To expect a children's shoe shop to stock children's party shoes

[islandofsodor]

Dh and mil took dd to get some party shoes from a local shoe shop. When she got her school shoes from there in September they said they hadn't had their party type stock in yet. FAir enough in the back to school rush.

So when they got there all they had was 1 pair of black patent start-rite shoes but they were really, really pushing Lelli Kelli trainers to dh.

Dd of course loved them and was "oh I want them" but she has almost new Clarks trainers, besides if I bought them, I would still need party shoes for her.

These super dooper trainers with removable washable insoles (what!) were £40. They had boots too, mil said there was no price on them.

Luckily for him, dh told the assistant that if he went home with Lelli Kelli, he would be deady weady!

They told him that come next summer all they would be selling was Lelli Kelly's with just a few Start-rite school shoes.

This is the only Start-rite stockist in town, it is the staff of another national shoe chain that went bump, set up on her own.

shoe selection is pretty bad now, even for children's shoes. online is probably the best option

Unfortunately dd has a high instep and also needs a deep shoe which is why I always go for Start-rite. Clarks just don;t suit her foot in shoes. I couldn;t trust the fit online, she would need to be properly measured and fitted.

gap in the market somewhere ios!

i noticed from your earlier posts that you do s/coach training. do you still do that?

Yes, well dh does. I help him and do the admin, he is hopeless with paperwork. I often help out in the little ones classes too. An extra pair of hands is always useful there!

Do many girls now actually wear 'party shoes' very often? So many parties are held at places where the first thing they do is bung all their shoes into a bin liner and run about in socks!

I suspect demand isn't high because really no-one needs party shoes.

If they are only going to be worn a few times then - although proper fitting is essential for school shoes and trainers - its probably not going to be a disaster to get something pretty from somewhere like Monsoon kids.

Dd wore hers lots last year. Not just to parties but to visit family/friends, meals out, family occasions.

I personally would have no problem with her wearing her school shoes but my mum, mil and dh all keep saying she can't wear her school shoes to a party.

She is still wearing her Doodles at the moment to these things.

I would be grateful if children's shoe shops actually stocked children's shoes, rather than a children's shoe, which is what the ones near us seem to do!

Brantano is your best bet.
Or BHS

Bit late on this one but know EXACTLY what you mean. Had problem with Clarks this week saying the two local shops to us dont stock DD size (11) in boots??? The only option I was given were 2 styles which were very grown up ones with heels and at 5 I wont put her in them. Anyway, when I said I really needed winter shoes as she is in doodles the only option they gave me were trainers. Typically the only ones that fitted were £32 and after I told the assistant I would rather spend all that money on boots not trainers she packed up the boxes, grunted and walked away never to return stroppy mare. I was VERY CROSS! She has narrow feet so we do find it hard to get ones to fit but am seriously wondering if just a normal, less expensive shop would be better and more friendly. Cant believe a shoe shop like Clarks dont stock wide variety of shoes in different sizes??

Apparantly, most shoe shops only stock one pair in each size and style. So if someone with the same sized feet comes in before you do you're stuffed. A bit trick for my frind with triplet boys who like to dress the same - she always has to order another two pairs!