My mom too - in the U.S. She was the last of nine so she got the hand-me-down shoes from her siblings, said they never fit right but she didn’t have a choice - she had to have surgery on her feet later because they were deformed from ill-fitting shoes.
She made sure “us” kids had proper shoes when we were young - our feet were measured every single time we bought shoes and we were asked repeatedly if they fit. We didn’t have a lot of money but this was a very important issue to her.
Events, impressions, and/or trauma in childhood can cause lasting behavior in adults. Feet are definitely important. I know that because of the job I have. Bless your mom for wanting better for her kids.
We lived out of rummage sales, the only thing brand new my 3 boys got new Stride Rite Shoes. Front the first pair till they our grew them.
I wore my older cousins’ hand me down, being in the next-to-last of 6 girl cousins. Shoes were the one thing mom had to buy me, I still only wear a size 5 very hard to find. And those oranges and nuts sure tasted good, not like the CRAP TODAY.