First Shoes - cusp of walking, anywhere else other than Clarkes?

[LaCiccolina]

Hello, DD is 10mths and negotiating the furniture and walking well if holding your fingers. I looked in Clarkes and nearly fell over when I saw £28 for pre-walking shoes and £32 for walking shoes. I realise the reputation, I wore them myself, just wondered though where other people go and what other shops/websites might exist now that others consider reputable? Or do they still have the market sewn up?!

Finally, my mum got excited with cruise shoes as she likes cruises but what the sam hill are they?

Cheers all,
x

Cruisers are just another way to make money out of us you

They only need proper shoes when they are going to be walking outside really, or on pub floors etc. I didn't buy any until they were walking properly, unfortunately mine were early walkers at 10 and 11 months.

The shoe shoes goes on about the cruisers 'protecting' their feet but what they need protecting from I don't know

My advice - let your mum buy the cruisers. Clarks will take a cute picture of her in them for you. You will have many years to faint at the cost of their shoes.

she doesnt need 'proper shoes' until she has been walking 6wks or so, ihave always bought mine those leather pull on slipper/shoes, daisy roots is one make, or inch blue, there are others and i think m&s do their own version now, they are cheaper and do the job fine :)

clarks have a number of outlet stores that sell the last seasons styles -less choice but much cheaper and they still have a fitting service

to be honest though, this time of year I wouldn't bother as you won't get much use out of them -not really going to be walking around outside at that age in the autumn/winter

We went to Clarks and fell over with shock. We ended up getting converses as they stayed on. Seems to work, we get compliments and cheaper then Clarks.

If you want something for inside (and outside if it's dry), Snugglefeet shoes are great, they're like Robeez but about half the price.

I thought you were supposed to wait until they had been properly walking for 6 weeks or so as the foot spreads out under the weight in those first few weeks. We used the Daisy Root soft leather sort for that in between period.

Agree, we use independent shoe shops because Clarks fitters are so useless. They refused a sale because DS hadn't been walking for 6 weeks. I think his first shoes were Ricosta, lovely soft lace-up leather boots. Pricey but well worth it for little growing feet. DD is properly walking as of this week and she'll stay in soft shoes for toddler groups etc until spring, and I might get her some moon boots or something for the handful of occasions she's going to be walking outdoors in the winter.

Also, I am a tightarse but kids shoes are worth the spend. Not least because £40 on GoreTex Primigi boots plus a £3 pair of crocs lasts DS for pretty much a whole year.

Agree, we use independent shoe shops because Clarks fitters are so useless. They refused a sale because DS hadn't been walking for 6 weeks. I think his first shoes were Ricosta, lovely soft lace-up leather boots. Pricey but well worth it for little growing feet. DD is properly walking as of this week and she'll stay in soft shoes for toddler groups etc until spring, and I might get her some moon boots or something for the handful of occasions she's going to be walking outdoors in the winter.

Also, I am a tightarse but kids shoes are worth the spend. Not least because £40 on GoreTex Primigi boots plus a £3 pair of crocs lasts DS for pretty much a whole year.

I mean the independent shop refused a sale, which impressed me.

We have had Clarks shoes fitted badly too, although we have also had ones that fitted well (my DCs are old enough to tell you how their shoes feel now). Clarks did tell us about the 6 week thing, DS had his first proper shoes from there.

Thank! Had no idea of the 6 Wk thing... As all say likely stay soft shoe then til spring and save up! God hope she don't get my flippers.....

i am finding it tricky at the moment - my ds (nearly 15 months) is at about the sames stage of walking as yours, so am not planning to take him to get proper fitted shoes for a while yet. however i like to let him crawl outside in all weathers, and his socks get very wet and muddy when it rains, and the soft leather shoes get ruined in the wet. that's been ok so far as it's been summer, but won't be so great when it gets colder. he has also mastered climbing onto/across the climbing frame at our local playground and ideally needs footwear with grip. so i don't totally get that they won't be walking outside till spring - surely kids play outside in winter too, even if they're not even walking yet? what should my ds wear on his feet?

For all the actual walking that happens, I'd get some cheap wellies or velcro shoes from a supermarket or something, Woodlands.

yes. i have actually got some wellies for that purpose, though they're still a bit big (wellies start at size 4). i'd forgotten that!

I agree with those who have said she doesn't need shoes yet, it does little feet a lot of good to stay bare as long as possible, it helps them with development of balance, etc. If you're worried about her feet getting cold, I found some fab baby slipper socks that actually stay on falke catspads, the type that have two rings of elastic stay on nicely, an come as small as sz 19.

I've reached a stage where I'm fed up buying childrens shoes, I'm amazed it's ever happened as kids shoes are all so cute, and I love shoe shopping, but my DS is going through a growth spurt and his new shoes of 2 weeks ago are already almost outgrown. At the same time my DD needed new shoes and school plimsolls, and has outgrown her slippers. Grrrrr...