Shopping for a new pair of school shoes for your child can be fraught with stress.
From wrangling them into a shopping expedition to ensuring you purchase a pair that is durable, comfortable, and most importantly fit – it can be a challenge to say the least.
WATCH NOW: See inside Khloe Kardashian’s dedicated shoe closet. Article continues after video.
But not to fear, we’ve unpacked some of the most commonly asked questions when it comes to school shoe shopping with the team at Clarks.
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From how to choose quality shoes on a budget, to buying second-hand shoes and making school shoes last longer, here’s what you need to know.
How to choose the right school shoe for your budget
You really want to invest in quality over quantity and have a variety of options to suit your budget.
The price tag will generally reflect the quality of the materials – from the rubber to the glues used to bind the materials.
It’s important to determine what type of shoe will benefit your child the most. Is it a sports shoe or a traditional school shoe?
Either way, it should always fit well and last the distance, which you can determine by the design. For instance, the type of materials used, the attention to detail in things like breathability of lining, arch support, and room to move while maintaining great support.
What is most important to consider when shopping for school shoes?
When considering buying school shoes based on your child’s lifestyle, the most important feature to consider is fit!
Other features to consider are support and material. High-quality materials, as mentioned above, offer comfort and durability.
Variety in closure types including lace-up and self-fastening closures also offer support and flexibility.
Genuine leather is more preferable over synthetic leather. It is more breathable, more durable, softens, and can be polished easily.
Shoes with a thicker sole, more structured heel counter, and secure upper also offer more support and protection to a child’s growing feet.
Last but not least, it can be wise to size up slightly to allow for inevitable growth spurts, but don’t overdo it!
How to correctly measure your child’s feet
We know correctly fitting shoes are important which is why we offer whole and half sizes and a range of widths for a perfect fit. We highly recommend heading in-store to get fitted by the Clarks team, but if you are unable to do so you can follow this at-home guide:
STEP 1 Stand up straight on a hard surface with your heel against the wall and a piece of blank paper flush against the wall beneath your foot.
STEP 2 Mark the longest part of your foot on the paper with a pen. Repeat with the other foot, as the right and left sizes may be different.
STEP 3 Use a ruler to measure the heel-to-toe length you marked for each foot in CM. You can then match your size using our size guide!
How to make school shoes last
- Protect new shoes with a ‘stain and water protective’ spray
- If leather, regularly polish and use a leather conditioner to keep the leather at its best.
- Avoid playing school sports in school shoes. Pack sports-specific trainers for running around in.
- You can swap out the insole that comes inside the shoe. Providing the length is still appropriate, you can replace it with a thinner option (online or at the chemist) to allow more volume in the show and a little more wiggle room for growth. Swapping out the insole is also a nice way to freshen up shoes.
- Check the fit of your child’s school shoes regularly. Do this by measuring the gap between the longest toe and the edge of the shoe when standing. You can remove the insole and get the child to stand on it to see where the toes finish.
- Find a good cobbler who can revamp the sole of the shoe if it is otherwise still in good condition.
