So, I'm officially a MNetter today!!!

[Gileswithachainsaw]

Had the mammoth task today of school shoe shopping.

I channelled my inner MNetter and dd officially has boys school shoes

they fit she likes then and I was blowed if I was leaving the shopping centre without a pair of school shoes.

JL had no suitable shoes in dd2s size. what's happened

had to go elsewhere for the first time I'm 4 years

Nope she has suitable school shoes she likes. They are shoes. They fit her. She likes them. They are prob black. They are prob really practical. They will keep her feet dry. She is joining an army of girls who want sensible shoes for school ????????????

She has no clue tbh. they were shoes and they fitted. they are perfect for her shed slip over in the Mary Jane

My DD always chooses 'boy shoes' She cycles or scoots to school, plays footy, climbs trees,splashes in puddles etc She isn't a fan of flowers or flimsy shoes of wet feet lol

Just dd1 to convert now

she wasn't keen. and yet is bored of the same shoe repeatedly.

The ones I bought her from kickers didn't fit

I was in clarks the other day with my son, getting school,shoes, and I was shocked at how shitty the shoes for girls were and also how much the assistant insisted that patent leather was a much better durable choice... Really?

Well I guess I will get to see a side by side quality revelation. my money is on dd2s shoes despite her being a heavy footed child.

they better last. or the 45 quid was a waste

Not really relevant to the thread a a whole, but yes, Abe, I have definitely found that patent last much longer. DD has had pairs of patent shoes last 9 months or so and still look good when she has grown out of them, and non patent which have been scuffed within a week.

Another vote for patent here if it's girls style shoes. We had patent ankle boots from M&S which were brilliant. Lots of people i know have gone to parent as if last better as long as DC don't peel it off (seen twice! ) . The normal girls shoes don't have rubber on the toes etc like to boys ones

Girls school shoes are horrendous . Because obviously girls just sit looking pretty and don't run, skip,jump, climb etc and get soaking feet.

My dd is older and we can find closed shoes but all the shops we went to have the same two styles and pattern of shoes. Boring

So how. do you polish patent?

I've always hated the look of patent shoes tbh. that may come from having an awful ghastly stiff pair as a kid though

I refuse to buy patent. If a child does anything more than walk in them the toe gets scuffed and they look awfully tatty.

Dd2 has always had boys shoes, she prefers to have her foot covered, rather than the low cut shoes that dominate girls styles.
Dd1 (13) is more of a style over function girl but I managed to persuade her into a chunkier pair last time and she is now converted

has anyone ever had problems with school commenting?

7yo dd has had 'boys' shoes and thinks she wants another pair this winter (current patent shoes should last until Nov/Dec).

It drives me up the wall that this is such a long term problem but the shoe retailers won't budge and design sturdier girls shoes. my dd doesn't walk along nicely, she runs and climbs. Mary Janes let in water and aren't secure enough.

Nothing has ever been said at dd's school, she is now year 4. She and the other girls who I see wearing boys shoes do wear trousers though, so not glaringly obvious.

dd1 wears boys shoes and boys shorts for summer at school, just looking at getting boys trousers for her because she says the girls ones are too .... - I don't know what this means!

I don't know either so can't help you

maybe it means "yesterday/last yr" ????

It is usually accompanied with an eyeroll, and she does it at any mention of One Direction, girls who don't like sport, Frozen (especially when I sing Let It Go - which is peculiar) and Lelli Kelli shoes.

I like the sound of your dd hazey

I've got this joy tomorrow. I would happily buy my DDs 'boys' style shoes, but I have a feeling they won't fit DD1 (stupidly narrow feet - usually between D and E width), and DD2 refuses to wear anything that isn't 'pretty'.

Someone asked how you polish patent shoes - I have never needed to. A wipe with damp cloth occasionally if they are muddy, otherwise they have never needed any care.

I find the girls shoes perfectly sturdy, they last a good year of serious football playing and climbing trees

Please link to these fab indestructible girls shoes then

I usually end up with badly scuffed, and worn "heels" and generally very sorry looking g shoes.

These were worn by DD1 for 2 1/2 terms of reception, they need a clean but are otherwise in good condition. DD2 would be wearing them in September if she didn't have ridiculously big feet.

On the flip side this is two terms wear at pre school

and that's with wellies to wear outside and carpet inside and with her often taking them off and playing in socks

Patent can last a whole school year and even then only need changing because the sole wears down (unless they grow!) - I have gravel-kicking, tree climbing, field-running girls.

They never need polishing, just a quick wipe with damp kitchen towel. The most that happens is a slight marking of the toe.

By contrast, I have in to the shop assistant's stealth attack pleading of DD2 and bought her normal leather ones, which were ruined within a fortnight. Never again.

This year I told the sales assistant that I'd only consider patent, then when she helpfully brought out patent and normal leather, I asked her to put the leather back as DDs weren't having them under any circumstances.

If you go into Clarks they sell a renovater for patent shoes if the shiny toe gets scuffed off. It is like nail varnish and painted on. It's very good.