General Chat

Hi, I'm helping my daughter out by buying some school shoes for my grandson. When my kids were small I used to go to Charles Clinkard and Clarks to get their shoes and get their feet measured properly.
I know that shoes are expensive and am wondering where the mothers on this site go for their shoes? I know how important it is to look after childrens feet, but are there any shops that are a bit cheaper but still sell good quality kids shoes that last?

i take my littlone to clarks to have his feet messured, then i usually buy his shoes offline, the kickers website usually have some great offers

Thanks Stray, will do that. Might find some good bargains online after his feet have been measured..

;-)

Outlet shopping centres often have good brands at bargain prices.

Sometimes these can be very slight seconds eg. one stitch might be slightly out of line, but often there are perfect goods at great prices.

Perhaps you could donate the outgrown shoes to be recycled at one of the charity collection bins.

Gwyn

MY DAUGHTER HAS JUST PAID £40 FOR HER NINE YEAR
OLDS SIZE 61/2 ADULTS SHOES

Thanks Gwyn, will find out where the nearest outlet shops are to my daughter, and I'll remember to donate his old shoes.

Gosh Dizzi - childrens shoes are very expensive aren't they, considering they grow out of them quickly. Though they always have been expensive I suppose.

just paid £32 for my 2yr old granddaughters first shoes for nursery. clarks. :-)

Thanks Suzanne - hope I can find some shoes for my grandson at that price.

clarks are expensive but well worth it for littuns to make sure there feet grown properly

Dont measure at Clarks then buy elsewhere as they wont be the same sizing,,,,,,,

Clarks shoes now for boys seem to have gone into the trainer type look and arent all that smart looking ....also the soles seem to be getting thinner and thinner......they certainly havnt got the smart well made look of years ago.......

Startrite are very much the same aswell.

Daughter just paid £43 for a pr of Clarks for school that will see though till onset of winter then a more sturdy pr will be needed.

Thanks everyone. My daughter took him this afternoon and got some shoes from Clarks after I had mentioned what people on here recommended.

I'm glad your daughter found something to suit.
How old is he Jan?

Hi Gwen - he has just turned 8, and is small in height for his age.
Apparently he has a bigger instep so had to get a bigger size.

Ah... He can probably manage his shoes OK then.

I was going to say you would be amazed at the number of young ones I've seen in school who wear their well-fitted expensive shoes on the wrong feet.

A good tip for little ones like that is to mark a red dot, star, arrow or anything like that in permanent pen on the inside inner instep of each shoe, then all the child has to do is place the 2 signs next to each other, then they get shoes on the correct feet.

I hope the shoes last a good few months before he grows out of them.

Gwyn

That's a good tip Gwyn, as he sometimes still gets his shoes mixed up when he's not concentrating properly. Will have to let my daughter know about that one.

Gwyn that is a good idea :) Will have to remember that when she starts school next year

Clarks here have changed and are not as good quality as they were when I went to school.

Got my daughter a nice pair a couple of years ago when she was two, the sole came completely away after two weeks...took them back to the store who would not refund as they said she must be very active, climbing trees etc..at two years old mind...

They would only glue the sole back on, so was a bit dissappointed with them..

Daughter has a wide food but the top of her foot is high? if that makes sense so it is tricky getting her good shoes that fit!

Gwyn, I used to do that with my son's shoes and those of kids I minded, when they were young and didn't get the shoes on the right feet, except I would mark two small crosses on the inner side of the soles' edge and tell them to make sure the shoes kissed when they put them on.

Lizx