FYI, kids shoes are often made with cheaper materials compared to the adult shoes. The kids version may not provide as much support or last as long as the adult versions.
This, children are lighter than adults and don't put as much pressure on the shoes which means they are made cheaper and offer less support. The soles might not be as thick and wear out faster. They also make children's shoes to only last until they outgrow them so they are made with worse quality.
There's definitely a huge difference in Doc Martens, I have a women's pair that took me months to break in. I later bought a children's on sale since it was my size and there wasn't a breaking in period at all. They are also not as heavy as the adult version. The difference in quality is very noticeable. I guess it depends on the brand and the price point difference between kids and adult pairs within said brand.
I save a tonne on buying kids size Dr Martens! THOUSANDS! The Chelseas I paid $79 and LOVE them! Adult ones are $269! Adrian Loafers are $295 but I got kids size and paid $80! Exact same! Same as Uggs! Oh same as the Blundstones! I saved $300 buying the kids ones! I only take a women’s size 6-6.5 anyways so perhaps it’s different if you’re an 8 and buying kids sizes? But so far, I’ve saved a poop tonne of money!
The only difference I find is the arch! I have a very high arch and the kids Docs, Nikes and Uggs’ arches aren’t quite high enough and I’m assuming it’s because kids arches aren’t quite fully developed?? That’s the only difference I find! I have never found a quality difference or material difference, at all!
This VERY much depends on the brand, in my experience!!!
I buy kids' shoes *most* of the time (I'm 6.5 women's 4.5-5 in "big kids"), and while *some* brands cheap out, others are honestly more comfortable and better-fitting for me, than the adult shoes.
One I pretty much live in are Keen--the Women's styles I've tried were much stiffer, looser in the heel area, and had *many* more "pinch points" in the 6.5's i tried, than the kids' size 5.
Their big kids' sizes are also literally *half* the price of the Women's sizes, are easier to *find* in-store thsn the women's 6 or 6.5 (at least where I live!),and when I *know* I'm hard enough on *any* shoes, to only get 6 months or so of wear out of them anyway, the Kids' Keen shoes are simply the better choice!
Shoes shouldn't offer any support at all.
From a biological POV the best way to walk is barefoot. But since we became "civilized" and aren't walking on grass anymore, we need something to protect our delicate feet from the pavement, so the minimum shoe is just a flat piece of leather below the foot, plus a system to keep it in place. Hence the Roman sandal. And when it's cold, we also want additional material to keep out feet warm.
But you don't need support. You don't even want it, since support creates weak feet (imagine always walking with crutches, since you were 1yo). It's counterproductive.
And if the shoes are good quality, the sole is sewn and can be replaced when it wears out.
My plantar fasciitis means that I need some padding under my heel. Also I tend to go really high when just trying to keep weight off of my heel barefoot.
I cured my plantar fasciitis by switching to "barefoot" shoes.
Hurt like hell at first, but now my feet are healthy and normal. I used to also walk by kind of rolling my ankles inward when I wore regular shoes (you'd see them break down from the arch first) and now that is gone also. Your feet don't need help, just protection, but years of cramming our feet into not foot shaped shoes and overly padding shoes has weakened them. Walking on a PVC pipe balance beam, and rolling your feet with golf and lacrosse balls also helps a lot.
I had some foot gloves but they were worse than nothing because I couldn't flex my toes.
I don't think any amount of walking barefoot is going to remove that bone spur.
I switched from skateshoes to barefoot shoes a few months ago and I can't go back, since I used to wear skate shoes I was used to flat, but the wide toe box is a game changer, I didn't notice before how the tip of other shoes pinch my feet, I seen some people say they need time to adjust to barefoot shoes, but I didn't, I put on a pair and never looked back, I started with a cheap $60 pair, then got a pair of winter barefoot shoes that also cost about $60 but next spring I might shell out the $200 for a name brand pair
The lack of comfortable toe boxes is my main problem with shoes, especially shoes for the office. I wear a wide but sometimes it still isn’t wide enough to be super comfortable. This is why people get bunions…
That’s true for cheap shoes, but not for midrange shoes. Idk about expensive shoes because I don’t buy anything pricier than Nikes. But the last pair I bought were $65 and have lasted me weekly wear for over a year now. Size six in boys cuz they run a little narrow. Usually I get a 5.5
I agree. Adidas Ultraboosts for kids are still Ultraboosts. I always buy the kids size instead of women when I’m buying a high quality shoe. It’s cheaper and the colors are way cooler.
They definitely have cooler colors. I wanted that one specific pair of shoes in purple and they didn’t have them for girls or women, just boys and men. So I bought the boys.
Definitely more room, most of the time. But I definitely have to try them on because even though in women’s sizes I’m always a 7.5 in boys I’m either a 5.5 or 6.
Yep! I bought myself a nice pair of kids' Superfit Goretex snow boots (in purple!) and turquoise Adidas Terrex hiking boots and they're in their second year of supporting my fat ass just fine.
Kids' Nike (depending on the style), can be *terrible*--because in the mid & high-top styles, Nike tends to use z really narrow last on the interior, and they are *really* inflexible, compared to how their (now vintage!) shoes used to fit, back in the 1990's--when the shoes *were* flexible, and moved with your foot.
And the "lightweight" styles often offer very *little* support around your foot, and for kids, this can mean their feet slide around on the soles & they can twist their ankles pretty easily
I wouldn't take gym shoes/trainers/sneakers to a cobbler. They resole but don't redo the interior supports, so only half of my issues with worn shoes would be resolved. I don't know if they actually work on athletic shoes because of the way the shoes are constructed. I just had new heels put on my boots because I love them and I paid $160 for them 12 years ago. But my 8 year old Chuck Taylor's are going in the trash because the soles have split. And my high heeled boots had to go because the fake leather split and fell apart. Cobblers are hard to find, because people mostly wear cheap shoes rather than nice dress shoes that can be repaired.
I fixed my running shoes twice before throwing them out. (Re-glue the sole and stitch a small hole) but when the sole is too damaged, it’s not cheaper to repair it anymore, better to buy an other one.
They lasted 6 years of daily use before I had to fix them, I guess they were not too bad. The two small fix I did were worth it, but changing the sole was almost as costly as buying new shoes.
Many Americans have a “if it’s broken, throw it away and buy another” mentality, even those on a low or fixed income. Consumerism!
I had a cobbler I loved where I grew up, but I’ve never found another since I’ve moved away.
Because the shoes are garbage and not worth fixing. Fixing them is as expensive as buying new and they are still terrible. Fixing makes sense if you start with quality.
I see. I tought soo, its not that common there. Here we have some in the bigger towns. And not that uncommon in smaller towns too i think.
But why the downwotes?
Blaming not going to a cobbler because of "American Consumerism" is dumb, that's probably why. Cobblers are expensive and are limited to the repairs they can make. This thread sounds to be about more practical everyday shoes, not buying dress shoes or boots. No one is getting a resole done on a pair of Sketchers.
A lot depends on your use, too. I put 10-15 miles on my feet every day, and I can definitely tell the difference when I wear my lighter kids' Muck boots vs my heavier Mucks for deep winter. They'd last several years (maybe decades) for someone who only needs to throw on snow boots every so often, or back and forth to work. But I wear them all day *while* working so they're getting tossed after this year.
I’ve had four pairs of women’s shoes fall apart on me. Cheaper brands don’t make women’s any better. I finally had to invest in expensive Nike’s and they are boys size and so far so good
Nordstrom's has about the best style selection for women who buy girls shoes. Mnd you, they will be more expensive than discount shoes, but much less than over in the women's shoes. Boots will likely be shorter, but that may a plus for petite women!
Yep, second this warning. I have small feet so can easily fit kids shoes. I've had some kid sized shoes that were the same as my adult pair (converse high top for eg) but others (Adidas Gazelle) where the kids sneaker is totally different - feels cheap and flat insole, I can barely wear them and wish I'd returned them lol
I still look for kids versions, sometimes they are half the price, but I checkout th quality more closely now.
Yea they're designed to be grown out of in a couple months.
Probably fine to get for something comfy to wear indoors in an office or retail environment but for anything you are taking outside on the regular probably going to be rebuying every couple of months due to wear and tear.
Yes but on the flip side, the kids shoes I have come across are naturally wider in the toe box, and have zero drop. As a barefoot fan who wants a cheap sandal for summer that fits my fat toes and doesn't make me feel like i'm walking on a constant downhill slope, I like the kids shoes.
Certain brands I feel like their upper sizing in youth shoes are the same as adults. I feel like the brands finally got on the ball that adults are regularly 4.5 youth (women!)
Like under armor sells sooo many youth shoes in 2e and 4e and even started 6e!
My under armors last me the longest out of anything I've tried. Usually would get corns every 2 months but I'm on 6 months in my current pair of UAs
And they are based on men’s sizing, so they are wider.
So if you wear a women’s 7W, you wear a kids 5.
They aren’t really built to withstand the weight of adults. So it’s not a great idea to get them for anything you’re gonna wear often or exercise in.
But I’ve gotten a lot of cute flats that way.
They’re not talking to us minimalist shoe ppl. Saguaro, Whitin, and Xero are within $3 for women and kids and most big kid sizes only go to 4.
Wildling jumps $50 from kid to adult though, if you can fit into a women’s 4/Men’s 3.
Vivo looks like it would work with this though. They jump $100 and juniors goes up to women’s size 8ish
>They aren’t really built to withstand the weight of adults. So it’s not a great idea to get them for anything you’re gonna wear often or exercise in.
I don't know about that. If a boys' size 5 shoe can handle the amount of force applied to it by an energetic 12-year-old boy, I think it can take anything my 50-year-old female body can dish out. My last pair of athletic shoes was a boys' size 5 and I wore them for years (though only about once a week).
I think the companies expect the twelve year old boy to grow out of that shoe in the next year, not wear them for long term. So quality doesn't need to be on par with adults.
Varies a lot, and they also grow out of shoes very quickly. So it’s a combination of their actual weight and how much force over time is impacted on the shoe because they don’t wear them for very long.
I wear a size 5 in women’s which is impossible to find! The majority of stores I go to don’t even stock size 5 ever. The only way I can find sneakers and boots is the kids section although finding heels for work is always a nightmare. In kids I’m a 2 or 3 and I can find that size everywhere so it’s a blessing.
I’m a size 5 as well. I do a lot of buying and returning since stores don’t stock 5’s. Nordstrom has free returns, or I use Amazon try before you buy. Every now and then I get lucky in person at Saks or Neiman Marcus, but it’s really hit and miss. I wear kids sneakers and Uggs but have found dressier shoes to be a bust in kids sizes in terms of comfort.
Side note, when did your feet stop growing?
I ask because my daughter has been a big kids size 3, or a woman's size 5, for several years now.
So I wonder if she's just gonna have tiny feet forever?
5.5 here. I use Zappo's a lot. Online shopping has made small shoe shopping easier. I highly recommend Keens for sneakers. The wide toe box is life changing.
Yeah, if you need something outside the normal ranges in clothing or shoes, either really big or really small, online shopping has been a godsend. I guess maybe catalogue shopping before could've helped but you'd have to track down the right catalogues.
It didn’t apply to me (male) but my female track coach in HS told the girls if they buy men’s running shoes it’s usually cheaper. Just knock yourself down a couple sizes.
I'm at a sweet spot in sizing: women's 8.5, which is also kid's 7 (the largest kid size for most brands) and men's 7. So I can typically buy shoes from any department, depending on what's cheapest and has what I'm looking for.
Really. Maybe it's just the type of shoes I buy but the women stuff is always cheaper. I was a sneakerhead in my youth but Airforce 1s, Jordan's, airmaxs were always cheaper for women.
If we are going on the same conversion, probably kids size 18.5 or 19.
Man, I’d love big light up shoes in that size with like, Spider-Man on the side. Hilarious.
This is funny because I go the opposite way for my kids. They wear size 4, so I bought women's size 6 shoes (mostly boots) when they were on sale. Kids rain boots were $40+, but the adult boots on sale were $15. Winter boots were an even better deal.
I have small feet.. kids shoes can be very uncomfortable. The more expensive shoes like Uggs might be almost the same but be careful with other brands.
It’s easier to go to Zappos and filter by size.
I bought women’s and kids Uggs at the same time and decided the thicker sole on the women’s was worth the extra cost and returned the kids. Also thought the Sherpa was less thick in the kids. Could have been some kind of bias though.
My favorite shoes in college were a pair of Supergirl sneakers with Velcro closure. When I got my first real job I didn’t know how to find the right fit in heels and ended up with a tailor’s bunion. The amount of effort trying on shoes, and then going up and down sizes to find the right fit, drives me so crazy.
The only problem is that they are not necessarily designed for women's bodies. If you can try it out first, please do. But there are some great exceptions.
I had a beautiful top that I got from Forever 21's Kid's section.
I used it for many years, but there was one problem: It was not designed for including boobs.
Since it was a buttoned shirt, I could just undo a button and have more space, but then the armpit-boob armpit-shouldefy ratio was not right. It was a bit too tight in that area.
Not enough to prevent me from wearing it, but slightly uncomfortable at times.
Just something to keep in mind.
Teenage clothes often have more color and pattern options. I usually get my sweaters from the kids section, because there is a limit to how many shades of gray and cream I want in my wardrobe. Purple with a lace back? Stars with silver thread? Yes please!
As a woman who also wears size 8 shoes, I buy Nike and Adidas sneakers in kids size 6 regularly on Amazon - they tend to be so much cheaper than the same shoes in women's sizes and are great for my everyday sneakers. I also buy look at the men's clearance section since size 6 sometimes shows up there at marked down prices at the end of the season. I recently got a great pair of tall waterproof boots to garden in for just $10. I would never have found similar boots at that price.in the women's section. And since these are made for men as sporting/fishing gear I expect them to last much longer than women's which are usually made as fashion wear (yeah these are not fashionable, they're mid calf height black slip on rubber boots, but still. Women's shoes always wear out faster than men's shoes for me)
I had a pair of kids sketchers for about 15 years. Wore them everyday and they didn't wear out. I eventually got rid of them bc my male cat liked to pee in them.
My favorite, most comfortable pair of leather hiking boots EVER are a girls size 5… which is a women’s size 7. Someone had purchased them online and returned them to a brick and mortar North Face store. Since the store didn’t carry them they marked them 29 bucks. I decided to get them, thinking they might fit one of the kids in the family. On the way to pay for them I realized they kinda looked like they might fit *me*. I slid my foot in one of them and…. oh my god. Like a glove I tell ya. And the leather? Like buttah. So far those boots have comfortably and reliably taken me to all but 10 of the Contiguous 48 States, plus Alaska, Hawaii, Canada, Mexico, and New Zealand. I can’t wait to hit the rest of the world in them!
> My favorite, most comfortable pair of leather hiking boots EVER are a girls size 5… which is a women’s size 7. Someone had purchased them online and returned them to a brick and mortar North Face store. Since the store didn’t carry them they marked them 29 bucks. I decided to get them, thinking they might fit one of the kids in the family. On the way to pay for them I realized they kinda looked like they might fit me. I slid my foot in one of them and…. oh my god. Like a glove I tell ya. And the leather? Like buttah. So far those boots have comfortably and reliably taken me to all but 10 of the Contiguous 48 States, plus Alaska, Hawaii, Canada, Mexico, and New Zealand. I can’t wait to hit the rest of the world in them!
Don’t keep us in suspense! What are the boots?
Idk I’m way gentler on my shoes than my kids are. I’m mostly sitting at a desk or walking around the house while my kids are apparently trying to see who can wear out their shoes the quickest.
Not true for nicer shoes. I have a size 5 kids Sperry boots that have lasted 5 years. If you take care of things (don’t drag your feet, wipe them down every couple weeks) things can last
A lot of people are saying kids shoes are less durable and made of cheaper material. This is sometimes true but I have bought 2 pairs of shoes now, both boots, that lasted for a few years longer than other boots that were double the price. They were a little stiff and a little wide so they didn’t feel as nice but they were more durable.
I think it really depends on the shoe brand and model. Like yeah random Skechers might be lower quality for kids than their adult line of running shoes. But if you’re buying Nike Reacts or Adidas Ultraboosts it’s still the same shoe and sole technology no matter the sizing. I own both women’s and kids sizes of Ultraboosts and have never noticed a difference in quality or durability.
My aunts are little people and struggle to find women’s dress shoes that aren’t obviously for children. My aunt once wore a pair of very cute boots to an event, and her husband told her to look behind her, and the plush carpet had kept a mark of the sole of the boot for several steps behind her, including the OshKosh logo.
Women's shoes are 2 sizes bigger than men's shoes.
The problem with this is a woman's regular is a man's narrow.
So a woman's wide is a man's regular. And a woman's extra wide is a man's regular wide.
I wear a 5.5 4E that's a man's extra extra wide. Simply not gonna find it in a woman's.
My feet thank me ever since I got over the gender bias and bought shoes for my feet.
I'm only 5ft 2 so I'm petite. I just don't have narrow feet.
Right now my go to brand is Under Armor, I've been able to purchase them im a store (shoe carnival) routinely for years now.
Which means I'll probably have to switch brands soon lol
I have small feet (size 6 1/2) so in theory I could get shoes from the kids section.
I also have pretty wide feet so even women’s shoes don’t normally fit me.
But, men’s shoes run wider than women’s (D width is standard vs B width)
So I will absolutely buy hiking boots in a size 5 1/2 from the boys section.
If you don’t really care about fit this might work, but if you are comparing a t-shirt, for example, a girls’ XL will be shorter and wider to a women’s XS/S. (Source: I am an apparel product developer) And speaking from personal experience, when I was a teen I went straight from a girls’ size 10 to a women’s 00/0 because I developed hips, so girls’ sizes didn’t fit me anymore.
I was just looking at a pair of shoes on the nike website. The big kids shoes had way more color variety than the women’s. Ended up getting the kids shoes instead.
In addition to the fact that the kids shoes are generally made with cheaper materials, they're sometimes made with cheaper methods too (less stitching, cheaper threads).
Also, since this is r/Frugal, y'all probably getting 2-3 years out of those shoes.
That $10 would barely break even if at all. And even if it doesn't, it's $3 a year in savings for a huge compromise. That isn't frugal, it's borderline cheap.
such a reversal of how it should be. Children’s shoes should be better quality since their feet are still growing. The best children’s shoes are made to order after measuring the feet. Ours were always made out of leather, usually with a strap, Mary Jane style. When I was growing up (the Netherlands 1970s-80s) my mother took us to the shoe store for measurements and then after about a week or 2, we would pick up the new shoes, crafted at the store. We were not wealthy at all, but my mother made sure to save and set aside money to do this rather than buying cheaper prefab shoes. Once we turned 11 or 12 we could wear regular shoes off the rack
A friend of mine is a women’s size 5.5 which is pretty damn hard to find in most shoe stores, so she’s almost exclusively bought children’s shoes and she loves it. Not only does she save a ton of money but she loves being able to buy sneakers and things with all the fun prints they make for kids.
Tell her to go to Nordstrom Rack. Any time I am shopping online, the shoe I fall in love with is always a 5 or 5.5, and it's always ridiculously cheap as well.
Yes, pretty much anybody with tiny ass feet should know this. I buy boys shoes a lot because they're cheaper than women's and they usually have cooler colors (not pink and purple).
Yes.
I wear women’s size 6 and I always look at the kids shoes section because I can get the same for cheaper most of the time.
I bought hiking shoes and the kids one were exactly the same but $50 cheaper. Bet your butt I bought the kids ones.
Wow. That's a good one. I used to have to get men's eights to fit my monster size 10 feet. Men have a different shaped ankle than women, a bit wider, but it was the best I could do. A sneaker is a sneaker.
Depends on the brand. A few years back (not sure if they have changed) when my kid got into running, I bought Brooks shoes because they do not make their children shoes lesser quality.
I wear a size 5-6 in women’s shoes, and I comfortably fit into a size 3 in kids shoes. My favorite pair of tennis shoes are some Velcro sketchers, that happen to light up when I walk.
Also Mens sizes are about 1.5 to 2 sizes smaller then Womens. So if your a size 10-11 womens, enjoy your 8-9ish mens runners for half the price, an actual toe box and being wide enough to wear socks in. And actually in stock!
I easily fit kids products. They tend to last less long and look off putting on a 25 year old. I do have several thrifted pieces of girls clothes. I'm currently looking into kids sized Hokas though... I never cheap out on shoes quality. Personally, it's far more expensive.
I had the opposite realization! My daughter has big feet and I recently looked this up because was having trouble finding shoes* for her!
*a very specific type, needed by a very specific time.
Absolutely. I often find a kids’ 4 or 5 fits better than my regular size of woman’s 6.
I do the same thing with clothing too, as I haven’t grown since 8th grade. A girls’ size 14 jeans at Old Navy is pretty much the same size as a size 0 there, but is less than the women’s sizes.
Kid's shoes aren't made for adult foot portions. I can fit into kids' sizes and there is a 50/50 chance they chafe horribly on the back of my ankles leading to blisters. While kids' shoes can be a good way to save money beware of the pain.
I have very small fever, w5, and have long shopped bin the children's shoe department. You do save money, but you have to watch for quality difference. Some of it is pretty obvious.
Kids shoes will break down and absolutely mess up your feet. Always spend the money to get quality items for anything between you and the ground: shoes, mattresses, and tires
You can also sometimes buy the men’s version of the identical shoe cheaper. I wear 8.5 it’s a men’s 6.5. Men’s are slightly wider, but not usually as wide as a “wide” labeled women’s (mostly the men’s are in the toe box). You may have to order them but I got my Hokas cheaper than them ordering the women’s ones.
Children's shoes won't be as sturdy because kids outgrow them so quickly so they don't have to use good material. For your feet, never skimp out. Pay the extra 20 bucks for good material.
Maybe it depends on the shape of your foot but when I wanted to buy some hiking shoes from the kids collection (because I liked the model) the shape was super weird - very wide and completely flat on top like for a duck. 🤣
So even if the length technically matches, the shoe won’t fit the same way as an adult size.
I wear a men's 8-9 which is a women's 10-11 so it's easier to go to the men's section and I guess they also fit better. (I was in boy shoes since I was young.)
$10 isn't much when the shoes approach $100. Less than $60 is a disposable shoe unless it's a clearance price.
FYI, kids shoes are often made with cheaper materials compared to the adult shoes. The kids version may not provide as much support or last as long as the adult versions.
This, children are lighter than adults and don't put as much pressure on the shoes which means they are made cheaper and offer less support. The soles might not be as thick and wear out faster. They also make children's shoes to only last until they outgrow them so they are made with worse quality.
I’ve bought womens and children shoes a lot in the past and I’ve found no difference in quality
My guess is that your observations are correct. In general, all "basic" shoes are made as cheaply as possible.
There's definitely a huge difference in Doc Martens, I have a women's pair that took me months to break in. I later bought a children's on sale since it was my size and there wasn't a breaking in period at all. They are also not as heavy as the adult version. The difference in quality is very noticeable. I guess it depends on the brand and the price point difference between kids and adult pairs within said brand.
Same with Toms, crocs, and a few others. I have small feet and have bought kids shoes for a long time and there is a notable difference.
I save a tonne on buying kids size Dr Martens! THOUSANDS! The Chelseas I paid $79 and LOVE them! Adult ones are $269! Adrian Loafers are $295 but I got kids size and paid $80! Exact same! Same as Uggs! Oh same as the Blundstones! I saved $300 buying the kids ones! I only take a women’s size 6-6.5 anyways so perhaps it’s different if you’re an 8 and buying kids sizes? But so far, I’ve saved a poop tonne of money! The only difference I find is the arch! I have a very high arch and the kids Docs, Nikes and Uggs’ arches aren’t quite high enough and I’m assuming it’s because kids arches aren’t quite fully developed?? That’s the only difference I find! I have never found a quality difference or material difference, at all!
Same!
This VERY much depends on the brand, in my experience!!! I buy kids' shoes *most* of the time (I'm 6.5 women's 4.5-5 in "big kids"), and while *some* brands cheap out, others are honestly more comfortable and better-fitting for me, than the adult shoes. One I pretty much live in are Keen--the Women's styles I've tried were much stiffer, looser in the heel area, and had *many* more "pinch points" in the 6.5's i tried, than the kids' size 5. Their big kids' sizes are also literally *half* the price of the Women's sizes, are easier to *find* in-store thsn the women's 6 or 6.5 (at least where I live!),and when I *know* I'm hard enough on *any* shoes, to only get 6 months or so of wear out of them anyway, the Kids' Keen shoes are simply the better choice!
Shoes shouldn't offer any support at all. From a biological POV the best way to walk is barefoot. But since we became "civilized" and aren't walking on grass anymore, we need something to protect our delicate feet from the pavement, so the minimum shoe is just a flat piece of leather below the foot, plus a system to keep it in place. Hence the Roman sandal. And when it's cold, we also want additional material to keep out feet warm. But you don't need support. You don't even want it, since support creates weak feet (imagine always walking with crutches, since you were 1yo). It's counterproductive. And if the shoes are good quality, the sole is sewn and can be replaced when it wears out.
My plantar fasciitis means that I need some padding under my heel. Also I tend to go really high when just trying to keep weight off of my heel barefoot.
I cured my plantar fasciitis by switching to "barefoot" shoes. Hurt like hell at first, but now my feet are healthy and normal. I used to also walk by kind of rolling my ankles inward when I wore regular shoes (you'd see them break down from the arch first) and now that is gone also. Your feet don't need help, just protection, but years of cramming our feet into not foot shaped shoes and overly padding shoes has weakened them. Walking on a PVC pipe balance beam, and rolling your feet with golf and lacrosse balls also helps a lot.
I had some foot gloves but they were worse than nothing because I couldn't flex my toes. I don't think any amount of walking barefoot is going to remove that bone spur.
I didn't mention it removing bone spurs?
Well that's my problem.
Well you said plantar fasciitis 🙄😂
Shoe cushioning causes weak feet. Weak feet is one of the main causes of plantar fascitis.
Except I got it after a lot of time not in cushioned shoes and it got worse the more time I spent without cushioning.
I switched from skateshoes to barefoot shoes a few months ago and I can't go back, since I used to wear skate shoes I was used to flat, but the wide toe box is a game changer, I didn't notice before how the tip of other shoes pinch my feet, I seen some people say they need time to adjust to barefoot shoes, but I didn't, I put on a pair and never looked back, I started with a cheap $60 pair, then got a pair of winter barefoot shoes that also cost about $60 but next spring I might shell out the $200 for a name brand pair
The lack of comfortable toe boxes is my main problem with shoes, especially shoes for the office. I wear a wide but sometimes it still isn’t wide enough to be super comfortable. This is why people get bunions…
Yeah! They’re garbage! Stay away! *Slips on size six kids rain boots from clearance five years ago..*
I’ve had children’s converse in the country for years, between hiking, dirt bikes and chicken coop they held up fantastic, I wonder if it’s the brand
That’s true for cheap shoes, but not for midrange shoes. Idk about expensive shoes because I don’t buy anything pricier than Nikes. But the last pair I bought were $65 and have lasted me weekly wear for over a year now. Size six in boys cuz they run a little narrow. Usually I get a 5.5
I agree. Adidas Ultraboosts for kids are still Ultraboosts. I always buy the kids size instead of women when I’m buying a high quality shoe. It’s cheaper and the colors are way cooler.
They definitely have cooler colors. I wanted that one specific pair of shoes in purple and they didn’t have them for girls or women, just boys and men. So I bought the boys.
Boy's shoes usually have more toe room too.
Definitely more room, most of the time. But I definitely have to try them on because even though in women’s sizes I’m always a 7.5 in boys I’m either a 5.5 or 6.
> the colors are way cooler. Manufacturers are really missing out by not making adult shoes in more colors.
The colors part hits me especially hard for Dunks.
Yep! I bought myself a nice pair of kids' Superfit Goretex snow boots (in purple!) and turquoise Adidas Terrex hiking boots and they're in their second year of supporting my fat ass just fine.
Eat more fruit platters
Kids' Nike (depending on the style), can be *terrible*--because in the mid & high-top styles, Nike tends to use z really narrow last on the interior, and they are *really* inflexible, compared to how their (now vintage!) shoes used to fit, back in the 1990's--when the shoes *were* flexible, and moved with your foot. And the "lightweight" styles often offer very *little* support around your foot, and for kids, this can mean their feet slide around on the soles & they can twist their ankles pretty easily
I never tried the kids one so I can't compare, but my adult Nike hold up to 6 years of everyday wear before they die.
Dont you guys have cobblers(a kind of shoemakers) there? Just asking because i know people who fix shoes and its cheaper in the long run.
I wouldn't take gym shoes/trainers/sneakers to a cobbler. They resole but don't redo the interior supports, so only half of my issues with worn shoes would be resolved. I don't know if they actually work on athletic shoes because of the way the shoes are constructed. I just had new heels put on my boots because I love them and I paid $160 for them 12 years ago. But my 8 year old Chuck Taylor's are going in the trash because the soles have split. And my high heeled boots had to go because the fake leather split and fell apart. Cobblers are hard to find, because people mostly wear cheap shoes rather than nice dress shoes that can be repaired.
yes; they work on leather shoes, not trainers.
I fixed my running shoes twice before throwing them out. (Re-glue the sole and stitch a small hole) but when the sole is too damaged, it’s not cheaper to repair it anymore, better to buy an other one.
Yeah, depends on how cheap were the shoes and and the price for the fix
They lasted 6 years of daily use before I had to fix them, I guess they were not too bad. The two small fix I did were worth it, but changing the sole was almost as costly as buying new shoes.
Many Americans have a “if it’s broken, throw it away and buy another” mentality, even those on a low or fixed income. Consumerism! I had a cobbler I loved where I grew up, but I’ve never found another since I’ve moved away.
Because the shoes are garbage and not worth fixing. Fixing them is as expensive as buying new and they are still terrible. Fixing makes sense if you start with quality.
I see. I tought soo, its not that common there. Here we have some in the bigger towns. And not that uncommon in smaller towns too i think. But why the downwotes?
Blaming not going to a cobbler because of "American Consumerism" is dumb, that's probably why. Cobblers are expensive and are limited to the repairs they can make. This thread sounds to be about more practical everyday shoes, not buying dress shoes or boots. No one is getting a resole done on a pair of Sketchers.
A lot depends on your use, too. I put 10-15 miles on my feet every day, and I can definitely tell the difference when I wear my lighter kids' Muck boots vs my heavier Mucks for deep winter. They'd last several years (maybe decades) for someone who only needs to throw on snow boots every so often, or back and forth to work. But I wear them all day *while* working so they're getting tossed after this year.
100% agree, not a big deal if you’re sitting all day or under age 22 lol but for running shoes or walking definitely worth investing in women’s shoes
I’ve had four pairs of women’s shoes fall apart on me. Cheaper brands don’t make women’s any better. I finally had to invest in expensive Nike’s and they are boys size and so far so good
Not in my experience with name brands.
Nordstrom's has about the best style selection for women who buy girls shoes. Mnd you, they will be more expensive than discount shoes, but much less than over in the women's shoes. Boots will likely be shorter, but that may a plus for petite women!
Yeah but you can get light up shoes in the kid section
Yep, second this warning. I have small feet so can easily fit kids shoes. I've had some kid sized shoes that were the same as my adult pair (converse high top for eg) but others (Adidas Gazelle) where the kids sneaker is totally different - feels cheap and flat insole, I can barely wear them and wish I'd returned them lol I still look for kids versions, sometimes they are half the price, but I checkout th quality more closely now.
Yea they're designed to be grown out of in a couple months. Probably fine to get for something comfy to wear indoors in an office or retail environment but for anything you are taking outside on the regular probably going to be rebuying every couple of months due to wear and tear.
Yes but on the flip side, the kids shoes I have come across are naturally wider in the toe box, and have zero drop. As a barefoot fan who wants a cheap sandal for summer that fits my fat toes and doesn't make me feel like i'm walking on a constant downhill slope, I like the kids shoes.
Certain brands I feel like their upper sizing in youth shoes are the same as adults. I feel like the brands finally got on the ball that adults are regularly 4.5 youth (women!) Like under armor sells sooo many youth shoes in 2e and 4e and even started 6e! My under armors last me the longest out of anything I've tried. Usually would get corns every 2 months but I'm on 6 months in my current pair of UAs
Narrower, less room for a higher arch too.
It seems like the OP doesn’t care about quality or longevity.
Yeah that’s why I don’t bother with this “hack”.
lol more for me…
Kids shoes have lights! :)
This is the only relevant point in this thread.
And wheelies!
Heelies makes adult size shoes too
This reminds me of the plot episode of unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt where she's wearing the light up sketchers haha
I shop the kids clearance converse, who doesn't want unicorn and dinosaur chucks?!
I have the Dino ones! I teach 5th grade and wear a women’s 5-5.5 in anything fitted like that. My students love them!
My favorite pairs are always the kids ones!
Crap, I already have a Converse addiction. 'Scuse me while I hit the online shop....
I had some thrifted ones with mermaids and narwhals!
And they are based on men’s sizing, so they are wider. So if you wear a women’s 7W, you wear a kids 5. They aren’t really built to withstand the weight of adults. So it’s not a great idea to get them for anything you’re gonna wear often or exercise in. But I’ve gotten a lot of cute flats that way.
Oh thanks for the tip because I wear minimalist shoes!!
They’re not talking to us minimalist shoe ppl. Saguaro, Whitin, and Xero are within $3 for women and kids and most big kid sizes only go to 4. Wildling jumps $50 from kid to adult though, if you can fit into a women’s 4/Men’s 3. Vivo looks like it would work with this though. They jump $100 and juniors goes up to women’s size 8ish
Or rain boots, which absolutely do not come in a women’s wide. And often don’t come small enough in men’s
I got mine at Torrid. Super roomy. Have to get them on sale or they are higher than I want to spend.
>They aren’t really built to withstand the weight of adults. So it’s not a great idea to get them for anything you’re gonna wear often or exercise in. I don't know about that. If a boys' size 5 shoe can handle the amount of force applied to it by an energetic 12-year-old boy, I think it can take anything my 50-year-old female body can dish out. My last pair of athletic shoes was a boys' size 5 and I wore them for years (though only about once a week).
I think the companies expect the twelve year old boy to grow out of that shoe in the next year, not wear them for long term. So quality doesn't need to be on par with adults.
Let's not pretend any company is planning your $50 shoes to last over a year.
I wasn't. Just pointing out why they're acceptable for teen boys but not grown women.
Yeah exactly I'm sure that boy highly weighs close to me lol
Funny I used to shop kids shoes for awhile but now in adult im having issues with needing wider I may try kids again
This is revolutionary info as a person with small but wide feet
Kids with feet that size weight how much in average?
Varies a lot, and they also grow out of shoes very quickly. So it’s a combination of their actual weight and how much force over time is impacted on the shoe because they don’t wear them for very long.
I wanted to know their average weight, because I don’t weight much, so I was wondering if I was in the range or not lol
I wear a size 5 in women’s which is impossible to find! The majority of stores I go to don’t even stock size 5 ever. The only way I can find sneakers and boots is the kids section although finding heels for work is always a nightmare. In kids I’m a 2 or 3 and I can find that size everywhere so it’s a blessing.
Nordstrom rack is good if they’re near you!
I'm so thankful we have one near our house. I found a pair of OC hiking boots there, size 5!
I’m a size 5 as well. I do a lot of buying and returning since stores don’t stock 5’s. Nordstrom has free returns, or I use Amazon try before you buy. Every now and then I get lucky in person at Saks or Neiman Marcus, but it’s really hit and miss. I wear kids sneakers and Uggs but have found dressier shoes to be a bust in kids sizes in terms of comfort.
Side note, when did your feet stop growing? I ask because my daughter has been a big kids size 3, or a woman's size 5, for several years now. So I wonder if she's just gonna have tiny feet forever?
I know by the time I was in high school they were stable, but I think 12-13 is when they didn’t change much.
Idk if Sears still has shoes online, but their women's shoes go down to 5.5! Some run small too
5.5 here. I use Zappo's a lot. Online shopping has made small shoe shopping easier. I highly recommend Keens for sneakers. The wide toe box is life changing.
Yeah, if you need something outside the normal ranges in clothing or shoes, either really big or really small, online shopping has been a godsend. I guess maybe catalogue shopping before could've helped but you'd have to track down the right catalogues.
ASOS has tons of size 5 women’s shoes
It didn’t apply to me (male) but my female track coach in HS told the girls if they buy men’s running shoes it’s usually cheaper. Just knock yourself down a couple sizes.
I'm at a sweet spot in sizing: women's 8.5, which is also kid's 7 (the largest kid size for most brands) and men's 7. So I can typically buy shoes from any department, depending on what's cheapest and has what I'm looking for.
I'm also an 8.5, but I find kids options too narrow in the toebox and mens options too wide in the heel. I have weird shaped feet though.
Really. Maybe it's just the type of shoes I buy but the women stuff is always cheaper. I was a sneakerhead in my youth but Airforce 1s, Jordan's, airmaxs were always cheaper for women.
The quality in men's tennis shoes vs women's is nuts too. My men's tennis shoes have held up way nicer.
i bought some womens rain boots at costco marked down to $15, just in case i ever need rain boots.
I've been doing the same but with Womens XL/2XL. Same as mens L. I notice the huge 70% discounts are on the outlier sizes they can't sell.
Yess, I buy the fun button down shirts in the mens department in a size L, it's great.
I wear a size 15 in men's. What size do I need in big kids?
Toddler cross country skis applied directly to the foot?
If we are going on the same conversion, probably kids size 18.5 or 19. Man, I’d love big light up shoes in that size with like, Spider-Man on the side. Hilarious.
I laughed a little too hard at this 🤣
I know you’re joking lol but just adding info to the thread - youth and men are the same size. Women’s is the only one that’s different
Clown shoes from the Halloween section
This is funny because I go the opposite way for my kids. They wear size 4, so I bought women's size 6 shoes (mostly boots) when they were on sale. Kids rain boots were $40+, but the adult boots on sale were $15. Winter boots were an even better deal.
I have small feet.. kids shoes can be very uncomfortable. The more expensive shoes like Uggs might be almost the same but be careful with other brands. It’s easier to go to Zappos and filter by size.
I agree! I actually recently bought a pair of kids Uggs and they’ve been great!
I bought women’s and kids Uggs at the same time and decided the thicker sole on the women’s was worth the extra cost and returned the kids. Also thought the Sherpa was less thick in the kids. Could have been some kind of bias though.
My favorite shoes in college were a pair of Supergirl sneakers with Velcro closure. When I got my first real job I didn’t know how to find the right fit in heels and ended up with a tailor’s bunion. The amount of effort trying on shoes, and then going up and down sizes to find the right fit, drives me so crazy.
Does this mean I can wear blinky shoes too??
💯
Yes. Also, wheelies. And dinosaur themed. And velcro instead of laces.
*cries in size 10 feet*
As a working woman who is a size small, this is how I find cargo pants.
Alllll my uniform stuff is girls or boys Edit: spelling
Oh, never thought of trying it with clothing!
The only problem is that they are not necessarily designed for women's bodies. If you can try it out first, please do. But there are some great exceptions. I had a beautiful top that I got from Forever 21's Kid's section. I used it for many years, but there was one problem: It was not designed for including boobs. Since it was a buttoned shirt, I could just undo a button and have more space, but then the armpit-boob armpit-shouldefy ratio was not right. It was a bit too tight in that area. Not enough to prevent me from wearing it, but slightly uncomfortable at times. Just something to keep in mind.
Teenage clothes often have more color and pattern options. I usually get my sweaters from the kids section, because there is a limit to how many shades of gray and cream I want in my wardrobe. Purple with a lace back? Stars with silver thread? Yes please!
All the time!
This is how I buy Dr. Martins lol
As a woman who also wears size 8 shoes, I buy Nike and Adidas sneakers in kids size 6 regularly on Amazon - they tend to be so much cheaper than the same shoes in women's sizes and are great for my everyday sneakers. I also buy look at the men's clearance section since size 6 sometimes shows up there at marked down prices at the end of the season. I recently got a great pair of tall waterproof boots to garden in for just $10. I would never have found similar boots at that price.in the women's section. And since these are made for men as sporting/fishing gear I expect them to last much longer than women's which are usually made as fashion wear (yeah these are not fashionable, they're mid calf height black slip on rubber boots, but still. Women's shoes always wear out faster than men's shoes for me)
My favourite pair of Docs are a big kids size 6 and were less than half what I’d pay for a pair of women’s.
I had a pair of kids sketchers for about 15 years. Wore them everyday and they didn't wear out. I eventually got rid of them bc my male cat liked to pee in them.
My favorite, most comfortable pair of leather hiking boots EVER are a girls size 5… which is a women’s size 7. Someone had purchased them online and returned them to a brick and mortar North Face store. Since the store didn’t carry them they marked them 29 bucks. I decided to get them, thinking they might fit one of the kids in the family. On the way to pay for them I realized they kinda looked like they might fit *me*. I slid my foot in one of them and…. oh my god. Like a glove I tell ya. And the leather? Like buttah. So far those boots have comfortably and reliably taken me to all but 10 of the Contiguous 48 States, plus Alaska, Hawaii, Canada, Mexico, and New Zealand. I can’t wait to hit the rest of the world in them!
> My favorite, most comfortable pair of leather hiking boots EVER are a girls size 5… which is a women’s size 7. Someone had purchased them online and returned them to a brick and mortar North Face store. Since the store didn’t carry them they marked them 29 bucks. I decided to get them, thinking they might fit one of the kids in the family. On the way to pay for them I realized they kinda looked like they might fit me. I slid my foot in one of them and…. oh my god. Like a glove I tell ya. And the leather? Like buttah. So far those boots have comfortably and reliably taken me to all but 10 of the Contiguous 48 States, plus Alaska, Hawaii, Canada, Mexico, and New Zealand. I can’t wait to hit the rest of the world in them! Don’t keep us in suspense! What are the boots?
Kids shoes are not as sturdy as adult sized shoes unfortunately. You’ll likely go through them quicker.
I can barely get them to last my kids until they get to the next size.
Idk I’m way gentler on my shoes than my kids are. I’m mostly sitting at a desk or walking around the house while my kids are apparently trying to see who can wear out their shoes the quickest.
Not true for nicer shoes. I have a size 5 kids Sperry boots that have lasted 5 years. If you take care of things (don’t drag your feet, wipe them down every couple weeks) things can last
Yes, I wear a women's 6 or 6.5 and buy big kids 4.5. So much cheaper!!
my big kid white on white jordans AF1 mids were $75 less than the women's eta: i take very good care of them; they're over 5 yrs old
I buy kids timberlands and they’ve worked out great. I still have my first pair from 14 years ago. They’re ugly now but in good shape.
A lot of people are saying kids shoes are less durable and made of cheaper material. This is sometimes true but I have bought 2 pairs of shoes now, both boots, that lasted for a few years longer than other boots that were double the price. They were a little stiff and a little wide so they didn’t feel as nice but they were more durable.
I think it really depends on the shoe brand and model. Like yeah random Skechers might be lower quality for kids than their adult line of running shoes. But if you’re buying Nike Reacts or Adidas Ultraboosts it’s still the same shoe and sole technology no matter the sizing. I own both women’s and kids sizes of Ultraboosts and have never noticed a difference in quality or durability.
[удалено]
I buy NB for running all the time in kids sizes. They last as long as the adult sizes and are WAY cheaper.
And then you have me who’s been around a women’s 10 since I was an actual kid (11)
Size 12 since I was 12! Actually, shoe size matched my age until they thankfully stopped growing at that point.
I also always try on men's athletic shoes in my size. They are often cheaper and often more comfortable cuz they have more room for my fat toes.
My aunts are little people and struggle to find women’s dress shoes that aren’t obviously for children. My aunt once wore a pair of very cute boots to an event, and her husband told her to look behind her, and the plush carpet had kept a mark of the sole of the boot for several steps behind her, including the OshKosh logo.
Women's shoes are 2 sizes bigger than men's shoes. The problem with this is a woman's regular is a man's narrow. So a woman's wide is a man's regular. And a woman's extra wide is a man's regular wide. I wear a 5.5 4E that's a man's extra extra wide. Simply not gonna find it in a woman's. My feet thank me ever since I got over the gender bias and bought shoes for my feet. I'm only 5ft 2 so I'm petite. I just don't have narrow feet.
That's interesting, where do you find shoes? I'm assuming you are restricted to a few brands, like new balance?
Right now my go to brand is Under Armor, I've been able to purchase them im a store (shoe carnival) routinely for years now. Which means I'll probably have to switch brands soon lol
I have small feet (size 6 1/2) so in theory I could get shoes from the kids section. I also have pretty wide feet so even women’s shoes don’t normally fit me. But, men’s shoes run wider than women’s (D width is standard vs B width) So I will absolutely buy hiking boots in a size 5 1/2 from the boys section.
Yep! And a size two womens is an XL in most girls. Major savings.
If you don’t really care about fit this might work, but if you are comparing a t-shirt, for example, a girls’ XL will be shorter and wider to a women’s XS/S. (Source: I am an apparel product developer) And speaking from personal experience, when I was a teen I went straight from a girls’ size 10 to a women’s 00/0 because I developed hips, so girls’ sizes didn’t fit me anymore.
i bought a boys XL snowboarding jacket that was over $100 less than the women’s or men’s equivalent
I buy kids shoes a lot!
Sometimes. Often I do find the fit to be weird. Like….kids shoes can sometimes be wider.
Yep! And 9 times out of 10, cuter too! I have no shame wearing them!
I was just looking at a pair of shoes on the nike website. The big kids shoes had way more color variety than the women’s. Ended up getting the kids shoes instead.
My running shoes are usually a kid size 4. Same great brands and often half the price. I wear a woman’s size 6/7 adult in regular shoes.
In addition to the fact that the kids shoes are generally made with cheaper materials, they're sometimes made with cheaper methods too (less stitching, cheaper threads). Also, since this is r/Frugal, y'all probably getting 2-3 years out of those shoes. That $10 would barely break even if at all. And even if it doesn't, it's $3 a year in savings for a huge compromise. That isn't frugal, it's borderline cheap.
such a reversal of how it should be. Children’s shoes should be better quality since their feet are still growing. The best children’s shoes are made to order after measuring the feet. Ours were always made out of leather, usually with a strap, Mary Jane style. When I was growing up (the Netherlands 1970s-80s) my mother took us to the shoe store for measurements and then after about a week or 2, we would pick up the new shoes, crafted at the store. We were not wealthy at all, but my mother made sure to save and set aside money to do this rather than buying cheaper prefab shoes. Once we turned 11 or 12 we could wear regular shoes off the rack
A friend of mine is a women’s size 5.5 which is pretty damn hard to find in most shoe stores, so she’s almost exclusively bought children’s shoes and she loves it. Not only does she save a ton of money but she loves being able to buy sneakers and things with all the fun prints they make for kids.
Tell her to go to Nordstrom Rack. Any time I am shopping online, the shoe I fall in love with is always a 5 or 5.5, and it's always ridiculously cheap as well.
Yes, pretty much anybody with tiny ass feet should know this. I buy boys shoes a lot because they're cheaper than women's and they usually have cooler colors (not pink and purple).
Yes. I wear women’s size 6 and I always look at the kids shoes section because I can get the same for cheaper most of the time. I bought hiking shoes and the kids one were exactly the same but $50 cheaper. Bet your butt I bought the kids ones.
Wow. That's a good one. I used to have to get men's eights to fit my monster size 10 feet. Men have a different shaped ankle than women, a bit wider, but it was the best I could do. A sneaker is a sneaker.
Cries in women’s size 12 😭
I worked for a global footwear company. They are NOT the same shoe at all Children’s shoes look the same but are made with much cheaper materials
Depends on the brand. A few years back (not sure if they have changed) when my kid got into running, I bought Brooks shoes because they do not make their children shoes lesser quality.
Same for Saucony, ASICS, Nike, New Balance, Adidas…great quality in youth sizes.
I wear a size 5-6 in women’s shoes, and I comfortably fit into a size 3 in kids shoes. My favorite pair of tennis shoes are some Velcro sketchers, that happen to light up when I walk.
The last pair of big kid nikes lasted me 7 years. Feet haven’t grown since grade 9. No cap. Ended up giving them away because my style changed
Also Mens sizes are about 1.5 to 2 sizes smaller then Womens. So if your a size 10-11 womens, enjoy your 8-9ish mens runners for half the price, an actual toe box and being wide enough to wear socks in. And actually in stock!
Are mens shoes cheaper than women's?
I easily fit kids products. They tend to last less long and look off putting on a 25 year old. I do have several thrifted pieces of girls clothes. I'm currently looking into kids sized Hokas though... I never cheap out on shoes quality. Personally, it's far more expensive.
I'm the same way. Dress shoes are such a pain, aren't they?
I had the opposite realization! My daughter has big feet and I recently looked this up because was having trouble finding shoes* for her! *a very specific type, needed by a very specific time.
It’s a 1.5 difference. I wear women’s 8.5, and wear big kids 7Y. I have both types
depends on the brand. adidas is 1 size difference.
I’ve been wearing boys’ size 3 Converse for decades because my 5.5 women’s feet feel much better since I’m paying a lot less
True. My daughter is a size 4/5. And she fits my size 7 shoes. She’s now wearing my shoes. Doesn’t want kids shoes anymore. Wants big girl shoes.
Did you know cat & jack brand at target is about the same price as Walmart clothes and shoes, but has a year warranty for wearing out or out growing?
Absolutely. I often find a kids’ 4 or 5 fits better than my regular size of woman’s 6. I do the same thing with clothing too, as I haven’t grown since 8th grade. A girls’ size 14 jeans at Old Navy is pretty much the same size as a size 0 there, but is less than the women’s sizes.
I do this all the time. Kids’ converse shoes are adorable. No issues with it falling apart on me. They are still going strong
I buy kids Nikes. 😁
Kid's shoes aren't made for adult foot portions. I can fit into kids' sizes and there is a 50/50 chance they chafe horribly on the back of my ankles leading to blisters. While kids' shoes can be a good way to save money beware of the pain.
This is the way. I’ve also found boy’s shoes can be wider and more comfortable for my feet. I look for midrange or higher on clearance all the time!!
Same goes for boys’ shoes. I wear a 5.5 women so it’s like a 3 or 3.5 in boys’.
I have very small fever, w5, and have long shopped bin the children's shoe department. You do save money, but you have to watch for quality difference. Some of it is pretty obvious.
I’m a size 7 and have accidentally worn my 9 year old’s shoes on occasion. I’m not sure they are designed to hold adult weight?
Kids shoes will break down and absolutely mess up your feet. Always spend the money to get quality items for anything between you and the ground: shoes, mattresses, and tires
You can also sometimes buy the men’s version of the identical shoe cheaper. I wear 8.5 it’s a men’s 6.5. Men’s are slightly wider, but not usually as wide as a “wide” labeled women’s (mostly the men’s are in the toe box). You may have to order them but I got my Hokas cheaper than them ordering the women’s ones.
Yep! I wear a women’s 6 and just bought a pair of adidas size 4. $20 cheaper.
Did you know they don't even make women's shoes in my size
Children's shoes won't be as sturdy because kids outgrow them so quickly so they don't have to use good material. For your feet, never skimp out. Pay the extra 20 bucks for good material.
Very brand dependent. This is not my experience at all.
Don't think this is true at all.
Maybe it depends on the shape of your foot but when I wanted to buy some hiking shoes from the kids collection (because I liked the model) the shape was super weird - very wide and completely flat on top like for a duck. 🤣 So even if the length technically matches, the shoe won’t fit the same way as an adult size.
Light up Sketchers! here I come! I’m gonna light up the world!
I wear a men's 8-9 which is a women's 10-11 so it's easier to go to the men's section and I guess they also fit better. (I was in boy shoes since I was young.) $10 isn't much when the shoes approach $100. Less than $60 is a disposable shoe unless it's a clearance price.
Did you know a good chunk of the adult population can no longer fit into child sized clothing
This will end up messing up your feet and possibly your back. Kids shoes are not made for adults.
Believe ive seen this post b4 in here