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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

t-bar shoes when lashing down

158 replies

vandrew4 · 05/12/2018 09:14

Why are girls put in T-bar shoes in the pouring down rain?
Looking around today, every single girl bar one going into school was wearing T-bars.
every single boy was of course wearing proper shoes without great big holes on the top of them,
every single mother was wearing boots or full shoes.
Why do they think it's OK for girls to get wet / cold feet?

OP posts:
MsJolly · 05/12/2018 09:15

Maybe they like them? I’ve been known to wear unsuitable but beautiful shoes on occasion!

Hellohellohowareyou · 05/12/2018 09:16

Because most of them probably only have one pair of shoes suitable for school?

BertramKibbler · 05/12/2018 09:17

‘Proper’ shoes do bugger all for keeping feet dry

CrookedMe · 05/12/2018 09:17

Because that is overwhelmingly what shops like Clarks sell for girls. Because obviously it's more important that girls look pretty, than be warm, dry, and able to run around. It makes me furious.

Oopsusernamealreadytaken · 05/12/2018 09:18

We walk in wellies when it’s really lashing down. Otherwise t-bars. Never had a huge issue really and we walk to and from daily

Giantbanger · 05/12/2018 09:19

Really hard get brogues for girls. Clark’s do some but girls tend to like the fashionable shoes

My DD is the only one at her school in proper shoes that I’ve seen. She has orthotics and the shoes need to be proper ones. Side benefit is that she has dry feet.

SoyDora · 05/12/2018 09:19

It is pretty much all we could find for DD1 when she started school in September. She is a ‘D’ width fitting and all the boys shoes were far too wide for her, so we had to buy from the girls section. They only had t-bars.

SoyDora · 05/12/2018 09:20

But as above, if it’s raining mine walk to school in wellies and change at the door.

Doobydoobeedoo · 05/12/2018 09:20

This is the first year that I've been able to get DD school shoes that cover her whole foot and have reasonably decent soles.

99% of girls' school shoes seem to have t-bars and/or those thin soles with no grips.

BitchQueen90 · 05/12/2018 09:20

At DS's school there are boys still going in in shorts! I feel like I'm going to catch my death just looking at them.

ifoundthebread · 05/12/2018 09:20

Because that's all I can find in the shops. I actually got annoyed about this yesterday after looking in a 3rd shop.

arethereanyleftatall · 05/12/2018 09:21

Dd wears these shoes, and did today/ it's not exactly pouring, more drizzling here.
Why?

  1. I never thought about it.
  2. Can't be arsed with faff of wellies to indoor shoes swap/thought process.
  3. She finds these shoes far more comfortable than wellies.
  4. Our walk to school is 4 minutes. That isn't enough time for something underneath her body to get particularly wet, even if pouring.
  5. If it's pouring at lunch time or break,they'll have indoor play.

Ironically, this morning we passed our (very precious) neighbours wearing wellies on their four minute walk on hard pavements to school, and wondered how they could be bothered.

Original poster
vandrew4 · 05/12/2018 09:21

I’ve been known to wear unsuitable but beautiful shoes on occasion
I'm assuming you're not a 6 year old girl who should have the decision made for her to wear suitable footwear

OP posts:
OutPinked · 05/12/2018 09:21

This is what shops sell for girls to wear and pretty much always have done? I wore the same shoes when I was in school, it’s just how it is unless you want to buy boys shoes for them.

Original poster
vandrew4 · 05/12/2018 09:22

Because most of them probably only have one pair of shoes suitable for school
well make that one pair suitable

OP posts:
recklessruby · 05/12/2018 09:23

They probably like them?
I remember being really happy as a kid with my t bar black patent shoes.
Not so happy with horrible ugly black wellies (no nice ones around in the 70s).
School won't let them out at playtime if it's absolutely tipping down.

wishywashy6 · 05/12/2018 09:23

Our school only allow pumps indoors for both boys and girls (these are kept at school) so outdoor footwear can be whatever they like which I think is a sensible approach

Original poster
vandrew4 · 05/12/2018 09:23

‘Proper’ shoes do bugger all for keeping feet dry
so shoes without great big holes in the top of them keep your feet no drier than shoes without great big holes? Confused

OP posts:
BrightStarrySky · 05/12/2018 09:23

Good point but where can you buy decent and warm school shoes for primary school aged girls? Any suggestions very welcome!

Grace212 · 05/12/2018 09:24

"every single boy was of course wearing proper shoes without great big holes on the top of them,
every single mother was wearing boots or full shoes."

I don't get this either. Presume this was your DC school - is it a crazy rule or just that the parents seem to be choosing T bar for girls? It's bonkers.

as for "wear wellies and get changed" - seems like proper shoes would be much easier in the first place.

SaucyJack · 05/12/2018 09:24

Do you feel sorry for boys when they’re wearing thick heavy clodhoppers in 30 degree weather, or is it only girls and their mothers who are judged for buying whatever shoes they like, and are available in their nearest shop?

arethereanyleftatall · 05/12/2018 09:26

Clark's do sell closed up shoes for girls. Dd1 has them, dd2 didn't find them comfortable. She prefers her t-bars. And, can you imagine, simply because they're more comfortable and suited to her play; not because they're pretty.

megletthesecond · 05/12/2018 09:26

Because shoe shops sell a a limited range of sensible styles aimed at girls.

My DD mainly wears the robust boys style shoes, more of her friends are doing the same.

SoyDora · 05/12/2018 09:26

As I said, I can only find ‘proper’ shoes in the boys section and they’re far too wide for my DD.
I could buy winter boots instead of shoes but they wouldn’t be practical in July.

Puggles123 · 05/12/2018 09:27

I used to love my T bars! Still do, in fact. Next so quite a few pairs of ‘actual shoes’ for primary ages girls.

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