AIBU to think that girl's school shoes should be enclosed?

[jwpetal]

sorry this is long but My daughters are starting reception on Thursday and I took them to get new school shoes. I went to Clarks who did not have any enclosed shoes for girls. They did have a new shoe for older children but not for young children. Apparently, parents do ask for this but they do not supply them. I looked at numerous stores and could not find them except for Little Kickers that I might get away with but massively expensive.

Now, the boys have enclosed shoes but not girls. Winter is coming and the kids will spend a lot of time outside in rain, puddles and the cold. When I asked about this (I grew up in the desert), a young girl next to me said that her feet get wet and cold but they are also not allowed to wear boots. She was buying the new Clarks enclosed shoe for older kids. Her mother was surprised as she had not thought of it. Her brother said that his feet stayed dry....except when he jumps in a big puddle.

Am i being unreasonable, to find the policy of no boots rule unreasonable and also the lack of supply to girls for warm, comfortable, enclosed school shoes ridiculous?

[Ididntseeitsoitdidnthappen]

I agree girls know the difference. I had a hard time convincing my dc to wear the brogues I got her by showing her my work shoes this seemed to help.

It does get better as feet get bigger as choice gets wider but by that point they're out of the climbing jumping and running phase so it's no good

[aquashiv]

Atrocious selection for girls in Clarks no lace up sturdy shoes only Brogues. The boys shoes were too wide. We always buy her boots as well to negate this girly shoe shit.

[WhoKnowsWhereTheTimeGoes]

I agree about the peer pressure, my DD had short hair when she was in Yr 1 and got a lot of stick about being "a boy". I also remember the humiliation of having to wear Start-Rite shoes to secondary because my parents were strict and everyone else had court shoes. My parents were right of course but it was awful at the time.

Haven't set foot in Clarks children's section for years so can't comment on theirs particularly though.

[ProudAS]

Get your DDs "boys' shoes" MNERS and spread the word.

The shops will have to do something when girls' shoes don't sell.

[Princesselsaanna]

My daughter wears Mary Janes and they are perfectly fine for running and jumping. I buy the slightly more sturdy start rite ones and they withstand a full year of football and tree climbing no problems.

[ladybirdandsnails]

www.startriteshoes.com/girls-shoes/school-shoes/chloe-black-leather-girls-riptape-school-shoes

whoopee just found some decent girls enclosed shoes !!!

I may get these next time - boys shoes in the mean time

[mausmaus]

yanbu at all

bought a boy's style startrite in the and.

pretty and closed shouldn't be impossible.

[Meglet]

yanbu.

DD's feet got so damp in the wet weather last winter, her brother didn't need wellies and I was sick of taking just her wellies to school. By Feb she was in snug, enclosed boys shoes and I didn't need to faff about with wellies anymore.

[Dragonlette]

Dd2 is starting reception tomorrow wearing boys' shoes. Luckily for me she has a dinosaur obsession atm, so she knew she wanted some just like her boy friends. We told the fitter in Clarks that we wanted enclosed waterproof shoes and she looked doubtful while suggesting boots if school allow them. Dd2 took one look at the boots she was offered and turned her nose up, then pointed at the boys' ones with dinosaur footprints on the sole. The fitter even said "those are boys' shoes, so they are a different fit". If dd2 had been less stubborn she would have been put off right then.

[pointythings]

Thank goodness the DDs' primary always allowed any kind of boots for winter - so my girls wore them. Secondary only allows ankle boots, but they're pretty relaxed about shoes as long as they're plain black. Trousers - now there they're cracking down because girls and boys were turning up in skintight stuff - which fortunately neither of my DDs wanted to wear.

[Tigresswoods]

I fleetingly wondered about this issue but I have a DS so I only gave it a moments thought.

Gap in the market?

[3pigsinblanketsandasausagerole]

Our school have a no boot rule

I have seen one little girl mum be told off after school about five times now!

[movicolornot]

I thought I was the only person to feel like this. Clarks certainly made me think I was crazy for asking for enclosed girls shoes. Thanks for all the alternative suggestions of sources.

[ladybirdandsnails]

Quite a few supermarkets do plain black trainers too

[WeAllHaveWings]

www.clarks.co.uk/p/20350534
www.clarks.co.uk/p/26100812
www.clarks.co.uk/p/20350526

3 pairs of clarks girls enclosed shoes. Or alternatively they could easily wear the boys trainer type styles with trousers as they look fairly unisex.

[mausmaus]

they are not really suitable for small girls though.
imagine a class where all 15 or so 4-6 year old girls need help with their laces...

[movicolornot]

weallhavewings - are these styles not for older girls? There is more chance of influencing the younger ones in their choice and especially ensuring they are practical for first year at school if they have been used to wearing trainers to nursery.

[MuddlingMackem]

Haven't read the whole thread.

However, YANBU, but for heavens sake just do what I do and buy your DD the boy's shoes. Problem solved.

[ladybirdandsnails]

Weallhavewings those are only for older girls and only larger sizes. We are lucky that our school allow any footwear although most go for black shoes

[MuddlingMackem]

Now read the thread and glad to see that I'm not the only one buying her DD boys' shoes. I don't even buy DD wellies, she gets her brother's outgrown ones.

To those saying get girls' lace up shoes, DD is hassling me for those now as she's into those sizes - but have you seen the price difference! I've told her I refuse to pay an extra £10 just for laces instead of velcro.

[jamtoast12]

I know what you're saying but honestly I think the reason they don't sell many is that they're all usually pretty ugly! There isn't one link that's nice IMO. I hate big clumpy shoes on kids and I honestly wouldn't dream of sending my dd in boys shoes as kids will notice. Just walk in wellies.

[ladybirdandsnails]

I don't want DD to look like a doll. She always wants boys shoes as they keep her feet dry ....

[WinifredTheLostDenver]

"those are boys' shoes, so they are a different fit"

• Dragonlette, did she explain how? Since they measure length and width, which is the Boy Dimension where fit is different?