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

Dd2 had boys shoes last year. She loved them... until she wore them go school and "everyone laughed at me because they're boys shoes mummy" The poor child wore them for 6 months til her feet grew, and she never complained, but she's a very shy/socially anxious child so I'm not going to get her boys shoes again, even though they are so much more practical and weather proof. She's chosen some patent Mary Jane shoes this year because "they're just like x's shoes mummy, everyone likes these ones".

Well I'll definitely remember the tip about patent and the paint on stuff.

I've always avoided then due to how horribly stiff and uncomfortable I found them as a kid but if they last longer I'm prepared to try them

I didn't set out to buy boys shoes but I'd spent hours in the centre for the two shoe shops inevitable at opposite ends of the mall, they were due to close and It was that or leave shoeless

I had a chat with the sales assistant today about the patent - he said that the way it is made has changed since we were kids and that it is a lot more durable today, and my girls certainly find the shoes comfortable - DD2 was running up and down the walkway by the fitting area today and said her brand new (patent) shoes make her run faster (and this is not a child who needs to be faster!).

My DD has D/E width fitting and the offering from clarks is so limited. Plus they still don't fit her well.

I buy Ecco. Still Mary Jane tho. And I then buy black boots for winter. It's not on school uniform list but frankly, I would always send her in boots as we walk to school. Wet feet? No thanks. She's going into Y4 and not had any queries thus far.

Don't get me started on sodding plimsoles. How they are supposed to run in those flipping Mary Jane style plimsoles is beyond me.

Loads of girls at our school wear boys shoes ( as well as boys shorts and even boys trousers) - no one bothers. It's across all years. If you compare the fabric of boys and girls trousers too, it's laughable. Flimsy for girls, tough for boys. Boys have proper pockets too. Most DC at our school walk in all weathers

We have girls trousers that are just as tough as the boys. Morrison's seem to do girls trousers by adding a bow and a pink label to the boys ones. I like them because they're likely to stand up to dd2 climbing everything possible and falling off quite regularly, she likes them because they're on obviously for girls (the bow) so nobody will draw attention to her being different which was the only problem with the boys shoes.

I do wish they'd make shoes in a similar style to the boys ones but stick a bow or butterfly on them so girls would wear them without worrying about them being for boys.

Oooh never looked at Morrisons thx!! Only used M&S AsdaTesco Debenhams!!