Width fitted shoes for older girl with very narrow feet?

[DoodleNoo]

My DD who is 10 is a narrow size 3 (E fitting) and has outgrown Clarks children's offerings which stop at 2.5.

Their "Bootleg" range for older children and teenagers is very limited and we're really struggling to find shoes for her at the moment - we must have tried on every pair of sandals in Next yesterday but they're all like boats on her skinny little feet. She really needs shoes that are width fitted or at the very least adjustable across the top but I just can't find any in my area. Can anyone recommend any brands that they have found good for older children with narrow feet? I don't mind paying up to about £40 for decent shoes .

I worry because her little sister is even narrower (D fitting) and quite often even Clarks struggle to find anything that fits her. School shoes, triainers, sandals - it's all a nightmare - how am I going to find shoes for her in years to come?!

D is a wider fit than E isn't it ?? - I've the same problem here with my own 9 yr old DD & the same size too, though she is in a Clarkes F, which is the narrowest they do - mines a really fussy mare with shoes too, so its not been easy, but depending on what you need we have found stuff to fit her by shopping around, not always best brands, but its a case of get what you can find & we've not found any other width fitting brands either & have tried everywhere,

Its just been trial & error & she can also now wear some adult shoes, which helps a bit if they start in a 2 or 3

This is what we've managed to get ...

Converse deck type shoes fit her well & are decent enough support for everyday & thankfully she can wear them for school too & she loves them as they are in vogue right now :)

Newlook for ballet pumps -

Primark often have fashiony stuff & plimsoles that fits her, though doesn't last long, beggars can't be choosers.

Found silver Gladiator type sandals in Peacocks that are supportive, look good & are comfy, & the way they fasten means that they fit her far better than the similar Clarkes ones did :)

Ugg type fashion boots she has adult ones which we found in a local indipendant boutique

High Top trainers - she has the Clarkes ones, which fit & she loves

Can't help on school shoes as we don't need them at DDs school, but you might find something in Newlook

Sadly most of the better brands are wide fit - so we've given u p bar Converse

hope that helps

Oh, & we also found very comfy & quite glam moulded flip flops in Peacocks, clear & silver trim, & also some party shoes with small heels

Thank you - sounds like Peacocks and New Look might be worth a look when we're passing. Will also look into Converse (and remember next time to marry a man with a normal feet gene!).

Just re-read - no D is the narrowest I've ever heard of (I don't think they do them at Clarks, but that's what they sometimes measure the little one as - they make some styles in an E which often need an insole). F is standard narrow and G & H are wider fittings.

Have you looked at Startrite? They go down to a D fitting.

Clarks are rubbish for the skinny of foot.

Startrite can be good if you are an E, and also always have some styles in a D.

Otherwise, you will be best off finding a good independent children's shoe shop. Look out for one that sells Richter or Petasil. The DDs all have skinny and stupidly shaped feet, and after years of trying to save £5 here or there on shoes, and ending up with bleeding feet time after time, we stick pretty much with those brands, and a trusted fitter. You might be over £40, but there are sales, etc, and once you know what works, there is always on-line.

Startrite have sometime C fitting.
DD1 has very narrow feet that is the only place I can find shoes for her.
Their F fitting sandals can sometimes fit because of the way they can be adjusted.

I used to work in a clarkes shoe shop when younger and fitted childrens shoes. I passionately believe at 10 they still need proper fitted school shoes - (I know they're bloody expensive). But children NEED shoes that support and fit.

My DD has narrow feet and we had to use startright. When they get older you can buy other types of shoes - just make sure they fit properly. While you are in the shop get the assistant to show you how she feels for the feet in the shoe, etc. Because you should always buy shoes with half a size growing room, you can use an inner sole to help take up a bit of space until their feet grow a bit.

and remember next time to marry a man with a normal feet gene!

That made me laugh - yes DH to blame here too with his still set to swing through the trees long, skinny, half made of toes size 13s

I'm going by Clarkes sizes as thats the only fitted ones we have here - double checked & her High Tops trainers are 3F - I'd never heard of Startrite - looking on the website we don't have one here, but will look out when I visit DM+Ds

I've got to admit, Clarkes were fine when DD was younger, but more recently I've found them to be pretty rubbish too, very little choice & the staff in our one are more than happy to send you off with a pair of shoes that don't fit properly, they've tried that several times - even her high tops are a bit big, but she gets away with them because of the cut

I DO very much agree that its important they get proper fitting supportive shoes at this age & I really don't mind paying - her Converse which are pretty good, where over £50 - but IME, at this size & width, thats a LOT easier said than done

My dd is a c fitting. It's not fun. We used to have to draw round her feet and post the outline to a shoe shop in Hull or somewhere. It didn't help that she was an early walker.

Startrite have a website. A lot of shoe shops don't stock bigger sizes never mind big sizes with a narrow fitting. Have a look on the website as it tells you how to measure.

I also recommend finding an independent shoe shop as they do more brands.
I have seen threads like this before but don't have time to search(sorry) and there were lots of recommendations depending on where you live as to where you might go shopping.

Ricosta and Petasil have been good for DD and she has just had a pair of Startrite shoes. They always cost more than the clarkes ones though.