Anyone got a spare teenage dd to give an opinion on these school shoes please!

[Debs334]

Dd is starting secondary school in September. She is very small and worried about looking cute/babyish (!). She has small, very wide feet (size 1) and we've struggled to find anything she liked. Her feet are too small for the older range at Clarks and John Lewis only had very babyish shoes in her size. She found these shoes (pic), which were a bit doc marten-esque and she was really pleased with them. However, she showed them to her cousin on FaceTime this morning who said she 'hated' them. Grrrr. So now dd is wobbling about them. I realise this a massively first world problem but I want dd to walk in on her first day (she doesn't know anyone at the school - new to the area) feeling full of confidence. Any opinions welcome, have we got this horribly wrong?!

Teenage school shoe buying is a nightmare...
DD1 (13) has broad feet - last year she wanted the brogue type ones from clarks linked here - but they didn't fit - even the adult ones didn't fit her properly. The only shoes we could get from Clarks were ones that were ballet type but with a velcro strap.
She wants the ballet type but without a strap...Clarks didn't sell those for children - I read somewhere they are bad for their feet so I won't let her have those...
I took her to an independent shoe shop - same story - the brogue type don't fit her - and in fact now they seem to be off trend at DDs school - she doesn't want them anymore. Ballet pumps have the straps. They were getting Vans school shoes in - I'm anti label but was so desperate said she could have those. When they arrived they aren't canvas and didn't fit her properly - not wide enough, didn't seem likely to 'give' and DD obviously didn't like them. (I didn't either -reminded me of cut up wellies).
I was absolutely at a loss - then we went into Asda food shopping...
She is going back to school on Wed in a pair of £6 Asda Black canvas shoes ...god knows what the school will think, I know they won't last 5 mins but she is happy and it buys us some time to find her some proper ones.
And I showed her the Converse leather ones (nicer than the Vans) and all she said was they are £50+ and I don't need them - I have some school shoes
I am planning on getting her some boots for winter...

Pictures - I was hoping the same from you too!

I have just shown dd this entire thread. It is clear to me that she will not be able to have the shoes she wants this year. I was wondering what Vans were (I've never heard of them) or where you buy them, but now I have read Unlucky's post, I can tell they won't be the answer either.

dumbledore have a look at the leather converse - I think they look ok - online at least...
I think if I hadn't got the Asda canvas ones in desperation DD would have gone for the leather converse ...but she would rather have canvas even if they are Asda!

Canvas is not allowed in our school otherwise I might consider it for dd (under the probably false assumption that canvas bends to the foot more than leather and therefore would not damage her foot if it didn't entirely fit properly).

In the past, any shoe with laces has been out because dd can't wear shoes that cover her instep.

That said, I'll give anything a go. Which shops sell leather converse shoes? It would need to be a shop with a proper fitting service though.

Our local independent really know feet well sell both vans & converse (but canvas not allowed at dds school). She dies wear converse with her dance track suit.

I have googled leather converse & that trainer style type shoe would not be allowed at dds school (they send photos of acceptable & non acceptable styles)

What about these, similar but better....my niece is away to start high school with them, and my 17yr old dd approves
www.startriteshoes.com/school-shoes/burford-black-patent-lace-up-casual-shoes

I would advise buy whatever fits her and is comfy and be prepared to buy new ones by Christmas when all the year 7 s have settled down and started to develop their own style.

These are the converse I was thinking about -
www.office.co.uk/view/product/office_catalog/4,85/1166200133

they don't seem that different to a lot of the boys shoes you can get in Clarks - eg these www.clarks.co.uk/p/26100792
(Always drove me insane - girl's obviously 'shoes' and the boy's almost trainers!!! - but not as bad as the pink and white trainers for girls ...because girls don't get them dirty - run on grass etc...made my blood boil!)

Unless the boys aren't allowed to wear that type too at your school?

(We are lucky - it only says 'dark shoes' - a couple of years ago the uniform was really lax - a new HT has tightened it up....but (so far) not got stressy about shoes!)

Other leather converse ...
www.office.co.uk/view/product/office_catalog/5,21/2452100133

www.office.co.uk/view/product/office_catalog/5,21/2452103865

Don't think they are that bad at all...

My dd says they would be fine from year 9/10 but too boyish for year 7.

ahhh link fail
converse 1

Other leather converse ...
converse 2

converse 3

Neither girls or boys would be allowed those st dds school (the Clarks trainer style have a big cross against them) though they would be allowed at ds's junior school.

Dd says they either wear the ones lynette posted or ballet pumps.

unlucky well, I think all the shoes you linked to are hideous but dd liked the first pair and said they would be acceptable to school. The other 2 pairs though are 'boots' and not allowed.

When you have a high instep ballet flats are a huge no no as you just step out of them. They are banned by dds school anyway as they are unsupportive & foot carries very important (being a dance school)

Dumble didn't say I liked them! But know that teens do -or at least my teen does...
It is a nightmare!
but maybe pictures your school is being a tiny bit unreasonable...as a dance school surely trainer style shoes are not that inappropriate -a s long as they fit properly?
(reminds of something which was completely unreasonable - a long time ago my Dsis went to a posh school - they had to have indoor and outdoor shoes - both from clarks - they were similar (kiddie t bar & buckle) but slightly different specific styles. The outdoor ones were worn for 1.5 hrs a day max and not suitable for snow/heavy rain. No talk about a style that fitted properly etc. And they had to wear them until they were 16+.)