Is it worth paying more for Name Brand shoes for kids?

[mom2jrcsc]

Do the expensive name brand shoes really last longer than cheaper ones like Target or Walmart, especially if they're dress shoes that only get worn once a week? My husband wants the kids to have "nice", but I'm having trouble justifying putting a lot of money into good shoes that will be outgrown in less than a year. Do they really need real leather? What has been your experience with cheap vs expensive shoes?

[Mom2legomaniacs]

It really depends on a couple things from what I have seen and heard. Some people are just harder on shoes than others. And some shoes that are less expensive do hold up really well. Here's what we have gotten that have worked well for us:

 

Stride Rite: without a doubt, holds up really well. I buy previous year's "model" on sale. I have a ds with a wide foot. These shoes are well-made for sure.

 

Wal-Mart: Mine have gotten some of the Faded Glory brand and those have held up well. I got some decent looking penny loafers once and the rest were hiking boots. They all did fine.

 

Target: When they were younger, we got some Cherokees and they did fine.

 

I think it might just a particular type and/or how the kid actually is with shoes (hard on them or not).

 

For some things, I try to get something that will hold up well without being too expensive or cheaply made. Sometimes I pay more than other times.

[Carol in Cal.]

Not worth it for that.

 

However, my DD was a little delayed and had balance problems and such. So I did spring for some super flexible, pretty expensive European shoes when she was learning how to walk. I noticed that when she wore flexible shoes she could walk, and when she didn't, she couldn't. It was that stark.

 

But I did find those pricey shoes at Ross, for $17.99 instead of $50. And, no, they didn't last well at all. Even though DD was far from a 'gogettumgirl', those shoes looked scruffy in no time. But she needed them.

[LG Gone Wild]

Do the expensive name brand shoes really last longer than cheaper ones like Target or Walmart, especially if they're dress shoes that only get worn once a week? My husband wants the kids to have "nice", but I'm having trouble justifying putting a lot of money into good shoes that will be outgrown in less than a year. Do they really need real leather? What has been your experience with cheap vs expensive shoes?

 

 

We rarely buy shoes that have man-made uppers. I guess I do pay alot for shoes, around $30. I don't go for brand names just because. Pleather makes their feet stink and prone to weird foot problems.

[Frankie]

In my experience, the more expensive shoes last longer.

 

We bought my 12-year-old son a pair of tennis shoes from Wal-mart and they were trashed in two months. Back to waiting for sales for quality shoes from now on.

[waxwing]

We've had very good luck with Target shoes for our 6yo daughter. They have a very good selection, VERY good prices, and we've never once had a pair wear out before they were outgrown. In fact, she has worn pairs of $6 sneakers every day for a full spring-summer-fall, and then we've passed them along in decent condition to another kid.

 

If you're talking about dress shoes, as you say, how often do they get worn? And is anyone really going to inspect them to see if they're real leather? Many a pair of fake patent leather Mary Janes has passed our doorstep. ;)

 

Now, J. doesn't have problem feet, and she isn't terrifically hard on shoes, but even accounting for that, I think they're very decent.

 

-Anne

[ELaurie]

every day (of course, my dc are home schooled, so their shoes always look new :D), usually last season's Stride Rights on sale (I always feel like I don't know what size to buy, so I like o get a second opinion for that - wide or regular, a 1/2 size bigger, do these shoes run narrow?, etc.)

 

I only buy them dress shoes if we have a specific event (like a wedding) to attend. Otherwise, I try to pick casual athletic shoes that are versatile enough for almost any occasion.

[Mom2legomaniacs]

In my experience, the more expensive shoes last longer.

 

We bought my 12-year-old son a pair of tennis shoes from Wal-mart and they were trashed in two months. Back to waiting for sales for quality shoes from now on.

 

I do agree with this. I will further clarify. For tennis shoes, I tend to get a little more expensive nicer makes. Mostly, they have worn Stride Rite for those. Hiking shoes, I have gotten, in the past, less expensive Wal-Mart Faded GLory. It was mostly for tromping in the woods, not serious hiking. Now that they are getting older and hiking longer, I have gotten them better ones -- Timberlands.

 

For dress shoes, I got some Lands End loafers recently. They do last really well. When younger, I did get some less expensive dress shoes that were fine.

[klmama]

We've bought leather a few times when we couldn't find cheap ones, and they are definitely nicer looking and more durable. A fall on the pavement doesn't gouge a huge hole in the surface, for example, like it does with vinyl. They polish up nicely.

 

However, unless I have no options, paying $40-50 for a pair of dress shoes for a child is too much. Even a full year in them is unlikely. I've actually had pretty good finds at Goodwill, though. Let someone else pay full price for the Buster Browns or the Stride Rites, and I'll pick them up for $5 at Goodwill!

[lynn]

Right now I like plain white mary jane keds for my dd. You can not find anything cheap in comparison they all have barbie or some other color/character on them and the cheap plain white ones just don't exist in this style. Her foot has become "thick" so I got some stride rites fitted for her and because it was display I paid less than $30. I've been able to buy stride rite maryjanes off ebay for under $20 most cases brand new people just don't let their kids wear them when they pay $40+ for them, my dd wears hers all the time. We do get Target pink and brown shoes that she wears with certain outfits and she loves her hot pink crocs. My oldest son likes Sperry's and they do last and last. I wait for sales for under $50 because 1 pair last through rain or shine and for about a year. My middle son just has plain ol big feet so we go for comfort for his even if it's more than our $50 limit. My middle son is happy in target crocs and I find Van sneakers for him at kohls for usuallty $30.

[Pam "SFSOM" in TN]

Worth it, yes, but I almost never buy good shoes for full price. Yard sales, ebay, clearance, etc.

[Unicorn.]

I think it is more important that they never have used shoes. Their feet should form to their shoes, not to someone else's. They outgrow them so quick, I don't think you need to spend a fortune.

 

Actually, when mine were younger, and could still wear kid's sizes, the best shoes were the ones from Payless- the Fit-Right (or whatever their brand in the yellow box is) They were the only ones that were consistent w/ sizes!

 

And no, they don't need leather. Adults need leather! :D

[Suzanne in ABQ]

I used to buy Stride Rites for my older kids because I got them all half price. The local dealer had gone out of business, and slowly sold his entire stock through a local second-hand store. I was able to buy their shoes that way for about three years. I only paid full price for one pair of boots, but all three of my kids used those boots! I was glad to be able to get Stride Rites because my oldest dd had toe-in problems, and the good shoes helped a lot.

 

Now, though, with my two year old, I buy most of her shoes at PayLess. They're a lot better than they used to be when my older kids were little. She outgrows them before they wear out. They're well made, and durable. The only Stride Rites she's had were the boots she inherited from her older siblings. :)

 

I agree with the other posters who said that there's no need to spend a fortune on dress shoes. They hardly ever wear them, and spend most of their church time sitting down. :)

[newsong]

I guess I'm in there with the majority of the posters. Most of our dc's shoes come from Target, Payless, Walmart, ebay and the like. We've also found new or nearly new shoes at thrift stores and yard sales and we've had friends give us new name brand hand-me-down shoes that didn't work for them.

 

I found for my sons it really helps to have two pair of daily wear shoes (maybe trekkers and athletic shoes) and, if possible, casual dress shoes. That way the wear and tear is spread around and they last longer - hopefully until they've outgrown them. My daughters usually have more pairs anyway but they are also less hard on their shoes. I love summer because all the dc mostly wear sandals or flip-flops or go barefoot.

 

I do try to buy Stride Rite's for our special needs little guy who is flat footed. The SR's have the arch support he needs. I have found really good deals on ebay, usually paying one third of the retail cost for new shoes. Good stuff!

 

My oldest dd is also harder to buy for because she has a wide foot. We have to shop around for what works. Sometimes ebay has been helpful for her. It's a bummer because my foot is a medium and she's passed me up in both size and width so we can't share shoes.

 

I can't imagine paying for really expensive shoes while the dc's feet are still growing so rapidly. Even when their feet stop growing we'll still be looking for the deals! That's what we do for our feet, too! :)

[6packofun]

I wait until our kids are older and then start buying more name brand shoes. Ds works hard and wears out his shoes, so I get him New Balance now and they just last longer and fit better. Of course, a few of our kids have goofy feet like their father and so I find good deals on name brand shoes that will fit them well. But when they're little, Payless works for me. :)

[Brigitte]

every day (of course, my dc are home schooled, so their shoes always look new :D), usually last season's Stride Rights on sale (I always feel like I don't know what size to buy, so I like o get a second opinion for that - wide or regular, a 1/2 size bigger, do these shoes run narrow?, etc.)

 

I only buy them dress shoes if we have a specific event (like a wedding) to attend. Otherwise, I try to pick casual athletic shoes that are versatile enough for almost any occasion.

 

That's what I do, too. Stride Rite has a "Buy one pair, get a second pair for half price" sale twice a year. That's when I buy. I don't trust myself enough to get the right fit.

[praisefor3]

My oldest dd (now 17) had a fractured leg when she was 2. The orthopedic surgeon told us to always make sure we bought her "good" shoes. As first time parents with a 2 year old in a cast (she opened all the drawers of a cheap dresser that fell on her), we took that to heart and have always bought tennis shoes that were all leather with lots of support, which generally did mean name brand. At that time you never found leather tennis shoes at Walmart and I only occasionally do now. However, I quickly learned that for church shoes, both Target and Walmart had suitable versions and my youngest (3) is now wearing some of those church shoes that were packed away looking nice 13 years ago! I'm not really in to used shoes with one exception. We have found incredible deals on sports shoes at Play it Again Sports. Some have even been new but closeout buys they had. Parents can really get taken in on spending $60-100 for baseball or soccer shoes (I would have been one of those) so I am so glad we discovered that store! He is currently in his second baseball season (still one calendar year) with some geat shoes we got for $8!

[Tracey in TX]

Athletic shoes are worth the extra money, IMO. We pay more for boys' soccer cleats than DH's dress shoes...but they're used many times/wk and expected (hopefully) to be passed down to next sibling. I won't pay extra money for dress shoes, play shoes, or every day sneakers--just workout shoes.

[CookieMonster]

They simply grow out of them too fast to bother with buying more expensive right now. In fact, I've seen expensive tennies (purchased by Grandma) get trashed just as quickly as the $10 discount store ones.

 

I never pay more than $15 for a pair of shoes for my children. I prefer to pay $10 or less. There are really cute shoes for kids, dress shoes and all, in this price range. My kids have had light up shoes, Elmo shoes, Thomas shoes, and even Airwalks - all from Wal*Mart, Target, or Payless.

 

Now, when their feet slow down, like mine finally did in 9th grade, higher quality shoes make sense. I had one pair of Nikes that lasted me three years in high school. No shoes I had previously lasted me more than a year, because I always grew out of them. (Stupid, stinkin' hole in the top of the toe! :glare:)

 

My Nikes would have lasted longer if I hadn't started wearing them to softball practice. That red clay really trashed them. It didn't occur to me to buy a separate pair of shoes for sports until after that.

[elegantlion]

My ds runs around in sandals most of the year, but we do try to find decent shoes. Any tennis shoes must have support. We've been blessed as my mom picks up shoes on clearance from Kohls, even if they're too big. Kohls used to have good clearance that would be a place to check as well.

 

I do try to find real leather if possible, but I'm not paying extra for a swoosh or anything like that. :001_huh: (OMG, did I just write that! Now I have become my mother.)

[Elisabeth in IL]

Shoes, except for dress shoes, are the one piece of clothing that I don't expect or want to pass down to the next boy. Because of that, I purchase shoes at Walmart mostly but sometimes nicer ones on clearance at Kohl's which I get even cheaper as an employee. I usually get one shoe season spring/summer or fall/winter out of each pair of tennis shoes.

[Josie]

I almost always get brand name for tennis shoes as they tend to last longer. If my dc like a non-brand for Sunday shoes I usually let them get them as they aren't used as much. Land's End dress shoes last for a long time. We usually get Reeboks for tennis shoes.

[Heather in Neverland]

I tend to buy the inexpensive Target version for dress shoes since they only wear them once in a while. But for everyday shoes, especially tennis shoes, I buy the better quality shoes. My mom always said to buy good shoes and a good mattress!

[TraceyS/FL]

Dress shoes - we try every place "cheaper" first. Sometimes it works, most of the time not.

 

My kids all have Narrow feet. They SWIM in tennis shoes from Payless/WM/Target. I keep trying.... they all normally have ONE point in their life that they can wear them. Then they go to the next size and it's over.

 

My middle DD has growth issues (she doesn't grow) and she just now went up a size in her shoes after almost 2 years! That child wore out her shoes :D

 

The oldest is now in a womans shoe - she needs a 4A width. Nordstom's here i come. Luckily, she hates wearing shoes and lives in flip-flops all year long. DD3 hates wearing shoes too - but relented to some Keens for summer.

 

But "cheap" shoes are not made for kids with narrow feet..... oh and DH has a wide foot - could they have gotten their fathers feet???? NOOOO....

[gandpsmommy]

We don't necessarily buy expensive name brands, but shoes that look well-made and comfortable. The only time we get used shoes for the kids is if they haven't been worn very much by the previous owners, because shoes do conform to feet, and not everyone's foot is the same size, shape, etc. For example, a friend had purchased a couple pairs of Stride-Rite shoes for her girls when they were toddlers that were really boy shoes (white tennis shoes with blue and yellow accents, Navy blue leather boots). She did this because *she* didn't like all the pink, girly shoes. It worked when they were babies and young toddlers, but when they got to be a certain age, they wanted the pink princess shoes. So, these particular shoes only were worn once or twice before they were rejected for more girly options. She passed them on to my son.

 

We usually go to a shoe store or a department store to purchase shoes, not a big-box discount store, but occasionally dc do find shoes they really like at Target. As long as they look well-constructed, fit well, and are comfortable, that's fine with me! Otherwise we try to find good deals at shoe stores.

 

We don't buy too many dress shoes anymore, though. Dd did get a dressier pair of sandals and some of those ballet slipper-type shoes this year, but ds just wears his tennis shoes or flip-flops to church.

[cin]

OUr girls have narrow feet, AND they are slow growers. So, I buy more expensive shoes. I've tried dress shoes from Target, but the position of the strap makes it impossible for it to stay on her feet, so I bought stride rite and I didn't have to buy the narrow--the buckle is closer to the actual ankle, so they fit tighter. I do pass shoes down because our first born is such a priss, she outgrows them, and some of them look barely worn. The second one is a different story.

 

I will say that I buy most of their shoes on ebay or amazon, and I usually just buy a full size up from what they are wearing.

[Jenny in Florida]

They are intended, I think, for nurses and people who work on their feet all day. They are pretty boring looking, pretty much like an all-black athletic shoe, but they are the most comfortable shoes I've worn in a very long time.

 

I've been wearing the same style for a few years, now, and my daughter and son have discovered them in the last year or two.

 

They run right around $20 per pair, and we stock up when Payless runs their Buy One, Get One Half Off promotions. That way, each of us always has a pair in reserve. They seem to last a nice, long time. And, because they are solid black and pretty non-descript to begin with, they take wear well.

 

We also do Payless for dress shoes, because, honestly, how often does a child actually wear out a pair of those?

[Scarlett]

Do the expensive name brand shoes really last longer than cheaper ones like Target or Walmart, especially if they're dress shoes that only get worn once a week? My husband wants the kids to have "nice", but I'm having trouble justifying putting a lot of money into good shoes that will be outgrown in less than a year. Do they really need real leather? What has been your experience with cheap vs expensive shoes?

 

Expensive shoes are required. Please refer to your homeschool manual.

[JFSinIL]

I would go with what is cheapest...simple because my kids tend to outgrow the shoes before they wear them out!!!!

[Doran]

I see the value in better made shoes. They do last longer -- often longer than the size of my kids' feet :001_smile: However, I'm simply unable, or possibly unwilling, to invest $40-$50 in a pair of shoes that my child will outgrow in a season. Just. can't. do. it.

 

This is starting to not apply to my 13 year old whose feet seem to have stabilized in their growth.

 

I have found some amazing "like new" brand name shoes at places like consignment and Goodwill which have been wonderful for the girls. So, we have had the benefit of having well made shoes here and there, when I can find them at a reasonable price.

 

It seems that my kids either wear them out or grow out of them by the end of the season no matter how much I spend on them.

[HollyDay]

I usually dont have a choice. 1 dd wears orthodics and her doc insists on Acsics or Brooks shoes ($55). THe other dd has EE width.

[Krista in LA]

It's amazing how cheap they get when they are down to 75% off and often with another 10-30% off on top of that. My ds is very picky about his shoes so we try to get him Merrills. I am not going to pay $40 or more for them though, so we just wait for the clearance and stock up in several sizes.

[DollyM]

Sigh. DD is a dancer. Her pointe shoes are $70/each and she needs new ones REGULARLY (some last mere weeks). DD is a fencer - he needs special shoes there, too. There are so many tugs on the pocket book that we had to prioritize or sink.

 

When they were toddlers we started buying their shoes at Walmart and continued that until either the styles were unacceptable, or the sizing wasn't right. Then we moved over to "Kohl's" quality. We had to purchase Stride-Rite ONCE (dressy shoes for DD) when nothing else was for sale and we needed a pair. It didn't hurt the kids' feet or feelings to wear Walmart shoes when they were little. Or when they were pre-teen and on into teens, really.

 

If you have the money to spend on Stride-Rite quality and feel good about it - then go ahead. If your budget is tight, slide those little doggies into Walmart sneakers and sleep soundly.

 

That's in MY version of the Homeschool Manual. I'm still cracking up at Scarlet - she has a different edition than me I think :lol:

[TraceyS/FL]

If you have the money to spend on Stride-Rite quality and feel good about it - then go ahead. If your budget is tight, slide those little doggies into Walmart sneakers and sleep soundly.

 

That's in MY version of the Homeschool Manual. I'm still cracking up at Scarlet - she has a different edition than me I think :lol:

 

WAIT, is it in the manual to duct tape them to their feet so they stay on???

 

Because, you can get some pretty colors now and that might work... leaving more money for me to get some new Keen's :D

[Doran]

WAIT, is it in the manual to duct tape them to their feet so they stay on???

 

Because, you can get some pretty colors now and that might work... leaving more money for me to get some new Keen's :D

 

 

LOL!! Who needs shoes at all if you've got colorful duct tape? :rofl:

[FlockOfSillies]

every day (of course, my dc are home schooled, so their shoes always look new :D)

 

:smilielol5:Do you wear them to the Dr.'s office too? I bet the other patients are so jealous!

[FlockOfSillies]

It really depends on a couple things from what I have seen and heard. Some people are just harder on shoes than others. And some shoes that are less expensive do hold up really well.

 

I think there's a lot of trial and error involved. My ds is hard on shoes. My folks bought him a Walmart pair and they were thrashed to pieces in about two months. The Flea's shoes, bought at the same time, are still in use.

 

Shoe shopping is a chore for us, so I try to do it as infrequently as possible. I try to hit sales and get decent quality when I can, but some stores don't carry much in 1/2 sizes, and some brands just don't fit my dc's feet well. :tongue_smilie:

[tmkclscroggins]

In our experience, we've found that expensive shoes ( for ex. Stride Rite) do last much longer than Payless or Walmart shoes. When my kids were babies and toddlers, we got shoes from Stride Rite because of the fit. One of my kids needed an extra wide shoe.

 

Now that they are older, they mostly wear athletic shoes.

 

I would say that for a once a week church, cheaper shoes would probably be ok. Maybe you could shop at a Dillards or Stride Rite and find some on sale. That way you could get the best of both worlds.

 

hth,

Melissa

[nmoira]

I don't have much of a choice: my oldest has XW feet and my younger W. Good thing we live where they can wear rainboots all winter.

[mom2jrcsc]

My kids all have Narrow feet.

 

The oldest is now in a womans shoe - she needs a 4A width. Nordstom's here i come.

 

But "cheap" shoes are not made for kids with narrow feet.....

 

I feel your pain. I have a very narrow foot (4A) and so does my dd. Stores never have anything smaller than narrow (I need super-slim). I've resorted to ordering online from Zappos.com or shoebuy.com.

[fivetails]

I mostly buy their shoes at Payless, Walmart, or Zellers... not that there's much other choice in my town. ;)

 

Well, there *is* a sports store that sells sneakers (and other footwear, along with sporting equipment) but they're REALLY expensive and we only shop there for clearance sales. The kids have never had a problem with shoes from P,W,Z and they last about as long as I would expect.....

 

dd11 *does* have a pair of those Heely's (she's on her second pair), and I guess that would be considered a 'name brand' - but the first pair (outgrown) was a Christmas gift from a friend's mother and the second pair was bought used from someone. :)

[mom2jrcsc]

Well, last night I picked up some cheap Walmart crocs knockoffs for my 6 yo dd for $5. She put them on this morning and they lasted 10 minutes. The button holding the strap on broke in two. Do Target crocs hold up any better? But they have the strap bolted down. Has anyone ever broken the button holding the strap to be able to use the strap? Or should I just spring for REAL crocs?

[Sandy in Indy]

I have to purchase more expensive shoes for my boys and myself. We, unfortunately, have an inheirited blistering disorder....if we walk very much, feet get too hot or wear cheap shoes, voila!, blisters--lots and lots of blisters. (My record is 30...at the same time.) It's worth the $$ to try to avoid the problem.

[fivetails]

Well, last night I picked up some cheap Walmart crocs knockoffs for my 6 yo dd for $5. She put them on this morning and they lasted 10 minutes. The button holding the strap on broke in two. Do Target crocs hold up any better? But they have the strap bolted down. Has anyone ever broken the button holding the strap to be able to use the strap? Or should I just spring for REAL crocs?

 

Okay, with crocs - I do buy the 'real thing' :) ...but it's only me wearing them, not the kids (they're not interested so far) ....I've tried on some knockoff versions and they felt AWFUL....they were harder - more like...plastic-y, not soft and comfy, y'know? ......Those ones that broke on you - if that was here, I'd be taking them right back to Walmart for a replacement or refund..but our Walmart is really good about returns like that, don't know how yours is...(Target, we don't have)

[Scarlett]

Well, last night I picked up some cheap Walmart crocs knockoffs for my 6 yo dd for $5. She put them on this morning and they lasted 10 minutes. The button holding the strap on broke in two. Do Target crocs hold up any better? But they have the strap bolted down. Has anyone ever broken the button holding the strap to be able to use the strap? Or should I just spring for REAL crocs?

 

 

I bought ds a pair of real crocs when he was 6 and he still wears them to play in. They are nearly too small and scuffed up, but have really held together well. So he wore them 2 summers....which in AR is basically from April until October. The fact that that pair last so long prompted me to buy him a new pair of real crocs.

 

I have a pair of knock offs that the shoe repair man gave me for free (because I was too cheap to pay $8 for them) and I LOVE them. They are orange and ugly as all get out, but so comfortable. I guess all knock offs are not created equal though because I've seen some that feel like styrofoam.

[Amy loves Bud]

I buy cheap shoes from Target for "dress". This typically means they get worn once per week to church, and maybe an occasional dressy occasion. They outgrow them way before they wear out.

 

For sneakers I spend more on a brand that will last, because they get worn daily. I like Famous Footwear for name brand shoes at a lower price.

[OnTheBrink]

For my son, cheap dress shoes were fine, but I bought leather, name brand sneakers. He wore out the cheapies at the rate of about a pair every 6 weeks. I found that paying $50 for shoes every year(in the early 90's) was more cost-efficient than $15 every 6 weeks. I did shop sales and since he didn't care about what shoes he wore, got some good deals on Reebok, LA Gear, Nike, etc when Kohls clearanced them out.

[oceandaughter]

I do buy brand name shoes. I have one child who wears orthodics (and will tear through cheaper shoes anyway) and another who has wider feet. My kids don't seem to go through shoes very quickly though. We buy one pair of sandals for my child without the orthodics and one pair of tennis shoes a year. For the child with orthodics, he averages two pair of tennis shoes a year. We don't really worry about any reason for fancy shoes. Should the occasion come up where we have to wear nicer shoes, like say the child is going to be in a wedding, I just buy a cheap pair and use them once.

 

I don't put babies in anything but soft moccasins, similar to Robeez, I'm not picky about brand names there. When they start walking, I still get the softest shoes I can find. Striderite has a nice line of what they call "pre walkers". I have read and my son's physical therapist agrees with me, that hard shoes are not good for a small child's feet (barring any sort of foot problem).

 

It never fails that I get some kind of snide comment from a relative "She/He would be walking if you put shoes on them." I usually reply back with something along the lines of "Don't you think God knew what he was doing when he made baby feet?"

[LadyR]

My husband always tells me he doesn't mind spending money on good shoes for the kids. When dd was little, I didn't mind buying cheap shoes for dressing up on holidays when I knew she would only wear them a few times. Other than that I always bought leather (or her feet would sweat and get stinky). As she got older I needed to have her fitted for each pair of shoes. She is very wide across the metatarsal area, has a high instep, and has toes that go straight across. Very difficult to fit. Not many stores around here carry wide widths. My son has the same feet. I have no choice but to buy the expensive shoes for him like Stride Rite or New Balance. Also, they both pronate a bit so it's really important for them to have good support in the arch.

 

Speaking about expensive shoes...pointe shoes are soooo expensive. $85 per pair, and they last dd about three weeks!!