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Original poster

if you don't buy kids shoes from clarks

93 replies

festiveface · 02/08/2006 21:14

where do you get them from?

i don't like clarks because they always seem to look far too big and ds1 is a size 6 now (big 6) as it is!

but they both have wide feet and i am never sure they fit properly otherwise.

OP posts:
rickman · 02/08/2006 21:15

Message withdrawn

jollyfolly · 02/08/2006 21:17

blimey i already thought clarks were expensive!

hulababy · 02/08/2006 21:18

I get DD's shoes from a smaller shoe shop near where I live. We tend to go for Startrite as they seem to fit DD better, and often have nicer styles too.

cutekids · 02/08/2006 21:25

Trial and error's your best bet! My kids have got wide feet (apparently,all Clarks kids have plus "one bigger than the other")!!!My friend was manager of a shoe shop years ago and she told me that almost all shoes (British Shoe co.apparently)were made in the same manufacturers. They sold the same shoes to different outlets-including Clarks-for different prices....the same shoes!!!!... She left cos she reckoned it was all a big con...especially where Clarks and Startrite were concerned. The only reason they get the monopoly is because Clarks measure your kids' shoes and give you their "size" and apparently if you go to a cheaper shop and ask for a size down you'll get the same shoe for about 25% to 50% less!!! (don't quote me on this.she told me this about 15 years ago so things may have changed!)!!!

lemonaid · 02/08/2006 21:29

We go to a specialist children's shoe shop near us. DS has fairly wide feet too (takes after me... I can literally search entire towns without finding shoes that fit me) and has had success with Ecco and Geox brands.

batters · 02/08/2006 21:33

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster
festiveface · 02/08/2006 21:33

was wondering whether to go cheaper this year because ds2 just kicks his clarks in almost straight away anyway.

was thinking about m & S ??

cutekids, do you mean that clarks would be a size bigger than other places ?

OP posts:
miffy2 · 02/08/2006 21:35

We shop in small local shoe shops and I usually buy Ricosta - price-wise not much different to the others mentioned, but really soft yet supportive.

We have only hd one pair of Clarks and that was from an independent shop where they were the best of what was on offer.

Not keen on Clark's whole selling attitude/monopoly/whatever.

littlemadam · 02/08/2006 21:57

Both ds and dd have wide feet/high insteps, we go to local shoe shops, where they know them, and ds likes geox, at 6 his feet otherwise get terribly whiffy and dd (2) fits pom d'api which are gorgeous but expensive. I've found local shops to be more honest and have a bigger range, and won't try and bull you.

SpaceCadet · 02/08/2006 21:59

my ds's have always had to wear ricosta due to clarks never having their size in stock

fussymummy · 19/08/2006 18:24

festiveface my son also takes bigger size 6 and he's only 8.

Do you have a brantano near you?

We managed to get his school shoes in their mens section as they start at size 6.
And they were velcro fit.

Cost £25 which i thought was cheap, compared his last ones that cost £36 from clarks!

TwoToTango · 19/08/2006 18:34

My ds has wide feet,he has always had the widest Clarks fitting. I have found they are the only ones wide enough. I always get him clarks shoes but from an independent shop which sells them as the staff always take a lot of time to make sure they fit right and when I take him to be measured if he doesn't need a new pair they will always say - they also have a look to see if they have any reduced in the sale first. I have paid half price for the last 2 pairs of shoes. I have tried 2 different Clarks own shops and was not impressed, they always seem to be young (sometimes), not well trained staff with a not very child friendly attitude. One girl actually measured his feet without making sure his heel was pressed flat at the back of the measure - luckily the fact he seemed to have gone up 3 shoe sizes made me look at what she was doing!

KBear · 19/08/2006 18:38

I bought DD Hush Puppies at Brantano last year - were great (although still expensive at £35). They have changeable insoles so you can change them if you have one shoe fitting better than the other.

MaloryFascinatorTowers · 19/08/2006 18:40

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Thomcat · 19/08/2006 18:41

My 8 month old just got her first real pair of shoes today. Bought ones for walking, LOL, it's amd. Went to Clarks.

DD2, who is 4, tried to get her school shoes and her feet are so small still that she only had a choice from teh baby range not the little girl range!!!

Blandmum · 19/08/2006 18:44

startrite, more expensive but much better fitting and service where I live.

Both mine have very broad feet and are buggers to get shoes for

Clayhead · 19/08/2006 18:45

Startrite.

Thomcat, you dd1 is the same age as mine, my dd also has small feet and I find Startrite offers her more choice than Clarks.

Thomcat · 19/08/2006 18:51

Cheers clayhead, will do a search and find my nearest branch.

iota · 19/08/2006 18:52

well I shopped at clarks today and kitted out my 2 boys with school shoes.

I can honestly say that I have never had a problem with the fit (boys currently 9.5 G and 12.5 G) or the styles, but then boys shoes aren't that glam anyway.

total cost £54.

MarsLady · 19/08/2006 18:54

I like Startrite... they don't tend to work out too much cheaper than Clarks. I have to confess for the style (I like the pretty girl's shoes) I would pay the extra £3.

hockeymum · 19/08/2006 20:50

Got DD's trainers in Clarks and she grew out of them in 6 weeks, she hardly wore them in that time because its been such a hot summer. I took them back and she got a brand new pair a size up for free so I was really happy with that.

Bought her first school shoes in Start Rite though because Clarks school shoes aren't narrow enough for her, but at £44 (inc insoles and polish) they cost more than the shoes I buy for myself!

Blondilocks · 19/08/2006 20:53

I get them from Jones the Bootmaker - they stock Clarks & Startrite.

Surfermum · 19/08/2006 20:55

I get Startright from a little independent shop where they really seem to know their stuff about feet and fitting shoes. I prefer the styles that Startright do too.

CrocodileKate · 19/08/2006 22:53

I buy Startrite, Ecco or Geox.
Couple of bad experiences with Clarkes. Tried them again for ds school shoes last week. Knew his size 11s were too small. Sales assistant measured him as a 10E. I queried it and she measured again getting 12H. Then proceeded to tell me that yes he had outgrown the 11s that he was wearing but still needed an 11. Walked out very confused.

Tommy · 19/08/2006 22:57

I'm sure a lot of it depends on the fitter you get. We have a Clarks shop in Mothercare and I'm never quite as happy with the fit there than I am in the more established (albeit stiil Clarks) smaller shops.
We have an independent one that does Startrite as well - really old fashioned - I'm sure it hasn't chnaged since the 1930s!

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