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Original poster

babys shoes sizes

51 replies

hermykne · 03/09/2003 20:13

i am a complete loss to understand babys shoe sizes! i want to buy now for next year - sales!
can anyone please advise , what size do they start at and what age does that size correspond to (approx) and maybe someone has a link to a chart?
many thanks

OP posts:
Tinker · 03/09/2003 20:17

Are you talking about a baby baby or will this baby be walking by this time? If this is for a toddler, think you really have to wait and get the feet measured at the time tbh

Original poster
hermykne · 03/09/2003 20:21

shes beginning to walk - she pushes her box from one of the room to the other but not really outside or by the hand

OP posts:
JanHR · 03/09/2003 20:35

Clarks recommend that you get their feet measured every 8 weeks as they grow quiclky at first.
My daughter started at a 2G (2 is the smallest size they do. Her second pair were a 3F and I am due to get her feet measured again next week.
I therefore think it is impossible to know what size she will need next year

vkr · 03/09/2003 20:36

Afraid I agree with Tinker on this one.

Ds has just been measured at 5G and sister will not pass on trainers at 5F from her ds as worried about the damage to such young feet.

Medic friend once said that taking an x ray of a baby was a waste of time as no bones showed up on the x ray. Sister says that the bones are cartiledge (not sure about this) at this stage and can me molded into any shape - hence the need for proper fitting shoes - agree with her in this point

Original poster
hermykne · 03/09/2003 21:44

thanks for those bits of advice

OP posts:
janh · 03/09/2003 21:50

Also it is better for their feet to leave them out of shoes as much as poss (except when outdoors, obviously).

SueW · 03/09/2003 22:39

janh, dd walked barefoot so much in NZ that her feet became calloused! It's difficult to persuade a child that they should wear shoes when there are so many adults walking around town without shoes! Have to admit though that the pavements were very clean (free of glass, dog mess, etc).

I agree on the no point in buying now POV though. I'm fortunate that DD has always measured an F width which means in theory we can buy off the shelf but once you get them walking around in the shoes/boots/trainers, it's easy to see slipping off at heel etc.

The only thing I would buy in advance is Bobux or similar.

sb34 · 03/09/2003 23:24

Message withdrawn

LIZS · 04/09/2003 11:38

I think it is near impossible to predict toddler's feet that far in advance. dd started off at an 18 narrow (continental sizes, about a uk 2/3) a year ago, aged one, now her feet have widened so that I reckon her next pair will be a 21 or 22 wide (uk 5 ish) in between she had Superfit boots size 19m and Clarks Doodles which were a 4e but soon squeezed her little toes however her Elefanten 20 medium sandals still just fit. Confused ?

The only things I will pass down from ds to dd are wellies and perhaps little used trainers. If you are after a conversion chart try looking at the box for a pair of kids adidas trainers or a catalogue like La Redoute or Verbaudet (which may have one online).

newgirl · 04/09/2003 13:50

does this mean we are going to have to spend a FORTUNE on shoes? say £16-20 every two/three months? how on earth does everyone manage - any tips for saving some money without hurting little feet?

codswallop · 04/09/2003 13:51

First time MUms change shoes all the time. I did I know, Second time you re too busy...

Bumblelion · 04/09/2003 14:00

I agree in that you can't gauge a child's foot size in the future. My youngest has recently had her first pair of shoes fitted and they were a 7G (although she didn't walk until she was 20 months and she is a large girl).

I always keep my children's first pair of shoes and my eldest DD first pair were a size 3G, my son's were a 3.5G and my youngest are a 7G.

TalkingTree · 04/09/2003 14:43

Yes, Newgirl, it is an absolute fortune. I just spent £60 on shoes for dds. Nothing fancy -- plain black Start Rite bar shoes for dd1 (4 yrs) Clarks T-bar for dd2 (2yrs). If I'm lucky they'll last until the end of term. Three months, maximum!

Oakmaiden · 04/09/2003 14:49

Tips for saving money on shoes - get your child's feet measured in a "reputable shoe shop" and then pop into Tesco's or somewhere that sells less expensive shoes and buy there. Do check the fit of the shoes carefully though (make sure that there is plenty of room at the toe end, and that they are not too tight over the top of the foot, but also check that they don't gape at the sdies, and that your child's foot doesn't slip around inside when they walk.) If your child has unusually narrow/wide feet this might not work, though. It is worth making sure the shoes are not synthetic, though - leather or natural fibres are better for little feet (and big ones too!!!!)

SoupDragon · 04/09/2003 15:04

I buy shoes one size up in the sales sometimes but I wouldn't try to second guess any further into the future than that. DS1s feet tend to have stabilised width wise at the moment so this does make it easier.

morocco · 04/09/2003 16:42

they are a complete rip off aren't they? ds goes barefoot ever since I went to clarks to ask how much the shoes were!!! and that's supposedly without vat as well. ha!
A word of caution about buying from supermarkets though using clarks or other shoe shop measurements - all the supermarkets seem to use completely different measuring systmes so that a size 21 seemed a couple of cm bigger or smaller every place I tried.

LIZS · 04/09/2003 16:56

new girl

You'll be doing well if it is only £20 per pair ! ds' size (he's 5) has fortunately stabilised a bit more now but in past year has had : 1 pr proper shoes (Naturino), 2 prs Goretex snow boots (feet grew mid winter grr!), 1 pr trainers (Kangeroos), 1 pr sandals (Naturino) 1 pr wellies, 2 prs gym shoes & 2prs slippers (for school) grand total approx £250 . He has wide feet so cheaper shoes aren't really an option and we have extreme seasons. Having said that when he was small we used to get a way with a new pair of shoes about every 4 months as his feet didn't grow all that rapidly.

newgirl · 04/09/2003 21:16

oh no! that sounds expensive! i am tempted by oakmaidens suggestion - can you tell me what is considered 'wide'? my little one is 2.5 f at the mo. no idea what that means.

Original poster
hermykne · 04/09/2003 21:22

i havent a clue whats going on here with these sizes 22 F....!!!!
i think i'll just go to the shop and have her fitted.
new girl looks like we'll be out fortune.

OP posts:
Oakmaiden · 04/09/2003 22:11

I think F is fairly average - certainly D is narrow and G is wide.

There is no reason that you are not as capable as any shop assistant at making sure the shoes fit your child properly - Clarks et al have done a great job at making all mothers feel it is some sort of mystic art, so that we all buy our children's expensive shoes from them, but as long as you DO check that the shoes are not too tight, support the child's foot properly, and have room at the toes for growth, then you will be fine.

misdee · 04/09/2003 22:16

my dd1 1st shoes were a 2.5 f, then went to a 3f, then a 4.5f, then 5.5f, then a 6f, and now she is a 6.5/7f. her feet are fortunaly still the same width, but so far have been unable to find a suitable pair of shoes for nursery, all the ones i like they dont have in her size. pretty much all her shoes have been clarkz or start rite, so at £20 a pair, (sometimes bought 2 different styles) her shoes ahve cost me a few quid, but i dont mind really, tiny feet need good fitting shoes.
my 2nd dd pretty much went shoeless till recently, has now started walking, bought her 1st shoes a month ago (4.5 g i think) and they are getting tight so may have to get her some news ones again next week. argh!!!!

Claireandrich · 04/09/2003 22:20

Just went to do some rpicing up of shoes this week. Taking 17mo DD for new shoes at weekend as I am sure her boots and her shoes are both too small now. Startrite seem to going to cost be at lear £30 per pair, Clarks a bit cheaper. Not a cheap business is it? Luckily for us, DD's feet haveen't grown much so these are only her second pair of 'proper' shoes/boots we need to buy since she started walking 9 months ago!!!

Bossanova · 04/09/2003 22:39

I agree about waiting until you need them. If you're lucky there will be a sale on then. Today I spent £71 on shoes for dd age 9 and ds age 2. Unfortunately dd takes after me and has narrow feet (measured as 4.5C!). We therefore have to go to Russell & Bromley and even they only had two pairs of D fitting shoes - luckily one pair fitted. I can sympathise with dd not getting a choice and it is only going to get harder as she gets more fashion conscious. Fortunately ds is a more 'normal' 6E.

alibubbles · 05/09/2003 09:56

I took the toddler I look after to get her first pair of shoes yesterday. We went to Brent Cross, John Lewis was heaving so went to Russell and Bromley.

We tried Clarks first shoes and they were horrid, they were sloppy and didn't fit at all properly, they made her feet look huge and clumsy and they slipped about, didn't seem to give any support.

We ended up with a very smart part of Startrite, very neat and dainty, they were £25, the mum was thrilled with them, and the fact that she won't have to go shoe shopping with all three of her children on Saturday.

The Clarks were cheaper, but they were rubbish, the next stage shoes looked better, but I'd steer clear of their first shoe range.

Claireandrich · 05/09/2003 21:16

Thanks for the warning alibubbles. I had seen a lovely looking pair of Clark's painted leather black shoes for DD today. Didn't try them though, going to tomorrow with DH in to. Will keep an eye out for the fit though now. DD's last pair were Startrite and they were/are fab - too small now. This season's shoes didn't have such a nice choice in our local store though.

Had DD's feet measured today. She is now a 5G-5H; she has gone up over a size and a width fitting in just over a month!!! Serves me right for being so smug that her feet hadn't grown much previously