To send DD to year 7 in Mary Janes

[JulyBlue]

Are these shoes (below) acceptable for starting secondary school year 7?
DD has literally only just turned 11 years old a few weeks ago. She's so young still. And she loves these shoes for their comfort and she likes the style.
But will she get comments about them being babyish??
She has tried on 10 different pairs of school shoes - flat brogues, chunky brogues, chunky T bars, patent chunky T bars, DMs, boys smart trainer style school shoes and loafers.....and there has been something wrong with all of them - too stiff, too hard leather, too heavy, too narrow at the toes, rubbing at heels or rubbing below ankles, too uncomfortable....every pair, all 10 pairs. And these are all from retailers such as Clarks, Startrite, Next, M&S, DM, Schuh.
Then she put these on and they fit like a glove. They are soft, supportive, instantly ultra comfortable......she said "Ah mummy, these are perfect!".
BUT, she's also desperate to fit in with the other girls at her new secondary school and also doesn't want to be seen to be babyish in her style.
Who knew buying secondary school shoes was such a minefield!
Are these OK, or too young for year 7?
I hate even asking this question! If she'd been born a few weeks later she'd have been starting year 6 next week, not year 7, and I wouldn't even be questioning shoe style!

https://www.startriteshoes.com/products/samba-black-leather-girls-riptape-school-shoes?gl=165qkkhupMQ.._gs*MQ..&gclid=Cj0KCQjwn8XFBhCxARIsAMyH8Bun2_uMW-dpGRWcr6jSt1IwQz7QKgeD2N8Lxcg1R33vkzXVnID9qzIaAoVLEALw_wcB&gbraid=0AAAAAD7OCwCjV8g5116EIZCB6-hd1b2sF

Just wondered why so many peopke seemed to find this unreasonable??

Nice shoes. Might buy some myself. I’m 56.

I'd say they're quite babyish tbh OP. My daughter is going into year 7 and went for Nike air force ones

They leave a lot of foot exposed to the rain so be prepared to need to buy some kind of lace up shoe that covers her foot better later in the year.

because in quite a lot of areas / schools, 11 and 12 year old girls wouldn't wear Mary Janes. Certainly in the secondary schools round where we are you don't see it - either nike air forces if the school allows, or loafers / brogues if not.

I just could not imagine Mary Janes or Velcro or still using "Mummy" when I went to secondary school at 11.....All of that would have been left behind us years ago. Very strange.

my dd had a pair of kickers in the mary jane styles in years 9&10 of high school. If your dd likes the shoes they'll be fine.

If it helps, my 4 year old daughter has chosen the same ones to start primary school

😂😂😂

There is no correlation at all 👍🏻🙄

If I saw a Year 7 wear these at my school, my heart would sink for her. At least wear them with black tights or black socks, as the t-bar will look too obvious against white.

This. My DDs state comp school gets the best gcse results in the local authority and is ofsted outstanding - they all wear air force 1s

I’m glad Air Force 1s aren’t allowed at our school. They’re really expensive.

I just asked a 13 and a 14 year old who go to school in different parts of the country and both said they’re fine and I quote “ no one really cares what shoes you wear”. Bags are a different matter but my DD carries so much that we’re resisting the lure of the shoulder bag at present.

They are so worth it and if your child has size 6 feet or smaller, they can get the youth ones for cheaper. Plus, I can get a 10% discount on top.

Surely can’t be the exact same shoe? They don’t come smaller than a 13 which is more like the typical shoe size of an 8/9 year old.

Thanks! 😀

How old are you?

All kickers are known as ‘kick me’ shoes at DS’s school. For no reason apart from ‘fashion’. Goes to show how variable schools are, sometimes in the same postcode area!

OP I think they’re fine, my DD (now Uni age) would have worn similar in years 7-9, they're inoffensive and ideal as far as I’m concerned, not babyish at all, I’d have worn similar in previous years to my office.

Trainers not allowed where I teach. Loads of shoes like this in y7 & 8.

My DD is about to go into Yr 8. She likes the shoes (a lot of her friends wear similar), but said they wouldn't be so great in the winter (feet get wet in the rainy weather). I gave her black my lace-up type shoes (DM style) as they're supportive, a good fit/comfy and keep her feet more protected from the weather (she walks to school), and have good grippy soles. But from what I've seen, her peers wear all different styles of school shoes (but they're all black, plain, flat shoes - school is very strict with uniform policy), and no one seems to be bothered about what shoes their mates wear! Ditto school bags (she has a plain Jansport backpack). We're in SE England.

She's the same shoe size as me, so I'll nab them back when she outgrows them (they're perfect for me to wear for everyday/work) :D

What? Surely they need trainers for PE?

They look great!
And you just reminded me that I totally forgot about shoes!! Argh!! 🤦🏻‍♀️
Sigh! Sounds like we will be shoe shopping tomorrow! We normally get the school shoes from Clarks or M&S, are these available on the high street? I always like her to try them on, brands size shoes so differently! 😵‍💫😰
Mine is starting Year 7 too.

Round here, absolutely not. Mary janes are fine but they need to be chunkier. Doc Martens or Kickers.

I’m 51 and I work in a secondary school.

Well you sound ridiculous with your comment.