DD about to walk - where do I get shoes from!

[hellohellohihi]

I don't know where to start!

Will she need a couple of pairs? Where should I look?

I'd like some that will be "good" for her little feet and posture and all that jazz.... I'm excited that she's getting her first real shoes for WALKING in and feel it's my duty as her mother to get it right!

Tell me your first shoe experiences and advice :)

I went to good old Clarks / Startrite .But I also buy from Livie and Luca online.

They won't tend to 'fit' shoes that early. Why not try those leather slip on sock shoes for a while?

clarkes or startrite; one pair as they will soon be outgrown - I'd never buy small kids shoes online as they really do need to fit properly, and the same nominal size/width in one style may not be the same as another, let alone different brand.

I've still got my DDs first proper shoes - so small and sweet

Oh - you said 'about to walk' - you don't need the shoes till she's started walking and ready to try a bit outside. The best thing for feet/posture indoors is nowt!

Second those leather sock like shoes. V flexible. The brand is bobux. Lovely!

Ken - thanks. Forgot about Clarks... Loving that Livie and Luca website!

Beachy - for outdoors? Are those sock ones enough?

Grimma - thanks for the tips, I plan to keep them too :)

Yes, I'm thinking ahead (NY resolution to be more organised ) for when she's walking properly outside, I guess that might be a little while yet still but I'm excited.

Just looked on the vertbaudet website, some cute ones on there.

Go on the startrite site. Buy a foot gauge. Measure feet, buy online. I have taken my DCs to various shops to get fitted and I wasn't that impressed by the 'expertise' shown by the assistants. It helps that my children don't have absurdly wide or narrow feet. Umi shoes are lovely. You can save quite a bit of money using this site and I have bought nearly all the DCs shoes from them for the past five years. www.shoesforkids.co.uk

I used to love my local clarks but then moved and have never found them great since. Now I have a fab independent shop near me which I really trust them to measure properly and usually end up with startrite ones.

If she's not quite walking yet then clarks do cruiser shoes which I found helpful if you just need something to give a bit of support and protection if she's cruising outside. You only really need 1 pair at that age as they can grow out of them every 6 weeks.

My DD is currently rotating a pair of purple T bars and some pink and lime green Adidas snow boots. Her first pair were Clarks but they did seem awfully tight and she grew out of them v quickly.

I bought soft leather slip on shoes for DD from My Twinkle Toes for just over £5 each.