School Shoes from Start-Rite – Review

Last Updated on 21 December 2024 by Colette

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Next week my littlest lady will start school.  For five mornings a week she will don her school uniform and potter off to school with her siblings before I pick her up again at lunchtime.  The first step on a long road through formal schooling.

Buying her first school uniform, and with that her first school shoes, is of course something of a rite of passage.  Having an older sister means that not all of Amy’s school uniform will be new (and thankfully she’s at an age where she couldn’t care two hoots about that!)  Her cardigans, skirts and dresses are mostly hand-me-downs, though I’ve bought her new polo shirts as Chloe’s are in no fit state to save by the end of a school year (whiteboard markers and school shirts are not the best of friends let me tell you!).  The one thing she will always have new though is her school shoes.

This will be Chloe’s fourth year of school shoes and having tried out several styles over that time the one thing I always go back to is patent.  They just seem to look smart just that bit longer.  Although Chloe could most certainly be described as a “girlie girl” – she can often be caught trying to climb walls on the way to school and she’s certainly had her fair share of trips and falls.  As such I want shoes which are sturdy, supportive and fit for purpose.  I’m not interested in the pretty little details (though she might be!) or even the name of the shoes.  I want shoes that fit well, which are easy for my girls to fasten and which will last them until they have grown out of them.  (There is nothing more frustrating than having to buy a new pair of shoes in the same size as the last ones!)

This year both girls have got new school shoes from Start-Rite.   My one stipulation for their school shoes this year was that, where possible, they were patent.  Amy has the Princess Elza (£47.99) in a 9F and Chloe has the Lizzy (42.99) in a 13F.

Start-Rite Princess Elza School Shoes

Starting at a size 9 and going through to a size 3½ with three width fittings, Amy’s new school shoes are lightweight and flexible with a riptape fastening meaning she can put her shoes on and off herself (one less thing for me to worry about first thing in the morning and a bonus for her class teacher after PE!)  The ankles are padded and supportive and her shoes feel sturdy.  As well as being patent they feature a scuff resistant toe bumper (which after seeing how quickly her big sister ruined her last shoes, I’m thrilled about!).  The Princess Elza shoe comes with a range of detachable & interchangeable charms – as a child I know I’d have loved this and it was the first thing Amy noticed about them.  As a parent and a teacher I must admit my first thought was “Oh something else to play around with and get lost”.  I personally prefer the bow detail and plan to leave those on her shoes and pop the others way “somewhere safe”.  If you prefer a plainer shoe then the charms can be removed altogether leaving just the detailing on the toe section.

Start-Rite Lizzy School Shoes

Again this shoe starts at a size 9 and going through to a size 3½ with three width fittings but feels much more grown up in style.  The black patent is smart with just enough detail on the toe section to stop them from being too boring and sensible.  Very similar in shape and style to the Princess Eliza, Chloe’s Lizzy shoes have the same riptape fastening (which, after a term of faffing about with buckles, I’m pleased to go back to!) and the same scuff resistant toe.  I’m confident that Chloe’s new shoes are going to be comfortable and supportive for her through the Autumn term and beyond!

This is the first time we’ve had Start-Rite shoes for school and on first impressions I’m really pleased with the way they look.  The scuff proof toes are similar to a feature we often find on Ben’s shoes but rarely for the girls so I’m hopeful they will do the trick.  Their shoes look smart but pretty enough to keep the girls happy.  Most importantly they are fit for purpose.  My girls will run, jump, skip and kick balls in the playground and their shoes need to be ready for that!

2019 . . . both girls have gone back to school in Start-Rite shoes this year too!

*We were provided with the girls’ Start-Rite school shoes free of charge for the purposes of review however all thoughts an opinions remain our own.  This post contains affiliate links*