recommendations for girls very early walking shoes please???

[shelley72]

ok i realise that this is in S&B but dont know where else to post, and it is shopping related!

DD (14mo) has just started walking. she has been cruising for a long time and so has had shoo shoos for nursery, barefoot at home. now she is desperate to be on her feet and practise toddling about do you have any ideas of shoes that are a bit more suitable for outdoors? despite what clarks say i am reluctant to put her in proper 'walkers' until she has been walking confidently for a while. am also at some of the styles of girls shoes out there! obviously i want to set her on the right road as far as shoe shopping goes .

we are on holiday at the end of the month and will be outdoors a lot (probably in the rain knowing the UK) and so really need something that will keep the wet out that she will find easy to walk in.

so do you have any suggestions please?
thank you!

You should be fine with clarkes or startright.

I have always put my DCs in "proper" shoes once they have started walking.

My DD had something like this for her first pair

www.startriteshoes.com/girls/bubble

the important thing is to get them properly fitted by someone who knows what they are doing- so clarkes or specialist childrens shoe shops

I think you just keep her in her cruisers until she grows out of them and then buy walkers and maybe a pair of wellies for when it is particularly rainy. I'm not sure why you would doubt what clarks say and what exactly it is you are worried about tbh.

thank you, casmama am not worried as such, just feel that for the kind of weather we had yesterday, wellies are quite difficult to take first steps in??

as for clarks its just my personal experience. i have used them before but have found their measuring to be quite different depending on person / store - DS went down 2 sizes and 1 width between two measures when clearly his feet had grown. they also told me that unless DD had proper cruising shoes she wouldnt learn how to walk properly and would need to learn again once she needed shoes. luckily i am a 2nd time mum so wasnt taken in by this rubbish sales patter.

antspants1 will try startrite for girls thank you for the tip!

I got these canvas shoes from JMB for DS when he started walking - they're waterproof rubber soles, lightweight and flexible and he loved them.
I know it's coming into autumn/winter now but they might still be good for a while and they're not that expensive (bonus!)

Ah. Should have read your OP more closely, sorry! Ignore me. :)

Try happylittlesoles, they have lovely first shoes that are really really soft, have had 2 pairs from them for DD and get loads of compliments. They are the barefoot type shoes that are supposed to be good for foot development and balance.

I have always had excellent service from Clarks, in fact when I took DS when he was still cruising, they told me not to bother with shoes, and to come back when he was properly walking, as the shoes would only last me a few weeks. Saved me £30 roughly! He used to take his socks off as soon as I turned around, so he wouldnt have been happy with shoes on either. He is now walking confidently, has shoes, and keeps them on. Especially as he knows when his shoes go on, we are going out!
Agree about choice of shoes though, I have gotten DS measured, then looked online for more styles, as Clarks near me is very small, and you can get shoes delivered to store for free? Worth a look. Also, John Lewis have Clarks and also do other brands of shoes which looked quite nice last time I was in.

Clarks cruisers are fine for walking and good if a dc hasn't worn any footwear. Both dc1 and 2 had them as first shoes.