My mother always said that it would hurt your feet to wear someone else's shoes, but I didn't believe it then, and I don't believe it now. My children have been wearing hand me down shoes all their lives. When my oldest was just learning to walk, I took her and had her foot measured, bought the expensive stride rites, darn near cost a whole week's worth of groceries. Well she wore those shoes less than a month until they wouldn't go on her feet anymore. So that was the last time I did that. If shoes are in good enough shape to be handed down, they weren't worn enough to be any harm to another foot. My little ones only have 2 or 3 pair of shoes, so they do wear them out, but I see other kids with a pair for every outfit, those shoes aren't getting worn out!