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AIBU?

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Original poster

To want to buy a pair of school shoes that cover the whole of my daughter's foot?

91 replies

LiegeAndLief · 19/08/2013 10:11

Dd starts school in September. She has an older brother. I have already negotiated the complexities of uniform buying for girls (boys: trousers, tshirts, jumper, possibly shorts in summer; girls: trousers, skirts, pinafore dress, gingham dress, jumper, cardigan, endless styles of tshirts...) and now have to buy some shoes this week.

Is it just me or are school shoes for girls not very practical for the winter? They only just come over the toes! We only have Clarks near us without travelling quite a way so I have looked online but without much success. Any ideas? I am tempted to buy her some boys shoes...

OP posts:
primallass · 19/08/2013 10:18

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

We got these. They are quite sturdy but I am not keen for her to have huge shoes or boots as they get up and down from the carpet all day. Plus the school is so hot.

clarabellabunting · 19/08/2013 10:18

These are my daughter's school shoes (she is 6):
www.next.co.uk/x522682s4

They cover most of her foot and look very smart! It depends on how your DD is with tying laces as it will be a pain for her teacher if she wears these and can't tie them herself.

Original poster
LiegeAndLief · 19/08/2013 10:20

That's more the kind of thing I was thinking Clara but all shoes in that style are laces and she will never be able to do them by Septmeber. She's a July baby, only just four and not very dexterous.

OP posts:
CocacolaMum · 19/08/2013 10:22

HA! I had this grumble too.

Brogues seem to be very IN this year, my daughter has the usual mary jane style you see but only because I need a particular size heel and then she has boots to walk in when the weather turns.

Alibabaandthe40nappies · 19/08/2013 10:24

Lots of the girls in DS1's class last year (reception) had leather boots rather than shoes. Much better and warmer.

mrsjay · 19/08/2013 10:26

usually boots for winter that is why shoes are made like that i think I have always bought mine boots

frogspoon · 19/08/2013 10:51

I am tempted to buy her some boys shoes...

And why not? www.clarks.co.uk/c/boys-school-shoes

Some of the styles (Ashcroft BL, Zayne BL, Greinton BL, SchoolRock Jnr, Addison BL) are very neutral, and although they are not "girly" they would look absolutely fine on a girl

Most of them are either slip on or velcro (unlike girls which are usually buckle or lace-up)

Scruffey · 19/08/2013 11:05

Don't buy her boys shoes. People will comment on it endlessly and she will say why can't I have normal shoes like all the other girls. I'm not saying that is my opinion, I have indeed bought boys shoes for my dd for precisely this reason and people are nasty about it.

Scruffey · 19/08/2013 11:07

Frogspoon, none of the shoes you name come in a size to fir a reception child. They are for older children.

frogspoon · 19/08/2013 11:13

Frogspoon, none of the shoes you name come in a size to fir a reception child. They are for older children.

That's a shame, they are the least "boyish" ones and I doubt most people would actually notice that they are not girls shoes.

CockyFox · 19/08/2013 11:19

I am not bothered about them not covering her foot, she will have boots and wellies for walking to and from school and the playground (we ate asked to provide outdoor shoes).
I do want a proper buckle though, that thin velcro is useless and no stupid lights.
I know a lot of people moan about girls shoes but I don't think I ever had cold wet feet at school and there is no way I would have been seen dead in brogues they look like my dad's old work shoes.

zeno · 19/08/2013 11:35

I'm so glad it's not just me. I've been in a state of heightened rantiness about this all week. I've bought "boy" shoes for dd, not only for the foot coverage but so that she has some actual grip on the soles.

Hush puppies have some boy shoes that are fairly slender on the foot and not overtly gendered. We got both school shoes and everyday shoes from them. I just can't bear to put her in shoes that will leave her slipping around and with wet socks all day. The brogue styles I found all have laces and don't come in small sizes anyway, and even they have inadequate grip on the soles for active children.

It makes me so cross, disempowering yet another generation of girls by making it harder for them to be ruffty tuffty active children. It's so unnecessary!

"Toughees" shoes (online only I think) have lots of very sturdy shoes with proper grips, including unisex styles. Hooray! Sadly sold out of dd's size before I discovered them, but will be getting in early next year to get her some. Their shoes are made in South Africa and designed to be sturdy enough for kids walking miles to school every day. If you're fed up with shoes falling apart after a week or two(I'm looking at you, Clarke's) try some Toughees.

kinkyfuckery · 19/08/2013 11:40

Surely they'll have fallen apart long before the Autumn/Winter weather comes in and you'll be buying boots anyway? No? Just my child who goes through half a dozen pairs every school year? Angry

Pozzled · 19/08/2013 11:41

DD1 wears boys' shoes for the reasons given. She's only just going into year 1 but no one commented during her reception year (as far as I'm aware). Most of the girls' styles are completely impractical.

MrsRogerSterling · 19/08/2013 11:42

My dd aged 6 chose these in Clarks loafers

They have good foot coverage and look really lovely with her grey knee socks and pinafore.

Pozzled · 19/08/2013 11:46

MrsRogerSterling those shoes look good but still don't have much grip- especially when compared to the boys' styles. They wouldn't be suitable for icy weather. I wouldn't want to buy boots as well as shoes just for the winter.

BigBongTheory · 19/08/2013 11:48

Here you go. Pricey though.

m.shopeu.ecco.com/uk/en/ecco/ecco-alicia_1782585/1785194?navId=652

cory · 19/08/2013 11:49

I share your pain, OP. All school shoes and regulations thereof seem to be based on the assumption that every child travels to school by car and is ushered to the school doors under an umbrella. And never allowed out at breaktime.

Runningchick123 · 19/08/2013 11:50

Why not get some girls kickers, they are sturdy, well made and cover the whole foot.
You can always get the curly laces for them that they 'self tie' so she doesn't have to worry about the laces coming undone.

Indith · 19/08/2013 11:51

I don't think it matters that much. In the winter I send mine in wellies/snow boots with their shoes to put on when they get in and then they put wellies/snowboots on for playtime. Actually for a lot the winter the school won't let them play out if they don't have wellies etc so they are only wearing their school shoes indoors.

ballinacup · 19/08/2013 11:53

What about Kickers?

I used to have them when I was at school and I don't remember needing to have them replaced until I grew out of them. They also look very sturdy and have great looking grips.

ballinacup · 19/08/2013 11:53

X-post running!

Runningchick123 · 19/08/2013 11:56

www.amazon.co.uk/Tying-Spring-Laces-White-Shoe/dp/B003UB1ZNC

These are the laces - they come in pink too.

AnotherStitchInTime · 19/08/2013 11:58

I bought these velcro kickers. DD is 4, summer birthday. Her school make them put on wellies if it is too wet.

Kickers also do girls velcro ankle boots in patent too.

SoupDragon · 19/08/2013 11:58

DD simply wears Wellies when it's wet. Like her brothers did.