One of the best styles of summer footwear is the sandal. There are a few tips to bear in mind when you are looking for a pair. The first thing is that they need to be secure. Children love running around, so make sure that the sandals have good strong straps to keep them in place.

Boys sandals with adjustable straps will mean that your son can be comfortable as well, and a smart pair will do for dressier occasions.Crocs might not be the prettiest of shoes, but they are certainly practical. They’ll keep the feet cool, and are especially good for playing with water. If your kids love playing with water, then crocs are perfect, as they won’t get damaged if they get damp. Flip flops can also be useful for paddling in the sea, but bear in mind that these are not so well suited for running around, as the chances of tripping over are very high! Another great summer brand of children shoes is Startrite.

The other style of shoe that is useful is the trainer or canvas shoes. These are better for less messy situations, and also more versatile, as you will get more use out of them. Canvas shoes are cheap, so no worries about them getting worn or dirty, but it’s worth spending a little more on trainers and buying a pair that allow the feet to breathe. So, you can see that just a few pairs of shoes are all your daughter’s feet need for summer!

My brother and I went to a strict co-ed private school with and even stricter dress code. Strict to the point that our teachers would measure the length of our woollen pleated skirts and send us home if they were too short. Enviously we would watch the local school girls jump off their bus in the afternoons wearing whatever they wanted to school while we felt we were stuck looking identical and ridiculous.

The first couple of years were a fashion struggle against the system for us, until one fateful day when I couldn’t find the hideous high-waisted-tapered-leg-inch-too-short girls trousers and grabbed a pair of my brothers instead and started a mini fashion revolution.

The low waist, wide leg trousers fit like a dream and were just the right length, and to my surprise, the school didn’t, and couldn’t, do anything about it. Suddenly it was clear, the way to express our fashion sense through our school uniforms wasn’t through raising our hemlines against the rules, but skirting so close to the rules and obeying the rules in a way that they couldn’t do anything to stop us.

One by one, girls started wearing the boys trousers. Next we started experimenting by donning the tie, something that was not compulsory and we had never seen anyone wear before.

Hair accessories were only allowed in our school colours, so weekends were spent in craft stores and sewing rooms creating impressive array of headbands, hair ties and clips and devouring magazines on different ways to wear our hair. We also discovered to our surprise, the uniform manual stated our tights were allowed to be black, skin tone or match the school colours, so out came the quest to find tights that fitted in with our three-shades-of-blue school uniform in every texture and pattern available without breaking the rules.

But the biggest revelation came with the school shoes. Thanks to our new found wide leg boys trousers, we were able to get away with the most amazing of school shoes, as long as they were black. Our boring black lace ups were replaced with everything from Doc Martin boots to ballet flats to Mary Jane pumps in any material from patent leather to suede. We were no longer envious of the girls who got to wear whatever they wanted to school – we felt sorry for them! My 10 year high school reunion was last year, and I still remember that time of fashion awakening like it was yesterday. If you’ve got a similar story, let us know below!

Dressing children is not easy at the best of times but it is especially difficult during the winter months because numerous layers need to be worn, especially on icy days. I believe that the most important item of clothing for a child during winter is a thermal vest, I used to wear one every icy day! These are especially important because children have a tendency to remove their coats in the playground when the sun comes and they are running about because the temperature can feel quite deceptive.  If this does happen then their chests have more protection than usual and could keep away the dreaded colds.

It is also a necessity to keep a child dry because sitting in wet clothes for long periods of time can bring about colds and other illnesses. This means that a good branded waterproof coat is needed that also has a good quality hood that can block the wind from the child’s head.

On particularly cold days it is always important for a child to wear the good old combination of a hat, scarf and gloves! It is highly important to keep a child heads nice and warm as the majority of body heat is lost through the head. A scarf is important to keep the chest extra toasty and keep cold and flu at bay. Furthermore, children’s hands are very delicate and become cold very quickly so gloves are a must, especially in the snow.

Finally, wellingtons or other kinds of boots are good for a child to wear in winter. This is mostly to ensure that the feet are kept dry because the extremities of the body can become extremely cold when wet and when your feet and socks are wet it certainly isn’t a nice feeling!

Keeping a child warm on cold winter days is of extreme importance because they are extremely susceptible to the cold. However, with only a few precautions they will be able to enjoy the snow, when it comes, and you will not have to worry.

It is very important to know the difference between snow boots and winter boots too.  Warm winter boots will merely keep little toes warmer, whereas snow boots will add more traction to the mix against slippery conditions.  Of course, you do want to keep them stylish and in fashion still! Winter shoes for children, as any other item, comes in varieties and styles to suite their personalities too.
Younger children will prefer Velcro over laces and it will be easier for you to take the shoes on and off.

You will want to ease the pain of shopping for winter shoes by making it as quick as possible. You will find that by spending a little time on the internet with your child to see what catch their eye, will already make it easier. Don’t assume that you can shop for your little one, you may just be surprised! Children have not made their minds up with what they like, and today’s favourite orange is tomorrow’s favourite red!

Discuss the types of winter boots with your child, and make it clear which ones you are NOT buying. The last thing you want is a tantrum in the shop and a frustrated sales assistant. In the end, it is important to grant your child their own choice with a clear understanding of your own expectations.
Choose a store that sells quality winter boots for children and make sure your child is properly sized. Buying online is well and good, but you must make sure you know the perfect/correct size for your child.

At the store, allow your child to try shoes on and taking it off without assistance. If she struggles, you may want to consider another choice.

Top five things to Consider:
1. Will the shoes be worn indoors or out? Many styles and variety comes pintsize variety suitable for both.
2. Does your child wear uniform to school? If so, how will the chosen winter shoes for your child fit with their school uniform?
3. Can the shoes be worn in milder climates? It would be good as you will get value for money all year round!
4. Are the winter shoes child friendly?
5. Will your child’s feet be protected against the elements by the materials used?

Any item of clothing not willingly worn by the young ones is a waste of time and money! If the shoe fits their taste and style, they will wear it.

40 years ago, in state primary schools, children could wear any shoes at all. Sandals were popular amongst girls and boys but plimsolls were still only for games lessons. Children, who walked to school in rain or snow, wore their plimsolls until home time. Now manufacturers have woken up to the idea that children wish to wear sportswear even in school and have made some shoes in sports styles but without the stripes, or name tags emblazoned over them. They look just as smart and comfortable as the ‘school shoe’.

I don’t think children work better in school because they are wearing a certain style of footwear. Schools if anything have become too authoritarian about the apparel and less interested in who is wearing it.

When I was at primary school, I had absolutely no say over the style of shoes I wore. Parental choice dictated that I had ´sensible shoes´. Children today have far too much control over what they wear, and as a consequence have become miniature dictators, demanding branded trainers from their parents.

There are very sound reasons for pupils having to wear particular styles of shoes as part of their uniform. This will mean that they have practical styles, rather than fashionable ones. Safety is, of course, an issue. Younger children spend their break times tearing around the playground, and need shoes that won´t come loose and risk an accident. Older children may have to rush from one part of the school to another, and girls wearing high heels may trip over and injure themselves.

Naturally, children develop their own tastes, but sometimes rules are necessary. Growing feet need shoes that won´t harm them, and a uniform also enables everyone to appear similar. The great advantage for parents of a uniform including shoes would be this: no arguments in the morning about which shoes to wear, and no delays!