Girls' Shoes
Buy and sell girls’ shoes in Guatemala.
Shoes on Guatemalan shelves arrive from the United States, Mexico and Europe, so the same girl can wear a 13 on one box, a 19 on the next and a 31 on a third. That matters more than usual with girls’ shoes, new and pre-owned, because they are nearly always outgrown before they wear out: the strap shoes she wears to class rarely last her more than a school year, and a glittery party pair may see three birthdays. Before going to see a pair, ask the seller for the inside length in centimetres. It is the one figure that means the same thing whatever the box says.
Strap shoes, ballet flats, sandals and clogs:
each solves a different problem for a small foot. A closed shoe with a buckle or velcro strap across the instep stays on through recess, which is why it is the usual school choice. A ballet flat looks neater but grips only at heel and toe, so on a narrow foot it slips off at a run; it suits older girls and dressier days. Foam clogs in the Crocs style rinse clean under a tap and suit the youngest girls, though their loose fit is not made for running. Ballet slippers come in leather or canvas, and beginners usually start in a full sole before moving to a split sole that bends more easily. The dress that goes with them is under girls’ clothing, the hair bows under girls’ accessories, and a brother’s football boots under boys’ shoes.
A 13, a 19 and a 31 on the same foot:
is what a Guatemalan shoe rack can show you. US brands use their own children’s numbers, Mexican makers size by foot length in centimetres, and European pairs run from the twenties into the thirties. Charts from one brand to the next disagree by half a size, so do not buy on the number alone. Measure her foot standing, heel against a wall, and look for a shoe a little longer inside: room to grow without her heel lifting as she walks. Check the sole as well. Many party shoes and cheap ballet flats have a smooth plastic sole that skids on glazed tile; rubber with some pattern grips. New, most everyday pairs, from a strap school shoe to branded sandals or plain sneakers, cost around Q250 to Q400, and plastic character sandals start under Q100. A small child can need the next size more than once a year, so a pair outgrown halfway through the year often has most of its tread left. Price a used pair by what remains of the sole and the toe, not by what it cost in the box.
Glitter, buckles and Crocs that may not be Crocs:
are where a pre-owned pair shows its age or its origin. Glitter rubs off at the toe and on the inner sides where the feet knock together, and it does not come back. On a strap shoe, look at the holes: stretched into slots, they mean the strap was pulled tight on a foot that had already outgrown it. On ballet flats, check that the upper has not lifted from the sole at the toe. Then turn the pair over. Tread worn flat at the very front comes from feet dragged to brake a bike or scooter, and it wears through fast from there. Foam clogs are the pair most often copied. Genuine Crocs feel light and slightly soft and give when pressed; copies are heavier, stiffer and often smell strongly of plastic. On a real pair the heel strap swivels freely, the round logo button is crisp and the brand is moulded into the sole.
Insole length, soles and buckle holes in the listing:
save a buyer a wasted trip. Give the size exactly as printed and say which system it is in, then the inside length in centimetres; if the insole lifts out, lay it on a ruler and photograph it. Add pictures of both soles side by side, the toes from above and the strap. Say how long she wore them and for what: a school year of weekdays is a different shoe from a pair kept for Sundays. A family coming in from Jalapa or Flores will usually bring the girl, so meet where she can walk a few steps on a hard floor in the socks she would wear with them, because a shoe that fits while she stands still can slip at the heel the moment she moves.