Clarks shoes for high school?

[MsLydia]

Would you buy your year 7 ds Clarks shoes for school? I usually always get school shoes from there but Im thinking they might be a no no for high school?

I should add that I'm thinking docs because he could wear them outside school as well. Shoes from Clarks etc tend to have a school look about them and can't be worn with jeans etc.

Would say docs are fine and fully robust. DS is nearly 12 and only in an adult size two!

Docs remind me of the Oxford Bags and DMs in the 1970s - a look I cultivated myself ;0

DS wore Clarks in Year 10, I like the idea of DMs though.
Just remembered - he can't tie laces! How could I forget?

Kickers are the only shoe to be seen in at the secondary school I work in and my DSs (13) school. He has size 9 feet and used to get through shoes at a rate of knots, but Kickers last really well.

I cannot express enough how delighted I feel that dd isnow going into sixth form and we don't have the torture of August shoe shopping any more.

I don't think she would have liked to wear Clarks, not that we ever tried because the shop wa alwasys too hellish. Jones bootmakers is a good alternative - same price ish and not the hideous queues like Clarks.

I like these but not the price!

Mind you last year I gave her some money to buy shoes and she bought a ten pound pair of loafers from Shoezone and spent 30 quid on stationery.

We have no issues sending them in clarks/startrite (DS still has mens clarks at 16).

Certainly pretty much all DD2s 13yr old mates have "decent" school shoes. THey all favour the " jazz shoe" style lace ups that are everywhere at the moment- so no arguments here!

TEacher with 2kids, independent shoe shops will fit shoes to big kids, my "little" friend who has special needs and has instep supports and must have well fitting shoes has always been fitted at a Gordon Scott store- from starting school to now (he's year 10 and a size 11 mens shoe! ).

Pumps with a strap seem to be quite popular with both parents and girls.

Oops - sorry, it is for a DS.

My DSs wore standard Clarks school shoes until their feet were big enough for M&S men's brogues.

In Y7, I suspect they were still in Velcro school shoes.

Not Clarkes, they're crap as well as being ugly!

I think dd1 wants plimmies or brogues-type things, either of which I'm cool with (preferable to ballet pumps IMO)

Thanks Theas. We use Russell and Bromley, mainly because they take the time - 45 minutes of the senior fitter's time on a busy end-of-holiday morning on one memorable occasion - to fit DS's shoes and check them properly, and take back shoes which don't fit even if they've been worn (we got a more expensive pair free in exchange, and yet more experienced fitter's time to check they really fitted).

They have assured me that we can use the children's section up to size 10. As DS's shoe size is always equal to or 1 greater than his school year, I think we're OK for another couple of years.

Tbh, because I have small feet, I shop in Clarks (have been known to buy children's shoes on occasions), and have no compunction in asking for a fitter to measure feet and check my shoes ... I spend all day every day on my feet and need comfortable shoes, why wouldn't I go somewhere which will help me to get them?

DD is just about to start yr7, she'll be walking about 1.5 miles to and from school so needs something functional, plus the school insist on all black shoes, not trainers.
Yesterday was our 3rd attempt to buy school shoes as we had already been to Clarks (school section) Startright and Brantano. She tried loads of shoes, none of which were right and I told her we wouldn't be coming home yesterday without school shoes!
We went in Clarks and talked to the assistant explaining that we had already tried most of the school section without any luck. She suggested looking in the adult section and DD settled on a pair from their K range which she found really comfy and fitted really well. They actually look pretty good too, she's an H fit with narrow ankles so it's always a nightmare finding shoes!

I was horrified at having to pay K's prices for my dd (13) last time too. However, they are very comfy - she too walks 1.5 miles each way in all weathers) - and are lasting well.

We've just paid £75 for kicker boots for DD and I'm steeling myself to have a fight with the school if needs be... Clarks, brantano, John Lewis, TK Maxx plus about 4 other places and not a single pair of black shoes/boots that could take her insole and stay on her foot! Aaarrgghh! My limit for kids shoes is 35 with a stretch to 40 when desperate but needs must...

The added issue for us is that my daughter has quite a long journey to school with a lot of walking. My son helps out with the after school club at a local primary, which seems to involve nothing more than him and his friends playing football with 8 year olds, but which kills his shoes.

Our experience is that Clarks shoes dont last - only six weeks in the case of my son. M&S are better. DD's school has strict rules and the combination of these and the need to find something she could really walk in has been pretty difficult. Luckily brogues are acceptable. We pay more for better quality ones as the High Street fashion ones dont last. Given how hard it is to find anything that suits I also go to the cobbler to add a plastic heel and sole before they get too warn down.

Definately NOT Clarks shoes. They are for primary kids and do not last - over priced rubbish.

My DS got a pair of Kicker boots, which I got for £65 but will hopefully last for the whole year.

My DD wants Kicker shoes when she starts. They are ugly but all the girls wear them.

I've bought Clarks shoes for my eldest who starts in Yr 7 next month, didn't even occur to me not to. DS was more than happy and hasn't asked for anything else, I'm fairly sure he won't care what others think too much anyway. (fingers crossed)

DS2 (15) last year had Timberland shoes & boots, but he has joint problems and these haven't helped.

Last week we took him to clarks outlet in york and he tried on the kids Clarks shoes,
and he said he felt uncomfortable in them. i lost the will to live, DH suggested we tried the mens range instead.

Well he tried on a pair of boots and they fitted like a glove and more important DS2 likes them!

I'm glad i listened to DH for once!

Ooh, I'm having flashbacks to high school...

Just be kinder than my folks and get the right gender Clarks shoes, if you must get them there.

The shame.

No boots rule drives me mad.

Surely low ankle boots and trousers (like my DSIS wears to the office all winter) and I often wear with my jeans would be way more sensible than ballet pumps in the snow????

I lost my bet... DD wanted the lace-ups this year, not the strapped types she had in years 7 and 8 (both of which survived a whole year of hard wear perfectly well). Apparently these are what 'everyone' is wearing now.