How to shop for your first pair of formal school shoes

The date is set, their first day of school is approaching, and you have your back to school list all ready and prepped. You feel ready to go and super prepared, all that’s left is to buy their very first pair of formal school shoes – but where do you even start? This needn’t be a stressful occasion here at The Athlete’s Foot – check out our top tips to get your little one kitted out in their first pair of leather shoes ready for Back to School season.

Pay attention to uniform policies within your school

A recent study has shown that around a quarter of primary schools require children in formal school footwear with around 30% of high schools requesting the same. Does the school require brown leather or black leather? Get in touch with your school to make sure that you are following protocol to make your selection easier.

What type of fastenings do you need?

Whilst some schools might require girls to wear Mary Jane style shoes – it’s important to know what type of shoe fastening works for your child. If they haven’t quite got there with tying their own laces yet – a self fastening option like the Skobi Howard Junior might be a perfect option.





If they are confident at tying their shoelaces we have a range of lace-up formal shoes to explore.

SHOP LACE UP

Know your kids’ shoe size!

This is probably the most important element in getting them kitted out with their very first pair of formal shoes. Brands often have different default sizing options whether it’s US, EU or UK sizing – it’s all dependent on the brand – luckily our website can toggle through each so you don’t need to know their size across all regions of the world.

However, we also know their feet can grow incredibly fast, so whilst there are methods for measuring at home, it’s not always guaranteed that you’ll find the right size. If you’re not confident at doing self-measuring we recommend booking an appointment with our Instore fit team to get the new shoes fitted properly. This also means that you’ll be able to have the appropriate size and width ready for their first day.

The closer you get to the start of school, the quicker these appointments get booked up, so we recommend booking well in advance to avoid disappointment.

BOOK AN APPOINTMENT

Involve your little one in the buying decision

After all, they have to wear these shoes every day – why not make sure they can help pick out preferred styles.

Check out our favourite brands

With a multitude of formal shoe brands to choose from – it might feel like there’s endless choice – we have a range that includes styles exclusive to The Athlete’s Foot like Alpha, or well known classics like Clarks and Skobi. Explore our website for inspiration or pop to your nearest store to learn more about school footwear from our dedicated instore team.

Care and Upkeep of your new school shoes

Once you have made your purchase, don’t forget to ensure you have a stash of shoe care ready to go – we know they won’t look day clean for too long. We have a range of shoe polish and sponges as well as odour eliminators to keep them day one fresh for as long as possible.

So there you have it, we wish you the best of luck with your first back to school season! From size fittings to unform policies and more – we hope your kid enjoys their very first pair.