Purchasing shoes for your little ones

[jesslambo88]

Hi everyone just wondering is it ok to purchase shoes for our little boy who's 19 months from other shops like JD sports etc or should we be getting them from Clark's. Don't want to damage our little ones feet. Thanks jess

as long as you get the right size it’s fine!

I assume by 19 months these aren’t his first shoes?

I personally have always bought Clark’s for at least the first year or two, then after that I buy from anywhere except for nursery or school shoes as they are on their feet for such long periods I like to know they are fitted and comfy xx

Woops sorry didn’t mean to put kisses 😳

My 2yo has Clark's shoes but I'd say he's the exception rather than the rule round here. Most of the other kids seem to wear trainers or supermarket/high street shoes.

That small they cant tell you if they dont fit. I would do clarks for the "main" pair they are wearing for the first few years at least if you can afford it.

They just need to fit properly.. so I’d potentially get them measured at Clarks or a shoe shop and then go wild. We’ve used Clark’s, Mothercare, Converse, Vans, Bobux..

My only caveat would be if your child has wide feet, Clark’s may be a better option as they come in width. Or look very carefully at the shoe and make sure their toes aren’t getting squashed. My DD has wide feet & I can barely get shoes from Next on her feet, they run quite narrow. But we’ve had Converse & Vans for example which run wide. I hold up an old pair of Clark’s wide fit trainers against any new ones we buy and have a look at width!

Ps. Clark’s has an online outlet store that’s quite good sometimes! Worth a look!

My 2.5yr olds first shoes were Clark’s but then when she outgrew those we moved on, she has shoes from: next, M&S, jd etc.
Maybe go to Clark’s to get remeasured and then buy trainers

Go to a proper kids shoe shop. You need a trained person to measure your kids feet. I wouldn’t trust someone in JD Sport to do it properly. Also, shoes vary massively in fit so just going to Clark’s (or similar) to be measured and then buying elsewhere is not advisable. You could be, for example, a size 5 in Clark’s but a size 5.5 in startrite and bobux. You’ll only know by allowing a trained person to fit the shoes for your child.

I don't get "geg measured then go elsewhere." People do realise each brand sizes differently dont they? So for school shoes a clarks measurement wont be the same as startright. I wouldnt take a clarks measurement and expect sainsburys to be the same. For a verbal child it might be a good starting point but other stores will fit differently. An independent shoe fitters is a good thing and will be aware of the different sizing!

Oh snap. Oops didn't read last post.

Surely the trainers in JD will be as expensive as a decent pair of Clarkes shoes? If money was issue then of course you musy buy what you can afford, but if you've the money for designer trainers then I'd opt for professionally measured and fitted Clarkes every time.

Clarks "training" isn't up to much tbh. You learn how to use a (specific branded) gauge and how to feel for comfort. Anyone can do it!

See here for guidance on how to check fit yourself as measuring is only a guide.

Standard shoes are generally equivalent to a Clarks "F" fit, anything else is considered narrow/wide fit which is something to bare in mind as there are some brands that come up either side of average.

Lastly, it's worth looking at real leather shoes rather than fabric as it's more supportive on the ankles - especially when you're just finding your feet - and try to avoid synthetic uppers if you can as they're not breathable nor do they mould as easily to the child's foot.

www.clarks.co.uk/c/Toddler-Gauge/p/203524220000

Get yourself one of these it measures in CM and you can then just check the size guide in whatever shop you are buying from.

Recon I trust myself as much as the bored looking teenagers in Clarks who’ve had a 30 minute training session

personally I would have their feet measured at a children's shoe shop and get a pair properly fitted whether thats clarks startright or another make . All shoes fit differently so sizing will vary make to make. The bones in childrens feet are soft so badly fitting shoes can cause long term damage and when they are very little they can't tell you if they hurt. If DC have narrow or wide feet its even more important because high street chains often only do one width.

I agree that staff in clarks dont always seem that well trained, I would try an independent kids shoe shop if possible.

My DS first two pairs of shoes were clarks then afterwards we bought them from sports direct as clarks just didn't have a nice range of shoes really for boys he was 18 months old when we bought his first Nike trainers as others have said just make sure they fit

I plan on doing the same with my DD she's on her first pair of clarks shoes I'll get one more after these and then just shop elsewhere for shoes

Dd's first shoes were from a independent shop.
After that I did buy trainers from JD sports. I also got shoes from Next, Asda.
I like Lelli Kelly shoes for dd.

Surely the trainers in JD will be as expensive as a decent pair of Clarkes shoes?
Not necessarily.

Ok, Clarks and trained staff perhaps wasn’t a good example but I meant children’s shoe shops rather than sports shops or fashion shops. Personally I go to an independent child’s shoe shop where the staff are very knowledgable about all of the different brands and spend a long time looking for the right shoe for the child.

Hi eveyone thanks for your help. Basically we got our little boys first pair of shoes from Clark's but as someone has already said branded trainers in jd sports etc are around the same price and they just look better and also Clark's don't have much selection of styles to choose out of. In the end we got some from jd xx

“Looking better” really shouldn’t be your main consideration when choosing shoes for a child whose foot bones are still forming.

Sorry but that's my opinion...do u really think I'm going to want to harm my child's feet?? We went to purchase some from Clark's but the only ones we liked he already had...the comments above seem mixed so it seems like lots of other parents do the same

I'd never buy Clarkes shoes anyway!

They're poorly made, never fitted properly and you may aswell go to Primark and save the money.

If you want properly fitted, long lasting shoes get the from Start-rite.

I didnt really realise people brought branded trainers for babies!