Should I be panicking about school shoes?

[Poocatcherchampion]

Our requirements are slightly non standard as she has wide deep feet that don't work with a lot of Mary Jane styles and I am very reluctant to get super structured rigid styles like Clark's and startrite offer.

Lots of my favoured barefoot brands are sold out in her size -eu26.

I'm going to the supermarkets tomorrow.

If you had this sort of footshape to dress and don't believe in the Clark's/startrite marketing what did you get?

Obviously heels and other totally insubstantial shoes are out of the question.
She is 4.

Unstructured basically means ultra flexible, so the shoe will flex with the foot. They are generally at least as sturdy and grippy as hard shoes. The soles tend to be made of bendy rubber rather than rigid rubber, and the uppers are bendy leather rather than rigid leather. When my DC had them, I found they tended to last at least as long as Clarks shoes.

They currently wear this style of shoe 24/7 and I pass them down to siblings, normally bought second hand in the first place.

Protection and durability are covered.

Neos look good thanks.

Jasper, that sounds just like the boys school shoes I normally buy. They don't have that heavy clunky rubber on the soles. They are super light and can be bent right back on themselves. Startrite tend to do both styles although the light bendy ones are about £50. I actually find they wear better than the heavy rubber soles.

I find they last as long as they fit - certainly I've had a year out of Pediped and Vivobarefoot school shoes.

Where do you live? Anywhere near NW London? Brians in NW11 and Stanmore is a great independent kids shoe shop

Went to a local independent shop and got pestil shoes which were expensive but fit like a dream.

Vivos do some school styles if those generally fit her; there are currently some in stock on their own website. When DS started school he rejected everything clarks had to offer as uncomfortable but he liked vivos.

They didn't last well in reception, but nor did the start rite we replaced them with, DS apparently spent all of reception crawling around the classroom floor so tough soles was no help at all, his shoes went on top.

I did get put off happy little soles a little when they were snooty about crocs - I tried bending crocs and the shoes we had at the time from HLS and found the crocs more flexible! But they are always very helpful so hopefully will sort you if their website is back up again.

catkind the Neo's survived a year of reception, worn all day in class room and playtimes and after school in playground often. Active kid climbing lots, sandpit in the school, no problems. Were you with the more feminine versions? DD was very happy with the neos, also think the light weight and running form helped at playtime as she was faster than she would've been for any chase game ;) More playground Kudos!

It was rooty DS had, problem was the Velcro straps got worn away/broken with all the crawling around. But he had the same problem with startrite too, so I think just a combination of DS and reception, he's been fine from year 1. Most shoes aren't designed with heavy wear on top in mind!

There's a pair of black Mary Jane Vivos size 26 on Barefoot shoes UK Facebook selling group for £18 (Not my shoes!).

Happy Little Soles is working again (ordered from them on Wednesday and got the shoes today).

You pass school shoes onto siblings?

It's generally not a good idea as the shoes will be moulded around the first child's foot.

Rattusn If you buy barefoot shoes, there's no moulding to happen, it's just the structured shoe which that happens with.

The 'crunchy' (see, I learned a new word from that thread!) at our school all wear those Vivo barefoot shoes. I didn't know what they were called but I recognise the sole. They do more 'girly' styles too.

They do look very comfy and long lasting, they seem to be able to pass them down through siblings.

I can't pass them down either - one has wide feet and the other has narrow with a high instep. My local charity shop does very well out of my grown out of kids shoes.

I could never pass on shoes either as my oldest wears her shoes down incredibly quickly. Something to do with the fact that she scoots over 10 miles per week, and uses her foot as the break..