Prognosis

Your Feet Could Pay the Price for Wearing Kids’ Shoes

A customer browses a wall of Nike Inc. sneakers on display for sale at Dick's Sporting Goods Inc. store.

Photographer: Sean Proctor/

Hello, it’s Jennifer in London. A sportswear CEO recently complained to me about a hack that many shoppers use to get almost half off sneakers: Wear kids’ versions of popular lines instead. It’s not as harmless as you might think. But first...

Everyone wants to save a few dollars — especially in these times of high inflation. For those with petite feet (mostly women), squeezing into cheaper kids’ shoes can be a neat way to cut costs.