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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To ask for honest view of Clark's kids shoes

97 replies

scrabble1 · 29/09/2017 09:45

DS new school shoes from Clark's £55. Goretex, look sturdy but already wearing smooth on the sole. Doesn't walk a lot as straight onto school bus and back every day. Experiences please

OP posts:
Swirlingasong · 29/09/2017 10:25

The pre-school shoes were fine but girls' school shoes are awful - my daughter had two pairs that fell apart before they were outgrown - so I refuse to buy them now. It's a real pain as Clarks is the only shop locally so shoe buying is now a bit of a mission.

OhHolyFuck · 29/09/2017 10:25

Bought DS1 some geox shoes and ds2 some clarks shoes for the start of this year - today is the end of the 4th week so they've been worn for 20 days
Ds2s clarks shoes are scuffed and have threads coming off them and look like they're 6 months old already, ds1s geoxs are perfect still

DeathMetalMum · 29/09/2017 10:26

Their trainers are probably the best wearing of their shoes in our experience. However can get pretty much the same type of trainers in places like tkmaxx and sports direct or even M&S or Next at a fraction of Clarks prices.

We stopped buying 'shoes' for dd from Clarks when she was in nursery. Asda are again more than half the price and fit both dd's feet really well (Tesco's don't fit at all though for dd's shape).

Not worth the money IMO.

BusterGonad · 29/09/2017 10:27

I have no problem with them, my son had his pair last year for 12 months, he's a slow grower, and they were fine. Only replaced them as he went up a size!

unicornpoopoop · 29/09/2017 10:28

Aside from the bad quality and ugliness of most of them, i stopped buying clarks when they kept mis fitting them! The worst was one time I left the shop with my sons freshly fitted new shoes and he kept falling over so I took him back and they'd measured him 2 sizes too big!!

Ragwort · 29/09/2017 10:28

Totally agree with Janice - their marketing policy is fantastic, parents really, really believe that they have to invest huge amounts of money in childrens' shoes.

There was a fantastic thread all about this a few years ago on Mumsnet. But people still believe they have to buy 'proper' shoes.

My DS is a teenager now, plays a huge amount of sport (on his feet Grin) and I have never, ever bought expensive shoes.

Unless your child has particular foot issues there is really no need to spend stupid amounts of money on footwear.

verite · 29/09/2017 10:28

Clarks never last. Appalling quality. I find Geox the best. Expensive but my DS grows out of them rather than wearing it. His feet grow slowly now so get about a year out of them.

verite · 29/09/2017 10:29

*wearing out not wearing it!

CherieBabySpliffUp · 29/09/2017 10:29

That's a telling comment nancy75

StubbleTurnips · 29/09/2017 10:30

If we go to Clarks We buy from the outlet, and have the home measures.

I've found startrite really poor quality for DD who kills shoes. Big fan of pedipeds for DD.

Aderyn17 · 29/09/2017 10:30

Sizing is not consistent. Bought school shoes just before summer holidays and dd says in first week back that they rub her little toe. Bought ankle boots to replace the shoes, which are half a size smaller, but these are fine. Both times dd was measured.
The boots were about £55, which is pricey for something she will probably not wear for very long.

SquareWord · 29/09/2017 10:31

Clark's quality has really gone downhill and we have stopped buying them. Dr Martens have been great.

bingolittle · 29/09/2017 10:33

Like so many others, I have given up on Clarks.

Dd has Start-Rite and DS (older) has Hush Puppies. Both much, much better quality imo.

Clarks' girls' shoes are particularly crap.

I also have a problem with the sexism: the boys' shoes are designed for boisterous outdoor play and the girls' shoes are designed for sitting indoors doing embroidery. There are practically no school shoes for girls that actually cover up the foot - you know, for when it, like, RAINS?

And they do Gore-Tex shoes... but have a look at how many of them are for boys vs how many of them are for girls.

I was hacked off with this even before they started calling their boys' shoes "Leader" and their girls' shoes "Dolly Babe."

WindwardCircle · 29/09/2017 10:36

My DD has had Clarks for the last couple of years, I find them okay but not amazing. I get them at an outlet store so if they don't last the year I've normally spent less than £25, if I'd paid £50 and they fell apart I'd be very unhappy.

As to Clarks doing an PR number, they absolutely have. When I was a child we still had NHS glasses frames, there were only a few styles to chose from so everyone who needed glasses had one of the same handful of basic styles. Because everyone at my school wore Clarks shoes in the same few styles I came to the conclusion that they were government issues shoes you got on prescription!

TSSDNCOP · 29/09/2017 10:36

Never had an issue with them, DS's pair bought in September last all year and go in the bin on the last day of the Summer term.

That's happened 5 years running.

BlueLagoons · 29/09/2017 10:37

Well I've always found Clarks ok but not worth the money really. I've just bought my dd a pair of patent school shoes and the patent around the heel has scratched off after the 3rd day of wear! I'm very disappointed and will be taking them back. My dd isn't a rough and tough type of girl so I can't even imagine how this happened. Another mother mentioned that her dd's patent shoes had done the same thing. Maybe it's just this particular shoe that's badly made as both girls have the same style? I won't be buying anymore school shoes from Clarks.

Hayesking · 29/09/2017 10:38

Clarks are awful quality, particularly the girls shoes.

The girls shoes styles are insulting.

The fitting is a joke.

They don't have width fitting in France and everyone seems to walk perfectly normally.

MrsC2000 · 29/09/2017 10:38

I don't like them and have always found them operated. They've never really lasted mine long

Hayesking · 29/09/2017 10:39

Who on EARTH buys trainers from Clarks?!

They are badly designed, badly made and expensive.

Decent Nikes or Adidas from Sports Direct do a better job and are cheaper.

Oly5 · 29/09/2017 10:40

Ours last all year, no complaints

just5morepeas · 29/09/2017 10:40

I like them, my dd is 6 and my ds is 3 amd just got him his first pair for nursery.

I get Clarks shoes for school as they wear them a hell of a lot and they've both got quite narrow feet so I want them to fit well. I think they're good quality and I like that you can polish them with old fashioned type polish. They lasted well last term for my dd.

However, I only buy from an outlet store that is a bit cheaper than a regular clarks shop and I only buy their school shoes from there. I generally try and buy cheaper for other shoes.

I do wish that there were some more practical choices for girls.

HelloMyNameIsNino · 29/09/2017 10:41

I bought some because I was sick of cheaper shoes falling apart in months. They fell apart in months.
Would rather pay £15 for the same thing to happen.

cafenoirbiscuit · 29/09/2017 10:45

Boring boring boring. They so rarely change their styles, their design team must consist of 1 part time worker!

HateSummer · 29/09/2017 10:45

I don't buy clarks school shoes for dd anymore. They're thin and shit. For the past 2 years I've brought her black boots from h&m and GAP. They've worn out well and have been better than clarks. Ffs, clarks can't even make school shoes for girls so the top of the foot is covered. Apparently girls don't need coverage as they're dainty little things who avoid puddles and rain. Confused

Boys clarks shoes are better. I got some dinosaur stomp ones for ds this year and they're as sturdy as his startrite ones from last year.

iseenodust · 29/09/2017 10:46

The fit was never great for DS when he was younger. Tried Clarks again for school but they didn't wear well. Scuffed quickly and slippery soles in bad weather.

For the last three years DS has worn these which have a sturdy sole and stand up to lunchtime football (not the same pair all three years!). They come in boys' & men's sizes and for boys there is also the choice of velcro straps instead of laces.
Kangol black leather shoes Highly recommend.