Summer sandals for children

I think a sandal was denoted by the buckle and strap and the open cut outs, obviously meanings and names change over the years I too had lace ups each winter and sandals each springtime
I never knew my cousins until I was a much older adult as they thought we were snobs because I had them
I had a leather satchel too
I don't remember X-ray machines perhaps I m too old or the town not up to date enough but I don't think we were that sophisticated

I remember my brown sandals! If the'd been dried by the fire the crepe soles would stick to the floor. I really loved the xray machine.

I bought one of my girls some leather slave sandals which went missing pretty well right away; I found them 20 years later in the garden right at the back under a shrub!

I remember when I had my tonsils out coming too on a mat on the floor in a room full of 7yr olds and seeing a long row of identical pairs of these sandals all with a label tied to them so the nurses knew which belonged to who.

I always had these sandals - and yes, they were called sandals. Anything more open would be called "open-toe sandals", but we weren't allowed to wear these to school, only these Clark's sandals or a Start-Rite Mary-Jane style in the same colour as indoor shoes, and brown lace-ups for outdoors - also in this tan colour,

I do remember the X-ray machine - you could see your own green bones when you looked through the viewer. But the shoe shop we went to after we moved in 1954 didn't have one, and I never saw one again.

I remember these as Startrite. Mine were navy blue and the colour used to dye my socks! I probably had sweaty feet even then. In summer we had "Jesus" sandals in tan with buckles at the front and at the ankle. Tbh I would really like a pair of both to wear now. You can't do better than leather shoes I won't wear anything else. Bring back those squeaky crepe soles!!

Flippy That was my very first thought when I saw the newest posts on the thread.

Startrite lace-ups in the winter, those dreaded Clarks brown sandals in summer which I absolutely hated.

One year when I was 12 DM was feeling particularly hard up and got me a bargain pair of Startrite sandals in the Co-op sale. They weren't a very good bargain as one was size 3 and the other size 4. Unfortunately I'd stopped growing at 10 when I was 5' tall and size 2 and a half. I'm sure one big toe peeped through a cut out on the top! My shoe size is the same but I'm a few inches shorter now!

i always had these sandals and i loved them. I still think they look so cute. Mind you even though i always had Clarks shoes and had my feet measured everytime i still have problems with my feet now i am nearly 65!!!

It was a big day when we were taken for our annual fitting of Clarks Sandals. At first we had to wear them with socks but during the holidays we wore them without and the sun made the Clarks pattern on our feet. My DSs had the same design when they were little but in red and blue rather than the standard brown of our childhood.

I dreamt of having those sandals, but my parents wouldn't let me have them because my mother had 'bad feet' and was worried I would have the same problems, so I had to wear lace-ups year round at school. However, it was straight into black plimmies at home.

Toes cut out of mine also. We then played out in them after school.

Yes - Brings back memories. Should be the new fashion today for children!

How I would have loved a pair of the Clarks sandals. I always thought it was the posh children who wore those and had to be satisfied with a pair of plimsolls, whitened every other night.

Yes I had these! And do remember Clarks shop had an X-Ray machine in shop to check your feet fitted ok in shoes. An X-ray machine!!!

Tuf guaranteed that their shoes would last six months. I was heavy on shoes and they never lasted so mam would get them replaced with my current size. They were always basic brown lace ups. Then in summer she would get me those Clarks sandals which to be fair she had to scrimp and save to get me but because I had big wide feet I had to have the same pair year after year.

I used to cry because other girls had pretty shoes but I would never have dared to refuse to wear them.

Makes sense now. I think she got my winter shoes free for several years due to me wearing them out but at the time it was horrible.

They were called Clarks Joyance and cost 19/6
Happy days!

OMG yes! Every year from when I started infant school to when I went into the sixth form. I could do with some now - I bet they're very comfy.

I've looked at the Saltwater sandals and they do look a bit old fashioned. Perhaps they look better on 30 year old feet/legs but they would make me feel decidedly frumpy. No cushioning either, so every step would jar if walking on concrete psvements. I love my Rieker, Birkies or Merrells.

I can't remember kids having toeless sandals in those days - not even ones with the toes cut out!
perhaps some parents could afford a new pair of sandals halfway through the school holidays in the 1950s because their DC's feet had grown.
My dad cut the toes out of my Clark's sandals with a Stanley knife (must have denoted that we were JAM!).
'You'll get a few more weeks out of those now'

We had white ones . I think my Mum called them Buckskin, and we got them at Easter and wore them all summer for best .

My Mum swore by Clarks shoes and we never had hand me down shoes , every September we all got new school shoes and they had to last till Easter.

Oh my goodness I remember those sandals so well! I can even smell the leather.

I hated when I had to get new Clarks ones as they were so uncomfortable until you had "worn them in". My dad used a small toffee hammer to pound the offending bits to make them softer. I can still remember him sitting on a stool, last between this thighs, tap, tap, tapping away. He used to heel and sole our shoes too. No it wasn't his trade, just something he took pride in being able to do to make the money stretch farther.

Brown for school and white for Sunday

Marks and Spencers used to make sandals for kids almost identical to the Clark's and one summer when my son was about 2 I bought 3 pairs in brown navy and red as I was celebrating getting a little job. Must have been mad - all the same size to go with different outfits! I think all kids sandals were that style then I can't remember kids having toeless sandals in those days - not even ones with the toes cut out!