Children's shoes - half sizes

mrssarahh

Does anyone have any ideas where to buy reasonably priced kids shoes?

I had my sons's feet measured at Brantano yesterday and he is a size 8.5. But they didn't have any that size! I usually go to Clarks but I can't afford the usual £25-£30 for a pair of shoes to last him a few months!

Nowhere on the internet seems to sell half sizes (although they all tell me how important it is to get the right size for little ones!!).

Has anyone found anywhere worth visiting?

skintchick

Half-sizes are a bugbear of mine as no-one seems to do them any more, not even higher-end retailers like Jones the Bootmaker.

I can;t help I'm afraid but I share your pain!

Millie's_Mum

Can't you wait a couple of weeks for the sales?

Maybe not if you need shoes for him now but some sales will have started next week if you can stretch his current pair til then?

galvanizersbaby

mrssarahh wrote: »

Does anyone have any ideas where to buy reasonably priced kids shoes?

I had my sons's feet measured at Brantano yesterday and he is a size 8.5. But they didn't have any that size! I usually go to Clarks but I can't afford the usual £25-£30 for a pair of shoes to last him a few months!

Nowhere on the internet seems to sell half sizes (although they all tell me how important it is to get the right size for little ones!!).

Has anyone found anywhere worth visiting?

Not sure whereabouts you are mrssarahh but the clarks near me has a massive better than usual sale on at the moment (I got my son and daughter a couple of pairs of school shoes there last week reduced to $10 and $15)

galvanizersbaby

skintchick wrote: »

Half-sizes are a bugbear of mine as no-one seems to do them any more, not even higher-end retailers like Jones the Bootmaker.

I can;t help I'm afraid but I share your pain!

M&S still do half sizes Skintchick - M&S footwear probably isn't everyones cup of tea though

shop-to-drop

I'm sure there was mention of a big sale on kids shoes at Clarks.

Their sales are fab! They also have outlets that sell Clarks at reduced prices.

bestpud

He may not be a half size in some shoes so it is worth going round a few shops and just trying them on, I'd have thought.

Personally, shoes are something I won't skimp on but I know lots of parents who buy from anywhere that they can find a pair to fit, and tbh they don't seem to have any more problems with them.

aitch-aitch

Again not sure where you are but there are Clarks sale shops in some of the Out of Town Discount Centres - e.g Jct27 M1 (McCartha Glen) and J39 M62 (formerly Freeport).

I can occasionally get the right size for me children at these places although you have to be lucky if they are a non standard width fit.

mrssarahh

Thanks - my local Clarks is tiny and usually only have a choice of two or three pairs, but there is big new one opened up near by so we might try there tomorrow!
Maybe if we take Grandma she might pay!!!!:rotfl:

My_Fathers_Daughter

I've had half sizes in next shoes skinty.

Don't know if they do half sizes in kids shoes though

Coupon-mad

galvanizersbaby wrote: »

M&S still do half sizes Skintchick - M&S footwear probably isn't everyones cup of tea though

I was going to say M&S as well, maybe wait for their post-xmas sale or a 20% off everything day (if there is one this week, it's on most Thursdays?).

Or what about the Next sale, kids shoes are included a couple of days after Christmas but it's a hassle as it's soooo madly busy instore at Next during the sales. You could maybe try some on now in M&S or Next, but actually go & buy them in the sale (if you can get them!).

Or what about Shoezone, here's a link to their storefinder:

http://www.shoezone.net/storefinder.php

I bought some machine-washable, black coated-leather school shoes in a half size in there for my DS last time I seem to recall. They cost about £12, fitted well and wore well.

I have 4 kiddies and find I can tell if a shoe fits as well as most shoe fitters IMHO. The Clarks shoe fitter near here always measures kids' feet half a size too small, so they are complaining the shoes are too tight after just 2 weeks! This is not just my opinion either, other Mums have realised that the local Clarks 'undermeasure' too.

I buy my children's shoes in all sorts of places, Supermarkets included if they don't need a half size. As long as they can try them on, we are both happy with the fit of them and they are leather, then they have invariably proved just as good as Clarks ones IMHO.

If self-fitting, just ask your child to walk away from you so you can see if the shoe is loose at the back. Ask the child if they feel comfortable (of course) and feel for where the big toe is, there should be room for a bit of growth. Also feel around the way the shoe fits on the side of both feet, it shouldn't feel loose to your touch and should not feel tight to the child.

HTH