when do you buy school shoes? how many weeks before they start school?

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hi my dd1 is due to start school on the 17th of sept
she is 4 years end of this month am new to all the school thing

was thinking of buying her school shoes and winter boots next sat

Startrite also do a downloadable paper footguage (much easier than that strange grid which requires a printer) BUT when I tried to use it for dd it gave me a much smaller width measurement than when I took her to a shop.
However, I find there is no difference in width fitting between Clarks and Startrite so her clarks measurement for width should apply.

lizs they are lovely just printing off gauge now 2 measure dd1

and meant blue or purple patent ones with lights

starite came up with 7sc

am I the only person who just buys DS new shoes as and when he grows out of his old ones, and never specific school shoes?

i am not buying specific school shoes. i usually buy shoes in april/may for summer normally sandals and a pair of shoes and always have trainers. then in sept oct will get her measured and buy boots.

saw

high backed brown shoes in the shop are a very dark colour brown and red

I suppose it depends on what your school's uniform policy is. Our (state) school is very specific: black, flat, no open toes or heel, no boots.
That leaves only the shoes labelled 'school shoe' in the shop. Hency we buy school shoes and then a casual trainer/boot/shoe (in any colour other than black ) for out-of-school wear.

Last year when dd was starting reception I bought her school shoes the week before she started and there was very little choice in her size. This year I have just bought them so she cld have more choice this time round.

off to clarks tom was along same line of thinking didnt want to leave to late
have ordered 3 pairs of clarks into the store and they are in ready for tom

We have the additional fun that ds( 10 next week) is like a Great Dane puppy with enormous feet.

I bought his school shoes this week to go back on the 26th. He has gone up 2 sizes since the last pair (bought for the summer term) and is into a size 7G. He now has the same size feet as I do!

It is tricky, because we keep bumping into the top end of shoe styles which are age appropriate for him, because his feet are so big. It must run in the family, though. My mum tells stories of having to wear hand-me-down shoes from her 7-year-younger brother during the war.

Well - I went today (with nightmare-mood 2.5yo DD in tow as well) - the good news is that last year's shoes are fine (consensus of 2 fitters in 2 shops) - bad news is that there is not a single pair of trainers or plimsolls ( - they were supposed to be the easy bit) in any of the shops in a 1H. One shop had one in a 1G which seemed to fit OK - but it was one - it's pair had gone AWOL

I have now ordered in 2 pairs of each (in 1G and 1.5G - no H fittings online either) for next week. Please tell me this ordering and collect from store (Clarks) works as advertised.

One thing surprised me somewhat - nowhere in our mammoth trek around all the shoe shops in town, in all the queues and stacking systems, did I see anyone else checking last term's shoes - it's only 6-8 weeks, so I was not overly surprised that DS's still fitted, but I always have them checked - am I really odd in that?

(I did see one judgey-pants inducing mother and DD - DD was, at a guess, about 8, was wearing slingbacks with heels that I couldn't have walked in, and was spurning all offered school shoes )