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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:
foreverondiet · 20/08/2013 23:33

My DD has had a variation of these every year since reception. Always lasted all year - age that Clarks don't provide enough coverage, don't buy boys shoes.... Also look at geox.

link

ldt87 · 20/08/2013 23:35

I have got my two girls aged 7 and 8 hush puppies monk shoes I think they are called. I ordered from very popular have a look on there, they are leather, and look very smart and also fasten with a buckle rather than laces.

raggedmum · 21/08/2013 00:29

www.clarks.co.uk/p/20352733

Twattybollocks · 21/08/2013 08:34

Do make sure if you buy buckle shoes for a 4yo that they are able to fasten the buckle themselves and unfasten. Personally I've always had Velcro shoes for my kids except the first term in reception where I bought buckles for my daughter and while she could do them and undo them herself, it took her ages and she missed quite a bit of playtime and was upset as the other girls had their shoes on and out in the playground while she was still fiddling with her shoes, and everyone would have to sit waiting for her while she did them after playtime. I was asked by the teacher to buy Velcro next time.

soaccidentprone · 21/08/2013 09:03

is she allowed to wear boots?

pygmyangel · 21/08/2013 09:14

We did the school shoe shop yesterday and in every shop it's the same story. Lots of sturdy boys shoes which cover the whole foot but the girls are all essentially the same style, impractical little dolly shoes that leave the top of the foot uncovered and it annoys me every time. One puddle and that's wet feet for the rest of the day. We also have the additional problem of very wide feet so non width fitted shoes generally don't fit.
We went to Clarks, John Lewis and Clinkards, all the same. The assistant in John Lewis said she'd tried to mention the problem to her managers before as she'd had a number of people saying the same thing but the problem seems to be the manufacturers. I think we all need to write lengthy e-mails to all these kids shoe shops and manufacturers as I strongly feel this is an offshoot of the gender stereotyping issue.

bruffin · 21/08/2013 09:28

They wont die from wet feet Hmm
As I said above DD managed to survive her girly shoes in the playground and wetdays.

AdventureTed · 21/08/2013 09:39

My girls have always worn shoes from the "boys'" section of Clarks and it makes walking to school fun. They run, skip and explore. The thicker soles insulate their feet from the cold ground too.

Boys' shoes are usually more empowering. They let you play on the climbing frames, and play football without hurting your toes and skidding about.

Boys' shoes are made for fun and activity. My girls want fun and activity, not just to assume they're not as sporty as boys because their shoes limit their physical capabilities.

ZombiesAteMyBigToe · 21/08/2013 09:39

I bought DD boys shoes in this situation, mostly because she begged and begged for shoes that would allow her to run at the same speed as the boys who were her friends.

At home in trainers she could keep up with them but at school was hampered by her clarks Mary Jane style shoes and was always last in the races. Buying her the leather trainer style boys shoe put her on an even footing. She has not had any comments about her footwear so far and I have only had positive comments from other parents.

I found they kept her feet drier too. Unfortunately at DDs school there isn't space for storing any changes of footwear and parents aren't allowed in the school to help. DD found that boots made her too hot in school in the winter and she found it harder to cross her legs for assembly, otherwise I probably would have gone for those instead.

hugoagogo · 21/08/2013 09:42

Noone is saying they will die of wet feet Hmm

That is not the point. Lots of people would like to be able to have the choice of a school shoe with more coverage, whenever I mention it in the shoe shop they say mary janes sell. Of course they do I can't just send dd out barefoot can I.

Feminine · 21/08/2013 09:53

I don't get this thread at all!

Boots to school in 'harsh' conditions.

Girls shoes any other time.

I am shocked that any of you put girls in boys shoes -really

They won't thank you for that.

BrokenSunglasses · 21/08/2013 10:04

It's really never occurred to me to worry about shoes covering the entire foot or not.

I work in reception, we don't send children out when it's raining enough for us to be worried about wet feet. We do sometimes help children change wet socks, so it's a good idea if they have their own spares with them, but that's because they've got too enthusiastic while playing with the water tray, or they have had a wee accident. I have never known a girl be unable to play on the climbing equipment or feel they can't run around because of their shoes, but I have known plenty of girls get shoe envy over a classmates shoes that they like more!

If the issue is walking to and from school when it's raining, then some parents provide boots that we send the children out in at the end if the day when it's raining.

AdventureTed · 21/08/2013 10:07

Boys' and girls' feet are essentially the same. My kids' hero is Steve Backshall.

He doesn't wear mary janes on his adventures, and neither do they.

Girls need to be empowered. They do not exist simply to look pretty and bake pies for men.

Feminine · 21/08/2013 10:09

girls need to be empowered

What with shoes?

AdventureTed · 21/08/2013 10:14

Yes! Give them the same tech spec as boys in their footwear.

hugoagogo · 21/08/2013 10:15

Why not with shoes? Confused

Feminine · 21/08/2013 10:19

I have never known any little girls that have suffered by wearing girls school shoes.

What I have remembered is though, as a primary school child in the 1970's there were a vast selection of shoes that could pass for unisex.

Guess it was the style :)

soaccidentprone · 21/08/2013 10:44

I remember wearing things like these in the 1970's

Feminine · 21/08/2013 10:47

yes, me too.

More 'blocky' shoes also.

With laces... in brown. Grin

Feminine · 21/08/2013 10:48

I wish Mothercare would bring back those unisex tan coloured sandals we all wore too!

AdventureTed · 21/08/2013 10:52

I remember having cold wet feet while my brothers' were nice and dry in the 70's. The cold from the ground seeps up through thin soles in no time.

The truth seems to be that boys' shoes are built to be the best for practicality and comfort, and then girls' shoes are created as the 'other' type, simply because peer pressure tells parents and their daughters that girls' feet must look dainty and unboylike.

Feminine · 21/08/2013 11:02

Why didn't you wear your boots then adventure

I know I'll sound nuts here, but I'd really hate it for my DD to have boylike feet!

I think boys school shoes are really ugly, actually they even looked/look horrible on my boys!

It probably just me...Wink

ninilegsintheair · 21/08/2013 11:06

Heaven forbid girls should have 'boylike' feet! Now we have to worry in case our girls don't have dainty little feminine toes? Why not bind our girls' feet up or cut them off at the toes a la Cinderella's stepsisters? Hmm

My 2 year old DD only wears boys shoes for day-to-day (for parties she has girly shoes) as I don't think most girl shoes are practical enough or give enough support. Glad to see I'm not the only one thinking this.

Feminine · 21/08/2013 11:19

nin There is no worry. Confused

You are taking it too far.

I don't like how it looks on my dd.

Sorry, but I do like her to look feminine. I have been able to find shoes that are weather-proof , practical and look like they were made for a female!

As I said, I think boys school shoes (for the most part) look vile on my boys...buggered if I'll do that to my daughter.

AdventureTed · 21/08/2013 11:19

Weather changes throughout the day. It can start off warm and sunny, and then be wet and freezing cold by home-time.

I just want people to stop and wonder why they accept certain 'givens' in society, because if we keep asking questions we can keep improving the world for ourselves and our children.