where to buy school shoes that last???

AnnieH

I have a real problem with DD1 and shoes. I cannot find a decent pair of school shoes (or any shoes for that matter) that last more than a couple of weeks without her wrecking them. And I mean wrecking them!!! We're talking big holes in the toes/ soles coming away from uppers.

Where can I buy some shoes that will last? Clarks are no good as the fashion is soles that are wafer thin. I need something sturdy like Doc Martens - but can't find anywhere that sells kiddies DM's. ( there is one online shop but they don't do them past a 3 - she wants a 3 1/2- 4)

please help me!!

Jet

I used to buy my son cheap shoes at around £15 a pair but I was replacing them every 6 - 8 weeks.

I then started buyng him Clarks at £30- £35 per pair and they last nearly a year.

If you say Clarks are no good, I don't know what else to suggest. Sorry.

Nicki

How does she end up wrecking them? What is she doing in them to do this. My two kids who are no angels have never ever worn out a pair of shoes before they've outgrown them (we also wear Clarks)

Is she dragging her feet along the ground or walking in an odd way? If so, is there some medical reason why this might be so, which could be investigated and perhaps special orthopaedic shoes prescribed for her. If this isn't the case, and she is simply playing very roughly, could she not have a pair for school which she is expected to treat well and play nicely in and which she is told must last her at least 2 terms or until she grows out of them, and a cheap pair of plimsolls to go out and play in, which can be replaced more frequently?

Otherwise, you could perhaps do what some adults do and have the shoes resoled before she even wears them, and keep resoling them on a regular basis? I can't see how she gets her toes out unless either she spends a lot of time crawling on hands and knees (which could be forbidden) or she has really really long toe nails (which is obviously easily solved)

AnnieH

I honestly don't know how she does it. It totally baffles me. She does play very rough and there's not a lot I can do about that. DD2 doesn't wear her shoes out, but no matter how many times I tell her to keep them nice and not play rough in them after a week, they are starting to look really tatty and after 2 or 3 weeks they are nearly worn out. I wouldn't mind so much if she was growing out of them, but she isn't they don't last long enoguh for her to grow out of

I have threatened to buy her boys' shoes as these seem a bit more sturdy.

nzmegs

Shoes are a problem for me too. My son plays football in his school shoes and ruins them. I have asked if he can wear trainers to school but it is not part of the uniform and the children are told off if they wear them (even "smart trainers). Perhaps your daughter might be allowed to wear trainers to school which have more solid soles and are deisgned for rough play and running about. You could say (as I am going to...) that your daughter has developed bad knees from running in inappropriate shoes and you would like an exception to the uniform on this basis. - worth a go!

mrs_mix

try here http://www.cloggs.co.uk/invt/1945

Prudent

Oh no - just handed in to the charity shop a lovely brand new pair of doc martin school shoes in a size 4. Bought them on holiday with dd last year and then her feet went up to a 4 1/2 /5 just as school went back.

We should have an mse freecycle

AnnieH

Thaks Prudent - never mind. Thanks for the link mrs mix - Cloggs was where I looked before and none of their DM's come any larger than a 3 even though they are upposed to go up to a 5:(

No they are strictly forbidden from wearing trainers at school, which is good really as thechildren all look lovely and smart at this school.

Maybe I'll just have to buy her boys' shoes after all.

finc

Schuh have a range of Doc Martins. I've checked a couple of styles and they have size 4.

shoe-shop.com also sell them and they also sell size 4 :T

AnnieH

Thanks finc. I will be buying some soon. I don't care how much they cost as it will definitely be cheaper than buying a new pair of shoes every couple of weeks:D

scooper

i would say clarks shoes too,they do last and if they do get scuffed they have that stuff the same coolur to put over it,probably buy it cheaper than from clarks but they do stock all colours they have in shoes