POLL: School shoes: Where do you buy yours?

A question about : POLL: School shoes: Where do you buy yours?

Hi everyone!

Earlier in the year we asked you to tell us where you buy your kids' school shoes.

We've collated the list you gave us into a poll to see which shop's the most popular with MSE parents. You should be able to choose more than one if you shop in different places.

If you want to join in on the poll join the Forum and log in.

Our Forum poll software allows just 10 choices so we've used the ones most mentioned or likely. Other options, though, include Deichmann, eBay and Primark

Best answers:

• I buy from local independent shoe shop - sometimes the shoes I buy are Clarks (although not from a "Clarks shop") sometimes european makes - not sure that there is an option that reflects that properly.
  I ALWAYS buy from a shop rather than online, and one that uses trained fitters - even two slightly different designs in the same size don't necessarily fit the same.
  I let my DD wear supermarket shoes sometimes out of school, but with delicate bones in feet, I think you need to protect them as much as possible for the main part of the day.
  GQ
• Footwear is always somewhere we've refused to cut back on for our little one - especially for footwear worn for long periods of time. Sure, we will try and get a good deal / see what is in the sale - but we'll always use a store with proper fitters, such as Clarkes or Charles Klinkard.
  If it's something for just messing in the garden, we'll perhaps be little less fussy
• I buy from a local small independent shoe shop, which mainly sells European shoes.
  Never buy Clarks as I find the quality is awful, and they fall to pieces by the end of September. Startrite are slightly better, but need re-healing and soling by October half term. Supermarket shoes last as well as Clarks, but don't fit well enough support developing feet for daily wear.
  Another reason for chosing a small independent is the properly trained fitters, so you know the shoes will fit well.
  Some shops like Clarks and Brantano will fit shoes, but the shop assistants generally have had only a few minutes of training.
• Husbands ex-wife buys pumps for DSD to wear to school. She spends about Ј16 a pair on them and is replacing them every month or two so they are costing her a fortune aswell as not providing any support whatsoever so the wee ones feet at at time she needs it most. She wasn't happy when she told us one day that DSD was with us that she needed new school shoes and would give us the money when we got back. Presented with a receipt for Ј38 from Clarks which she wasn't happy at but guess what....3 months later they are still in perfectly good condition, not falling apart, and she hasn't had to spend anymore on them!
  DSS who lives with us was bought a pair of Clarks in August when the schools went back and has only just had them replaced last month. By far the best shoes around for delicate feet.
• I go to John Lewis and usually get clarks or start rite. DD has odd feet so it's a case of whatever fits her we buy! Assistant always asks which style we prefer, I always say let's measure her feet then see what you have in her size we usually get a choice of 2 if we're lucky.
• Thanks for the replies.
  I normally buy in Brantano or get my 7 yr old fitted in Clarks then look for a decent pair in TK Maxx but we had a hole in shoe emergency mid-week when it rained a few weeks ago so we had to go straight to the nearest shoe shop and spend over Ј40. They are good quality though.
  Hopefully they'll last for next term too.
• Hi
  There is a Clarks outlet near me so I buy from there.
  Jen
• Hush Puppies from Brantano for my DS10 for the last 2 years. Clarkes were always good, but the in house Mothercare branch which is close do not stock over a size 3. Clarks and Hush Puppies have always been outgrown, not fallen apart.
• We go to a local independent shoe shop. The shoes were expensive but they have lasted the WHOLE school year!! (I'm sure they will last the next few weeks lol)
  Our nearest Clarkes have never been that great, last time we went there the trained foot measurer said the shoes instep was too big for my daughter whilst pointing to the top of her foot!
• The market in our city has a stall selling last season designs Clarks, Hush Puppies etc for around Ј15 a pair (primary school sort of sizes). MIL usually goes (I struggle for time to get there) or if none to fit we have a Clarks outlet about 20min drive away. DS had new Clarks last September, recently gone to a bigger size but the shoes would have lasted till the hols. DD (nursery) got Mothercare ones in Jan and needed new by Easter she is only wearing them 3 days a week! She now has Clarkes too, but needs a size bigger again.
• drive to nearest city
  go to Brantano get measured by clark's fitter (not the Brantano fitter)
  look at shoes
  try on shoes
  lose rag with child over shoes
  walk away
  drive home
  rinse and repeat *sigh*
• Clarks shoes dont do our twins. They are normally very limited in styles and I cant buy the same style as they go to school in two lefts or one 11 and one 12 but a pair.
  Boys shoes are so boring! Better than glitter and flowers overload thoughI suppose.
• Hi,
  I used to always go to Clarks but found that their shoes fell apart very quickly. I now get both my son and daughter shoes from Asda and they have lasted really well.
• Thanks for voting everyone.
  Have you started looking for new shoes for September yet?
• Always used to buy at Clarks when ours were younger as we never did find any that lasted as long or were as comfortable for them. They often spent a lot of time on their feet, so it seemed only fair to get them decent shoes.
• this process is a complete nightmare for me
  with two daughters with size 9 feet there is almost no choice out there
  Clarkes has two styles and they are vile..I have even written to them trying to explain that...well you go look at them and tell me your teenage daughter would wear them in front of her friends !
  and no size 9 is not unusual these days - even primark now sells size 9 shoes..but not socks !
  dont get me started on ladies socks ...and anybody suggesting they could wear mens socks should consider telling my unhappy daughters that...
  rant over...for now
• CLINKARD- they are the Clinkard family.
• We always buy out children's shoes from startrite.
• I used to buy school shoes from next etc but they literally fell apart and were not comfortable within months.
  Last september i bit the bullet and bought from clarks, despite reservations about the price and whether they were really better quality.
  Well they lasted the whole school year (bought slightly larger) and if her feet hadn't grown they would be fine for this term too.
  I bought my son kickers and they too lasted the whole school year.
  Previously i was buying at least another pair midway through sometimes twice so i will definitely be going back there this year.