wee toy thing but one that just wraps around a strap.

www.startriteshoes.com/school-shoes/violet-black-patent?

fortifiedwithtea · 03/08/2013 08:05

At DD2 school no toys are allowed in, meaning dolls have to be removed from their 'doll coffins' (I love that phrase its a keeper Grin)

DD2 loves Daisy shoes, she is 10 nearly 11 and sad that Clarks don't make them in her size anymore. She is very rough on the leather, think she plays crawling around a lot but a sole has never collapsed.

DD2 has SN, Velcro is our friend we would be lost without it Grin

steppemum · 03/08/2013 08:05

well, I really hate the dolls as my dds will tell me that of the ones they have that fit, the dolls ones are definitely the most comfortable Hmm

Every time I complain to Clarks about these stupid doll shoes

BUT, Clarks do width fittings and many others don't, so I go back to clarks again and again, as dd1 has wide feet.

My dds shoes have never fallen in on the heel where the doll is (although recently I have managed to not get doll shoes)

Their Clarks shoes have always lasted till they grew out of them

We live near an outlet store so get them 30% cheaper

Clarks do about 3 designs each year which are closed over the foot in some way (but they never have that style in their size in stock for my dds)

When it is raining, we wear wellies and put shoes on at school. As dd2 splashes hard in every puddle, even closed shoes would get wet!

steppemum · 03/08/2013 08:07

and I would be very irritated if the school banned dolls and flashing lights , because sometimes that really is the only pair that fits, and I have no choice (the flashing lights do actually have an off button!)

primallass · 03/08/2013 08:07

She'd have T bar kickers if she were my child, I refuse to buy Clarks or Startrite as they are crap and fall apart much quicker than most other shoes and what it is with patent, yuck, horrid. Get good old matt leather and give them a good polish.

My DD had black patent Startrite boots when she was 2 and they were bombproof. They never scuffed, and she is really hard on shoes. A wipe with a babywipe and they looked brand new again.

I wouldn't buy Kickers as the sole looks too hard - they are up and down from the floor all day in school and big hard shoes makes that trickier.

MrButtercat · 03/08/2013 08:15

My dd has the Startrite Samba school shoes which are fantastic.They do several widths so you get an accurate fitting,lovely flexible soles,polish up beautifully and last all year,I only buy one pair a year.My boys have Startrite too and only need one pair a year.

I think the difference between Startrite and Clarks is huge.

MrButtercat · 03/08/2013 08:16

Re the doll ones,the heel can give way a bit as hollow.

MrButtercat · 03/08/2013 08:16

Our inde shoe shop reuse to sell them for the above reason.

YourHandInMyHand · 03/08/2013 08:22

Those talking about sitting on carpets in them - don't they have indoor plimsolls to wear in class?? I assumed all schools did this!

I have a boy but agree about the impractical girls shoes.

I have to say though my happiest childhood memory is of my nana buying us the white clarks princess shoes with the key in. I was overjoyed! They weren't for school though and I remember my mum muttering darkly about them while we squeeled with excitement. Grin

We have a wynsors and a brantano shoe shop in our town and both sell hush puppies, kickers, etc much cheaper than RRP.

steppemum · 03/08/2013 08:27

indoor plimsolls??

Are you in a private school, I think most of ours struggle to have plimsolls for pe!

Actually I would hate my dcs to be in plimsolls all day, they are crap for your feet. Bare feet fine, decent shoes fine, plimsolls, not fine.

Can you imagine 30 x 5 year olds changing shoes for playtime, they would never get outside!