Unhappy with Clarks

kazzah60

liam8282 wrote: »

I have noticed that most different brands or styles of footwear for children differ quite a bit in sizes.

The difference in size may just be down to a different style of shoe possibly?

Personally I like to try each pair of shoes on my son and see how well they fit him. I think you can see yourself if a pair of shoes fits or not, and if the child is comfortable wearing them and walking in them.

The best shoes and just about the only shoes my son wears are Kickers kick hi boots. He is now 5 and has a black pair for school.

With regard to the TALC test, sounds good in theory, but who is going to buy a pair of shoes that somebody has just put a load of talc in, and if the shoes don't fit who else is going to want to buy them or even try them on?? I know I wouldn't!

If you read my post correctly-the talc test is to use on your childs OWN shoes to see if their toes are near the end of the shoe and whether or not you need to buy them new ones or if they still have growing room in them !

liam8282

^ Still of no use when the OP was asking about shoe sizes when buying shoes though is it?

What use is there in knowing how much room a child has in an old pair of shoes, if they need a new pair?!

Also as I mentioned, it may the style or brand of shoe that has a differing size.

So doing your talc test on a specific shoe you have, for example say a clarks shoe. It will only tell you what type of fit that specific shoe is, if you go get a different style of shoe or different brand it won't be much use.

You may measure your childs feet and get the exact size that your childs foot is, but it depends on what size the actual shoe is when you try them on. Some have bigger sizes, some have smaller sizes.

kazzah60

liam8282 wrote: »

^ Still of no use when the OP was asking about shoe sizes when buying shoes though is it?

What use is there in knowing how much room a child has in an old pair of shoes, if they need a new pair?!

Also as I mentioned, it may the style or brand of shoe that has a differing size.

So doing your talc test on a specific shoe you have, for example say a clarks shoe. It will only tell you what type of fit that specific shoe is, if you go get a different style of shoe or different brand it won't be much use.

You may measure your childs feet and get the exact size that your childs foot is, but it depends on what size the actual shoe is when you try them on. Some have bigger sizes, some have smaller sizes.

Ok - I clearly have not made my intentions clear - firstly - here is my original post below


there is a VERY easy and foolproof method of seeing if your child has outgrown their shoes recommended by Clarks many years ago
The TALC test - sprinkle some talcum powder inside your childs shoe
shake the shoe to coat the bottom of the innersole
GENTLY put the shoe in and get the child to stand up
then gently remove the shoe taking care not to shake it too much
bingo
you will have a clear imprint of where your childs foot sits in the shoe
ALL clarks shoes are designed to last ONE FULL SIZE of growing room
individual shops may encourage you to buy each half size- but then they would wouldn't they!

sometimes different style of shoe will require different sizes- sometimes ( like my own son) your childs feet may be so wide or so narrow that for the style you have chosen you may need to go up or down a size
the measurement is ONLY a GUIDE
the real skill is with the shoe fitter in determining which style and size fits each child best.

As I have stated the Talc test is for HOME use by the parent/carer of the child to try and ascertain if the childs current pair of shoes is too small and if they need a new pair of shoes due to them being TOO SMALL - your say;


What use is there in knowing how much room a child has in an old pair of shoes, if they need a new pair?!
well MOST parents only buy new shoes if the child has outgrown them - so the talc test is useful for seeing if the shoes have any spare growing room in them - not if the child has worn the shoes out and it is obvious they need new ones

you say;
So doing your talc test on a specific shoe you have, for example say a clarks shoe. It will only tell you what type of fit that specific shoe is, if you go get a different style of shoe or different brand it won't be much use.
The talc test is nothing to do with what "type of fit " the shoe is
it will only tell you if your childs toes are at the end of the shoe or not
it is not designed to be a substitute for getting shoes properly fitted - just to SEE if the toes are at the end of your childs shoe

you say;
You may measure your childs feet and get the exact size that your childs foot is, but it depends on what size the actual shoe is when you try them on. Some have bigger sizes, some have smaller sizes.
the talc test will not tell you "what exact size your childs foot is"
it shows you where the childs toes reach to in the shoe

it was meant to be a helpful tip to parents so they could reassure themselves theat either the child had some growing room left in the shoe or that the childs toe was at the end of the shoe and they do need new ones

i have no idea why you seem to think it is a waste of time?
i purchased two pairs of Clarks first shoes for my nephew on saturday
they cost me £64.50 - the sales assistant told my niece
" come back in 6 weeks to see if he needs new ones"

I am sure in 6 or 8 weeks he MAY have grown a half size and the shop would have NO hesitation in selling her another pair of shoes for another £30 - however whether or not he NEEDS them is another matter - I have been able to show her the talc test and she can keep a check on how much room is in them for herself - and hopefully she can avoid spending money unnecessarily on a pair of shoes and half size bigger.

at no point have I disagreed with you about the differing fit of differing shoes and makes - after 20 years fitting childrens shoes for clarks, kay, Start Rite etc- I think I am qualified enough to know this and if you read my post properly - you will see that

please don't feel obliged to use the talc test yourself - but at least TRY to understand the ethos behind it before you start ridiculing it- there may be lots of parents out there who will be grateful knowing they can wait a bit longer before buying shoes.

liam8282

Thanks for the essay, that was an interesting read.

If you read my first post I did say that the talc test sounded good in theory, I did not ridicule it.

However, the more I think about it, the more useless it seems.

To elaborate further, how exactly can you see the front of the shoe where the toes are, you do not know the fit or the size of the shoe from the talc test, only where the childs heel was in that particular shoe.

My son could put his foot in my shoes with a bit of talc in, but it would be clear to see they didn't fit him!

But according to your explanation of the talc test, if his heel was in the correct position, the shoe must fit.

You also mention removing insoles to check the talc test, but surely if insoles are required, then the shoe is not an exact fit in the first place!

Further more my son has a pair of Clarks shoes, I have a pair of Clarks shoes, both do not have removable insoles.

You would get much better results by simply looking at the child wearing the shoes, seeing how they walk in them, and having a feel of the foot and the fit of the shoe.

You also wouldn't end up with a load of talc in your shoe.

It is also a real comfort to know that you are so highly qualified in the art of fitting childrens shoes, and have built up such a vast knowledge over 20 years, and also have experience of actually buying some shoes for your nephew.

Then again I am a parent and have to go buy my own children shoes, so I too also know what I am talking about.

I have bought my son numerous pairs of footwear, and as I said depending on the make and the style the size can vary.

You may get your childs feet measured to a standard size 9, but for example a standard size 9 may require a size 8 nike trainer as they are big fitting, or a size 10 shoe that is small fitting.

I suggest you look at your own employers website, Clarks, I think you will find they will agree with what I have said about how to see if a shoe fits, new or old.

http://www.clarks.co.uk/YourFeet/KidsFoothealth/GettingtheBestFit

kazzah60

liam8282 wrote: »

Thanks for the essay, that was an interesting read.

If you read my first post I did say that the talc test sounded good in theory, I did not ridicule it.

However, the more I think about it, the more useless it seems.

To elaborate further, how exactly can you see the front of the shoe where the toes are, you do not know the fit or the size of the shoe from the talc test, only where the childs heel was in that particular shoe.
YOU LOOK INTO THE FRONT OF THE SHOE TO THE TOE AREA AND THE IMPRINT OF WHERE THE CHILDS TOES ARE WILL CLEARLY BE SEEN

My son could put his foot in my shoes with a bit of talc in, but it would be clear to see they didn't fit him!
THATS NOT REALLY THE POINT OF THE EXERCISE IS IT?

But according to your explanation of the talc test, if his heel was in the correct position, the shoe must fit.
IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THE FIT OF THE SHOE AS I KEEP SAYING IT IS TO SEE WITH YOUR OWN EYES WHERE THE CHILDS TOE COMES TO IN RELATION TO THE END OF THE SHOE AND TO JUDGE IF THEY HAVE ANY GROWING ROOM LEFT.

You also mention removing insoles to check the talc test, but surely if insoles are required, then the shoe is not an exact fit in the first place!
WHERE DO I MENTION REMOVING INNERSOLES? PLEASE POINT THIS PART OUT TO ME? I MENTION SHAKING THE TALC TO COVER THE INNERSOLE OF THE SHOE

Further more my son has a pair of Clarks shoes, I have a pair of Clarks shoes, both do not have removable insoles.
WHO SAID THEY DID HAVE?

You would get much better results by simply looking at the child wearing the shoes, seeing how they walk in them, and having a feel of the foot and the fit of the shoe.
WELL MUCH AS I LOOK AT THE OUTSIDE OF MY SHOES OR MY SONS SHOES OR MY NEPHEWS SHOES, I CANNOT SEE HOW FAR UP THE SHOE THEIR TOES GO - BUT PERHAPS MY X RAY VISION IS NOT AS DEVELOPED AS YOURS

You also wouldn't end up with a load of talc in your shoe.
WHAT IS THE PROBLEM WITH A BIT OF TALC IN YOUR SHOE ?THE WORST THAT WILL HAPPEN IS THAT IT WILL SMELL NICE :rolleyes:

It is also a real comfort to know that you are so highly qualified in the art of fitting childrens shoes, and have built up such a vast knowledge over 20 years, and also have experience of actually buying some shoes for your nephew.
YES IT IS A COMFORT TO ME !

Then again I am a parent and have to go buy my own children shoes, so I too also know what I am talking about.
ERRM, WELL, I AM A PARENT OF TWO SONS TOO - SO DOES THAT MEAN I AM AS QUALIFIED AS YOU NOW THEN?

I have bought my son numerous pairs of footwear, and as I said depending on the make and the style the size can vary.
PLEASE POINT OUT TO ME WHERE I HAVE DISAGREED WITH YOU ON THIS?
IN MY ORIGINAL POST I SAID THAT THE MEASUREMENT IS ONLY A GUIDE
AND THE SKILL IS IN THE SHOE FITTER DECIDING WHICH SHOE/STYLE IS THE BETTER FIT

You may get your childs feet measured to a standard size 9, but for example a standard size 9 may require a size 8 nike trainer as they are big fitting, or a size 10 shoe that is small fitting.
WHERE HAVE I DISAGREED WITH YOU?

I suggest you look at your own employers website, Clarks, I think you will find they will agree with what I have said about how to see if a shoe fits, new or old.
CLARKS ARE NOT MY EMPLOYER AS WITH A PP I WORKED AT AN INDEPENDENT RETAILERS WHO STOCKED A WIDE RANGE OF QUALITY FOOTWEAR INCLUDING CLARKS, BALLY, LOAKES, KAY, START-RITE ETC
I WAS TRAINED AS A SHOE FITTER BY CLARKS AND A NUMBER OF THE OTHER COMPANIES TOO, SO I THINK I AM QUALIFIED TO SAY THAT EACH SHOE, STYLE, MAKE AND DESIGN WILL FIT A PERSON DIFFERENTLY

I DON'T KNOW WHY MY SMALL PIECE OF ADVICE TO TRY AND HELP PARENTS DECIDE WHETHER THEIR LITTLE ONE NEEDS NEW SHOES HAS OFFENDED YOU SO MUCH - IT WAS SIMPLY A WAY OF OFFERING ADVICE AND A BIT OF REASSURANCE TO PEOPLE


I WON'T BOTHER IN FUTURE AS IT CLEARLY HAS BEEN SO OFFENSIVE TO YOU. :mad:

wannabe_sybil

kazzah60 - I find your advice very helpful, thank you, and I will be trying the talc test tonight.

kazzah60

thanks Sybil - I hope it helps you save your money for a little while longer!

Becles

When my Mam worked as a Clarks fitter back in the 80's and early 90's, they used to do the talc test in store on the current shoes, to show parents if there was a bit of growing room, or if the child needed new shoes.

I check my daughters shoes with talc when I think she needs new ones. Her toes felt near the end in September but the talc test showed she had a little growing room left. I checked her again in October and the talc showed her toes were right at the end so I took her to get new ones.

liam8282

kazzah60 I will not quote the text as that is being pedantic, like yourself.

Just look at the professional information given on the clarks website as I posted previously, it does agree with what I say, so I am happy with that.

liam8282

If you think about the talc test even further, the imprint will only be from the sole of the foot, that is not the overall length of the foot.

There will be a variation in length when you allow for the curvature of the toes and the heel of the foot, so yet again the talc test is flawed.

Becles you already felt and looked to see if the shoe fit your child before doing the talc test, so it gets back to my point that the talc test is pointless!!

Also, if your talc test showed that the sole of your childs foot was right up to the end of the shoe, then no doubt your childs heel and toes will have been tight in the shoe, which could lead to the following problems (kindly provided by the clarks website, again)

http://www.clarks.co.uk/YourFeet/KidsFoothealth/FoothealthforKids