Back to School Shoes with Toughees - Review

Mention new school shoes and every parent groans, in fact nothing makes a parents heart sink like the thought of shopping for children's shoes, let alone school ones.

This time of year means queues for days just to get fitted and then if they have them in their size you're one of the lucky ones, ok, so it isn't always that bad but it can be.

So this year when I was approached by Toughees to try out their range of school shoes, it meant that not only would I not have to venture out to the shops, but I also had high hopes that in a months time I wouldn't be looking at my daughters shoes, with such disappointment that they hadn't even lasted a term.

The Toughees range are made with high quality non-polish leather, so you simply need to wipe them clean with a damp cloth to keep your children and teenagers looking smart in their school shoes. All Toughees children’s school shoes come protected for durability whilst providing cool breathable comfort for young feet.

So how do they fit? Using the template on the Toughees website we were able to check what size the children's feet were, obviously it was always going to be a rough estimate as the shoes themselves will always fit slightly differently for each child.

However when they came they fitted pretty much perfectly, my daughters shoes are a brogue style shoe with t-bar and velcro strap, they are really easy for her to put on and they look great too. They look pretty from the top and the bottom, with the sole of the shoe being detailed with flowers, they have been well thought in every aspect.

Although to me they seemed a little loose around the sides, they don't slip off. I used a few of the techniques I have seen when having their feet fitted previously, to make sure they fit as well as possible. They don't hurt her and her toes have plenty of room, so I think we are fine. If you are unsure though, you can always find a local stockist of the Toughees range.

My sons shoes not only look tough but feel it too, they they are the perfect shoe for all of the running, football kicking and the general monkey business that he gets up too.

The velcro straps on the Chivers shoe ensure they pull tight and fit well, they aren't overly smart and offer a more casual shoe which for us is perfect. My son hasn't quite mastered laces yet, so I am glad they still have some velcro fastening ones for us to choose from.

I am looking forward to seeing how these shoes hold up to my adventurous five and eight year olds, so far they have worn them for two days and seem very happy with how they fit. They look really lovely on and complete the uniform perfectly.

The shoes in the Toughees range start from about £34, which for us is cheaper than the ones we've had in previous years. I hope they live up to their name and stand up to all that the children throw at them, I will be sure to keep you updated.

Toughees are available direct from the Toughees website or from stockists around the country.

NB: We were sent these shoes for the purpose of the review, all words and opinions are my own.