Children's Shoes Cost A Fortune! Where Do You Buy Yours?

kirstle99

Hello all,

My little one is 18 months old and recently my mother bought his 1st pair of shoes for him. She got them from Clarks, and paid £20 for them! This is very expensive to me, anyone else share my thoughts?
What I was planning on doing when he needs new shoes in a couple of weeks was to take him there to get measured and then get the shoes from somewhere else. Does anyone have any good reccomendations for shops I could go?

Krystaltips

Can't help you much because my daughter has awkward sized feet... Long and thin like sideshow bob, so we have to have her shoes fitted properly, she doesn't always fit into the size shoe that she measures... And yes they do cost a fortune!

I don't know where you are in the country but there are places that are like Clarks shoe outlets, they're Clarks shoes but cheaper... There's one in Willenhall Nr Wolverhampton but wouldn't know anywhere else...

shirlgirl2004

Unfortunately the measurement is only a guide to the size and you need someone who knows whether the shoe fits correctly. Children's feet are growing rapidly and the bones are very soft. Ill-fitting shoes could cause (in extreme cases) deformity of the foot. Personally I prefer to leave my children shoe free as much as possible. Generally if they aren't walking outside then they don't need shoes.

jackomdj

Swindon outlet has a clarkes shoe shop & I usually go there for mine.

allIcouldwishfor

My kids shoes always come from clarks, although they only ever have 1 pair of shoes and 1 pair of trainers at a time. My mum bought me cheap shoes (ill-fitting, man-made uppers, etc.) as a child and as a result my feet are now an absolute nightmare. I would rather economise on other things.

Leilasmum

try shoesforkids.co.uk
clarks shoes at a much lower price!

ethelsmum

They do cost a fortune and they cost even more as they get older! Ds's school shoes were £34 from Clarks and he is only 5 yrs old. I prefer clarks - especially for babies/toddlers as I like to know they fit properly (I was absolutely gutted when my 2 yr old dd lost one of her brand new shoes on they way home from clarks - they hadn't even been walked in yet and cost a fortune). Clarks have some good sales throughout the year and you can normally pick up kids shoes half price - just depends if your little one is ready for some new shoes when its the sale. Now my two are getting a bit older I also buy there shoes from Next (again, even better in the sale). Would never buy there shoes from the really cheap shops as they seem to narrow for both my children's feet.

ailuro2

We have always bought from Clarks because they fitted well, were well made etc.
However this winter when we came back after Christmas Clarks had no boots to fit my DD, so I agreed we would trawl the shops to find some boots to fit her.

We looked and looked and eventually found a pair to fit in PRimark, they cost just £15.

Wthin a day the colour was scraped off the front where they weren't dyed deeply enough, in a week the heel had worn down past the heel rubber and they were beyond repair, I let her wear them for a few more weeks to get her through the coldest weather (she wore wellies on wet days and snowy days), but then took her down to Clarks to buy her shoes a few weeks ago. They fit properly, and I know they will last until she grows out of them.

Cheap shoes for kids are false economy, now I know from experience that cheap will cost me more in the long run, notwithstanding DD's feet need looking after as they grow so they don't end up with bunions/corns etc like mine.:o

I need to add that DD only ever has two pairs of shoes at any one footsize - school shoes and trainers (again, width fitted) and that's al she needs, tbh.

Peakma

my kids have had loads of excellent quality gorgeous shoes for low prices from TK Max.

Helen819

i have to agree toatally with the above quote.(ailuro2)
have always bought from clarks,even though I do find it a struggle sometimes.But what Ive tended to do now is put 3 pound a week away in a pot for when they need new shoes/trainers,and then I dont feel the pinch too much.
also Mine too only have two pairs at one shoes size....school shoes and trainers,and Ive found this does save a fortune really.

peachyprice

It really is worth paying the extra for properly fitted shoes, I prefer Start-Rite, but they're even more expensive. It's not so much about being measured, but also about whether they fit properly. Fashion shoes, lovely as sone are, are designed for the average child's foot, but do not account for children with wider, thiner, flatter or higher feet.

Your child only has one pair of feet and they are so easily ruined.