Thinking of buying my kids shoes from Next...would you recommend it.

[pepsi]

Have always bought my childrens shoes from Clarks and Startrite, they are 6 and 4, my 4 year old dd has wide feet. My ds needs new school shoes and dd has been wearing little boots all winter so now needs some shoes. I looked in Next today and the shoes look fine but wondered what people think of the fit and quality. I like to get a good fit but to be honest the price of taking two children to Clarks and then possibly ending up buying school shoes/trainers, etc is quite frightening.

7up, we did once have a pair from Clarks once that only fit for 6 weeks, and they replaced them free of charge because they should have lasted longer. I didn't ask; when I took her in to get new shoes and they realised she'd only had them for a few weeks, they gave me the new pair free.

I don't use them anymore because of the problems we've had with dd's wide feet and their poor fit, but I found they were always willing to change shoes if the fit was poor as well.

My Dad was someone who was brought up in very cheap shoes and his feet always have problems now.

also keep the receipt. shoes from clarks should be put through on the person's number who setrved you.

that way the store is alerted if someone is consistently fitting badly

Starlover, what do you think about sandals?

It's ages since I worked for Clarks. My daughter will be walking this summer and I'll have her fitted for proper shoes, but I wonder about getting some sandals for occasional use, like on holiday, which haven't been measured.

Doesn't matter where you buy them, as long as they fit properly. Do the usual checks; i.e. allow growing room at the toe, make sure the shoes are the right width and don't put any pressure on the feet from the sides and that they don't slip off the heel when walking. Check there are no lumps or rough patches inside that could rub.
As for quality, children tend to grow out of shoes before they wear them out, ime.

don't tell anyone... but ds has non-clarks trainers!

tbh I feel that i am ok with fitting non-clarks shoes. and i wouldn't have bought them otherwise. generally i feel that there is not necessarily anythin wrong with off the peg shoes as long as they fit (which more often than not they don't!)

you probably know already that a lot of clarks sandals only come in one width anyway on account of being adjustable on all straps... so i would say if you want to then go for the non-fitted one, as long as you are confident fitting them yourself

dd2 cant wear non-fitted sandles aas her feet are so wide they spill out over the sides.

yeah, I reckon I feel confident to fit them myself...it's just the bit about support, but I guess she won't be walking much on holiday!

This has really worried me. Especially as 2 pair sof Next school shoes (that are gorgeous) have arrived today by post!

wow mirage,so your dd is a really average size.How did she get that job?

mogwai/ starlover - what would you suggest someone does if Clarkes don't have shoes to fit a child? I've taken dd in loads of times, but she has a ballerinas foot (as in very narrow but with a high instep) all the shoes they can do in a narrow enough fitting (very small E more like a D) are also shallow so the top of the foot doesnt fit into the shoe. They say they can't really fit her so I tend to buy cheaper shoes (often sale - Mothercare or Next) thinking that if Clarkes dont fit properly then I might as well get cheaper don't fit properly shoes. She is 3 1/2 years old and a size 7 1/2 to 8 btw.

Sorry to hijack!

Hockeymum - why don't you try Start-rite or find an independant shoe shop in your area who will stock a much wider range of manufacturers. You may find that some continental ranges will suit your daughter's feet much better. My DD1 has a high arch, but not a particularly narrow foot, and we find Ricosta and Bellamy are both great for her. Buckle My Shoe do her quite well too.

HTH