to be cross with both myself and the local shoe shop?

[MarmadukeScarlet]

DD has impossible feet.

She has worn the same Startrite style for the last few yrs (at least 3 maybe more) as it is the only one we can find to accomodate her freakishlyenormously deep instep. All other styles we have tried cut into the top of her foot.

It got discontinued 18mths ago so I bought all sizes in her width up to 1.5 where it stops.

The size 1 when she finished with them looked like they had been dragged behind a car - really long lasting as her feet grew slowly.

Size 1.5s the d ring for the strap broke within 6 weeks.

She needed black shoes for ESB the next day so went after school to buy something else, tried on everypair in the shop (I kid you not) nothing would fit her shape. I replaced her d ring with thick green garden wire, wrapped in button thread, coloured with black marker and superglued to seal it. This remained intact for 2 weeks before Easter.

Shoe shop called to say had spoken to Startrite and they were going to see if it was repairable - would take 3 weeks. So took into shop and waited...and waited...

DD been back at school for 1.5 weeks, still no shoes (v strict school had to write to head to allow non uniform shoes) before she went back tried 3 other shops for suitable shoe no joy.

Yesterday shop called to say, Startrite will give you a credit/free shoes as admit that shoe was faulty. Me, 'well that is no good due to no shoe futting DD's foot, can I just get my shoes back?" (and keep repairing them if it doesn't hold)

Today call from shop, "no shoes have been destroyed. Come in and we'll give you a pair." (what of the dozen she tried on that weren't suitable??)

Feckity, feckit, feck.

Wouldn't have sent them back if I'd realised this would happen.

WTH am I supposed to do now?

[lilacclaire]

Can she get a pair that aren't necesserily allowed by the school? You could write/speak to them and explain.

[lou222]

don't be cross with yourself, you did nothing wrong but def with the company. They had no right to destroy something that didn't belong to them and i would want more than a free pair of shoes as compensation

[MarmadukeScarlet]

She only really manages birkenstocks (open toes not allowed H&S) trainers (def not allowed) boots (not allowed and it is summer) or this particular shoe. (A mikado in 1.5 G in case anyone has an outgrown pair)

School are boing 'understanding' at the moment, but I do not know how long for.

[MadameCastafiore]

Have you tried kickers the t bar ones - DD has long, thin feet with a high arch and they suit her fine.

Have actually sent granparents to their local shop as they are so hard to get hold of with instructions to buy the next 2 sizes up! They succeeded too so thats her sorted till she goes to high school.

[lilacclaire]

Maybe black smart trainers then? Or a lace up style (have no idea if they do these for girls)
Tell the school you are not going to damage your daughters feet.
You have my sympathy, I have had size 8 feet since the age of 12!

[thisisyesterday]

what shoe shops have you tried?
russell and bromley always have quite a good range of brands to try.
have you tried clarks? they do tend to come up deeper than start-rite

[lilacclaire]

Ebay?

[CompareTheMeerkat]

I realise this is the wrong width fitting, but found these on ebay

[MuffinBaker]

My shop is fab. Do you want me to look on the website?

[cupofteaplease]

How aboutthese?

[cupofteaplease]

Meerkat- you beat me to it! Think it's because it took me an age to work out how to link!

[MuffinBaker]

checked site and doesn't seem to stock mikado in 1.5 G.

Is mikado the brand or the style?

[MadameCastafiore]

I hope this helps.

[MadameCastafiore]

or this

[Metatron]

Lace ups no? Might be worth a try.

[MarmadukeScarlet]

Thanks all (sorry doing the Brownie pick up)

It was a Startrite in style called Mikado - thanks for the link had they been a G I'd have bought them!

Lace ups would probably fit but DD is dyspraxic and struggles with laces, she is slow enough to get changed after games (pe 4x a week, swim 1 x at her school) and they have to change into play trainers for every break and back again into school shoes for lessons - so lace ups just not kind to poor DD!

Often with velcro strap shoes the front does not dig in but the strap doesn't reach over far enough.

I have been to R&B, Clarks and local independents The Golden Boot, Stampede, Hoads and Barsleys - the shop they came from who are now holding the, quite frankly, useless credit.

DD has now tried all but 1 pair of Startrite T bars, which are being ordered in for her - but they stop at 1.5 anyway.

[MarmadukeScarlet]

OOHH MC

[thisisyesterday]

marmaduke, it might be worth a real concerted effort with the laces! I think def as they get older there tend to be less and less options of shoes and lace-ups would solve the high instep thing.
my brother is dyspraxic, so I do realise that it's difficult for her, but perhaps lots of practice might help~? otherwise how about those springy laces you can get?

[silverfrog]

oh god, i sympathise.

dd1 has a freakish instep too, and has been wearing the same style of she since she started walking (Startrite Eliza - a closed sandal - any good to you?)

this is a bit anal, but have you checked the list of T-bars against the stock held by the shops? I found R&B in town, in particular, were hopeless at stocking t bars anyway...

I know exactly how you feel - I have had a looming ense of doom over dd1's style being withdrawn - each new pair she has she alwys ends up with a hideous colour that no-one else wanted - alwyas the last pair in the shop . I dread her starting school (with uniform) and having to find a particular colour!

[MarmadukeScarlet]

Hi silverfrog, I looked at the eliza - only seems to go to a 13.5. One of the pairs I got for DD were the wrong colour for school, I dyed them black!

I'll call the Golden Boot tomorrow (Maidstone) and see what they've got. They will put a near fitting shoe on a special stretcher thing to make it fit - as they used to for her before we found the mikado.

TIY, you are right she should learn to get quicker/better at it. I would make her a) if it wasn't so many times per day and b) yet another thing she feels she has failed at like riding a bike, hitting a ball etc that all her peers can do no apparent effort

[MuffinBaker]

TGB don't have any on their online shop.

[silverfrog]

on the startrie website it says the Eliza goes up to a 3 (assuming l is for large (ie adult) sizes - dd1 has freakishly big feet too, but is still "only" a 10.5!)

the Eliza only goes up to an F fitting, but it is a wide shoe (as is Gumdrop - dd1 has had that, thinking about it, but I thinkk thatis only small sizes as it only comes in hideous --colours))

[MarmadukeScarlet]

Thanks for looking muffin.

SF, I'll have a better look when the DC are settled (ha, ha) I'm not sure about the F, she sure has some freaky wide old plates o' meat!

(oh dear god they are like fat flippers, she is so flat footed - absolutely no heel strike - thank god DH didn't insist we called her Grace like he wanted - it would be the unltimate in cruelty)

[silverfrog]

dd1 measures an F, but her shoes are really wide on her - obviously has a totally freakish foot

she has really shallow long toes, and then a stupidly high instep, and no heel to mention (which will cause her no end of trouble with achilles tendon rubbing - just like it did for me!) which means that the only shoes which actually fit her look too big

I reckon def worth a look but be warned - stylish it is not!)

[silverfrog]

oh, and we did saddle poor dd1 with Grace - thankfully only a middle name - otherwise I'd feel desperately sorry for the clumsy little mite