Girls shoes for secondary school

[allwornout0]

What shoes would be good for a girl starting Y7?

I was just about to start a school shoes thread

Answering your question - DD is going into yr 9 - to date she's had Startrite brogues in this type of style. They seem to be the absolute bog standard in her school; she's not at all particularly fashionable, but having had a bit of a peer at other girls' feet they all seem to have some variant on the theme.

BUT if I can thread hijack a bit . . . I'm going to have to buy online anyway, as there's no longer a startrite stockist near us, and I refuse to buy Clarks any more (don't last more than a term). Any suggestions of good hardwearing lace up brogue style shoes other than Startrite would be very gratefully received.

DD just got the school year out of the last pair, but they were pretty holey by end of summer term. At going on 50 quid a pair, that doesn't seem that great - certainly my shoes last longer. Alternatively, does anyone's dd wear this style of Startrite, and do they last better???

Gosh, those shoes that you linked reminded me of the ones I had at secondary school, always thought they looked like the ones worn on 'The Bill' tv program.
My dd is not into fashion at all but also doesn't want to stand out for the wrong reasons.

My Dd is going into year 9 and refuses Clarks! She has worn Kickers buckle patent black shoes for the last year and they've worn really well

Which ones - 1st or second pair? Pair 1 are definitely the norm in a lot of schools, I think. The chunkier ones are probably more popular with older girls (think the DM type look).

Thanks Susie
Takver, sorry, the one's in the second link (chunky ones)

DD wears toughees shoes, bought via Amazon.
They last ages and fit wide feet well. A good range of styles too.

DDs have these Startrite ones, she's worn a pair a year since yr 5. Yr 7 just gone, they have lasted right through the year but were getting a bit holey in the sole right at the last half term. Lucky it had been dry during June and July

We should have had them re-soled half way through the school year (even though Timpsons charge something like £17!!)

Dd3 is going into y8 and I've just bought her another pair of Kickers, the bog standard lace-ups. Not cheap, but lasted all year. She tried on the buckle Kickers, but couldn't get them tight enough.

Went into Clarks to get her feet measured, and they said she had C width feet. But you don't do C width, I said. No ... and we don't do many D or E either, but you could have an F.

So we should buy width-fitted shoes that aren't even the right width? Yeah right. Not to mention that they're all (in her size) impractical and/or ugly.

I really hate girls school shoes! At least brogues have come back in, but before that it was all ballet flats and Mary Janes. Whereas boys wear harder wearing shoes, that cover the whole foot, don't easily fall off, they often have Velcro, and decent soles for walking to and from school or the bus.

DD2 has been told off at school for wearing boys school shoes. They're a bit too much like trainers, apparently. She was allowed to wear them, though, because they adhere to the uniform code. The teacher just didn't like them, because they aren't feminine. Unlike ballet flats.

Thanks everyone, looks like a long day shoe shopping coming up soon

Well, after some discussion with dd, I've ordered a pair of each of the two styles I linked to in my previous post, they're on free delivery & free returns, so I'll send back one/both if they don't fit.

Her vote on the clumpier soled ones is that they might look good or might look 'like they were made for a 3 year old' and she couldn't tell without seeing them in the flesh. If she goes for the thinner soled ones, I reckon I'll go for TobikkoRoll's suggestion of getting them re-soled mid year.

She actually liked this pair very much the best of all, but reckoned they were too high a heel to get away with under uniform rules.

Brogues, DD says Kickers are hideous and no one she respects wears anything like them.

H&M cheapo ballet flats for my twins going into Y7 - will have to replace them frequently but they will at least wear them and its no more expensive than buying clarks/startrite etc. They may change their minds when they disintegrate in the rain...

I have a dd who has just finished Yr8. She wears brogues like the first ones linked to. Got them from Clarks and have lasted a year each (well, 3 times if you count Yr6) and she has a long walk there and back in all weathers.

My dd who has just finished Yr 11, has been wearing something more like this sort of thing, but without the buckle on the front.

Loafers were popular in my DD's school. Ballet shoes not allowed and the Startright and Clarks were considered for younger girls.

Most of them round here wear the brogues...

DD says Kickers are hideous and no one she respects wears anything like them.

Wow, nice. If my kids said anything like that I'd tell them to keep their opinions to themselves, not repeat them in public!

DD grew out of her school shoes in March of Y6 and we replaced them with these. They still fit and look nearly new so she'll be starting Y7 in them. When she grows out of these, she wants brogue-style shoes next, but she has dyspraxic traits and gets changed and does everything incredibly slowly, so I'm hesitant to buy lace-up shoes.

You can get slip on ones that look the same, with a sort of false lace up arrangement at the front TheFirst.

Oooh, thank you Floggingmolly
Where from?

DS2 has lock-laces, but DD is more self-conscious about seeming 'different' in any way.

They all wear brogues round here.

I'd buy these from Clarks if the width fitting is right. I know, technically, they are women's but they are much better made and so comfy. They have a cushioned insole so your feet don't hurt. They wear really, really well.

John Lewis that I know of, First.

DD had these Sketchers for Y7 and we're getting her the same for Y8. They lasted almost the whole year which is unheard of for her.

Thanks, will try JL when she grows out of this pair.