Clark's Shoes

[janthea]

My daughter took my grandaughter (2yrs) to buy a new pair of shoes. GD's size is 6 1/2 H. She was told in the shop that there were only 3 styles in the H fitting as the rest had been discontinued as there was not much call for that size. To make it worse, two of the styles were out of stock and the third one was tight in the width. Checking with her friends, my daughter has discovered that most of their children are an H fitting. My GD isn't 'chubby' by any means, just a normal toddler. Where does she go now? I wondered whether anyone else had had the same problem.

Try Start Rite.

My DC are at the other end of the scale, DS2 is an E, DS1 is a D and DD is a C. Finding shoes is a nightmare! Start Rite tend to have a better range than Clarks. Independant shops which stock several brands also seem to be better.

Clarks have always suggested to go up 1/2 a size and then often a G fitting will fit.
My dd is H fitting and I've found them really helpful with this problem.

If you go on the Clarks website, you can order all their H fitting shoes to be sent to your nearest store, free of charge. That way, you don't rely on what they have in stock (or not!) at random. I always do this - my DS has D/E fitting feet so I have the other end of the problem!

This link shows all the shoes clarks make in 6 1/2 H and there are 7 different pairs, not 3.

www.clarks.co.uk/find/department-is-girls/fit-is-kidsh/Size-is-_6bdinfant

You also have the option of boys' shoes, which, depending on how girly she is might be OK. More boys shoes will be make in H fittings.

I second the Start Rite recommendation. Dd has very small, narrow feet and Clarks could only offer us one style (in hideous bubblegum pink as usual); whereas Start Rite have a broader range. And more subtle colours, if you care about that.

I have had start rite in the past as they appear to be better for wider fits (all four of my DCs have been an H fit, as was I as a child), however we now go to a local independent shoe shop who stock ricosta, hush puppies, froddo etc, these shoes tend to fit much better. I was told once that shoes made in Germany are made on a wider fitting last than UK or American shoes.