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Original poster

Shoe shopping

47 replies

Blossomhill · 17/08/2004 19:05

For some reason dd always plays up in shoe shops, whilst waiting to be fitted. It is so bad that I have bought a pair from Asda as I can't face going. They do not fit properly so I will need to go and get some from Clarks/Startrite after all.
Just wondered if anyone has any tips or advice for a succesful trip. I always avoid busy times but dd still runs around like a lunatic and will not co-operate. TIA

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Original poster
blossomhill · 30/08/2004 23:16

yipeeeeeee......... DH took dd to the shoe shops after I told him that I thought it was only fair as I generally do all of the appts, shopping etc and also as dd behaves so much better for dh then me. It all went well, dd ran around a bit and rolled on the floor but dh isn't phased by it at all wheras I would be getting hot and flustered.
More importantly the shoes were lovely, just what I would have chosen so was very proud of dh (and dd as I know she finds shoe shops a bit overwhelming)!

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ChicPea · 31/08/2004 00:21

Oh Blossomhill I really laughed out loud when I read your post to my DH about your DD who said "no thank you" every time the assistant asked her to keep still to have her feel measured! I really did and seriously I would imagine many many children would do that SN's or not. I would want to now torture that horrid horrid woman and would devise a plan. I would encourage all my friends' children to really play up to that one woman and I would use chocolate as the prize. I shall personally provide you with all the chocolate you need to make that woman's life HELL!!!! Did you think of complaining to the manager/owner of the shop?
I must say every time I have had new shoes fitted for DD 23mths (so not many times) it hasn't been particularly pleasant. When I used to shop with DD when she was a baby, I looked forward to her having her first pair of shoes thinking it would be really sweet - am I mad? I thought it would be a special experience - I must be mad.
The first time in Trotters on Kings Road wasn't too bad, bought starter shoes. Three months later in Trotters, had a re-measure only to be told her shoes were too wide but they didn't have the right width in stock. Went straight to Peter Jones and I was told she was wearing completely the wrong shoes - starter shoes - and they didn't have her size in an appropriate shoe but "we should have a delivery some time next week...".
In April I wanted a pair of sandals and a pair of shoes. The girl in a local shop recommended I took a pair of sandals so big I thought they looked like flippers. She said there should be a finger between longest toe and end of shoe.I chose kiddie finger width, she recommended adult finger width which was 1.5cm. She got stoppy when asked to try the next size down and wrote on the receipt "Self-fitted". Three months later I go to the same shop (DD wearing 4.5 E) and the assistant (not the same one) measures her feet at 5 1/2 so I am sitting there feeling physically sick thinking I have damaged my DD's feet. She brings out the 5 1/2 which are massive and I eventually leave with size 4 E shoes. I look closely at the shoes she went in with and read 4.5 E. Why do I now have 4 E in Start Right? Do they differ that much even if manufacturer is that same?

I have disliked EVERY experience choosing shoes for DD and I think Lou33 has a valid point, some shops will bring out and recommend the shoes they have which are not necessarily the right ones. Oh the last time we did the new shoes thing, when the assistant told me to get DD walking when I turned around she wasn't even looking!!!!! When I asked her what she thought, she didn't have a clue what I was talking about!! Now that I am telling somebody about it - you lovely MumsNetters - I have decided NEVER to go back. (I wonder what the mark up is on these shoes?)

Where is a really good shop in London with a good selection of Start Right narrow shoes and sales assistants who are polite, interested in getting the right fit who aren't brain dead? Does is exist?

Heartinthecountry, I felt tears well up in my eyes at the thought of you dreading having DD's first fitting. You really need a kind, patient assistant for your DD. I hope you find one. Maybe you could ask around so that you avoid having an unpleasant experience?

Moan over.

ChicPea · 31/08/2004 00:25

Oh! Am going to contact Start Right for a foot measurer so I can keep track of DD's foot size and not be told by some untrustworthy person in a kiddy shoe shop.
Laughing again at Blossomhills' description of her DD at the shoe shop. If these women don't have the patience for children, they shouldn't work there. I think your DD sound charming.

Jimjams · 31/08/2004 10:10

choose your shop assistant perfectly. We had to get new shoes for ds1 recently so I went wth dh (someone babysat ds2). DH walked him around outside whilst we waited our turn. I explained to the shop assistant that if he was using the machine he had maybe one chance to get the fitting - he did but some brat of a kid turned it off at the wall so no measurement. he then got out the tape thingy and I warned him that he would be kicked. The assistant was excellent - went for a rough fitting and I told him what I thought it would be. He didn't even try and get a width fitting- just brought out shoes for us to try on. DS1 started screaming so we took the first pair that fitted- dh took him out of the shop and I paid. Easiest experience we've had for ages. For summer sandals I just guessed his size and told the clarkes woman I would bring them back and swop then if they didn't fit. I have friends who have arranged to have shoes waiting for them to try on at a set time, and I know some (smaller) shops will open out of hours by appointment.

OTOH took ds2 on a spur of the moment decision on Saturday and he was a dream. He tried on loads of different pairs, waited niceley, told me which ones were "ouch". Was happy to go to a different shop and wait again. Couldn't believe how easy it was.

Jimjams · 31/08/2004 10:32

perfectly?? carefully? no idea what I meant! Although these days if we have a shop assistant who is insisting on getting a perfect measurement before going off to get some shoes then I tned to get quite cross.

coppertop · 31/08/2004 10:40

I still haven't been brave enough to face the dreaded shoe-shopping. Trying to buy the school uniform was bad enough as ds1 absolutely refuses to try clothes on in shops. In the end I bought nearly everything in a 5-6yrs size and persuaded him to try on a different thing each day at home. The only thing that I battled to get him to try in the shop was his trousers. He's tall and thin and with no nappies to help keep his trousers up they tend to fall around his ankles if too big.

I'll probably venture out for shoes later this week.

coppertop · 03/09/2004 18:33

Aaaaaaaaaaaarrrrrgggggghhhh!

Dh had a day off work so we talk ds1 into town to get some shoes. No-one got anywhere near his feet. He had a major meltdown and screamed the place down. We had to just bring him home again. I'm hoping it was mainly because he was tired. He was up at 6.30 this morning. I'm going to venture into town with him again tomorrow. Fingers crossed.

Original poster
blossomhill · 03/09/2004 19:57

Good luck Coppertop! I know how stressful these things can be!

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Original poster
blossomhill · 03/09/2004 19:57

Good luck Coppertop! I know how stressful these things can be!

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onlyjoking9329 · 03/09/2004 20:33

coppertop, shoes and dentist are both a nightmare one of my girls kicked the lady who was trying to measure her feet then sat on her feet just to make her point! i can now get both girls shoes ok but my son, i order online from next and take them back if no good, we used to have a tots tv video where they visted a shoe shop and that helped my lot no end, tots tv videos have been very good helped with going on a plane too but they dont like to watch the dentist one!
jo

Original poster
blossomhill · 03/09/2004 21:11

Please don't remind me about dentists only joking. I've got an appointment with dd on the 20th setpember and am dreading it

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coppertop · 03/09/2004 21:44

I'd forgotten about that episode of Tots TV. Ds1 loves that programme. He's also a Mr Benn fanatic so I've been telling him all evening that he's going to be trying on shoes just like Mr Benn tries on costumes. So if any MN'ers are in a shoe-shop tomorrow and see a frazzled-looking woman harping on about Mr Benn, you'll know it's me.

Original poster
blossomhill · 03/09/2004 21:49

The thing I have learnt about my dd is that the more we do things the better she becomes. For example birthday parties, this time last year was a nightmare. I dreaded getting invitations as dd would be the only one running around the party room when it was time to have the food. Dd has been to so many parties that now she is so good and never (touching lots of wood) plays up.

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onlyjoking9329 · 03/09/2004 22:01

yes lots of practice helps thing i have learnt with my three is to keep on trying they get there in the end it just seems to take soooo long,
another thing i notice is that they watch things and once they have it all logged perfectly then they will just do it, my three all did the alphabet like this learnt it from tots tv abc video of course but they all just did it a to z all in one go, one of my girls rode a big bike the other day first time ever and to watch her you would think she had been doing it for years.
jo

Jimjams · 03/09/2004 23:53

coppertop- guess some sizes- take them home and bring back the ones that don't fit. I've done that a couple of times- Clarkes are always happy with that if you explain the situation.

Original poster
blossomhill · 04/09/2004 09:51

Mind you I am p*ed off with clarkes at the moment. Ds who is nt and 6 (A dream in shoe shops) had his feet measured and I paid £32 for the shoes. Picked him up from school on Thursday and he could barely walk. He said that he literally could not walk another step. When I got him home his feet were bright red. I rang them and luckily they were open late Thursday. They had been measured wrongly
I insisted that they used the machine and the measuring thing to be extra sure. They were very good and he got another pair no problem, even without a receipt!
Dd has been fine with hers. Although I must say without being too critical the boy that did ds's feet was about 16 and I just don't think he had the experience.

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coppertop · 04/09/2004 16:45

Well, I took ds1 into town this morning and ventured into Clarks. I kept going through the process with him while we were waiting - "You'll have your feet measured, just like that little boy over there. Then we'll do X.Y.Z - just like that girl over there." He seemed pretty calm, although I got a few strange looks for mentioning ds1's beloved Mr Benn.

The assistant was a young trainee and I really felt sorry for the poor girl. Ds1 was happy to have his feet measured. I pointed out the shoes that we wanted and she brought them back with a few other pairs. Ds1 had a screaming frenzy as soon as the shoes touched his feet and screamed "Nooooooo! They're too big!" Once they were on he refused to stand up in them. More Mr Benn encouragement followed and he eventually walked up and down. The supervisor came over to check the fitting and luckily they were perfect. The poor girl was so relieved to get it over with that she didn't even attempt to try any of the others on.

As I'm typing this, ds1 is busy trying his new shoes on for about the 10th time.

Original poster
blossomhill · 04/09/2004 18:41

Great coppertop
So pleased you mananged to get through it without too much stress!

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Davros · 05/09/2004 20:02

Was wondering how you'd got on Coppertop. Problem with lots of these experiences is that they just don't happen THAT often and doing "role play" at home is a great idea but...... some of the kids' videos are a good idea.

acnebride · 14/09/2004 22:12

just resurrecting this as I got the cardboard gauge and guide from Startrite today and wondered if anyone else has sent off for one. Not exactly rocket science stuff - looks like something that came free in a packet of Shreddies lol - but will allow me to keep track of ds's foot growth, see if shoes given as gifts are right etc. It's all covered in warnings to have shoes professionally fitted but then i guess otherwise startrite would face some pretty nasty comments from the shops that buy their stuff!

onlyjoking9329 · 15/09/2004 20:21

the next catolouge has a foot measuring thing in the back, not tried it thou.

Davros · 15/09/2004 21:44

My B-i-L, who was in the children's shoe business for 30 years or so (owned an independent shop in St Albans) is more than happy to just draw round DS's foot if he hasn't got his gauge with him.... isn't rocket science either is it? Presumably he goes home and fits it to the gauge, I've never asked him!

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