Gaping shoes for 3yr old - am I being fussy??

rainbow81

I do go to Clarks for my son's shoes because he has special insoles from the hospital for his flat feet and I gathered they would fit them properly. As in, take the time to get the right fit.

We've never really had any problems, though the width does vary between F and G each time we go (maybe he's in between, I don't know).

As his feet haven't grown in a year (don't ask me how) I've only bought 2 pairs of school shoes. The main problem we have is lack of choice, they only seem to have 1 style per size, and that's been since he started wearing shoes.

I might be looking at Hush Puppies or Starbrite, they can't cost much more!

triggerhappy_2

I worked for Clarks for 6 years when I was a 'young girl'. I agree with the poster above, some stores are very much about making a sale so they can be very hit and miss, but I would never sell something that I wasn't happy with, if for no other reason than I would get my bum kicked by the owner of the store if they came back!

With regards to your daughter: measuring a c-d and fitting with an f is ridiculous and should never have been done. Clarks do make d-width shoes, but in a very limited selection. If there were a pair in the catalogue you liked I'd have ordered them in for you. If you were desperate, I would have tried her with an e, but more than likely I would have recommended having a look at Start-Rite shoes as they tend to be a bit narrower than Clarks.

Putting shoes that are too wide on children can be very damaging to their feet as it creates a crease across the top of the shoe which can make them very uncomfortable to wear. Even if they weren't slipping off in the shop, they'd be very likely to start doing so after only a few times wearing them.

I'd like to think I was a trusted fitter (not long before I left I fitted a boy for his first schoolshoes whom I'd fitted for his first ever shoes which was lovely!), but I certainly wouldn't take what they say as gospel, and if you aren't happy with the fit then tell them and go elsewhere.

For your daughter, definitely give Start-Rite a go. They are good quality and, as long as things haven't changed too much, they should have a great range in d-width shoes.

Glad

another thumbs up for Hush Puppies, my daughter had very narrow feet and they were always the best fit

demonicangel

I find Hush Puppies a bad fit on dd1, she was an F width when she was fitted at Brantano for them and they were too wide and deep, even with all three insoles.

Give Startrite a go, they start at a C width and do more styles in a D width then Clarks.

amandada

My daughter was a c-d fit when she was younger and only Start rite fitted her. I'd not touch Clarks with a barge pole!

tattoed_bum

I would trust some of the clarks fitters i took my son there last week and normally he wears a size 4 junior shoe the fitter said he measured at a 2 1/2 and then proceded to try and push his feet into them whilst he was shouting that they were to small,
the sales assistant got quite huffy about it ,we just got up and left as she seemed to have no interest in listening to us

ellies_angel

How times have changed! When I was starting school 35 years ago and all through my primary years I had clarks shoes and what a trouble we had getting them!
I had an unusual width fitting and would find shoes I would love, but the assistant wouldn't sell explaining to my mum they didn't fit right. She would even put talc in the shoe before I put my foot in to show they were too narrow. "They don't pinch or squeeze" I would say, "they are fine", a 5 year old desperate for those shoes, but to no avail, and after going round all the shoe shops in Coventry we would have to go further afield to Birmingham, Leceister or Lemington Spa. I remember the shop assistant (and not just in one shop) explaining who fragile our feet were and how at this young age we needed to look after them to prevent problems in later life. Now at the age of 40 (still a pup) I have feet in great shape!

How sad that those values that clarks held so strongly now don't seem as important as getting a sale. Stick to your guns. Shoes should fit and fit properly!

Rachel021967

Don't know if this is any help but have you tried W.J. French & Son Ltd in Southampton. Tel: 023 8022 6542 Website: https://www.wjfrenchandson.co.uk
E mail: wjfrenchandson.co.uk

I got my daughter's school shoes from them this year. I can recommend their customer service. Might be worth ringing or emailing them first to see if they can help you.

I've had problems getting shoes for my middle daughter for years as she has wide feet. Now take her to a specialist wide fitting shoe shop that I found in the yellow pages. Might be worth looking in your Yellow pages for a shoe shop for your daughter.

Sublime_2

I had very narrow feet (c) as a child, and remember being hauled through all the shops just in case anything would fit. Its a lot better now than it was.

My local Clarks is very good for my childrens feet, but I use my local start-rite factory outlet when I can, as they have very decently priced quality shoes, in lots of width fittings.

Maddie

When I was little there was only one pair of shoes that came in my size; some form of patent start-rite.

Whenever we went to get me new shoes I'd get my hopes up just to come home with the same shoe and all my friends had the ones in the advert with a magic key in the sole

I still struggle finding shoes