First baby shoes

elaina79

My youngest is now walking and I think she will be ready to go walking outside soon.

I'm looking for shoes for her but all the ones I have found are really expensive. Is there anywhere else that I can find shoes that don't cost the earth.

SkintGypsy

I think brantano measure kids feet and sell the appropriate width fittings. I always use clarkes myself though. They only need one pair, and it's not worth getting it wrong!

maggiesmummy

In the past I've had the kids' feet measured at Clarkes then bought a pair in the right size/style from ebay - there are literally in them for a matter of weeks so there is very little wear on them.

lilac_rainbow

my dd's first shoes were called Hop n Squeaks, they were so adorable and cost £20 a pair, had to glue up the squeak soon after though When she was that age she hated wearing Clarks style shoes on her feet

LEJC

unfortunately childrens shoes are very expensive but you really must get their feet measured and buy a well fitting pair of shoes ....clarks have outlet shops which also sell shoes a little cheaper which may be an option for you to consider...

elaina79

lilac_rainbow wrote: »

my dd's first shoes were called Hop n Squeaks, they were so adorable and cost £20 a pair, had to glue up the squeak soon after though When she was that age she hated wearing Clarks style shoes on her feet

I just had a look at those, they are £10 now, they are so adorable. Hubby wasnt to thrilled at the squeak part though :rotfl:

Becles

The bones in children's feet are very soft and easily damaged. It is worth paying extra for a properly fitted shoe. Their feet have to last a life time and saving a few pounds now, could cause foot problems in later life.

When the child is measured, the size and width fitting is just a guide as to where to start fitting. You may find you need to go up or down a size or width fitting depending on the style of the shoe and the shape of your child's foot. I'd be wary about buying shoes on ebay, as you can't be sure that they will fit properly until you get them on the child's foot and watch them walk around.

I know how hard it is buying shoes for children. I'm Mam to three of them. As has been said, Brantanno or the Clarks Outlet are probably the cheapest for fitted shoes.

Threebabes

Again another one that votes for good shoes. Ive always taken my 3 when they were small to get measured up. My middle child had narrow feet and we had to get her startrite which were dearer again. They are nearly 7, 10 1/2 and 15 and theyve all got lovely feet.

cclarke12

For little ones I would get them measured at Clarks and then buy off ebay as there are always lots for sale with very little wear at that age. Personally I think we are guilt tripped into thinking that we have to have their feet measured and fitted by Clarks or Startrite, and then buy their shoes. I have been to Clarks and been told that my son may as well have a larger size because he has wide feet (and they didn't have anything in his fitting) and he will he will have plenty of room to grow, which suggests that they aren't an exact fit anyway! He never ends up with the size the machine says he is supposed to be. Having had a similar thing at Startrite too I am of the opinion that my kids won't suffer if they don't buy shoes from Clarks or Startrite, but it is much easier to get measured there when they are younger.

got-it-spend-it

Do you have a Clarks outlet near you? The one nearest us measures children's feet, and the shoes seemed less than half the price you'd pay in a normal Clarks. I know where I will be taking my LO when he needs his next pair.

Becles

cclarke12 wrote: »

He never ends up with the size the machine says he is supposed to be.

The machine doesn't measure the exact size. It's just a guide as to where to start fitting. It doesn't take into account the full shape of the childs foot or the style of the shoe.

My son was measured and liked a slip on shoe, but because his feet are so shallow, they just wouldn't stay on his feet. The machine couldn't tell us that, as it doesn't measure the depth of the foot.

It's the same with adult shoes. I'm usually a size 5, but in the Spring I had to get a size 4 in a sandle from M&S as the 5's were huge, and I've just bought running shoes and had to get a size 5.5, as the 5's were a bit small.