About Shoes

With the colder days and harsher conditions of winter, we need to put away our summer T shirts and sandals, replacing them with clothes suitable for frost, hail or whatever weather the season brings.  Children especially need to be dressed in clothing that will keep them warm and protect against the freezing cold.  There are lots of reasonably priced, fashionable clothes in the shops which kids will love.  With smart warm jacket, trendy slacks and winter boots, children will be kept warm and feel trendy and fashionable.

The best way of keeping warm is to wear layers of clothing.  Children particularly should wear a vest next to their skin, covered by a shirt or blouse for school, then a cardigan on top.  An underskirt, covered by a skirt made of a woollen mixture fabric is warming and comfortable for girls while the boys need trousers made of thicker materials than thin polyester fabrics which are more suited to summer.

There are some great jackets and anoraks in the shops which children of either sex will love.  Jackets with warm fleecy linings and hoods will keep out the bitterest chill or rainstorm.  When buying new clothes you really get what you pay for.  The cheaper garments are often made of inferior fabrics, with threads which become undone very quickly and causing seams or pockets to become undone.  You need to pay around £30 or more for a good quality jacket which will see the winter through.

Children’s legs need to be kept covered and warm with long stockings or tights.  There are some trendy, colourful styles in the shops which kids will love.  Tights are really fashionable this year and can tone or contrast with their other clothing, saving more sober colours for school.  There are some great styles for festive parties, bright pinks, blues and greens with pop star motifs, stars, butterflies etc.

The most important item of clothing for children to wear in winter is a pair of strong, sturdy winter boots.  There are some great styles available for children, with snow boots and moon boots becoming increasingly popular.   These are lined with warm, fleecy fabric which keep out the bitter cold.  Timberland make a great range of practical boots designed especially for children.  They are made from leather or suede and the sole is of a strong, sturdy material which grips the surface, even if frozen.  These days Ugg boots are the epitome of fashion but cost much more than most parents want to pay.

Wellington boots are another alternative to wear during the Winter (or Summer) season.  The traditional long black rubber boot has been seriously updated!  Now, wellies are available in every shade and colour under the sun.  They are also very practical, and more importantly, children with an eye to fashion love them.  A favourite with parents as any mud or dirt is easily washed off, whereas it is much more difficult to clean boots made from leather or suede.

In order for children to keep comfortable and warm through the long Winter season, it’s necessary to splash out on a range of clothes designed especially for the cold.  A walk down the High Street, or a look at some leading supermarkets, will show the large range of styles available.

There are so many children’s winter boots and shoes in the shops for the season, they are spoiled for choice!  Children, these days, tend to go for sophisticated, elegant styles, often against the wishes of their parents.  Influenced by their favourite celebrities, they demand expensive designer ranges which can be totally impractical, rather than practical, well-fitting shoes from children’s shoe specialist shops, such as Clarks or Start-rite.

Children’s foot size can increase considerably throughout the season, and it’s important for both feet to be measured by a foot specialist.  When children find a shoe style they like, after being measured, the child should be asked to walk round the shoe shop to check whether they hurt anywhere.  With the child standing, press at the front of the shoe to check how much room there is to allow for growth.  Check that the sides don’t ‘bag’ out and there isn’t too much spare room at the heel.

As the shoes – or boots - are to be worn during the coldest season, it’s important that they will protect against the bitterly cold temperatures typical of the season.  It’s always best to buy leather as this will protect against cold and rain, and allow the skin to breathe.  Leather also stretches slightly resulting in shoes which last longer and fit more comfortably.  Lace up shoes or shoes which have bars across the front are more suitable for children as they won’t come off when the child is running and playing.  Check that the soles of the shoes are strong and made of thick rubber, making them skid proof.

Children, of course, have their own ideas of the fashionable shoe styles they want to wear, and usually they don’t always correspond with their parent’s wishes.  Children often choose something like ‘moonboots’ made from silver lurex, priced at £45.  They are also tempted by Fizz boots, priced at around £50, in light pink or turquoise colours.  Fashionable styles like these are expensive and aren’t designed to last for the coldest 5 or 6 months of the year.

Really fashionable children’s shoes and boots are often not designed for vigorous rough and tumble play, and are often built of materials too thin to protect against severe winter conditions.  If parents and children can compromise, there are some great and practical styles available in the shops.
Start-rite, among other children’s shops, has a large range of winter shoes and boots specially designed for children.  Designs are guaranteed to last against normal children’s wear and tear, and styles appeal to the most fashionable kid.  Boot styles such as Amber-Leigh  and Flowerchild are made from leather and come in appealing trendy colours.  Both parents and children love them.

I think a uniform gives children pride in themselves and their school.  They have something to identify with.  All the top fee-paying schools have a uniform and it gives the students something to have pride in.

A uniform and smart school shoes also makes children come to school - ready to work.  This is a good preparation for life.  Dress standards are necessary in many walks of life.  You wouldn’t go to a wedding in jeans, T-shirt and scruffy hair - there is an acceptable dress code.

It also saves parents the problem of how to dress the children every day for school.  And children will not be competing with each other over who has the best jeans or T-shirt or trainers.  It is a level playing field - everyone is the same.  Most parents like the idea of uniform and school shoes, providing they can obtain the items at a reasonable price.

On the sports field children readily accept a uniform if they are playing football, rugby, cricket, netball or hockey.  They feel part of their team.  It is the same with school uniform - they feel they belong to the school.

I don’t think that children should be allowed to wear any shoes to school, rather than particular school shoes. At school, it is a good idea to have a uniform, and this should include rules on the type of shoes that should be worn by pupils. Children are at school to learn. It is not the place to be wearing different fashions. There will be time for that outside of school and when they grow older. I do not think that school uniform shoes should be exactly the same for all pupils, though some schools do have a very strict and particular uniform policy, but they should be similar to those worn by others. Sensible, flat shoes, in a dark colour, that are well fitting and a decent quality, are the main requirements for children’s school shoes.

Another reason for children to all wear school shoes that look similar, is that it will reduce jealousy and bullying if there is anyone who has expensive shoes that may be the latest fashion, or cheaper shoes that may have been handed down from an older sibling and are therefore second hand. If everyone is dressed and wearing shoes that look vaguely similar, hopefully they will get on with their education and not be thinking about what others are wearing. There is too much emphasis on materialism these days and keeping up with the latest trends. This can prove to be very costly for many families, and it is not a good message to send to children. Children should be given the opportunity to choose which school shoes they would like, from a selection of appropriate options.

After walking around a few fashion shops you soon get a feel for what makes a parent buy what they do. It is all down to cuteness as parents want their kids to look adorable in their new clothes. If they see an outfit that makes their child look this way they’ll really ‘break the bank’ to buy it. They may feel remorse for their spending but they’ll do it time and again.

Of course not everyone thinks this way, can afford to or even has the credit facilities to be able to cover such spending on clothes for their child. The more prudent shopper will be happy if they can find clothes that are well made and fit alright.

They also realise that children grow quickly and what they buy now probably won’t fit them in 6-12 months time - possibly less. Is there really any point in buying expensive clothes when this is the case? One of the main reasons people buy designer clothes is because they last but if they don’t fit this is irrelevant so they’d be better off with a generic brand.

When it comes to childrens clothing quality wins over quantity every time. True for the same price as one good quality jumper for a child you could probably have 3 cheaper less well made but the question is how long will they last? Although children grow so fast it is important that they are comfortable in clothes which will last the wear and tear that all children will put them through.

The saying of you buy cheap, you buy twice is spot on. It may seem a lot of money to spend on one or two items of clothing when you could get the same for half price, but would you not rather spend the money on quality items and not have to fork out the same expense just a few weeks later when the cheaper clothes have fallen apart.

Quality will always win over cheaper alternatives as they last the pace and are better value for money

In terms of children’s clothes, there is so much on the market and it runs the gamut from the cheapest bargains to designer labels. Which you choose depends on more than just your salary.

I know mums who shop designer for their baby from the minute they are born, breaking the bank to keep them in the latest styles. They parade their children with labels attached although they look gorgeous, it all seems like a bit of ridiculous expense when the little angels have decided to wear their spaghetti or dig in the garden.

Good value quality clothing, and there is plenty of it about on the high street, seems to be the best option. A child in a growth spurt grows out of this at just the same speed that they grow out of designer labels and you are not left crying over the price tag or shoe horning them into it so ‘they get a bit more wear out of it’. Also, when they rip it or paint it, you can with a clear conscience (and presuming its not salvagable with a good dose of non-bio) throw it out or keep it for other play days that are likely to be messy.

There is of course the super-cheap stuff as well, stuff that you see and can’t believe the price of. But there is caution to be used here, you wouldn’t want your child to be wearing something that another child had suffered in appalling conditions to make.

Stick with good quality gear from high street or internet stores you can trust (and who aren’t afraid to publish their ethical policy). With all the money you save, you can afford to splash out on great designer stuff for all the family for special occasions.