Girls School Shoes - Decent ones that last!!

[notsosqueakyclean]

My heart sank this morning when my 10 year old daughter pointed out to me that she needed new school shoes - AGAIN!! Her current ones are falling apart after only about 3 months wear. Clarks / Start-Rite simply don't seem to make good quality, durable shoes anymore. They all are 'fashion led' and very flimsy with thin soles with very little tread. We walk to and from school most days and these shoes simply do not stand up to 'reasonable' wear. Never mind that they're probably doing our children's feet no good. Those flimsy little pumps that girls wear - they struggle to keep them on their feet and they offer no support whatsoever. Clarks bang on about the importance of fitting shoes properly yet they churn out these rubbish shoes with flimsy soles and straps which offer no support whatsover!! And they're not cheap!! The boys seem to do much better with sensible, more hard wearing shoes with thicker soles. My daughter is tall and has size 5.5 feet - the choice is always very poor. When will shoe manufacturers come to their senses and stop producing crappy shoes at silly prices?!!

p.s if anyone has come across any decent shoes - PLEASE let me know!!

If she's a 5.5 can she move into adult shoes? They're probably far harder wearing.

I've given up on shoes, dd has a cheap pair for the 2 weeks its warm enough, she has clarks boots with the rubber toe and they last the whole season well, but I doubt they do this style in your dds size as my dd is only a 9.5.

All I can say is thank goodness brogues are in fashion this winter. I bought dd a pair from Clarks ladies department, they are far better than any of the 'school' shoes she has had in the last few years (she is 14).

I did think of looking at adult shoes but not sure if I'd find any suitable school style black shoes? I'm afraid I'm not keen on the brogues, nor is my daughter - call me old fashioned, but I also see them as yet another fashion fad!

Whatever you do, stay clear of New Look - their shoes only last 5 minutes :(

My dd wears boots in the winter. They seem to last October to March really well compared to school shoes and cost less.(She's wearing M and S ones that look brand new after 6 weeks wear)

my DD is a size 4.5/5 (depending on the make), I tried her in adult shoes last year (Hush Puppies), but they lasted no better than Clarks.

She now wears Toughees which look pristine so far and which are very competitively priced.

DD is only teeny but she has been in Hush Puppies since nursery and I wouldn't buy her anything else and we walk a mile each way

Ended up buying a pair online! I'd never really considered buying her shoes online as I always felt they should be fitted properly. I don't suppose this is quite so important now that her feet are almost adult sized? I ended up buying a pair of Hushpuppies from Amazon and they were only 19.99! I know we may have to return, but worth a go. Thanks piprabbit - I do like the look of the Toughees - will bear in mind for future or if all goes wrong this time!

I highly recommend Kickers. They are expensive, but they last and last and last! so well worth the money imo/e.

I also still get my Ds's feet measured as they are still growing. He's 14 and a 9.5. His first pair of Kickers lasted 18 months!!! and he has his second pair now. They are great!