First walking shoes for girls? I intensely dislike Clarks - any other suggestions?

[Pinkjenny]

Can anyone recommend a good children's shoe company? Dd (14mo) has just started walking and has also grown out of her first pair. She is only little with size 3.5F feet.

Clarks styles are horrible, and Startrite don't look much nicer.

Any recommendations?

Vertbaudet.co.uk

They do gorgeous shoes but some are VERY expensie into the £40 mark. Nice though.

Only thing I would say they are crap for wide feet, well based on my experience with DS he was a G fitting and they were practically cutting off circulation.

Hush puppies

Anyone know wher to get boys wide fitting shoes other than Clarks and Startrite - he's a size 4H at the moment - is 16 months old. Live in Glasgow.

Ecco are good - we tend to get DS these as they are a good fit

PJ my dd wears these by Baby Op and they are fantastic! They do cost at £34.00 a pop but being someone who left it until the very last possible minute to put dd in shoes, they are brill. They have added support for the ankle by being boot style shoes which they need, I found they helped dd's walking even more by offering this extra support. Dd is still in hers a good 10 weeks after she got them!

I've then bought her some pink Bellamy canvas shoes, a bit like doodles, for the hotter weather, when it's here! Thy are also fab and offer a great supportive rubber sole, which again, they need at this age. They were only £12.00.

I bought them both from an independant childerns shoe shop called Buckles in my town. They can be expensive, but when it comes to their feet I think it's worth it.

DS aged 14 months has just got his first pair- Doodles jungle canvas for £14. All the clarks and start rites were too narrow for his feet but the doodles are nice and soft and the clip straps are easy to adjust.

I get my kids shoes off this online website, they have a wonderful selection of real leather shoes. www.eeruka.com/products-page/first-walking-shoes1/

See Kai Run shoes are gorgeous, and the leather is really soft on small feet. My niece has a pair, and I'm quite jealous! I wish I'd know about them when my DDs were younger.

www.seekairun.com/cgi-bin/commerce.cgi?search=action&category=SKRN&keywords=Girls

We got DD some lovely shoes from www.happylittlesoles.co.uk were same price as clarks/startrite but so soft and much nicer styles!

GGI they stock seekairun as well!

Both my DDs started with Kickers. Really sweet, and a bit of support for their ankles. Like this

Both DDs wear Hush Puppies - mainly because they come in blues/browns and greens for girls instead of the Clarks/Startrite putrid pink or very impractical white.

So when you're buying online, how do.you go about making sure the fit is right? I wouldn't really know what to check for.

With the ones one happylittlesoles you just measure length in cm and website explains what size you need for your measurement. Because my DD has funny shaped feet the lady whose shop it is asked me to email a photo of her bare feet and she recommended styles that would fit her shaped feet the best.

Another vote for Ricosta - great wee shoes. We tried Clarks too, but they are nowhere near as good. Definitely get down to an independent shop and try a few european brands