Where do you buy your children's shoes?

[scotslass]

I have always used a small independent shoe shop that imports shoes from Europe. They are lovely but quite pricey(£40+), and now that I have got 2 to buy for I'm looking for a cheaper alternative.

Clarks aren't much cheaper amd they all look the same to me. I have looked at Brantano and there are some nice ones in the next catalogue.

What do you think? Have any of you tried shoes from either of these shops? how did you find them?

Is there anywhere else that is worth a look, or should I just suck it up and spend a small fortune on their shoes?

I use an independent shoe shop near where Ilive. They sell Startrite and similar types of shoes. And most importantly for my 4yo DD - they sell Lelli Kelly shoes The Startrites are about £35/36 a pair IIRR. The Lelli Kelly boots I got today were £39.99, so same price and even cheaper than some, as the comparable boots in there.

Clarks don't fit my DD well and I am always disappinted with the overall fit and quality.
Not tried Brantano but told you can get things like Startrite, but cheaper.

Clarks usually, sometimes Next but that is due to lack of choice in this town and lack of time/inclination to go elsewhere.

I use a Startright independent too. I prefer their shoes to Clarks and I trust their judgement too. They're about £30-£35, but they have a loyalty scheme where you get something like the 6th pair at half price.

Russel & Bromley.

DD1 has a C width foot. StartRites and Kickers for her.

We have a loyalty scheme with the independent shop too. 5% off 4th pair, then 10% off any sunsequent pairs bought within the year.

i get some shoes from our local independent shop, & once i know what size they currently we are we hightail it off to tk maxx which has fantastic shoes for kids. therefore dd, who's just started walking properly, has 3 pairs of gorgeous european boots for less than the cost of one pair of clarks.

I normally buy from clarks & occassionally startright. I bought DS some school shoes from Next last year after being talked into it by a friend, & they were an awful fit! They were really gappy at the sides & the back & for only around £6 cheaper than clarks, I was not impressed!

Thanks everyone. I've had a look on the start-rite website and the shoes look lovely, so will probably give them a go.

I will definately be heading to tk maxx to have a look as well. I would never have thought to look there.

Usually buy startrite from Jones the Bootmaker

I got my DS2 some gorgeous Buckle my shoe shoes from TK Maxx. They should have been £50 & I got them for £15!

DD has kickers for school and a huge range of shoes from places such as Boden, Russell & Bromley, Monsoon and Clarkes for the rest of the time. She has got the bug from me I am afraid and likes things to match!!

DS refuses to wear shoes got him some lovely navey leather boat shoes from Daisdy & Tom, expensive italian ones which luckily were in the sale, for our wedding and he refuses to wear them so lives in trainers I am afrid!!

I spend ££££s at the local independent shops - but would love to try Brantano, sounds really good, but there isn't one near me

We buy Startrite from a small local shop but dd has a G fitting so the range is very limited and yesterday I had to get her some bright pink Goexx trainers (£38 ) as they were the only ones that fitted her!!

carmenere is that the shoe shop in O ? Looking for a more local Geox stockist !

startrite at russell and bromley - used to go to clarks, but their shop is an airless dungeon, their staff are shifty and incompetent, and their shoes ming.

Local independent, which has Startrite, Clarks and a few other brands. Both my children have wide, wide feet so we usually end up with Clarks as they fit best, but I've given up on the Clarks shop itself.

I've been into Clarks and Jones the bootmaker on the same day and DD1's feet have grown in half hour.. amazing isn't it lol

Clarks have tried to sell me shoes that aren't even the right size, Jones refused to sell me a pair I liked because they didn't support well enough.. what difference!

Liz the shop is in Carshalton, it's really good, they take the fitting very seriously.

Hope this of interest but I buy all my Start-Rite and Clarks shoes from www.shoesforkids.co.uk . They sell loads of others types also and go out of their way to find narrow or wide fitting shoes.

Do you mesn the Ricostas, Elephanten and Asters, scotslass? We have those in our little independant shop and I keep thinking I must find somewhere cheaper but I love the styles they have, big flat buckled ones for DD and waterproof boots for ds1.

They get one pair though. Summer shoes and winter boots. If anything happens to them they get cheap ones.

elefanten were bought by Clarks and independent shops no longer stock them...
nto sure what is happening with designs/make/brand etc
damned shame but ecco make up for it

Oh right, I haven't seen elephanten for dd, that must be why. Ds used to have them. They were sweet, like little monkey boots.

Johnsons. always. not sure if a national chain but quite a few in SW London.