Although prices and choice are better online we often edge away from making a purchase due to our concerns when it comes to sizing. Although we know the size of our child’s feet it is often the case that variations in manufacturer sizings exist which means even though we may know the correct size there is no guarantee that the shoes will fit when they arrive.

One children’s school shoe manufacturer that is leading the way in this respect is well known footwear specialist, Start-rite. Startriteshoes.com is their online portal for selling their fabulous range of children’s shoes. Intelligently Start-rite has tackled the issue of child foot measuring head on. The site has its own foot measure and fitting section which provides brilliant parenting advice to get around the problems of measuring online. As well as this technical information is provided detailing the best ways to ensure fitting and foot maintenance has been properly considered.

Video is also another technique that Start-rite have pushed in order to increase the customer learning regarding the tools they provide to assist in the foot measuring process. Videos like the one below really help customers understand tools such as click’n’fit as well Start-rite’s various measuring gauges and chart print outs.

There are many types of infant shoes:

Crib Shoes
Crib shoes are designed with soft soles to be worn through the infant years – available in sizes from newborn to six and nine months of age. Crib shoes are soft soles which can be easily put on the child and will not come off when the child kicks the shoes off of their feet. They can protect the child from scratching themselves with their toenails. There are often handy tabs on the back of the crib shoes to allow the parent to remove the shoes and put them on easy.

Toddler Shoes
Toddler shoes are created with more of a stiff sole to enable the child to begin walking and have support while they are walking. The stiff sole is an essential part of being able to learn to walk as it may cause difficulty walking in shoes that are similar to crib shoes that have a soft sole.

Shoes range in price from $4.00 to $26.00 for elite brands of crib and infant shoes – depending on the type of shoes that you choose and the material in which the shoes are created from, this will largely determine the price.

Here are some points that you need to consider when it comes to quality children’s fashion pieces:

Check out the clothing’s style. Do try to veer away from styles that are too funky for your taste because chances are these will be out of style in just a couple of months. However, if your children find a certain style cute but you find it “too trendy”, at least make a compromise and not totally deprive your child. Tell him or her that you will get that outfit but in a more budget-friendly store. Reserve the “high-end shopping” for more classic styles instead.

Make sure of the quality of the items. This is very important especially if your kids tend to be quite sensitive to certain materials – especially fabrics. Even if the item’s “cheap” you still shouldn’t settle for materials that would cause a bad effect on your child. In this case, it is still best to invest in more quality items instead.

Whilst it may seem expensive, at least when buying an expensive item for yourself as an adult you know that the item will last. Even if it drops out of fashion you will still be able to wear it on occasion. Unless of course it drops into the realm of embarrassment that’s is. I mean, who would be seen dead in a Von Dutch cap these days? At one time they seemed all the rage but now they are hidden at the back of the wardrobe. When buying an expensive item for a child, there is only a limited time before the child grows out of it. This is fine however if the child has a younger sibling to hand it down to.

So, if you are on a tight budget, it doesn’t mean that your child has to lack in the fashion stakes, just shop smarter.