Clarks or Start Rite?

[northender]

Up to now have bought Clarks, but it always seems like a meat market in there. We have a local indep shoe shop that sell Start Rite which I would rather use but would be interested in opinions.

I prefer Start Rite myself ! But we also buy Clarks - as there are more of them around !

Find the Start Rite school shoes for girls a bit more classic - whereas Clarks tend to put bows and sparkly bits all over theirs !

clarks so far as little local shop sells them. but i think startrite's shoes are funkier. if that matters.

well i use both but i have found with dd that startrite last longer, they don't wear the same as clarks and dd seems to go longer without needing new shoes, so all in all i'm paying a bit more and they are lasting longer there was only once when she wore a pair for all of 4 weeks, but i put them on ebay and got some money back on them and someone else benefited by getting quality shoes at a much reduced price

Start-rite are usually regarded as higher quality than Clarks, although both are.
My dd wear Start-rite because she has wide feet. Start-rite are better suited to children with wise feet.
I remember as a child moaning because I always had to wear 'fogey' Start-rite shoes because i had such wide feet too.

Errr 'wide' not 'wise' feet

Like the idea of wise feet though MrsD!! May try Start Rite then Thanks all for that info.

Start Rite also have extra stiffners in the heels of their shoes, I was recommended to buy SR for dd by the hospital, as her feet needed the extra support.

start rite

I buy Clarkes shoes for my DS's. Start Rite are not as widely available where I live.

I wouldn't buy start rite again - I bought some ankle boots for dd1 last winter and the patent split. After a lot of arguing they eventually agreed to exchange them for another identical pair - which split in exactly the same way.

But then again, I did pay £35 for the boots, and have since paid £5 for a pair of shoes for her from the local Clarks seconds shop, so maybe that influences my thoughts!

As Tilly has teeny feet we buy continental shoes which are lovely and not much different price wise.....just a thought!! They last for ages as her feet grow slowly (7 months for the last pair!) so want something that looks funky.

Start rite, every time!