shoes

So where those Startrite shoes made for scooting? 1

 in mini mads  tagged kids / school / school shoes / shoes by

You may remember we have been working with Startrite on seeing how their boys school shoes hold up.  Well they have been wearing them for eight weeks now and I thought I would share with you how they have been wearing. I am going to preface this by saying that the boys last pair of shoes didn’t last six weeks and they scoot, walk or bike to school.  They play football with them on the MUGA (astroturf) at break time, so I didn’t hold out much hope for ANY shoes. So this is how the boys shoes looked at week two. And this is how they look after eight weeks of […]

What do you look for in a school shoe? 16

 in parenting  tagged back to school / parenting / school shoes / shoes by

School shoes.  I have to admit that I find hunting for school shoes with the boys a chore and it isn’t because they never like what there is to offer, but down to the fact that they wear them out in no time at all. Last year Mini’s second pair of shoes lasted six weeks, yes six weeks before they had a hole in them.  I have tried expensive shoes, less expensive shoes and everything in between my, but we are lucky to get more than 12 weeks out of a pair of shoes.  My boys only wear them for school so 8pm to 3pm, 5 days a week. When you […]

8 Tips for caring for school shoes 35

 in parenting  tagged clarks / looking after shoes / parenting tips / shoes / tips by

Shoes shoes are a real investment.  Mini has just had to have new ones as his feet had grown and they cost £42, thankfully we had a £40 voucher from Clarks to put towards them.  For Mini we really have to look to a shop like Clarks as he has wide feet and a high instep.  His current shoes are a 2.5 H width fitting.  When you pay that short of money for shoes it is essential that you look after them and I have to say I learned a lot about caring for leather shoes from my Dad and Granddad.

My Autumn Winter Shoe and Boot Wishlist

 in Featured and Guest  tagged list / shoes / wanties by

People who know me will attest to the fact that I adore shoes.  BC (Before Children ) they were my main vice and I swear that I used to look at shoes and they would talk to me!  I still have most of the shoes I had because I was always told to take good care of them.  In fact my parents were huge advocates of buying good shoes and looking after them and taught me that a cobbler is a shoe lovers friend. As my life has changes, so has my choice of shoes, long gone are the heels and smart work shoes to be replaced with flats, converse and […]

Looking after your feet in Florida

 in Featured and Guest  tagged florida / holidays / Orlando / shoes by

We are five days in to our once in a lifetime holiday in Florida and I wanted to share my initial observations and thoughts with you. Firstly the flight was fine with the boys.  We stayed overnight in Manchester the night before, so we didn’t have to worry about travel hold ups.  This meant that the we started the holiday without stress and worry and on the right foot. The one thing that you do need in Florida is comfortable shoes.   Even if you are on your feet all day in the UK, it is very different being on your feet and all the walking you will do in the […]

Top tips for looking after school shoes

 in school  tagged back to school / housekeeping / parenting ti[s / school / shoes by

This week we have been to get the boys fitted and to buy their new school shoes  I believe that good quality school shoes are an investment and want them to last as long as possible and If your children are anything like my boys, then their shoes will take a real battering at school.  But there are a few things that you can do to make those shoes last longer and look good for as long as possible.

Pain free school shoe shopping with Clarks – an oxymoron? 4

 in shopping  tagged back to school / clarks / shoes by

I hate shopping for school shoes with the boys. This is made much worse by the fact that Mini has very wide feet with a high instep. We have tried every shoe shop going and I have never been over the moon at any shoe shop until now.

Today we went to Clarks in a neirbouring market town, which doesn’t actually have many shops at all, so much so that MadDad didn’t even know that it had a Clarks.

So what made this shop pain free (apart from in the pocket)?

We booked our appointment online. No getting a ticket and waiting inline. Not for us, we jumped any queue with our pre-booked appointment – Whoop.
We had an experienced fitting lady (she was the manager) and all the other staff were more mature and handled the boys perfectly.
The plimsolls Mini needed were out of stock, but will be delivered FREE to my home address on Friday.
Plimsolls in a range of width fittings and in half sizes, which is perfect for us as both boys are half sizes.
We have found in the past that the larger and more trendy Clarks often employ people who have not got children of their own, so although they are qualified fitters, we have had to return on a number of times, especially with Mini and his wide, high feet.

Both boys have come away with different style shoes, but with a protective rubber bumper at the front.

My only gripe would be please stop making Jack Nano shoes. I do not want to purchase these for my children and I do not want to have to experience pester power over them. Thankfully the Manager understood this and they were not the best fit for my children, so they were not in the running.