To think that if your feet are small enough to wear these shoes you are too young for high heels?

[unrulysun]

I saw these shoes in a branch of Monsoon today. I see plenty of things for little girls which make me roll my eyes but these actually made me stop and stare and then a few minutes later go back into the shop to talk to someone.

The heel on these is a good inch high. My DD is 3 and her feet are size 9. The ones I saw were in a size 7 which I think DD last had when she was 2. She’s not particularly enormous for her age so I think these shoes are definitely for 2 – 3 year olds. I don’t know what size they go down to. AIBU to think that a 2 or 3 year old shouldn’t be walking around in high heels? This isn’t wearing your mum’s high heels this is ‘these are your new shoes’.

And yy I know ‘you don’t need to buy them if you don’t want to’ and I won’t buy them. But I care about the little girls who they are bought for. I don’t think any little girl should be put into shoes like this. Frankly I’d be worried DD would twist an ankle in heels this high. She certainly wouldn’t be able to run or play. And I’m sad that these are on sale for little girls. Not in some weird online place but in a high street shop.

I’m going to complain to Monsoon. I would have liked to have given them the feedback instore today but the sales assistant shrugged and said ‘I’m just a sales assistant’ and the manager was ‘too busy’ to talk to –annoying people who think girls should be allowed to be children-- me.

I'm 27, 5' tall & have size 2-2.5 feet. Am I allowed to wear the shoes?

FWIW, my niece was 4 when she was a bridesmaid for me. Her shoes had a similar small heel on & certainly didn't impede her ability to charge around being the centre of attention & demanding everyone pose while she took photos of the ceiling, their feet, part of their arm them! She also kept the shoes on while dancing at the barn dance in the evening when she was over tired & hyper. Sturdy heels aren't actually that difficult to walk in if the shoes fit well.

I’m going to complain to Monsoon. I would have liked to have given them the feedback instore today but the sales assistant shrugged and said ‘I’m just a sales assistant’ and the manager was ‘too busy’ to talk to –annoying people who think girls should be allowed to be children-- me.

The people who work in the shop will have exactly no say over the stock they sell. They will never get a chance to put your complaint forward to anyone who can do anything. What did you hope the manager would do?

Write to head office if you must.

OK IABU.

And DD has enormous feet. Who knew?

I just can't see why a little girl needs a heel. Of any sort. And I don't think anyone's explained that. Wearing heels isn't good for your body at all. So when they're older and want one then fine. But these are for little girls who aren't choosing what they're wearing at all. And I find it sad that they're being given things they can't run around in to wear and look pretty. Because I don't think children should have to worry about that kind of shit. I think that was the point of the whole 'Let girls be girls' thing.

Good gravy Rhonda!

And they don't even come with a warning.

They're shoe size, not aimed at a specific age. They aren't being marketed as age three shoes, just sold in a variety, some of which may fit three year olds.

My DD who is six is a size seven in shoes and she'd love to wear these if she was a bridesmaid or something - and I would let her.

It's a bit like the fact that adult shoe shops start at size three (pretty sure I was this size by about 10/11), that doesn't mean that all shoes are appropriate for people with size three feet. It's an odd conclusion to draw.

YABU, they're not for toddlers and clearly for a special occasion. And not actually that high

as an aside does any remember those jelly sandals that were popular in the 90s? I'm sure they had huuuuuge heels iirc. I was only ever allowed the flat ones

Well, for a start, it's a heel not a high heel and for seconds, children dont need a heel for happy memories just like they dont need chocolate for happy memories or a trip to disneyland. Some get it though.

My little girl will be three at Christmas and next year willbe a flower girl. If she was given these shoes to wear, for one day, provided she could acrually walk in them? I wouldnt think twice.They all take theor shoes off for the nught time parry anyways.

Oh unless of course she shouldnt be at the nught time because a three year old should be in bed at that time and you dont need an eleven pm bedtime once in your cjildhood to make happy memories.

Clarkes sell shoes with 4 inch heels starting from size 3 (reached by many 12 year olds). In general deparments, rigth next to the displays for smaller children.

Are you going to fume about that too?

Or realise that some adults and children have small feet?

I'm with you OP. I don't get it either.

I think that was the point of the whole 'Let girls be girls' thing

but for a lot of girls (and boys) dressing up is part of their growing up, and often they want to be like Mummy and wear 'big' shoes and whatever. Its not a problem.

I would imagine a lot of the very flat ballerina type shoes are worse for the feet than these anyway

If you don't like them, don't buy them. Who are you to tell a retailer not to stock something because you personally don't like it? If I don't eat sugar (which is probably more harmful to more kids than inch high heels), do I ask Tesco to boycott haribo? Seriously, this really annoys me.

My kids don't wear heels but I have a 9yo with size 11 feet, why should she not have bridesmaids shoes for a wedding because you don't like them?!

I agree totally with you if it's for every day, I hate seeing little girls in playgrounds trying to run and keep ballet flats on at the same time.

However as a one-off for a wedding, when they might like to dress up like the older girls I have no problem with it at all. Same with a little nail varnish and make-up as a one-off, they don't need those either and wouldn't do it normally. DD's went into her dressing up box and she has never worn them again.

Actually, weddings are about the only time I wear heels too.

Don't think I could carry them off derek. At least not without the blue checked dress, matching scrunchie and ankle socks I wore them with the first time.

Actually for children with high insteos a small block or wedge heels better for the feet than totally flat shoes especially the ballerina flats as they don't have enough arch support.

The harm is that they do restrict movement, that you are much more likely to twist an ankle in them, that high heels do all sorts of damanging things to your body, your pelvis, your posture, that they are designed to make grown women look sexy and therefore a bit weird to put on a child...

But mainly that you wouldn't be able to do all the things children should do. Like run and play. And no-one puts boys in shoes like this do they?

One of my colleagues could wear those shoes, she's 25.

Also Derek had no idea you're so young! I say that being all of 25 but you know what I mean!

They are not really heels as such are they?

I was expecting proper spiky ones like they sell in loads of shops. They make me hoik quite a bit.

These are fine IMO. My 6 year old DS has shoes more outrageous than that.

Ummm
I don't put DS in them.
He puts himself in them. He has a little stash.

It's a little early to be learning the lesson that looking nice means debilitating yourself though isn't it? Nail varnish etc I'm not keen on but at least it's decorative without taking anything away.

Thanks posthoc - think we may be swimming against the tide