Beat the Back to School Blues with Cherry Blossom

It’s time for schools to start reopening and this year with it comes a mix of extra emotions on top of the usual nervousness or emotions at seeing your little one taking their next steps into a new school or new school year. We know that back to school is mixed with the message of Covid-19 this year and despite the nervousness that brings, it’s still nice to begin the school year prepped with freshly-polished or a fresh new pair of shoes. During this confusing time, we wanted to offer our top tips on where to buy new or how to renovate existing school shoes and return a shine to your child’s step.

Purchasing a new pair

You want quality shoes, your children need to be comfortable in their footwear when they’re at school, but you may be struggling to find the quality you need for your budget. At Cherry Blossom we’ve got you covered – we’ve compiled a few different shoe stores for different budgets, all of which are quality enough for your children’s comfort.

Of course, Clarks are renowned for their high quality, long-lasting shoes which can be of a premium price. We do feel that the quality of Clark’s footwear is reflected in their prices, but we know that it’s not always practical, as other parts of uniform are pricey, at a time when finances are a worry for a lot of people.

Bear in mind that if your worry is that an expensive pair of shoes may not fit your child in a couple of months, Clarks have announced an offer in which they’ll substitute children’s shoes free of charge if they outgrow them before 28 February 2021, provided they were purchased between 13^th July 2020 and 14^th September 2020. There are also other catches. The offer only applies to infant sizes 10 and above. Infant sizes 7 to 9.5 can still be exchanged for a new pair but only until 30^th November 2020. The shoes must have been fitted by a trained Clarks fitter and not have been purchased online. As long as you return to the store with your receipt, a Clarks fitter agrees that they’re too small and the new pair of shoes isn’t more expensive than the old ones, you will be able to exchange.

Read the terms and conditions on the Clarks website for full details.

If you’re keen on premium-price footwear for your children and want a decent range between brands then Next may be worth visiting, with brands such as Clarks, Adidas and Lipsy available on the online store, potentially fussy kids get a wide choice of school shoes to wear. Plus, there’s the added bonus that Next sells school uniform, so you’re able to get everything under one roof!

ShoeZone and Wynsors are similar in their approach, they both offer a range of shoes from different brands, at varied prices. The pricing of shoes on both of these websites are among the most varied available, so they’re definitely worth a visit.

Supermarkets like ASDA offer cheaper alternatives for those on a budget through its George range. None of the children’s shoes available on their website are priced above £20, so this is probably the best budget option. Tesco’s F&F school shoe range is perhaps the most basic, with only 7 items on offer and the most expensive pair of shoes priced at only £15. Fuss-free school shoe shopping may appeal to you and you can pick shoes up from F&F whilst you’re doing your weekly shop.

Whichever choice you go for – we want to help you take care of your children’s shoes, whether it be a weekly polishing routine, covering scuffs or helping shoes fit better – so make sure to check out our solutions to caring for all types of children’s footwear.

Hopefully, we’ve helped you find ways to sort those school shoes out with plenty of time to spare before the return to school, no matter the budget – we know it can be a stressful experience.

Top Tips

Some of you may be buying second-hand school shoes or still using a pair from last school year that haven't been outgrown – this is something we definitely agree with, if a pair of shoes are still fit to be worn then it’s vital for the environment that they are not thrown away.

An already-worn pair of shoes can be restored to like-new and it’s easy to do so with Cherry Blossom products.

When leather shoes that have lost their shine, Cherry Blossom Traditional Shoe Polish and Renovating Shoe Polish do the job, whilst adding nourishment and protection for continued use, you can be sure that your children’s shoes will last the whole school year.

Scuff-damaged leather can really harm the appearance and take away the smart look of school shoes. Our Scuff Cover brings life back into your footwear. Simply brush the product onto the uppers of the shoe to cover scrapes and scratches with an instant shine once dry, it’s a quick way to restore your footwear.

For patent leather shoes, we recommend our Wax & Shine – easy-to-apply and ideal for repairing scuff and scrapes, it’ll be like wearing a brand-new pair again.

Insoles that have worn on second-hand shoes can make wearing them an uncomfortable experience, so replacing them is sometimes essential. Insoles can also aid with loose-fitting shoes as they fill the gaps that aren’t filled by your children’s feet. Check out our range of insoles and other comfort products.

Following these tips mean your children will have the best-looking shoes in the playground – whether they're old or new!