to wonder why people pay £14 upwards for a photo of their DC in their first shoes?

[ObsidianBlackbirdMcNight]

Cos that's all you get when you go to clarks...just bought DS's shoes in Brantano, the woman seemed to measure his feet perfectly competantly and I had two styles of clarks shoes to choose from, at £14 each. If they aren't half sizes either you can go for even cheaper styles.

Clarks have really done a good job of promotong their brand as the 'only' place to buy your kids' shoes haven't they!

Thoroughly recommend brantano, by the way.

Not quite getting this post. I paid regular price at Clarks for DD2's 1st pair of cruisers and got a free photo. Didn't pay extra or through the nose for it?
I chose Clarks as they have the best choice of well made current styles that support my DD's growing feet. Have been to brantanos also for other DC's shoes, yes good value.

and if you don't have access to brantano?

Isnt Brantano full of plastic trainers and other such rubbish? I only buy my dd's shoes from France these days.

I only get mine from the finest infant shoe vinyards in Italy.

Can you provide a link please DiElfchanted?

No, sorry, its very exclusive. I'm sure you understand.

I meant that brantano sell clarks and other shoes more cheaply, and measure kids' feet perfectly well. I suppose I was commenting on the othodoxy of going to clarks, shelling out £28+ and getting the free photo as the only right thing to do when your DC start walking.

I wasn't having a go at people who shop at clarks, btw. Oh and I think brantano do mail order.

I got my DD's first pair of Clarks in Brantano, and her second in Clarks at McArthur Glen discount village.

So YANBU, but I don't understand the photograph reference?

Yes but if Clarks don't want the shoes i'm sure they must be defective or something. DO you want your child to have defective feet?

Don't think they're defective - just last season.

The one time I went to Brantano is was a filthy scrum, horrid jumbled shoes everywhere, noone serving. I'd much rather go to Clarks/Startrite/John Lewis or an independent shoe shop. Perhaps it depends where you are.

Clarks give you a photo of your DC in their first shoes as part of the service. Anyway....

Just found clarks shoes in DS's size on ebay for £4. Lol. What a racket.

They're free those photos, I have one of my dd's first pair of shoes. From Clarks

My kids used to run around in bare feet or wellies most of the time. I never got their feet measured for first shoes, though they have been measured at various times since.
The only Clarks shoes we've had were passed down to dd1 from a friend's little girl, then down again to dd2!
Agreed Ghouls, it's like in TK Maxx where you will find all sorts of very good brands- just last season's styles.

lol at the Elf!! Penneys are working undercover to rip off your designs right now though

ps, you can't get your children's feet measured if you buy shoes mail order!!

god, no, dont pay for proper fitted clarks shoes. you are right, most people only do it for the photo.
i make sure mine all wear the cheapest trainers possible and i pride myself on never getting their feet measured

I used to buy ds's shoes from a wee botique that sold Primigi, etc.

An utter con.

Kids most parts of mainland europe and the states do not have all this fannyong about. They try on umpteen pairs and see how well they fit.

Every kid has some imaginary thing 'wrong' like a high instep/low instep/very wide/narrow. It's claptrap for the most part.

Best fitting pair of shoes ds has ever had were leather traiers from Asda.

A peadiatric podiatrist I know buys her kids' shoes from all sorts of places, including supermarkets. Her advice is that they have a strap across them and to try on LOADS of different pairs.

I'm not saying don't get their feet measured, I'm saying get them measured the buy the proper size from somewhere cheaper....

I'm not having a go at anyone! Really! I was chuffed to get clarks shoes for half price, and in the future will probably have them measured and get them on ebay.

I go to a Clarks Outlet store so the shoes there ARE actually cheaper than the Clarks regular stores. Much like Brantano I imagine. Have never really fancied going to Brantano, too out of the way!

Oh, I see!

Most people surely don't go for the photo alone though, do they?

DS got his first pair out of a regular Clarks store and got a FREE photo with the shoes. After that, we just have carried on going to the outlet place because he gets his feet measured and the shoes are half the price.

And they are not defective BTW, whoever said that. What a lot of crap. They are just last season that's all, doesn't mean that they are rubbish or ill fitting.

I'm sure they don't. I just couldn't see what clarks did that cheaper shops didn't except for the photo. Yet almost all the mums of my acquaintance seem to think that not going to clarks is akin to feeding your child maccyDs every day...

The brantano I went to is a bit out of the way but I combined it with an asda and argos trip. They were also very nice and attentive and the shop was fine. So ner.

"get them measured the buy the proper size from somewhere cheaper"

all the styles fit differently. somewhere cheaper that fits, or if you're confident you can fit yourself, fine. mail order? i imagine you'd be more likely to put up with poorly fitting shoes to save the hassle of returning/exchanging.

personally i find convenience the most important thing. any shop you have to take several buses to get to is out, we had a clarkes across the road from the school we went to twice a day anyway.

They might be last season but I really don't think DS cares about that....