School Feet: Mary Jane Shoes by Lands' End

Can school shoes ever last a full year? Even if the hardware survives, those little feet grow so quickly.

In term five, it was time to let those tootsies breath a little more and admit that a new pair would be the only answer. Studying Lands' End's online catalogue, I decided on a pair Mary Jane shoes. They look good and are practical. Although they're available in a range of colours and I was tempted towards the 'Light Merlot', I ordered a black 100% suede pair (they also come in patent), which arrived during the holidays.

My daughter loved them and wanted to wear them straight away. The rip-grip strap is perfect for one so young, making them easy to put on/pull off whenever necessary. She said they were comfortable and never once complained of any rubbing over the coming months. We were onto a winner.

My sole niggle is that, during all that wet weather, the colour did at first transfer to her school socks whenever her feet got a little too wet in some puddle or other, but, overall, these are a solid, reliable pair of shoes. They have scuffed a little but I'd be worried about my daughter's activity levels had she kept them anywhere near pristine.

And unless her feet grow rapidly in the next three weeks, she'll be wearing her Mary Jane's back to school in September.

Lands' End have a wide range of children's wear at http://www.landsend.co.uk/

-by Becky