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There are plenty of shoe shops up and down the high street, but I have been put off in a big way by one of the larger shoe retailers here in the UK. I went shopping for childrens shoes today and I had what can only be described as a really bad experience in a Clarks shoe shop.
First of all, I wasn't exactly taken by the shop layout. The allocated section for child shoe sizes was at the back of the shop in a tiny little corner that you could barely squeeze one pushchair into. On this occasion there were several of them in the vicinity and it was complete chaos.
How about a bit more space for parents with shopping and children?
Not only was the children's area inadequate if there were more than a few parents, but there didn't seem to be anyone around to measure my child's feet so that we could get the correct shoe size. Not exactly over staffed then!
... shoes that are the correct width as well as size
Getting shoes that are the correct width as well as size is important in my opinion which is why I would have preferred to have my child's feet measured properly.
Okay, so we have a look around anyway to see what we can find. On previous occasions we've gone out and bought shoes that were a size 6E so we will start there. Now anyone that knows children's shoes will know that this is actually quite narrow in terms of the width of the shoe.
I spent a good while searching, but what I found was that there was not a single suitable shoe in the shop. Nearly all of them started at size F. The only pair that came close were a pair of canvas "Doodles" which wasn't really what I was looking for in the first place. Other shops have said that these types of shoes are big fitting and to be honest they did indeed look massive!
Why aren't shoes made in the complete range of width fittings? Also, it would be really helpful if they catered for parents with children a bit better than they currently do.
By: Lucy
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I want bloody school shoes not great big thick fury things
07/06/10 shannon
1
My daughter is 7 and a half years old and measures a 3 but is way off the scale so the H fitting isn't wide enough. She is currently wearing a 4H startrite shoe, but they are too large for her (length wise) but ok'ish width wise. I absolutely hate going into Clarks. They are always rude, don't care in the slightest that their shoes don't fit my daughter and show no interest in helping us. I ordered a pair of trainers for her but the velcro strap wouldn't even meet the other side. I've emailed Clarks time and time again saying what can't they have more shoes in the H fitting and if they can make an even wider fitting. I'm sure my daughter isn't the only one. I really feel for her. Does anyone know where to get really really wide shoes for young girls? Where can I get Ricosta shoes on the high street? Thanks.
07/06/10 KittyKat
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There is genuinely a lack of range of girls shoes for those with narrow feet. Every time I shop for any of my 3 children (boy 11, girls 8 and 3) it is a traumatic and time consuming experience as they all have narrow feet. I went this week for sandals and shoes for my 8 year old daughter - her feet currently measure a 2D - we came away with a very average pair of clarks white shoes size 2F because that was all that was available and she desperately needed something other than black school shoes. Talk about a gap in the market and potential business opportunity.
04/06/10 lizzyp
1
I agree totally, as I have had & still am having huge problems trying to find narrow fitting shoes (ie: D or E fits). Why dont manufacturers make them ?????????? What is the point of having a width-sizing system if the sizes arent catered for?!!!!!!
I would have thought Clarks "The Shoe Specialists" would produce a range of sizes including the narrow widths, but no, very few models.
Its not as if these narrow feet dont exist, my little girl has two friends with an E-width & a cousin with a D fit!!!
So come on "Shoe specialists" heeeeeeeeeelp!
03/06/10 Helen Osborne
I would have thought Clarks "The Shoe Specialists" would produce a range of sizes including the narrow widths, but no, very few models.
Its not as if these narrow feet dont exist, my little girl has two friends with an E-width & a cousin with a D fit!!!
So come on "Shoe specialists" heeeeeeeeeelp!
1
Best shoes for wide toddler feet and high insteps are US-based Stride Rite which do an extra-wide fit (WW/XW) that is unparalleled with any of the UK brands, great quality too for the pounding shoes have to take at this age... I have friends and family smuggle them in. We have had some success with Ricosta and Umi shoes. Clarks have repeatedly been unprofessional in selling misfitting shoes to us: the velcro on the widest fit trainers (7.5H) we recently bought for my 2.5 year old son doesn't go over his instep after just 4 weeks... Couple that to the atrocious customer (mis)service we have had (shockingly rude), we refuse to ever go back.
21/05/10 downlikediscoman
1
my little girl has just turned 4 and is in a 10 1/2 H, today I have had to buy her plain black school shoes because there just aren't any about to fit her. she didn't want the brightest flashiest shoes either in fact the ones she liked were a tan brown colour with pink stitching but only went up to an F fitting. This was in our local clarks shop. We only have two shoe shops here that sell proper fitted shoes and neither had anything else than the school shoes that I had to buy. Ok I know she is a tall girl for her age and people think she is about 6 but she isn't and she wants pretty shoes like the other girls at nursery. The shoe companies should try explaining to a heartbroken 4 yr old that "sorry we are not bothered if you can find shoes." because we make more profit from those that have "normal" feet. This is what I was told by the shoe shop. how angry was i.
20/05/10 mammyfitz
1
I have the opposite problem, my daughter is an H fitting, and has a choice of boys shoes or trainers. This winter I couldn't find a single shop that sold winter boots to fit children with wide feet so in the snow she had to wear wellies, which are cold and made her miserable while all the other children played in the snow. This summer she will wear ugly bulky shoes as the pretty ones are not made in her size. Shoe retailers really should provide a better range. Also the staff in my local clarks are all about sixteen and have readily tried to sell me too small shoes one even said she was an E fitting. Reading some of the other comments, I have tried crocs and they rub and give her in grown toenails, and uggs are out of my price range.
17/05/10 Alice
1
I feel for you and your daughter ESM, how would any adult feel to only be able to wear the same style of shoe year in year out, all year round?! Startrite have so many styles that could go up to a H but they choose not to and it seems that none of their prettier shoes go up to a H! Even their sensible shoes only go up to an F or G! They just don't listen, they don't even care!
And I totally agree about the sandals, it's all about saving money. It's ok to spend about £30 with them for sandals that show the velcro! If you can only get an F then you might as well go to any high street shop and buy sandals as you'll probably find a pair that do come up wider than startrite and clarks!
It won't help you ESM but for anybody who has a daughter with a H width up to a 12 (I think, it could go bigger than this but I am not sure) then SAINSBURYS sell a similar shoe to the doodles, it is a blue denim-look t bar canvas shoe with gingham and embroidered flowers and sequins for £6, my niece has a size 10 and she is a H with a high instep and I reckon they would fit up to a I or (maybe) even a J!!! Good Luck! Now I've told you all I'd better quickly go and get another (spare) pair! :-)
17/05/10 Louise
And I totally agree about the sandals, it's all about saving money. It's ok to spend about £30 with them for sandals that show the velcro! If you can only get an F then you might as well go to any high street shop and buy sandals as you'll probably find a pair that do come up wider than startrite and clarks!
It won't help you ESM but for anybody who has a daughter with a H width up to a 12 (I think, it could go bigger than this but I am not sure) then SAINSBURYS sell a similar shoe to the doodles, it is a blue denim-look t bar canvas shoe with gingham and embroidered flowers and sequins for £6, my niece has a size 10 and she is a H with a high instep and I reckon they would fit up to a I or (maybe) even a J!!! Good Luck! Now I've told you all I'd better quickly go and get another (spare) pair! :-)
2
My daughter is eight years old and already a 4H. She has had the same start-rite shoes three years in a row - the only style with a strap done in an H fitting and it continues to a 5.5 (which she is not happy about!). In Clarks, 4 is the largest size before crossing into bootleg range and she still wants the same styles as her friends - same age with smaller feet. I agree with mum who posted on sandals - why only F fittings? Leaving the velcro half undone looks terrible.
I have emailed Clarks on the recommendation of the manager in my local store who agrees children are getting bigger and she sees more H fittings. Why can't the shoe companies address this?
12/05/10 ESM
I have emailed Clarks on the recommendation of the manager in my local store who agrees children are getting bigger and she sees more H fittings. Why can't the shoe companies address this?
1
Ricosta Shoes have a system called WMS for width fittings: Wide Medium Slim, I hope this helps you like it did me! :-)
06/05/10 Rachel
1
Crocs in the summer, Uggs in the winter. That is all that I can find to fit my daughter who is now a 10H with a high instep, apparently it gets easier? to find shoes to fit when their feet grow bigger (size 1 onwards I was told at the shoe shop which is a long way to go yet) as at the moment they are pretty much square if they are that size! Obviously crocs and uggs are not suitable for School and don't particulary look very nice either but when that is all you can find what are you to do when you are at the end of your tether?! :-(
06/05/10 Sally
1
I have been searching for H-I in Girls's shoes too with no luck! Does anyone know where I can get hush puppies from and do they actually do width sizes? I saw a pair in TK MAXX but they just said size 11, nothing about the width, although they did look wide but you just can't tell.
I've just found out that Marks and Spencers do wide fitting along with the regular fitting and so do Next so it seems that some companies are listening! Not sure how these 'wide fit' will compare though as I havn't given them a go yet and if startrite and clarks don't do them wide enough and they are MEANT to be the experts then I don't hold out much hope.....
06/05/10 Beau
I've just found out that Marks and Spencers do wide fitting along with the regular fitting and so do Next so it seems that some companies are listening! Not sure how these 'wide fit' will compare though as I havn't given them a go yet and if startrite and clarks don't do them wide enough and they are MEANT to be the experts then I don't hold out much hope.....
0
Emma, I was just on the startrite website looking for sandals in a 10g (no luck, all sandals are an f with adjutable velcro - abit unsightly in my opinion when the velcro shows) and they have 23 styles of girl's shoes in a 1 1/2 E! Better than what clarks have to offer anyway and you can order as many pairs for the same delivery price and returns are free. Good Luck! :-)
06/05/10 Beth
1
My daughter (aged 7) takes a size 1.5 E and I struggle to find anything to fit. I gave up on Clarks long ago. We live in the north of Scotland and I'm struggling to find a good online site that stocks European shoes. Grateful for any sugestions ! Thanks.
01/05/10 Emma
1
John Bull
Purchased a pair of tortoise shell shoes. It took me four hours to walk from the shop. Ba-Boom-Tish.