FAQ's

Details of our most frequently asked questions are listed below :-

1. A little bit about the narrow brands we carry:- 

Petasil from Portugal have had a massive response, especially thanks to its superb narrow fitting.  
 
Ricosta are a German company. They have a system called WMS, this is the width fitting
 :  WMS stands for:  wide  -  medium  -  slim.
 
Aster is a French brand with certain styles which are particularly suited to a narrow fit.
 
PomD’Api, a French Brand also with a slim fit and some fantastic styles.
 
Camper is a fashion brand but takes into considersation the need for narrow shoes.
 

2. A little bit about the wide brands we carry:-

Ricosta are a German company. They have a system called WMS, this is the width fitting
 :  WMS stands for:  wide  -  medium  -  slim.
The Wide fitting on Ricosta is perfect for those looking for wide shoes

Spring Court, these come in leather or canvas, they are the height of fashion with a wide fit.

Umi is an American brand with a wide fit and some gorgeous styles
 
Angulus comes from Denmark are the "must have" and accommodate wide fitting needs.

 Q. Can you fit them bigger so they last longer?

We do not advise this, sometimes certain foot shapes can dictate going bigger, however, if we fit bigger than growing room then the foot does not receive the adequate support and the child can trip. Once the quality leather has softened it could reduce the life of the shoe and the Child will not feel secure and therefore not want to wear them.

Q. How long do you think they will last?

This depends on several factors;
• Childs speed of growth ( Which we can track with our customer records)
• Activities of the child this would have been determined and point of measuring
• We can only give a estimation but will give a time scale for check ups
• Maintaining your shoes with the recommended shoe care will help prolong the life of the shoe

Q. Why are most of the shoes above the ankle?

A. This offers the child much more support.  When the child is aged between 2 – 5yrs, the muscles & tendons are developing at different rates. Because of this, having a high backed shoe is the best thing for them. This offers so much support to the ankle and helps to prevent the child from ‘rolling’ in.

Q. I don’t spend this much on my shoes…

A. You have the choice of what you put on your feet; you are able to decide if it is comfortable and supportive, a child is not necessarily able to do this. The foot is so precious and must be looked after by wearing good quality fitted shoes. All our footwear is second to none in regards to quality, comfort and fit. It is worth investing in the shoes to ensure that the child grows up with healthy feet.

Q. I don’t want suede/nubuck; it is not easily to look after.

A. Suede/nubuck is easy to look after. This leather is basically brushed up to give a different finish. You need to spray the shoe once a week – weather depending – with a waterstop spray; this will provide a protective layer over the shoe making it much easier to clean off any marks. To clean the shoe, you need to use a Nubuck Box, this works like a rubber to gently remove stains.

Q. Doesn’t patent leather scratch?

A. It depends on what it being used for. If a child wears the shoes heavily on the uppers, patent is not recommended. Patent leather is normal leather with a silicone coating; you need to use the right cleaner to keep the coating in place.  This will also help to keep the leather supple, soft and shiny. This can be purchased in any of our stores.

Q. Why do you only have pinks & white shoes for girls? (Summer comment)

A. Experienced buying departments make the choices for our stock. Any feedback you have is very important and will be passed on to the team. What colours would you like to see offered? The customer was after red – a common request last summer.

Q: Can his/her shoes be passed down?

A: Certainly not. Would you wear your colleague’s shoe that they had worn constantly for the past three months? we have fitted children’s shoes for a lot of  years and have never seen the exact same shaped foot. Each child walks in a different way and that shoe they have been wearing has moulded itself to the way the child walks and the shape of their foot.

Q. I really want patent shoes for her but she is hard on her feet. Will they scuff?

A. In general we can’t say that any shoe wont scuff .Patent is a P U covering over a leather shoe and most of the brands of patent shoes that we stock are very well bonded, we also carry a good range of shoe care to protect and care for your shoes.
 
Q. My child is growing so fast, I usually only have them in one pair at a time, is that ok?

A. We always suggest they have a second pair on the go to give their main pair a "breather".
 
Q. Do I really need shoe care?

A. It really is worth the investment to protect against the elements. The Black/Navy scuff stuff is so easy to use just sponge it on ,it dries to a high shine even your little ones could do it.
 
Q. Should I put him in anything as he is just pulling himself around the furniture at the moment?

A. Our range of pre-walkers are ideal for your child at this stage as he is learning to walk, they are a great protective covering and they help him get used to having something on his feet ,as well as helping to give balance.
 
Q. I really like those boots but they are lace ups and he can’t do his laces yet, don’t you have anything in Velcro?

A. How about if he practices at home with them before he starts to wear them, then you would open up so much more choice in terms of styles when you go shopping for shoes.
 
Q. Are you sure you have measured correctly as she measured a half size different at another shoe shop?

A. yes I understand your concern, different shops can differ in measurement using different gauges, however they are just a guide and we always ensure that your child has the correct amount of growing space built-in.

Q. Why is there more choice for girls than there is for boys?

A. We at European Sole recognised this as an issue for most parents of boys and that is why we decided to make it one of our aims to introduce more styles and colours for boys.
 
 
Q. Why do you only have one of everything?

A. This adds to the uniqueness of the buying experience, we don’t want to buy lots of a selected number of products and not be able to offer a choice. By buying one of everything, we are able to greatly increase the choice available to you. We are trying to get away from all children having the same shoes.  It’s nice to have something different.

Q. Why do sizes vary from shop to shop?

A. The size is always a guide. Each shop has a measure specifically designed for their products. The size typically differs by half a size. As mentioned the size really is just a starting point and must never be taken as the absolute.

Q. Can I pass my shoes on to another sibling?

A. It is not recommended. Like the fingerprint, the sole of the foot is unique.  Once shoes have been worn for a period of time they mould to the foot shape of the person wearing them. Each person wears a shoe differently, if you look at the sole of two peoples’ shoes, you will notice that they are worn heavier in different places. This makes the shoe uncomfortable for someone else to wear. 

Q. The stock that you now have is brilliant and is well received; will you carry on getting this kind of stock?

A. Yes, customer feedback is incredibly important and this is taken into consideration when buying new stock. European Sole firmly believe that as the fastest growing children’s shoe retailer we need to be one step ahead of everyone else. For this reason we will only carry the best collection of the top brands with emphasis on beautiful high quality European leathers.

Q: She/he can only wear a certain brand because they are so wide or narrow

A: European Sole carry an extensive range of shoes and just because they don't come in different width fittings and half sizes this does not mean they are not suitable for your child. Often just trying on a brand that we know comes up narrow soon shows the customer that other brands can work.

Q: Why Pre-walkers?

A: European Sole believe that they encourage the child to get used to wearing something more structured other than socks or pram shoes, without being as rigid as a first shoe. A good pre-walker should have a non slip sole and be shaped like the foot.

Q: How long will they last?

A: How long is a piece of string?! Usually If it's a pre-walker or first shoe European Sole ask the parents to come back and see us after about 6-8 weeks because it's not unusual for the child to have grown half a size in that time. As they get older most parents might see some kind of growth pattern and from that they can work out when they need to come back to European Sole. As for how long will the shoe last like most things it has a life, and therefore should be replaced when they can no longer serve the purpose.

3. A few of our customers comments:-

Jen 07/05/08 "Its a breath of fresh air to find someone so helpful. It's reasurring to know there's somewhere where people care about the fitting and comfort of little ones feet as well as selling fashion"

Nikki 06/05/08 "I now know where to look for shoes! Thank you so much, i shall certainly return to your store to purchase shoes for my daughter"

Dawn 03/05/08 "I got the Bizzy Petasil's today from the Shenfield store. Sue (The branch Manager) was very helpful at the store and I was vey impressed. My daughter looks like a real princess in her new shoes and finally has a pair that fit like a glove - they were a perfect fit. If only every company paid as much attention to their customer and children's feet. I shall definitely be recommending you and your company to everyone who will listen. There is light at the end of the tunnel! Thank you so much you have all been excellent and I have finally ended my long quest for her shoes!!!!"

Christine 30/04/08 "Thank you so much - the bearer of good news i.e. that there are shoes out there for slim feet!"

In the meantime, if you have any questions or comments, please do not hesitate to contact us.