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Original poster

Where do you buy your children's shoes?

89 replies

sandyballs · 20/03/2006 14:30

I'm fed up with Clarks, they've messed up the measuring too many times, and the school shoes look hideous now my girls are a bit older (5). Just curious where everyone else goes.

OP posts:
starlover · 20/03/2006 23:05

and we don't have dinosaurs any more eiyther!

HRHQueenOfQuotes · 20/03/2006 23:06

"bones in feet carry on growing til around 18 i'm afraid!"

and beyond - or in my case stopped when I was about 12 (size 3 1/2) and then grew to a 4 1/2 when I was pg with DS1 at 20 Shock!

Blossomhill · 20/03/2006 23:10

HRH - my feet went from a 6 to a 7 when pg!

starlover · 20/03/2006 23:12

yeah i wonder why that is? do you think they get fatter and then we need to buy bigger shoes to accomodate width? my feet were really swollen in pregnancy
or do they actually get longer?

Blossomhill · 20/03/2006 23:14

SL - Mine are still a size 7 and my youngest will be 7 in August!

HRHQueenOfQuotes · 20/03/2006 23:14

I think they get longer (or they're still swollen 2yrs after my DS2 was born Grin).

Not a chance in hell of buying shoes in the kids department anymore. I once got a gorgeous pair of boots in the kids section in Edinburgh - reduced in the sale..........

starlover · 20/03/2006 23:16

but why feet and not anything else? it's very strange... i need to know now!

HRHQueenOfQuotes · 20/03/2006 23:22

well my boobs got bigger too................and my ar*e Grin

carol3 · 20/03/2006 23:32

Me and my kids have huge feet mine went from a 9 1/2 to 10 1/2 every pregnancy. And getting the kids shoes can be a nightmare. Ds1 is 8 and has size 4 d. Dd2 has just been 6 and is 2 f and dd3 is coming up to 2 1/2 and is 9 f. I tend to go to shop for shoes for the kids and buy clarks shoes from there clearence section. Son it much harder has he hates laces so got last pair from next and are wearing well.Smile

starlover · 20/03/2006 23:39

hey that's nothing! i fitted a 10yr old with a size 9 yesterday!!!!!!!! Shock

couldn't believe it! lol

carol3 · 20/03/2006 23:41

oh poor the thing, the good thing is mine stopped growing at 12.

carol3 · 20/03/2006 23:42

sorry ment to say oh the poor thing Grin

starlover · 20/03/2006 23:43

lol i didn't even notice!

carol3 · 20/03/2006 23:50

lol Grin

Kelly1978 · 21/03/2006 09:12

Nice trick QofQ! I do actually buy from clarks, as they do the really soft first shoes that you can't get in ceaper shoe shops. I don't once they get older though.
I don't think I would bother going there to get them measured neither, took the dts for their first shoes. First twin gets put in crawlers, even though he is cruising, second twin they couldn't find anything to fit him (4H). Took him to another clarks 5 miles away and he measured a 3H, and they told me dt1 shouldn't be in crawling shoes. You expect better when you end up spending £35 on shoes. Sad
I think I might try john lewis next time.

expatinscotland · 21/03/2006 09:14

My daughter did not walk until she was nearly two, and she has what the paed describes as a 'wide gait'. So I really don't cheap out on shoes. Clothes, yeah, but shoes, no, since she's already got motor skills problems as it is.

I cheap on one other stuff for myself in order to buy her shoes. She only gets one pair every other month as she grows.

Bozza · 21/03/2006 09:34

I take mine to kids@clinks because they have a wider range than just going in the Clarks shop. I have been at different times into Clarks with both DS and DD and they have not been able to find a single pair of shoes that fitted them. DS they were unable to provide with any sandals one summer and also no shoes one winter, DD they didn't have any cruisers that would stay on her feet.

Sometimes they end up with Clarks but generally speaking start-rite fit them better. DS is very wide, he's currently in 10H Startrite school shoes, Cica trainers, Startrite slippers, Naturino casual boots and Next wellies. DD is a 5G and she is in Startrite shoes, Fila trainers, Clarks slippers and Clarks wellies (handed down from DS).

Oh and widths can change. DD went from a 5F to a 5G - cost me £32.

Raggydoll · 21/03/2006 10:21

i like clarkes and startright but I admit different stores of the same chain measure dh differntly and i find this really annoying - i would love to find a store that i can have complete faith in to send dh home in correctly fitting shoes - whatever the cost

jessicaandrebeccasmummy · 21/03/2006 10:34

i have always bought clarks for Jess. She is a 5.5G now, started out in crawlers at a 3.5F 10 months ago.... so far Clarks have had £104.00 out of me for her shoes!!!

i am boredo f clarks shoes though, but cant get anyone elses to fit properly. She has such wide feet and a high instep that im really limited.

SL - PLEASE ask Clarks to start doing NON-PATENT black shoes for tiddlers PLEASE!

Normsnockers · 21/03/2006 10:41

Also why are so many of Clarks boys shoes so fussy with lots of detail and extra stitching and multi coloured bits stitched on.

I much prefer elefanten and ecco and start-rite as their shoes/boots are generally plainer.

Clarks please take note, every time your range changes its the same fussy over detailed type of stuff unless I was prepared to buy pale tan nubuck which is not practical for my ds.

Clary · 21/03/2006 11:17

Bizarrely, my feet got smaller post pg.
I used to be a 5-and-a-half but now I often have to buy a four and a half and the size 5 pumps I’ve got on today are far too big. How is this possible?
Agree re different sizes in differnt shops btw.
DD's Star-rite shoes are half a size smaller than her Clarks ones were, but both fit her well.
We always have to try on lots of styles to get anything that fits well, esp for DS2 who had very high insteps and can't get on with trainer style shoes at all. I am happy to pay out £35 a pair if it means they have shoes that fit.
Now clothes....that's a different matter!

Bozza · 21/03/2006 11:22

J&RM - DS is like that - he has a very wide feet and a high instep. Over the 4 years since he started wearing shoes I have found that more often than not the Start-rite shoe has been the best fit.

ProfYaffle · 21/03/2006 11:34

Start Rite factory shop in Norwich. Excellent service and half price shoes!

Bozza · 21/03/2006 11:39

I have occasionally tried outlets for kid's shoes but find they are a bit hit and miss with the sizes.

puddle · 21/03/2006 11:39

Local independent shoe shop that stocks start rite and other ones too. DD has start rite atm, DS has shoes by Merrill.

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