WHY WHY WHY are shoes for little girls so VILE?

[SchnitzelVonKrumm]

Have been looking for shoes for dd2 (aged 2). Everything pink and shiny or embellished with twee hearts/ribbons. Also preponderance of suede/nubuck to ensure they'll be trashed after five minutes. Why? Do people actually like this stuff?

you speak the truth

If its any consolation boys shoes arent much better - they usually have 1 or 2 pairs in the size that you need and they always resemble old-fashioned school shoes.

Go to any independent shoe shop that sells Start-Rites and ask to look at their catalogue, especially the English Classics section (Clare, Delphine...). Lots of lovely shoes - you will probably have to pay an extra £5 for a special order, though.

So far dd1 (2.6) has had boys shoes, but I fear we will enter a world of pink soon.

Hush Puppies are nice - usually have nice colours, not just pink. Independent shops often stock them.

I had dd also two 'measured' by a lazy teen at clarks this week, he stuck her on the machine and it magically decided she was an 8E, apparently extremly narrow so the half decent design 'katie jo' which is brown leather wouldnt be available so it would be hot pink 'cream tea' for her. I complained it was all pink, oi said that even next had picked up on the over pinkiness off girls stuff and had some lovely bright colours this year after permanent pink and he said "All little girls that age like pink" i pointed at mine and said that she didnt ( i did wonder how much time he spent with toddler girls to know)

Thankfully i decided that i wasnt convinced by the measuring as dds feet have previously been a half size different between the two and i was surprised the machine hadnt noticed. So i took her to john lewis, so i could check start rite etc, she measured with a proper foot gauge a 6.5G and a 7G.

But still nothing in her size, so the soe shopping saga continues, i think im going to brantano so i can see whats available in her size before i start trying them on.

I've gone the English Classics route before and probably will this time (you can order them online now). But I feel plainish girls footwear shouldn't have to be bought under the counter in a brown paper bag...

Just be aware that there is a much wider choice of English Classics at the shoe shop than on-line.

If enough parents ask for them at the shoe shop, maybe shops will actually start stocking them [hopeful emoticon].

There is a fabulous children's shoe shop (several branches) in Paris called Six Pieds Trois Pouces. Nothing vulgar at all.

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but it's my taste that counts, unless the dds have got jobs and started earning their own money without telling me

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she's 2 cod

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I agree cod - dd2 has some vile pink shoes (they were only pair that fit) but she adores them and (thankfullly) will grow out of them in a few months time. I'm not one to worry about outfits and matching and fashion for the preschool brigade.

They are nasty. I agree.

I had a nightmare finding dd some for school that didnt have butterflies on or some silly platform sole.
Like anna888, I got some english classics from Startrite. Black patent.
We're now on week 3 of school and so far not even a scuff or scratch on them.

I quite like Next and Vertbaudet for girls shoes.

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other fave thing is awful awful Dora tshirt sent over by grandparent - searches it out everyday. Dirty or not. Or turquoise socks with (said) pink shoes and equally mismatching shirt/top combo. But she dresses herself and it's one less thing I have to do

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