A Sartorial Tug-Of-War: Looks Versus Comfort (Or, Can I Really Wear These & Still Respect Myself In The Morning?)
[ 11 May 2009 ]
(I promise that this will be my last post on shoes for ages! I swear!)
Okay, I have a confession to make. I am wearing ugg boots. RIGHT NOW. At this very moment. Cozy black sheepskin around my tootsies. Yes. Dear god, are they ever comfortable, especially when you compare them to the shoes I normally wear. They are blissful. I finally understand why people love these so much. But I feel extremely conflicted about the entire thing, because ever since they first flurried their way into the collective consciousness, I’ve been banging on about how ugly they are. They are not flattering & they are definitely not sexy. Sartorial tug-of-war!
It’s tricky, you know? I don’t really want to take them off… ever. I have worn them outside the house once, to buy a slice of pizza from next door, & when I came back home I decided I was going to have to impose a rule on myself. Because I just don’t think they are acceptable for public wear. They are dangerous, like trackpants. So easy to put on, so hard to take off.
So for those of you in similar situations, I would like to propose some Ugg Boot Rules.
1. Ugg boots may not be worn outside the front door — or off your property in general. Walking down to get the mail in them is okay, but running next door for a coffee is not.
2. Ugg boots may not be worn in conjunction with a denim miniskirt, oversized sunglasses & a paper cup of “venti”-sized Starbucks.
3. If you do buy a pair — & for those of you in the Southern hemisphere, going into winter, this is the perfect time to snap some up — buy them in black, not tan or any of those novelty colours. At least with black ones you can pretend that they’re not there. They just look like a shadow moving across the floor. Hard to do when you buy them in “grape” & you look like Grimace from the shins down.
I say, think of uggs like a pair of bunny slippers. Totally awesome & comfortable inside the house; completely unacceptable & pretty much a crime against humanity to wear in public.
What do you think about ugg boots? Do you own a pair? If so, do you wear them in public? If you don’t own any, why is that? What comes to mind when you think of uggs? (For me, it’s Pamela Anderson — a sweet girl I’m sure, but not exactly my style icon.)
I don’t know though. I mean, maybe they’re not all bad if Raquel Welch wore them?!
Love letters & feather headdresses,
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WHY do people think it’s ok to wear Ugg boots outside?! To school, even. Everyone and their grandma seems to have a pair in tan and think it’s fine to wear them every day, even in the rain, snow and hot weather (don’t their feet melt in there?). Half the world seems to have lost their sense of individuality as well as their common sense.
I do think they look comfy as furry winter slippers, for when there are snowstorms and blizzards outside, and I do admit they look super-comfortable.
I have Uggs, that I almost LIVE in during the winter. But to be fair, I don’t think they look ANYTHING like the common perception of uggs: www.6pm.com/product/7329497/co…
In fact, Ugg actually creates some rather cute styles, like: www.6pm.com/product/7329456/co…
www.6pm.com/product/7329457/co…
Why others would choose to wear hot pink ones with sweatpants, I’m not sure. I like my winter boots to look like REAL winter boots. They’ve got the same comfort, with a slightly better style.
Ugg boots are horrible but they ARE so comfy!! I refuse to ever buy a pair though. I am afraid they will make there way out of my house. I commend you for making these rules but I don’t know if I would be able to resist and follow these rules. Especially when I head out at 8am for class after pulling an all nighter!
i’m not a big fan of them and i became even less of a fan when i saw a girl walking around on campus pairing them with sweat pants. i kid you not, sweat pants. it still makes me shudder to think about it.
i cannot tell a lie – they are comfortable. I also like them in gray.
I also offer you this hilarious review of Uggs: mindyephron.blogspot.com/2006_…
I won’t even try them on. That’s how comfortable they look. But plenty of things look comfortable! My horrific winter fleece nightie in comfortable, but I wouldn’t leave the house in it.
That’s how bad I think they are. They are on a par with floor length baby blue fleece with polar bears on. It was a Christmas present, okay?
If I wore Ugg boots here people would laugh. It’s too hot! But that pair you have on look soo comfortable.
A little off topic: I’m looking for normal flat boots before I go overseas, does anyone know what brand makes good ones? I saw some from Gucci that I like but no way am I rich enough for 2,000 boots!
Thanks! :D
Nope! Just can’t do it.
Ballet flats are equally comfy and no shame involved. Probably what I will be shleping around town (NYC yeah!) this week.
I just recently got my first pair of ugg boots and I actually wore them out of the house today — I had to take my mother to the mechanic so she could pick her car up so I figured no one would see my feet – but then I remembered I had to stop off at the supermarket!
I did it and survived, I felt kind of freaky and I got some stares although they were mostly covered by my tracksuit pants…
oh dear!
But I love them for around the house. So cozy.
Ugggh (no pun intended!) I work next door to a starbucks in Ohio, and I’ve seen girls in WINTER with their fake tans, tiny denim skirts and Uggs giggling their way to starbucks. Really? Does wearing Uggs warm you all the way up to your exposed butt in a foot of snow?
I’ve also seen a girl wearing mint green, and a girl wearing purple, both matching with PURPLE PANTS AND A PURPLE COAT. Grimace indeed!
I don’t think I’ll ever own a pair, just like crocs, despite how comfortable they are.
I am sure they are comfy and at least you got the black version. I could never own a pair myself because I worked at a shoe store years ago when they first got super popular and dealing with teen girls buying then in baby pink and baby blue pretty much pushed me over the edge!
I actually don’t mind the tan colour – am I a heathen? I don’t own a pair of Uggs because they are so expensive and I am only just investing in decent winter boots (3 pairs and counting, just because it’s cold doesn’t mean you don’t need choice eh?). There are plenty of cheap alternatives but I think if I were going to invest, I would save for real ones to make sure they lasted. As it is, I wear thick socks and slippers around the house when it’s cold. I don’t want to even think about winter at the moment though!
Renee — I love Frye boots, they last forever & look fantastic. Most people don’t seem to have this problem from what I’ve read of the reviews, but mine took a long time to break in. Like, 6 months of blisters. Um, ouch. Worth checking out though, they get my vote!
Hhaahahah you guys crack me up.
Sunny — Ughhhh yes that is horrifying. I feel your pain.
Nubby— I can’t believe people bought them in baby blue & baby pink. That is honestly the last bastion of taste.
I only own UGG summer sandals and clogs! hahaha but those boots are for those comfy cozy days with hot cocoa and a good book! Grab the UGG slippers for those times…I bet your feet are loving you!
I will admit that I DON’T own Uggs and yet feel very strongly that they should not be worn outside the house. A little unfair for me to think it, I realize, but I just find them so ookey-looking …
I dont own a pair, and I dont think I ever will because they are too expensive for my pocket, but I see them all the time in Canada’s winter, and I dont think they look THAT bad, I actually had no idea they were that comfy… And I think that with the right outfit they can be cute, specially yours!!
I don’t have Uggs but I do have some nice wool lined boots which I use to sleep in during the winter (living in a forest makes nights extremely cold!). I wore them once to school because it was really cold but I regret that decision everyday! I was so embarrassed with them, they are tan and honestly, they are ugly. My mum decided to buy me some nice winter boots (Battaglia Mia ones, forest green with a nice buckle on the side) so that I could spare myself.
I wish I had Uggs to lounge around the house and play with my dog during winter. I don’t own a pair of Uggs because they weren’t available to buy in Mexico and because they are expensive and I’m saving for a shiny new MacBook.
Here all the “nice” girls wear Uggs everyday for everything and with everything. I don’t get why they do, there are so many nice and comfortable shoes to wear outside… I think that nice shoes deserve to be seen an admired, not traded for some ugly boots. I also think the same about Crocs.
I fully support this!!
I get so sick of seeing girls at my school tuck jeans into Uggs. It looks awful!
There’s one thing I don’t agree with though, I would totally be willing to wear bunny slippers outdoors, nuffin’s better than bunnies.
Although I do think uggs are pretty horrendous, I think everyone should have a pair. Hear me out! In my opinion they’re like wintertime flip flops (which also, should not be worn with everything). The thing is, when you live in a very cold climate, it’s wintertime, you’re starving and hungover and probably just going to run out of the house wearing something that looks crappy anyway… why not just wear your uggs? We women don’t ALWAYS have to look cute. Men sure as hell don’t. And besides, at least they aren’t as ugly as crocs. Now those should be illegal.
the majority of girls at my college do that denim mini skirt & oversized sunglasses avec ugg look; it’s just not pleasing to my eyes!
I became staunchly anti-Ugg after seeing a bouncer with velvet ropes controlling the crowd outside their Covent Garden shop on its opening weekend.
Queueing for couture? Maybe
Queueing for something too fugly to even wear to the supermarket? I don’t think so
hah, my grandma produced that film with raquel welch. i have a pair of the ‘cardi’ uggs in grey which i thik are so ugly they’re actually genious. i literally look like i’m wearing giant socks with buttons and on cold winter days that’s exactly what i want to do. i don’t think that just because uggs are pervieved as rediculous by so much of the fashion world they should just be stereotyped. i have a friend who dresses amazingly and she looks awsome in her 2 pairs (!!) of uggs. xx
I own a pair because they ARE super comfy, sometimes your feet just need a HUG every now and again, wearing heels is fun but your feet do need a break occassionally.
I have them in Chestnut as they were the only colour that were on sale at the time and I was on a budget after destroying my old pair I needed new ones although I would rather have them in black XD
I used to wear them ALL the time but now I only wear them if my feet need some comfort or if I’m going somewhere that I know I’ll have to do a lot of walking and need the comfort (like long haul air travel) OR if it’s bloody freezing outside because none of my shoes seem to keep the winter weather out apart from the Uggs and I don’t like those Eskimo boots and 12 pairs of tights just isn’t enough to keep my toes from freezing up.
I started wearing Uggs long before the trendies got there hands and them so all I think off are sheep herders when I wear them LOL!
They are ugly shoes but sometimes you just need the comfort! As long as they’re in neutral colours though some of their newer colours and patterns are just godamn hideous!
they do look comfortable, but i flatly refuse to even try them on. erlack.
i think it’s kind of ridiculous to say that you won’t wear them out of the house. that much money for slippers? it’s kind of condescending. and yeah, a lot of girls make terrible choices with what to wear with their uggs, but seriously, they’re warm, insanely comfortable, and pretty practical for crazy winters (i live in montreal). not that i actually own a pair, haha, but i’ve worn them enough times. and yes, i think they’re ugly as hell, but, so are most winter boots.
I personally thing Uggs are kinda fluffy and cute. Not everyone wants to look sexy and professional everyday. Some people embrace their inner snow-bunny and show it with pride. I had a knock-off brand a while back, in tan, and they matched just about everything and kind of made my feet look even with my hips in a cool, curvy way. I wore them so much, they fell apart, and I have missed them ever since!
I don’t own any, because they’re too expensive for glorified slippers! I tried one on once, at my old office. My colleague had ordered some to be delivered to her at work, and after she tried them on she INSISTED I pop one foot in. “It’s so comfy!” she said, “feels like putting your feet in sand!”
I slipped a foot in, saying, “Yeah, right… OHHHH WOWWW...” and then didn’t want to take it out.
I’d rather spend the same amount on stilettos tbh… I hate spending money on things which don’t generate enough [or any] style points…
I don’t really see the big deal about Uggs. I wouldn’t buy them to look fabulous, but if I’m laying down a hundred bucks for fur-lined boots, I’m wearing them out, ugly or not. For the record, most guys I know laugh at impractical footwear, but have never turned their nose at a girl wearing big ugly boots. Why? Because when it’s below zero outside, who seems like the cuter girl: the one kicking about in six inches of snow in her Marc Jacobs ballet flats, or the one who’s toasty and happy and all bundled up?
Any winter-style boots in the summertime, of course, is just heinous and unnecessary. But there’s no reason for me to judge a girl who’s rocking her Uggs in the middle of winter when the rest of us are freezing our toes off in more fashionable footwear.
I own two pairs, in which I proudly prance around in the majority of the year round! I am shocked to hear that so many people dislike them. They are the most amazing things to ever be sewn together and placed on my feet! They are such a staple, especially in New York (the North East in general really) and completely worth the $160 you’re going to spend a good pair.
I do agree that owning them in anything but the classic colors is a crime, but clearly they’re doing something right if they’re in such high demand!
Gala give them a chance, I promise the more you wear them the longer you will find yourself going throughout the day with them on. I bet you look too adorable for words in them! full length pictures to follow, I hope!!
I completely agree with your rules — ESPECIALLY #2 hahaha. I don’t own a pair of Uggs but if I did, I would definitely follow your rules. I have a pair of slippers that could technically be shoes (I think that’s what they were made to be), but they are not allowed out of the apartment. It’s okay to be comfy, but there’s a time and place! :)
www.positivelypresent.com
PS – A lot of people have come over to my site from here and have mentioned how grateful they are to you for posting my comments. Just thought you should know! :) Sending you some PP love!
Oh gosh, I do relate. I don’t have Uggs, but this past (wet, cold, yucky) winter convinced me to get these off-puttingly Ugg-like Merrell snow boots:
www.explore64.com/explore64/ME…
...and they’re specifically designated for outdoor wear! Unfortunately, my Fryes just didn’t cut it for the coldest, wettest weather.
Ohhhh Uggs…
I almost bought a Pair or rocket dog boots that are similar to them about 3-4 years back…but I didn’t. I went for a pair of sparkly flowery pink slip on flats…which I never wear. haha
I agree that they are ridiculously comfy…but should never be worn out of the house. I particularly like the parts about wearing them with a denim skirt…should be illegal and wearing the different colored ones…horrible.
In upstate NY, girls wear them in the dead of winter trudging through piles of snow. They are not waterproof and this drives me insane.
I simply do NOT understand why they have to be so shapeless?! And I don’t understand how they’re a winter boot at all when the upper is suede? Ugly and impractical: there’s no amount of comfy that could make up for that in my mind. I’d rather wear the bunny slippers out shopping :D
I’ve seen a few girls wearing Uggs in a cute way and I’ve always wanted to try some on. So, a few months ago, I finally went into a shoe store and tried on a pair. UGGH!! They aren’t so cute if you’re not a size 5! And, I’m just an 8, but they looked terrible! So, I’ll never own a pair. Not flattering at all!!
My dad gave me a pair for Christmas — I kept stealing his to wear around the house (yes, my dad had Uggs before I did!), so it was inevitable that he would get me my own pair!
I’ve only worn them out of the house in very rare conditions — when I was going to my grandparents’ house in the snow (and thus cold feet) or when I was taking a January road trip (and thus cold feet). Basically, I was going to be in the car for anywhere from three to nine hours in the middle of winter… and the only time I would be outside would be a mad dash from the car to my grandparents’ house, or a mad dash to a rest stop in the middle of nowhere.
I’d never wear them to work, out with my friends, to run errands, or to the airport/on a plane, though!
uggs are lovely. proper ones, not ones from kmart or made by billabong with fake wool. awesome ones from proper little wool shops in rural australia, i had one pair last me since i was 13. (i have lost them though)
what i hate most is track pants (close second is jeans) tucked into knee-high uggs. oh my, please. no.
I don’t wear them out of principle, I am a strict vegetarian and as a result do not wear any animal product clothing, I had to sell a beautiful pair of black leather boots because I could not justify keeping them! I think that they look horrific with skirts and any other type of clothing for that matter, but cannot voice this in front of any of my friends as they all seem to own at least 2 pairs each!
Sunshine & Sparkles!
xxxx
I will never buy them becuase I have never been wowed by an ugg boot. And never will. They are just so unremarkable. They don’t look good with anything, anything! They look best back on the wooly mammoth where they belong.
What bugs me is that they’re a no effort shoe, one doesn’t make effort walking in them, the outfits worn with them take no effort (denim mini skirt and hoodie anyone? How many times have we seen this? For shame!) and if anything blends you into the crowd it’s an ugg boot.
And there ARE other boots that are comfy and stylish, one just needs to do some research – Doc Martens? Frye Boots? Bunny slippers? They’re feirce and they give you a swagger like no other. Hell yeah!
I never thought I’d say this, but Gala, sweetest and wisest source of inspiration – I am worried about you! You in a pair of Uggs, what is the world coming to and how am I supposed to withstand the urge to pick comfort before beauty from now on?
Despise! My campus is infested with them. Girls who are otherwise pretty and dress well will wear them with ANYTHING (but usually oversized sunglasses, unkempt hair, uni/school hoodies and indigo skinny jeans or cutoff denim minis and leggings). I presume it’s to look ‘cool’ and rich. Which their daddy is.
Then there are other girls who just don’t have a clue. They’ll wear them with bare legs. Or team their short Uggs with short leggings (PUKE). Or worse, trackpants. And they’ll tuck them in for maximum… erm, pukeyness.
There are SO many cute, warm and comfortable boots out there. I’ve worn mine to DEATH and they were £30. Just ‘cause slippers are comfy, you ain’t gonna wear those in public, are you?!
Black Uggs are almost excusable if the rest of the outfit is put together well. Brown or any of its derivatives just SHOULD NOT EXIST IN CLOTHING. Practical Ugg usage is also okay, like when it’s snowy. But it never snows much in England anyway. They could probably look semi-cute worked into a ski-chic, snow-bunny look, but no-one does that. Grr.
No, I don’t own any. ;)
Thanks Gala! I’ll check them out online now.
By the way, I realize my comment said “2,000 boots”. I meant $2,000 dollar boots haha. :-P
In addition to my last comment I’ve just thought of another comfy boot! Cowboy boots! There are many toasty winter options, it just takes some imagination :)
I think of Pamela Anderson, too, but only because I happened to catch an episode of her reality show where she was discussing her product lines and was going for a faux-ugg-look because the shearling linings weren’t animal-friendly and she hadn’t realized how bad it was at first.
I’ll stick to my monkey slippers, thanks, they’re just as soft and probably as ridiculous!
Uggs: fashion abomination.
When I visited my friend at uni, I was floored by how many girls i saw wearing the exact same horrendous get-up: uggs, black footless tights, denim skirt, preppy jumper, oversized glasses, and a greasy messy bun.
I believe young women leave the house in Uggs because they think it pulls their outfit into a “shabby chic” type of look. They are wrong, so wrong.
also, what is it with uggs and loosing the ability to lift your feet?
that’s my two cents.
I have a pair of Uggs and I wear them almost every day in the winter. Upstate New York gets an unbelievable amount of snow and my regular snow boots look pretty terrible with most outfits. Trekking from class to class outside is awful but at least my feet are cozy! But I never tuck my pants in them or wear them with skirts so you probably can’t even tell they’re Uggs most of the time. If you’re still in New York this winter, I guarantee you’ll wear them outside more than once!
Uggs are one thing… Crocs are quite another. At least you can hide Uggs under your jeans.
I have a pair in black and only wear them on my walk to and from work under long wide leg pants (or at home). My only exception is on exceedingly long road trips during the winter months.
I’m ashamed to own them but my friends mock them a healthy amount and it keeps me humble.
I have UGG slippers. Cozy comfy insides, hard soled bottoms which makes them perfect for running downstairs in my building to grab the mail or run the trash out. They’re so wonderful to wear around the house that I wouldn’t want to dirty them by running down to the bagel shop or even next door to pick up my laundry.
Mine are these:
www.uggaustralia.com/ProductDe…
I love the shimmery paisley.
I also have a pair of black UGG boots that I have been guilty of wearing to class here in the city…but ONLY under jeans so just the tips are visible. I did undergrad at Penn State where the uniform was UGG boots, mini skirts in Feb and a hangover. I refused to even own a pair while I was there and still cringe if I get caught wearing them because they’re such a staple of the sorostitute image.
i have a pair of ugg boots, but they’re black leather. not like the typical ones you see everyone else wearing, they’re comfortable, warm, and great for winter. ugg makes some good boots, you just have to pick the right ones.
They look kind of silly in Southern California, that’s for sure. I think if you want the soft suede boot look, you should go for something like these Steve Maddens. :)
www.stevemadden.com/item.aspx?...
The bunny slipper principle is an excellent rule-of-thumb. I don’t own Uggs myself…aside from how they look, I can only excuse wearing dead animals on my feet if I bought them used, haha.
Can’t stand them. Don’t own a pair and don’t think I ever will. Got sick of them from seeing everybody in them. And no, if I owned some, I wouldn’t set foot outside with them! Although I’ll have to agree with you Gala, they look so comfy that I guess putting them on IS a risk for your style =)
Ok, so I do acknowledge that they’re reeeally ugly/somewhat impractical (how does suede block out slush and snow?!) but i don’t think they’re that bad. I do own a pair (I guess technically they’re “emus” and they have wrap top and a ribbon that ties them…here: www.journeys.com/product.aspx?... i’m not sure if that’s better or worse….but i like the bow) and I admit i wear them out of the house in the winter. only when it gets cold, although in boston that’s about 4 months. I have reeeeally bad circulation, and i can only wear boots in winter. (or i put like, 6 of those hot-packs in my shoes.) And I have a pair of practical yet bulky and semi-hideous winter boots, and although uggs are hideous too, i don’t think they’re that bad. They’re really comfy and even with my freezing feet (i wear wool socks in summer) i’ve never gotten cold in them. Give uggs a chance, even if they are grotesque :-)
I’m very torn on Uggs. I hated them until Winter 2008/2009 when the cold wintr made my toes crave them. They arn’t the sexiest footwear ever but I think people get too fired up about hating them and in reality I think people’s real problem is with how main stream they’ve become, not they’re actual appearance.
As for not leaving the house in them – when choosing them as comfort wear I’d rather see someone in a pair of Uggs and leggings than in a pink velvor traksuit anyday!!
I have a pair of uggs that I bought last winter when our heater broke and they said we’d have to have the whole thing replaced because it was beyond fixing. Which meant (because this is an OLD house) they’d have to rip out all the old heating and to do that we’d have to clear out the stuff from every single room which was not going to happen and so I wore them inside all the time (I even slept in them). For me they’re basically like really expensive house slippers that can also be used to fetch the newspaper that gets dropped at then end of our enormously long driveway when there is 3 feet of snow. Other then that they stay in the closet.
In my city Uggs & Sweatpants are worn together at all times. It makes me want to hide and crawl under a rock until the next stupid fad comes out.
Oh and these girls also pair this fashion with a headband and whatever celeb style there is. It is awful!
I don’t know why talking about Ugg boots always makes people get on their high horse, suggesting that people who wear them are completely clueless!
I’m doing a drama degree and often need to wear fat pants to rehearse in. Boots would look ridiculous with them and trainers are too cold in winter so ugg boots are perfect. My rip-offs only cost £15 from Marks&Spencer and are perfectly comfy and toasty warm. I know they give me big old baked bean feet but I really couldn’t care less!
who cares? they’re shoes.
I have a pair of grey Uggs and I wear them outside and idgaf. My feet get cold and sore and I want to put them in something warm and comfy when I’m running errands or working or going to/from the gym (with SWEATPANTS OMG). I wear them on flights with my “airplane pajamas,” I wear them on long drives with my “roadtrip pajamas.” I wear them to walk my dogs. I’ve worn them so much that they are completely trashed and destroyed and look like discoloured buckets and I’m going to need a new pair nin the fall. I love them and I just don’t even care.
I equate Ugg boots with crocs. Super comfy, I’m sure, but embarrassingly ugly. Now, I’m no bastion of footwear: I love putting on my five inch high heels and strutting my stuff but I certainly don’t have the abilities you have Gala, my feet take their time off in flip flops and sneakers a few times a week as well, so I’m obviously not the first person someone would go to for shoe advice, but I think that Ugg boots look kind of like bedroom slippers. Or bedroom boots. Or something.
If you want to buy comfy boots that are warm, I would always say go with aerosole (I have a pair of knee high boots from them with no heel to speak of but they’re still unbelievably sexy), or Fluevog, which are super cute and uber comfy.
I used to love my tan Uggs, but I’ve worn holes in the toes, I found out that in snow even when waterproofed they let in water, and every though I’m wearing them right now (with a denim mini skirt… SORRY Gala, gives self a slap on the wrist) I’m really going off of them…
post fail =\
Imo, but when you have a site that handles cool enlightened topics along with fashion and such (and theres nothing wrong with that, of course) you have readers that are here for different reasons. Reasons other than “high fashion”. So it’d be nice if you could be considerate to your readers who don’t care at all about the topic (or at least other people’s opinions on it) and not insult what many of them wear during the cold seasons. I mean, if i made a post about how i wouldn’t be caught dead in public in your new running shoes because they are trashy looking (which i don’t think, incidentally).. it’s not going to change your mind or anything, but it certainly isn’t very nice, is it?
I agree that everyone has the right to say whatever they want on their blog, i’m just excersizing my right to utilize the comment box, that’s all ;)
Hmmmm…my feelings about Uggs are similar to my feelings about Crocs and Tevas; they are a crime against humanity. I do have particular hatred for Crocs but still, each of these shoes says to the world “Hey, I don’t really respect myself or you enough to wear real shoes today.” As soon as I see these on people’s feet it pretty much invalidates everything they say to me. But then again, I’m somewhat bitter from working shopping mall retail for years.
I think the reason why they got so popular is because they are so ubiquitous! Almost everyone and their mother has them. From big to tall, from fat to small. I don’t know. I thought they were appealling when they first came out about 6 years ago. Girls were wearing them with tights or skinny pants and that looked OK.
But now that the trends are changing, I’m not seeing the boots go anywhere! And that, to me, is quite frightening. Girls have resorted to wearing them with flare jeans and most of all, sweatpants. Juicy tracksuit and Uggs? Not cute.
www.danahashim.wordpress.com
So harsh, jeez! Everybody needs to chill out.
I have a pair in pink that I wear around in winter with black tights.
farm4.static.flickr.com/3126/3…
They keep my feet warm, and that’s that.
I live in Arizona where walking outside is like walking into an oven, and for reasons beyond me, Ugg boots are still immensely popular. There’s nothing more annoying than the short shorts or mini skirt + Ugg boots combination. It’s sweltering hot so a lot of girls wear skanky outfits, but then they’re covering their feet in shoes meant for winter? I don’t understand.
Ameya — How critical am I really being when I own a pair, LOVE THEM & wear them every day? ;> It’s more about my own dilemma of fashion versus function. I do think they’re unattractive, but that’s just my opinion. I’m still wearing them!
daynasaur — I think the sheepskin wicks away moisture so it helps prevent your feet from getting sweaty, but having said that, I can’t think of anything worse than boots (of any kind!) in summer. I was a goth, been there, done that, never again!
I would NEVER buy uggs. Inside the house I wear some super comfortable and warm knitted slippers my brother brought from Ecuador (like www.grumpyknitter.com/misc/sli… actually wearing them right now, lol); if I go out and I’m in a comfortable mood I just wear my old Converse low shoes, or flat boots. I have some awesome fur lined Columbia boots though (like bit.ly/SdPo but white) and they are made for wearing them in snow, or extreme weather, like -40 Cº or something; I wear them only when I go skiing or in apocaliptic-like blizzards xD.
Anyways, uggs are as ugly and not acceptable as crocs for me, lol. Cold day in your house? Wear some warm slippers :D (bunny slippers ftw)
It’s a shame that these horrible hideous oven mitts are made from dead animals!
At least people could wear an equally ugly, but ethical version:
www.alternativeoutfitters.com/...
Steve Madden & Sketchers both made very similar boots with synthetic material.
HAHAHA I HAAAAAAATED Uggs (still do although I have let a few friends pass with black ones and for good reasons for wearing them) back in the day and made this myspace profile: (Don’t die at the url and background pic)
www.myspace.com/shitinanuggboo…
hahahaha
Fashion should only have one rule: Go for it.
I wear navy lace ups ugg boots throughout the winter, only with skinny jeans. In Boston, it’s the only way I can make it through. Plain-ass ones are really ug, but I get how a person can become addicted.
i believe i am very fashion-foward/style-concious but i love my uggs. i wear them everywhere in the winter. i just don’t care what people think of them.
i absolutely agree with the rules, and the axiom that uggs are “ugg“ly, but nonetheless, i can’t help but point out these:
www.cozyboots.com/ugg
and these
www.uggaustralia.com/ProductDe…
i’ve seen the top pair worn around, and it definitely doesn’t look like a big house slipper, unlike the generic uggs. and the second one also aims for that, it seems. so do uggs like that still have the same status (in other words, what would make an ugg respectable)?
just ugg foodforthought~
I don’t own uggs, although I will admit to wearing a pair of sheepskin scuff slippers EVERYWHERE for a semester at college. (the fur was pretty much hidden by my flared jeans. though). But I feel the same way about crocs, I think they are heinous shoes, but I wore them as a dental assistant and actually have used them as an alternative to tennis shoes when I have to do a lot of warm weather walking. It’s such a conflict. But, I say if the girl is cool enough and isn’t trying too hard, she’d look cool in a burlap sack!
I think ugg boots are both wonderful and hilarious. I have a pair of striped knitted ones. I do admit to going to the supermarket in them (as long as I am wearing long pants…I know it doesn’t make it right!) I still crack up about my friend who saw them again post 80’s saying “oh my god those are such westie boots-my mum used to wear those in the 80’s and they were embarassing”. I try to remind myself that they ARE slippers. And yes, no to the denim mini combination.
.. And when I am guilty of leaving the house in them, at least not wearing crocs, or crocs and socks.
I used to hate uggs. I have a pair of knit ones in black that have huge buttons and fold/slouch down. I think They’re actually pretty cute and comfy and I don’t care that no one agrees with Me.
www.cloggs.co.uk/content/ebiz/...
Hate hate the tan ones. But this pair I just got, They go great with all My funky tights and I don’t mind a little ugly.
I also wear paint splattered knock off crocs around the house like slippers. Don’t judge Me
I hate them.
They look like slippers – acceptable to wear indoors only – and appear to be made of the same stuff.
The soles wear away in some crazy uneven fashion so its obvious the wearer walks wonky.
They make the wearer shuffle. Or at least sound like it. Bad. Annoying. Ridiculous.
No matter who wears them, they are always unflattering shuffley slippers. Not for outside the house me thinks!
Gala, your reply to daynasaur (love the name btw) says “I can’t think of anything worse than boots (of any kind!) in summer.”
Why not? Personally I can’t think of anything worse than people having a go at me for wearing boots in summer.
I have inconvenient feet that don’t like summer shoes. Ballet flats €fall off my feet. Gladiator sandals chafe and blister. Open toe wedges cut off the circulation. Flip flops? Don’t get me started, they’re not even proper shoes. Guess what? Summer footwear sucks!
Give me boots any day! Dress them up, dress them down, sexy yet comfy. Boots are really versatile! And since I’m an English rose, if it’s too hot to wear boots, I’m probably staying home so I don’t get heatstroke.
And FYI I don’t (and never will) own Uggs. Too Ugg-ly to be seen in and too expensive to use as slippers. Plus I prefer to go starkers around the house (saves on washing) and the one thing worse than Uggs in public? Naked person in Uggs. I shall leave you with that image. :p
I never saw the draw of Uggs, there’s something about the shape that’s too boxy and amorphous for my taste. (A big “YES” on the denim skirts rule, that’s the worst.)
On the “Looks vs. Comfort” front, though, I think you should also mention to opposite end of the spectrum.
I see far too many girls wearing towering heels in either inappropriate situations (ie. hiking in the park!) or to their own injury (open wounds!). I don’t understand it. But then again, as much as I love heels, I love to bounce around and dance more, so I prefer a pair of bright sneakers to go with the majority of my outfits.I envy your ability to wear crazy heels , but my feet haven’t learned to stand the abuse yet, I guess!
I used to own a pair of tan wannabe Uggs with a huge sequin butterfly on the front of each. Terrible but truly wonderful, and frequently taken on outings beyond my front door. I lament their passing.
Uggs have become a hot fashion item… they once where the trade mark of the bogan withe a flannel shirt. Now they’ve become the must have for blonde socialites. Sadly, they are Australian and the support for something Australian messes with my thoughts of the fashion faux pas. Really, they are slippers… slippers are worn with pajamas etc… inside the house.
Although I’ll admit to wearing some Peter Alexander slippers to uni on an occasion!
Abi — ‘Cause it’s too hot to wear them! I used to wear my New Rock combat boots every day of my life, including in summer, but when I relocated to Australia & then to America, I realised I just CAN’T DO IT any more! I felt like I was melting! It kills me! I do hate summer footwear though. Trying to find a pair of sandals which a) I like & b) are comfortable is almost an exercise in futility. I can’t even wear flip-flops, they rip my feet apart, it’s extremely sad. & it’s SO funny you said naked person in uggs, I totally did that today after my shower, & no, it was not pretty!
I don’t own any because A) they are too expensive, considering the amount of ugly they possess (even though they are comfortable) and B) they use sheepskin. Some people don’t understand that they don’t shear the sheep to get this – that’s wool. They kill sheep to get sheepskin.
I thought iCing was about feeling good about ourselves. I do not own Uggs, i don’t own boots at all, i only own Chucks, but I am sure someone that reads you everyday, that see you as someone to look up must be devasted, because this was an up front critic. I wish the old iCing was back, as well as the kiwi Gala that lived in Australia.
i actually think uggs look really cute on younger girls, though. like, age 8-12. they look more casual and fun.
This is a little hard to explain in writing, but my pet peeve when it comes to ugg style boots is when they become worn out and dirty, and the owner shuffles in them, and they start to slip side ways so that the wearer’s heel is now walking on the side of the boot, and the actual sole is sticking up to one side. Not sure if that made sense, but it’s become so common in my town.
I think ugg boots are great for comfort and warmth, but aren’t really as good for making a fashion statement in.
PS I didn’t find this post overly critical of uggs, it was just Gala’s feelings on wearing them herself.
They are super comfy and I love my pair but they are NOT for outdoor use. Like you said Gala..ONLY in the house…..If only more people understood that simple rule!!!
uggs are great for winter.. no doubt about it!! and yes Gala u r rite, rules do apply!! inside the house only. to take out the trash etc. and in the car is ok too.
I must confess when I lived in Chicago a year back, I used to wear them from mi apartment to the car and into work. I did work the late shift most the time from 11pm – 7am so nobody really saw me… So i do understand wearing them in the snow…sure does keep ya warm.
But yea definately.. rules apply.. and they are soooo not for summer wearing!!!
i can’t handle uggs in any capacity really. they are quite ugly, and to me represent the worst of american fashion culture: think track suits and flip flops, bad blonde highlights and 90s belly-ring -showcasing graphic tees.
of course, if someone were to wear them without the hideous excess of denim or spandex, it could be a different story; personally, i’ve yet to see anything to change my opinion about how horrible they are. the worst? they’re immensely popular for reasons beyond me.
i have a few good excuses as to why i wear my (tan!) uggs. first, i live in canada. its cold, and theyre warm. what you say, find another pair of boots? oh no no my friends, my feet are a enormous size 12! there are very few choices for people like me, and the uggs are much better than any boots i could find at payless.
I don’t actually have any at the moment (still looking for a good inconspicuous black pair!) but I only wear ugg boots when I’m going skiing – my parents live near the snow, so I just leave the boots at their house to avoid any ‘wearing out of the house’ incidents.. plus it’s never cold enough to wear them in sydney. But my family always says, your ski pass not only gives you access to the lifts, but exclusive permission to wear ugg boots in public – the ONLY time it’s appropriate is on your way to the mountain, between leaving the house & putting on your ski boots when you get there. cause there’s nothing better at the end of the day than taking of cold, snow-covered heavy plastic boots and slipping your feet straight into your ugg boots! aahhhh…
Oh haha. Uggs. Gah.
Kids in my school wear them all the time. Tan, blue pink, maybe black, brown. Too much Ugg, not enough anything-else. Supreme hatred of it all.
Uggs are the most horrible shoes EVER!
I do believe that one could wear them as slippers but never ever outside the house.
Are they real lamb? If so…GROSS!
To me Ugglies are the winter version of Crocs.
Not to mention the vomiting crossover: THE CRUGGS!!! c4.ac
Hey Gala,
I’m back after a long long falling-out with you because I felt you were becoming a little too much inaccessible, brand name dropping / celeb hangin’ and high brow, bordering on fake to my taste to be as universal as you claim to be.
You seem to have come back to Earth to your regular self, which is much better, so I’m back.
Personally I would never buy any shoes that I cannot wear in the house, cuz I take my shos off as soon as I get home.
My personal motto is: there are enough clothes and shoes out there, if it aint comfortable AND beautiful, just dont buy it. Period. My 2 cents.
xoxo
Iza
i find the adverse reactions to them just as taking-oneself-too-seriously as the cliquey ridiculous girls that buy them because their feet will, you’d guess, drop off if they didn’t wear them. Personally i don’t care; you can make things luke cute. I wear them outside and i wear the cream and, actually, they can look very good with a marie antoinettesque outfit. God this sounds lame. xoxo
Hey Gala,
I’m back after a long long falling-out with you because I felt you were becoming a little too much inaccessible, brand name dropping / celeb hangin’ and high brow, bordering on fake to my taste to be as universal as you claim to be.
You seem to have come back to Earth to your regular self, which is much better believe me, so I’m back. Please stay yourself.
Personally I would never buy any shoes that I cannot wear outside the house, cuz I take my shoes off as soon as I get home.
My personal motto is: there are enough clothes and shoes out there, if it aint comfortable AND beautiful, just dont buy it. Period. My 2 cents.
xoxo
Iza
ugh sorry I didnt preview my first comment well O-o
No Uggs for me. No way, ever. This year I did break down though, and I bought a pair of Minnetonka triple fringe boots. I have received a million, “Wow, I had a pair of those in the 70s…” comments, but I can’t help myself. I love them, and I can’t explain why.
I’ve got a pair of dark brown ones that are strictly for the house only and replaced my very bogan moccasins that I’ve had since I was 16. I have worn them to the mail box, and once in the car to my in-laws but never ever in public.
Apparently the latest trend in Christchurch is ugg boots with floaty floral summer dresses….WTF?!?
Margot — I totally love those fringed boot things but haven’t bought any because they’re not really my style & I have no idea what I’d wear them with…
I couldn’t care less if someone else wanted to wear uggs outdoors/ indoors anywheres! I haven’t got a pair, for no particular reason. There are days when you just want to feel comfortable and there are days when you want to look stylish. Whatever feels right to you!
I’ve seen Uggs worn really well, actually! Behold:
www.tokyobanhbao.com/2008/12/2…
www.tokyobanhbao.com/2009/01/0…
I cannot own Uggs – just like I can’t own tracksuit pants. I live in a cold climate, so if I owned them, I’d be doomed to wearing exactly .02% of my wardrobe, all the time.
I do have thick Russian felted boots my mother bought me the last time she was there, though … they are awesome and make me feel like a Siberian hermit (I don’t know if that’s actually a good thing?)
Anyway, wearing Uggs is like eating triple layer cake for breakfast: completely blissful and amazing but to be done at your own discretion :P
Never ever ever ever.
I’ve hated them since first seeing them. I have to admit though, they are nowhere near as bad as Crocs.
I used to own a knockoff pair a few years back. Wore them all the time. Then one day I realized how bad they looked. I much prefer sheep skin lined moccasins, in pink. Which, mind you, are just as ugly, but some how less abrasive.
I have a pair of the Emu brand, I love them I wear them everywhere. I’m from Canada so they are so warm and cozy. They cost over $100 and to spend that much to not wear them outside the house just doesn’t make sense. sigh
I agree that they are pretty terrible & ugly, however, when you’re a college student with two jobs, an internship, writing a thesis, and other commitments and the temperature is dropping progressively closer to the single digits— I don’t think there is much you can do about it. I think there are ways to wear them that make them not quite so hideous. It’s about you wearing something and making it your own— that’s the fiercest style of all.
I have something similar – synthetic, bright red and knee high. They’re awesome.
In winter, I wear them out all the time. I don’t turn the tops down so you can’t actually see the fur and I’ve had plenty of people not realise what they are.
i’ve never owned a pair and never have wanted to. i’m sure they’re comfortable (i haven’t even tried a pair on) but they’re far too horrid – and overdone – for me to even think about owning. i really would rather not look like everyone else when i’m out in public. especially when looking like everyone else looks like you don’t care.
Ha. Where I come from people live in ugg boots and trackpants (just wore some today). But in my opinion, the casual comfy look is nice and we pull it off pretty good here.
This post was so funny! I have never owned a pair of ugg boots but I do own a pair of olive-grayish boots…that are soooo comfortable but ppl tell me they remind them of Peter Pan…but thats a good thing to me…Peter Pan is my baby daddy so whateverrrr lol
I loved and sorely miss my pink Uggs. They saved my feet at 7am starts to my job at a car-sale and were so blissfully warm! I don’t see what’s so ugly and reprehensible about them :) I’d happily wear them with jeans tucked into them or with sweats, because they look so goddamn warm and comfortable and I’m staring down a high of 12 degrees today :o I think beauty is relative e.g. my flatties are dying over ankle boots and for the life of me, I can’t see why!
I have complained near-constantly to my equally sartorially-minded best friend about the vast majority of girls at my high school who tend to rock the Ugg boots with PINK (ala Victoria’s Secret) sweats. Even worse are the ones who constantly violate Rule #2 – thanks for that Gala.
That said… I do own them. I live in Michigan, it gets cold in the winter, and if my dog doesn’t get her daily walk she’s impossible to deal with (German Shorthair). Walking Ruby is the only reason I ever wear them, but they do have their use.
Hey, Gala, I love your uggs! They look good! (In our house we call them ‘snug-boots’ . . . yeah, I live with kids.) I have some choc-brown ones which I wear with dresses:
www.flickr.com/photos/22775726
and with trackies:
www.flickr.com/photos/22775726
That last one is TODAY. I’m going to the gym, y’know (and people do know – I live in a small town). I’m going to do Pilates and I don’t need gym shoes for that, hence the ugs.
Now, it’s very very interesting to me that you’re having a tug-of-war about this. I think this is encouraging! Someone earlier said the only ‘rule’ should be “Go for it” – I basically agree, but my own personal baseline rule is “make an effort”. It’s entirely possible to wear anything from Crocs to Chanel and look lousy because it hasn’t been thought through.
Fashion changes and our eyes adapt. When skinny jeans first came back people were horrified, but now they have become more and more acceptable. For years people spoke of the 80s and shuddered, now 80s styles are big again and everyone is slagging off the horrors of the 90s (I LOVED the 90s!). Things aren’t really inherently right or wrong, and fashion rules are made to bend, break, evolve and change.
Also, I think women’s shoes are such a cultural minefield at the moment. Someone earlier said that appropriately-dressed happy girls are cuter than impressively-dressed miserable ones, and I agree! There is so much advice out there advocating heels left and right, but honestly, I like to be happy and active and I can’t do that in heels. I just can’t. Two inches is my limit. Give me a good-fitting shapely pair of fluffy boots in a nice colour any day.
I love ugg boots, but I haven’t bought a pair in YEARS! I think because it’s winter here, it’s like who gives a damn, you know? Unless you’re a vampire, which I think I am. But it’s an extra comfort for those who always like being warm, not a fashion statement or anything.
I don’t own any because they are either a) made from animal or b) synthetic and trashy.
They are slippers. That’s how they started life and anyone suggesting they are anything else is the worst kind of fashion victim.
Just put on a pair of socks people!
I bought a pair (in chocolate) after borrowing my boyfriend’s sister’s pair for a week on a skiing holiday. I wear them in public, I admit, because they are so warm and comfy and the rest of my shoes are absolutely shocking for wear during a Scottish winter (& spring — which is pretty much still winter). I’m weaning myself off of them now that the weather is finally getting better – but they’re definitely staying on as slippers. SO COMFY.
I own a pair in black, and there’s nothing better in winter than getting home from work, taking off my heels and pulling on my uggs. Having said that, I would never wear them out of the house. I’ve done it once, and then immediately berated myself for it. I was born in the Hutt, but I don’t need to perpetuate that stereotype. And the last time I went to the movies in the Hutt I saw a girl there not just in uggs, but pyjama pants! At the movies!
Gala, and all those similarly afflicted who have bought uggs, I offer you my services.
After having told off both a close friend and my sister after they purchased the Primark Ugg-rip offs (and not in the less eye-catching black) to absolutely no result – both swearing that they “don’t look like (fake) Uggs if you don’t roll the tops down” – err, they’re (fake) Uggs, they ALWAYS look like Uggs, because that is what they ARE, come off it – I am ready and determined to stop this disease in it’s tracks. So here goes.
THEY ARE UGGS.
There is no excuse!
You used to roll your eyes at people who wear those things!
Comfort is a great thing but there are plenty of comfortable shoes and boots out there that actually look nice!
You have more style than this! You are forgetting your soul!
THEY ARE UGGS.
Just say no!
Look at your feet!
See, you admit it yourself!
You still hate Uggs? But you’re wearing them!
THEY ARE UGGS.
You’ve put yourself on a slippery slope, you do realise?
What do I mean?
The next step, the next thing – oh, it’s almost too horrible to utter aloud – this week Uggs, the next…
CROCS.
;)
I have an electric blue pair with hot pink and white polka dot laces/bows (do i win for ugliest uggs) – They are soooo comfy , but no way in hell are they for outside the house
I’d never put my feet in them, comfortable or not! (same with crocs, arghhh!).. sweatpants on the other hand, are a guilty pleasure, only when customised into looking like patched up bloomers though.
bunny slippers: £5
Uggs: £120ish?
DOWN WITH UGGS.
Their name should be changed to Fugg (or Fuckin-Ugly)Boots.
Granted even in winter where I live they are way too hot for my feet so my talk may be cheap.
But Gala, I expected more from you ;->
when uggs first came into the public eye, i HATED them. i thought they were so ugly, and often said that i wouldn’t be caught dead wearing them. everytime i saw a picture of jessica simpson or whatever walking around wearing tan uggs paired with a mini skirt and sunglasses, i wanted to vomit. i still do. but, things have changed a bit. i live in alberta, canada, where winter = death. so i finally gave in and bought some, and let me tell you, i am never looking back. sure, they aren’t the best looking things ever, but if you buy them in black or dark brown they really aren’t so bad, and i believe that they CAN be styled in a way that actually looks cute. i can’t imagine living through a winter here without them! and the pair that i bought have lasted for two years, which is pretty good considering once i put a shoe on my foot, it’s no mercy, and they get roughed up pretty fast, especially when i wear them almost everyday. when i get home after walking around the city, or walking my dogs, etc, in -45 degree weather and piles of snow up that can sometimes go up to my knees, i’m glad i have them, and i’m so toasty warm and protected from the cold, i could really care less what anybody thinks.
Man, I’m gonna have to NOT jump on the bandwagon here. Someone else wrote, and I agree, why do people seem to get on their high horse when UGGs come up? Don’t get me wrong, everyone is entitled to their own opinion. However, condescending and snide remarks are unnecessary.
Yeah, I have a pair. Yeah, they’re black. No, I don’t wear them very often- only when the weather or a specific outfit calls for them. I wear them with black leggings, an oversized shirt and a lot of necklaces and it creates a kind of effortless-chic look, imo.
It’s funny, because I bet several of these people commenting are guilty of the (sometimes seen as) obnoxious plaid/flannel shirt and TOMS or gladiator sandals trend. So, before everyone spouts off their pretentious opinions about bro-hoes in denim minis and UGGs take a gander at your own wardrobe. You and your friends probably look very similar as well. (Sidenote: Yes, I own flannel/plaid shirts, TOMS and glads.)
Basically the point of my tyrade is- to each his own. I think this post just boils down to being judgmental- something I would not expect from you, Gala, or the community here. There are more important/“worse” things in life. Can we end this digression and discuss things that matter?
I admit, I own a pair of grey ugg boots. The black gets covered in fluff and doesn’t stay black long, & they grey of mine is quite dark. I only wear them if it’s really cold with black leggings. Depending on what you wear them with they look fine, but I think the rest of your outfit has to be effortless, e.g. leggings, slouchy top, oversized cardi.
I have two pairs of winter boots & my uggs, I wear flats mroe though.
UGGly. However, form follows function; I’d readily embrace them if I lived somewhere brutally cold.
Follow up question: why buy shoes just to wear inside? Functionally, shoes protect your feet, and inside, there really shouldn’t be anything your feet need protecting from. It seems like, if you need to warm your feet inside, you should crank up the thermostat and/or grab a pair of socks. Isn’t emancipating your feet from the fetters of footwear one of the joys of being at home?
Oh, no need to stop talking about shoes!!
Honestly, I’m a bit indifferent to Uggs. Never felt a need to buy a pair, though. I know I’m weird, but honestly I kind of like the trailer trash look of boots (not necessarily Uggs) matched with denim mini skirts, however illogical it is to wear winter boots with a mini skirt/shorts and huge sunglasses.
I’m wearing Ugg boots right now, outside of the house gasp Feel free to shun me, but whatever. They’re comfy and warm, and I have no shame. I think it’s all about how you wear them. My style is very inspired by Asian fashion where ugg-type boots are paired with dresses or short shorts and tights. I think it looks fine that way, but maybe not with tracksuit pants. Anyway, the only fashion rules I follow are my own :3
I agree with every rule you have written Gala.
They should NOT be worn outside of the house.
The biggest problem with those wearing uggs outside the house, is the horrible state of disrepair you often see them in.
Nothing more hideous than a pair of old Uggs, the heel worn down to the stitching and the sole twisted under so that the wearer is walking on the actual leather and scuffing a ratty hole into them.
This is a common sight. Mostly I believe because Uggs are not DESIGNED to brave the cold and wet stone of city streets.
I don’t personally wear uggs, but I just wanted to throw this out there – I thought iCiNG was about encouraging readers to discover, experiment and be proud of their own style – not conform to a set of rules that you’ve decided on. What this post has done is alienate anyone who does own/wear ugg boots. Do you really think anyone would admit that they do after you’ve called them a crime against humanity?
Oh, finally, I can confess, for I have been dragging around aterrible secret … sometimes I wear my ugg boots to the movies. SOMETIMES. If it’s a late night screening and I’m going with friends who are wearing trackpants or manky gym tops.
Man, if I were to spend money on those they will definitely be utilized outside of the house. No point in throwing down a Benjamin or two to hide them. For that I’ll buy something I’m not ashamed to wear.
As someone from one of the coldest places in the US, one that actually requires REAL footwear…
Uggs should all be burned. Now and forever. Or at least, they should burst into flame upon meeting the light of day.
The end.
PS. Have you seen the Crocugg?
It’s the first time for me hear that people think ugg boots are for home use only. My friends are craving for those boots and order them from Japan so that they can wear them in winter. Tuck the skinny jeans in and you’re good to go. Most ugg boots I saw on the street of Hong Kong are in khakis (light brown), never in black. I think black is quite cool. Hahaha. I guess some of the ugg boots are really tacky like those with white flurry thing inside and light brown outside. Wear those in miniskirt then you’ll have a 90’s music video (I just rememebered one.) But if you make the boots go all the way up (not flipping down the side) and tuck the jeans in. That will be adorable.
I love this part “At least with black ones you can pretend that they’re not there.” So true! Ewww yesterday at my work there was a girl wearing BROWN uggs with BROWN SEQUINS all over! It really topped the cake of wtf! I really hope outside ugg offenders out there read this and curb their ways! P.S Nice boots! xo
i totes have a pair of lavender knock-off uggs. i haven’t worn them outside in 5 years, though.
Yes, I wear UGGs. I wear them to class. I wear them around. I wear them with socks. I wear my pant legs over them, so I don’t have to feel inadequate around fashion snobs. Why on earth would I only wear them in the house? I dropped a hella lot of cash on them, I will wear them until they die. Did I mention I live in Boston?
i don’t think anyone has to make justifications or excuses for why they wear them out, ugly or not. if you like em, wear em! they’re expensive, why not! these rules, as it seems, were set in place for Gala, since her personal opinion is that they shouldn’t be worn outdoors, but i don’t think everyone has to heed to these rules, and you certainly don’t have to defend your right to wear them. :]
i’m sure i wear plenty of things people think are just “what the hayle, gurl, don’t you own a mirror”, but i really don’t feel the need to justify anything. BE PROUD! :D
oh, and i don’t own uggs. when i think uggs, i think Hollywood believe it or not, haha.
Wow, people have a lot to say about Ugs.
I have a purple pair of ugs (to my boyfriend’s horror). I believe that you don’t have to look good ALL the time!! That would be exhausting, and cause you to live your life based on what other people might think of you. Purple is my obsession colour, and when I wear them I feel comfortable, warm and safe in a way.
I would never wear them off my property, and the fact that they are purple takes away any temptation to do so.
I do admit though, I should really find an alternative for when my boyfriend is here, coz I’d hate for him to think I’m not putting in the effort. But he’ll have to put up with them when we move in together…
Any ideas for a sexy alternative?
I live in the cold part of Canada (relatively, I’m sure all of Canada is cold to most southern-living people!) and honestly, Uggs aren’t as hideous as most winter boots for cold climates. I wonder what temperatures they can withstand?
Although honestly, I’d rather see people in ugly Uggs than in crocs/crock knockoffs. As much as people can complain about the ugliness of Uggs, crocs are, and forever will, be a bajillion times worse.
Gala!
I know how you feel.
I have uggies, and I love them to bits, they’re black with little tassley things on them and they’re cute.
I do wear them in public sometimes, but not to places that matter.
I wouldn’t, for example, wear them to uni or to a busy shopping centre.
I have however worn them to get fast food, buy coffee and once to the movies (my boyfriend said I should wear them! Hahahahaa!) so I’m sort of on the fence for this one.
xx
your ugg feelings probably match my flipflop feelings, as i’m a florida girl. most flip flops are so damned ugly, they don’t really look nice with much of anything, BUT, they are so comfy.
and yes, i throw down in a tee shirt, skirt and flip flops ocassionally. esp when just going grocery shopping. so i suppose it’s all good.
If you like them and they’re comfortable, then by all means wear them.
While I definitely give a nod to those trends I like and what is deemed fashionable at times, I’ve never embraced a trend fully and completely.
Uggs seem quite the “hot trend” right now, and personally, I don’t wear them. However, if you like Uggs and can incorporate them into your wardrobe and still maintain your individuality, then by all means wear them in good health.
PLEASE! Living in Brooklyn and knowing that no matter which direction your head turns in, you’re always going to find a girl in UGG boots. It’s absolutely ridiculous! I can’t stand them but I also can’t deny the fact that I’ve thought about buying a pair myself. But, I refuse to own a pair at all. I will not fall into the trap. ha! ;p
Oh my, uggs. I think that in the right circumstances they could be cute.. unfortunately, they’re so ridiculously expensive! All I would be able to afford are cheap rip-offs… and the ones here look dreadful! Foam bottom, awkwardly shaped toe and an odd angle that I’d never be able to get my foot in/out. Oh my. I have some tan faux sheepskin boots that lace up in the back… they’re super comfy but make my feet look huge! OH BOOTS...
I can’t believe the response on this post….so many people with an opinion on ugg boots.
Personally as an Australian I think they should be called Ugg Boots not Uggs (just like a koala is NOT a koala bear) and should be kept INSIDE the house.
winter+concrete floor in freezing warehouse studio + uggs=no complaints from me all day….
Who cares?! Wear whatever you feel good in, whenever you feel the need too.
Yes, I hate uggs, too.
In fact, that’s one of the reasons I changed my style so dramatically. I used to be very college-student-jeans-teeshits, and now I’m totally glam pinups girl about 85% of the time. I just can’t handle girls who wear sweatpants with writing on the butt and flip flops or uggs with their thong hanging out the back but perfect hair and makeup.
When you dress like you deserve respect, you’ll get it. Get with the program.
i’m not trying to persecute you. but you always talking about being vegan or eating raw. so i’m surprised that you’d want to buy shoes made out of animals :/
I TOTALLY agree with #2.
This being said, I was anti-Uggs until the moment I tried them on. They are just too comfortable to ignore. And I really appreciate the fact that I bought them before making an horrible 26h BUS trip. I could never bear so much long in any other shoes. Also, I wore them to college. Why? Because idgaf about what i wear to college & i’m always late. When i come home is when i get properly dressed. Also, they’re not a major hit where i live, so no one really cares.
The only thing i find TRULY hideous is when they are worn out & do that “flippy” thing that makes it appear like you’re walking on the sides of your feet. Just weird.
okay…i have to admit that i have worn my uggies outside on a few occasions (lol)...and their not just the ankle length plain ones that you see on most people. mine are knee length, have the foldover fleece at the top, have a crisscross lacing down the side and are tan white. they may sound outrageous to some but i have to say that i LOVE them in winter!! love love love!!
but really i believe there are only 2 real ways that are feasible when it comes to wearing them outside the house:
1. pj style somewhere on a late night mission (aka ive worn them with trackies, and a hoodie at 10pm to get a sundae from mcdonalds with my friends) or
2. with jeans/tights tucked into them, and a thigh length cardigan (or anything knit with a bit of bulk). i really dont know what it is about this combination but it honestly looks completely fine to wear when running errands or catching up with someone for coffee. its also seriously warm looking so no one can blame you on those really freezing days
at the end of the day i think if you lovelovelove your uggies and you have the confidence to pull them off then go ahead!! id love to see more uggie love out there lol x
All this ugg hate is silly. Honestly, 80% of ‘fashion trends’ or whatever you want to call them are pretty hideous, or will be considered hideous by some people. But I’m not going to lose sleep over someone’s else’s fashion sense! I thought the spirit of ‘Icing’ was to encourage people to experiment and have their own unique style, not to set rules for what shoes to where and when! When I wear ugg boots, my feet are warm, and I think my outfit looks nice, so I’m happy. I’m going to shake my ugg-booted feet at all of you and watch you run away :p
i totally agree that there are some things that are fine for private, domestic wear, but that should never, ever be seen in public. I myself own several pairs of velour trackpants that are criminally cozy, but are strictly for home lounging use-never to be worn past my front door.
i also have a tiny red playsuit that i wear in summer time, which operates by the same rules. I once decided to shun the rules and wore it to walk my dogs, but when my boob popped out while running after the animals, i remembered why the rules were there.
I could never wear Uggs. I couldn’t do it, comfy or no!
I don’t know about you, but where I live, there are about a million of the same girl.
In the summer, she wears athletic shorts, flip flops, a OU Sooners t shirt, a pair of giant sunglasses, and carries a giant expensive purse.
In the winter, she wears a North Face jacket and skinny jeans tucked in a pair of Uggs.
Its a crime!
I do love my feet to be cozy on winter mornings but ugg boots really only belong inside the house. They are SLIPPERS and slippers are not shoes! Argh!
Sigh
If they are comfortable, leave them on. why are you so worried about what other people think? How in the world can you walk around with bright pink hair but be embarrassed by uggs? say what?
Not everything is about looks! Do what you love, and if you happen to love your uggs, wear them WHERE-EVER YOU WANT!! Dang, I do, I also wear trackies too, and you know what? I look damn fine. Why? BECAUSE GIRLS WHO WEAR WHAT THEY FEEL COMFORTABLE IN ARE SEXYYYYYY. You don’t have to be dressed to the nines to look cute, and if you think you do, well it shows that your self confidence is coming from your outfit instead of YOU!
Im not saying that you should never dress up, but its okay to take a day off on the style shiz once in a while. People who are constantly dressed up (and too embarrassed to go out looking simple) are boring. and no offense, but really, really insecure. I love you gala but don’t impose rules on others just cos you can’t handle wearing them :P
tap tap tap TAP xx
I don’t understand how people can compare minnetonka’s triple fringe boots to uggs. I have both & let me tell you, when it’s -15C outside, no thin suede minnetonkas will protect your feet from cold.
I don’t support the denim mini + uggs trend, but for some people in certain climates uggs are almost lifesavers.
UGGlies WILL NEVER TOUCH MY FEET! Heh :)
I thing Uggs are really the ugliest things ever, for some reason they always remind of a platypus bill and everyone is stomping around with them. All I can think is this is a trend that has run it’s course 5 years too long. It was a trend that should never have started, and come on with the juicy suits and yoga pants paired with the boots. It seems there is little individuality with the people that own ugg boots, they’re always donning the same outfit with their boots as everyone else that owns them. Ughhh horrible, but to each their own. I personally will never want to blend in with the crowd, especially not with these horrific things.
“when you dress like you deserve respect, you’ll get it”
uh-huh. cos wearing shoes that keep you warm is disrespecting yourself… as opposed to wearing stilts that damage your feet and back and give you ugly, ugly bunions. LOL!
and anyway people, ugg boots have grip on the bottom of the soles – eg they are made for outdoor use.
it seems a little hypocritical that you say you’re so open to fashion, yet you are making “rules” on when people should wear certain things…
wow, so many comments on uggs! i’m sure somebody has already said this, but here goes: wear what you want! fashion is totally arbitrary, after all. I personally think they’re ugly as sin (however not as bad as crocs) but whatever, I’ve been conditioned by fashion magazines/the mass media (and i love it—no complaints here). I’m sure the girls wearing them with miniskirts and northface jackets think they’re quite stylish. . . just different tastes for different people. I’m sure you have some of both in your readership
the black ones are less ugly though. I sort of wish i had $160 to spend on really comfy boots too. . .
in my opinion, CROCS are a bigger crime against fashion than UGGS ever will be…
I’m not a fan of uggs in public; that said I’m wearing a black pair right now in the privacy of my own home. The whole ugg and mini combo is so popular here we were going to create a drinking game everytime you see a girl wearing a uggs and mini take a shot but it was deemed too dangerous.
i would totally get some plain black ones if i could be bothered buying them instead of other shoes. i think it’s okay to wear them outside depending on what you’re doing – lazy sunday, hanging at a friends house, driving to pick something up – but definately not with trackies/hoodie/messy bun, etc.
I’m down with 2 and 3, but I’m going to agree with what Ashe Mischief said way up in the early comments: the style you show in this pic is not the only style they make by a long shot.
I wouldn’t wear the style pictured here out of the house. The style I’ve had for 5 years, however, Brooks, has a smooth leather upper. They look a bit more like motorcycle boots when they’re peeking out from under the legs of my jeans on a snowy day. (I don’t wear skinny jeans; they aren’t flattering for me. I also wouldn’t wear the Uggs I have with a skirt; I have 8-yr-old lace-up knee-high Fluevogs for that.)
http://thefurtraders.stores.yahoo.net/uggbrshwm.html
The area I live in gets so cold and snowy in the winter, also, that by a certain date I stop caring so much about what I look like, and start caring whether or not my feet are wet and I can walk on icy surfaces. But by May the Uggs are cleaned, polished, protected, and in their box again, not to see the light of day until at least November.
I don’t particularly like them but.. I thought you were all about being open to enjoying what you like and doing things despite what people say. But here, clearly you’ve taken the uggs reputation to heart and seem worried about people seeing you walk about in them. So basically you just dropped a good amount of money on “slippers” that you shamefully wear only behind closed doors. It seems like you’re being dependant on your heels, and I think you should feel like a fabulous goddess in any shoes.
Gala, I think you should just wear the boots wherever and whenever you want. If you think they are cozy, sin the fashion gods and indulge yourself. Rules were made to be broken and I think you should rethink your views on these boots if you like wearing them. You’re going to be fabulous no matter what.
I own a pair of uggs, and I do have to admit that mine aren’t black and that I do indeed wear them outside the house.
I’ve rationalised it like this.
1. They are sand in colour.(Almost white, but not. More like flesh coloured) When it comes to footwear (I used to work for Overland Footwear, so I learned some stuff) if the material is genuine and the colour is hard to wear without getting dirty, then people will let it slide and give you credit for it.
2. They aren’t high, they aren’t low. They’re kind of an in between length. Making them SUPER flattering on my leg. They’re also slim fitted, so they don’t look like puffy moon boots.
3. They are AMAZING to wear at work. People look at me funny when I’m piercing them in slippers, but they are also dead jealous that I can wear slippers to work. And any shoes that make people jealous are a winner.
Wear them at home / while working with pride.
Hahaha a few years ago you would rather have cut your own feet off than worn a pair of Uggs!!!!
I have been wearing them in the winter for the last 4 years now and they are just the bestest thing in the world….also so warm too :)
Here in the UK they have been on super trend for ages…..a few years back they wee he IT thing to wear although it died down last year thanks god.
Here girls wear them all the time with jeans tucked in or with leggings or with a mini skirt and think opaque tights…..
Although they are no super sexy i think they can look good in a sense they make your legs look slimmer as they are so chunky and it can give a ‘sexy cute’ look.
UGGS RULE WHETHER ON TREND OR NOT!!!
i have always been anti-ugg. but i have been eyeing them up this winter, as my poor feets suffer the cold so. however, like tracksuit pants i would die of mortification if i wore them outside the house, or even to open my front door.
luckily for me unemployment means nothing but strictly neccessary purchases, so the matter is taken out of my hands. perhaps i’ll get the courage next winter.
oh my gosh last year my little sister bought COW PRINT ugg boots… and called them her moo boots… and wore them EVERYWHERE... outside and everything it was so embarrasing they were so much more ugly than the plain ones!!! recently she took them to a friends place and their dog destroyed one… thank goodness!!!
ugg boots ARE ugly but i live in dunedin and it is absolutely freezing here in the winter (especially in scarfie-ville!) so i dont judge people for wearing them outside but its so much better if they’re just plain… black def is best! (my flatmate has baby pink ones… somewhat less than attractive!!)
love ya Gala :D
i used to be dead set against wearing ugg boots out in public too. but last winter i bought a pair of purple shin high ugg boots by peter alexander. they’re sooo cute, and while i would still hesitate to wear them out, since they are (quite clearly in my opinion) meant to be worn indoors, i am much more likely to wander out in them to get the milk or the paper or what have you. i think sometimes sloppy dressing has its place…. i spend most of my sundays (recovery day) lounging about in uggies, pyjama bottoms and a hoodie! but i firmly believe that comfort dressing doesn’t have to be boring! even my comfort wear tends to be brightly coloured, like my everyday wardrobe.
Oh God, I admit it… When I lived in Newtown in Sydney, I would occasionally (when hungover, obviously) stagger down to the nearest cafe for breakfast while still in my pyjamas.
(Now expecting to be run out of the Gala community by a screaming horde brandishing pitchforks…)
as a girl who’s super into fashion, i may go against all popular opinion for this, but… i kind of love them! i would never wear them in the traditional socal ‘uniform’ (or even wear them outside, really), but i’m a short girl and they make me look shorter and stumpier—it’s kind of endearing, especially with a knee-length skirt. again: not flattering, not really ok for outside (except in snow!), but endearing.
I bought a pair for apres-ski – which was dumb because they have no traction on ice. Now that winter’s coming on in Melbourne I wear them at home, to run to the milk bar and to my local Safeway (it’s the one on Smith St – I’m the best dressed person there!). I also wear them when I’m slobbing around on the Mornington Peninsula (bloody cold in Rye this time of year!), but I’d never ever ever wear them into the city.
My boyfriend hates them so much he threatens to withhold sex from me for wearing them at home.
Heheh your article really rang true for me. I have been trying to really really really avoid them but when my Mother bought me a pair for Christmas I just couldn’t stop myself from actually wearing them and being quite in love with them. I just wore them around the house and to late night uni(albeit with a full length skirt or very wide flares so no one could see!). I wonder if maybe you tried/heard of these fellas: www.marieclaire.co.uk/news/fas… sure you could rock anything you put your toots in but I’m staying well clear!
Tx
Let’s try that again!
www.marieclaire.co.uk/news/fas…
Coincidence. I made the decision the other day to buy myself a pair to celebrate my impending stay-at-home motherhood.
I hate uggs, so much. I admit I wore them when I was much younger, quite often even. And in pink! I don’t know what I was thinking. But I do remember them being comfortable.
I’ve always hated them!! The feel of them creeps me out!! It’s particularly bad now though because I work in a souvenir shop that sells them and I have to tell all the tourists how “fantastic” they are… Ick… My partner has a pair that he loves so I’ve learnt to tolerate them, as long as he doesn’t wear them in public!!
i don’t own a pair of uggs. i think it’s because they remind me of the mocassins which i wore around the house often as a kid :)
Gala –
I’m here to confess I have owned one pair of Uggs and have worn them almost exclusively for the past two winters. Two Minnesota winters!
I was so cold those first years going raw. If you don’t know what you are doing being raw in winter can be miserable. I needed to find some way to stay warm when I went outside. In a moment of desperation and a large gift card given to me for Christmas two years ago, I went for black Uggs.
With my Uggs I feel like I can enjoy winter again. I have survived walking a cute doggie in -20F degree weather wearing my Uggs. I have gone for walks in Uggs. I have kept warm with my Uggs. During the winter, I can never go back again to anything else.
Gala’s tips are right on ladies! Buy them in black. Wear jeans or pants over them so they look like other winter boots! Or if you are daring, show them off. Like Gala says they are like a moving shadow.
Look away…. Look away….
On cold days or inside at home, they are a big giant hug for your feet.
One additional tip – buy extra insoles! You can rarely find them at stores, but they are available online. Only buy the Ugg brand insoles – I’ve heard the non name brand insoles don’t fit as well, are poorly made, and are not cushy at all.
If you wear your Uggs like I do every day in the winter, you will wear the insoles out, and you will want new ones.
Have a wonderful cozy day everyone,
XOXO
~ Heidi
P.S. If you want to support a US Company for Ugg-like shoes, there is a great company in Minnesota that makes moccasins, and are now making various Ugg styles.
www.moccasinsales.com/minneton…
Minnetonka Moccasins are a very high quality company, and have been featured in fashion magazines in recent years. Either way, don’t make fun of the cozyness!
I love my Uggs, unconditionally. I feel like they are giving my feet a hug! They may be slightly disturbing-looking and I will never support the miniskirtanduggboot thing but for lazing around the house, running to the shops or having a freezing day at Uni its Uggs all the way!
I never have worn them and probably never will. I used to say I hated them but I don’t think I hate them so much as the type of people who wear them out in public. My aunty, who is by every definition a country bogan, would wear them to the shops which was just about the most horrendous thing ever. In fact growing up in country Victoria I’d see people wearing them out and about all the time. The fact people were so uncaring about how shit they look in public is what turned me off firstly. Then when they came back into fashion I disliked them because it was really just tacky and another ugly trend people followed without thinking about how dreadful they looked. But then my friend wore them almost everyday when we travelled Europe in winter this year. But she made them look pretty cool, in their own daggy way, so now I’m a bit indifferent to them altogether. I reckon they can, in very rare cases, be worn well and look OK. I guess it depends who wears them and where/why!
Haha. This thread is amazing.
There has always been a well-known Ugg-of-war about this shoe. Uggs are the flip-flop of winter. Gala is obviously not trying to ostracize Ugg-wearers or instate fashion rules. If anything she’s questioning why they’re such a bad idea.
There is an ARMY of girls who wear a daily uniform to class at my university. It consists of: Uggs in tan or black, black leggings-as-pants (the horror!!!), white men’s Target comes-in-a-3-pack t-shirt, blackberry glued to ear, and aforementioned oversized sunglasses and Venti Starbucks cup.
All of these things are not offensive in of themselves (except for leggings as pants), but the combination is horrifying, and unfortunately the only thing that IU girls can seem to find in their closets. (Maybe Mary-Kate wore something like it once?)
Even when Uggs are separated from these perpetrators of fashion disaster and worn by a thoughtful superstar like yourself, they bear a certain energy of evil: if you wear them, you may spontaneously bare the mark of That Girl Who Wears Uggs. I think your on-International-Playgirl-HQ-grounds-only rule is wise.
My parents bought me a pair of Emu’s for my birthday in October – I’ve worn them everyday since then! I get annoyed if my feet are cold/uncomfortable so they suit me really well. They have a cool tread print too!
I’m not one to be bothered if my feet look awful – as long as the rest of me looks ok!
I own three pairs.
A bright red pair that are only worn in the house (mainly because they have holes in them as I have had them so long). They were really expensive and super comfy, but the money pays off, as I have had them for like four years and refuse to part with them
I have a pair of ‘pillow feet’, this Bonds ugg boot kind of thing that has no sole that I can wear in bed. Super warm, but terrible to walk in.
And finally, because I am a lazy slob uni student in freezing cold Melbourne, last week I bought a pair of dark grey uggs with (shock horror) pom poms on the side to wear to uni when I can’t be bothered. I haven’t worn them yet, but that is only because the slob in me hasn’t washed my skinny jeans with the hole in the crotch yet =)
xx
OH.
MY.
GOD.
As i read this article and look down at my feet covered in my knee high GRAPE uggs i realise i may be at the point of no return!!
HALP!!!
NO NO NO
Ugg boots belong with Crocs (at home and hidden from sight!)
I dont own these unsightly beasts as it rarely gets cold enough where im from, but im sure theyre fine for at home.
But still bogan girls insist on donning them out and about, making me cringe… they make me think of bumpkin 6 toers…
burn them all!
i completley agree with you, and taylor, deffinatly! uggs are in the same position as crocs although i would never by a pair of them. i would how ever buy a pair of ugg boots as they are extremely comfy but o so heinous, and should never be warn outside
i love my uggs and wear them everyday. AND i look totally cute.
I’m an aussie born and breed, nothing to be ashamed out with uggs, there a staple in life over here when its freezing. I get it there not the most fasionable thing to wear but cmon whats the big deal if someone wants to wear them in -degree temps instead of some flimsy shoes whos gonna bt the one laughing then.
Some people are so quick to promote that everyone should wear what they want but then even more quicker to critise.
Hahaha great post! I totally agree with your ugg boot rules x Sushi
I’m definitely not an UGGs fan, but they do look so comfy. I suppose they are exactly like sweats and the same rules apply. If I did have a pair, I wouldn’t wear them outside.
Gala, I’m surprised that you would waste your time write such a negative piece. I fear this post would violate your own commenting policy!
living in the cold weather uggs boots and their fraternal twins are a must!!! we live with our jeans tucked into our boots for 3-4 months. but yes seeing girls wearing this boots in 80 degree weather kinda makes me scream for their feet! so yes unless you are a cool surfer girl wearing your uggs to the beach please leave them at home
i admit, i have a pair of tan uggs and they were INTEGRAL to my survival this past harsh midwestern winter! i also confess to having worn them with “THE” dreaded outfit.. that’s right… coffee and all. gala, it was a sunday morning, i couldn’t be bothered! i would have worn my bunny slippers themselves outside if they were the closest comfiest things.
WOW, talk about a hot topic! Who knew so many people felt so strongly about uggs?! Or felt so strongly that people shouldn’t feel so strongly ;D
Somedays its just nice to be chilled out and relaxed, theres more to life than looking the bestest. Some days its best to take it easy, chill and wear whateva is comfortable. Somedays thought, not all days ;)
am i the only one who doesn’t think they’re THAT ugly? i don’t own them, i just don’t notice them. they’re not even on the same level as crocs. the huge controversy over this shoe is baffling to me.
To answer your question, Uggs make me think of dead lambs. :]
HAH! loved this post. i do agree. and i do have a pair myself. black. i will even admit i wear them outside! DEFINITELY not together with a jean skirt and a venti cup of starbucks tho! haha DEF NOT that. usually with some comfy pants when ive gotta be up @ 5 am to take a train to school!-gimme a break? :)..and on those cold cold days, theres nothing better. i just loved this post though, made me smile! :)
i go to acting and rehearsals and the theater door is always open so it gets really cold during the fall productions. they ARE tan, yes, but wear them with a mini skirt? oh no! i wear them sweat pants yes, because you can easily take them on and off. no straps, no buckles, no ties, perfect on the go shoes. now purple… not really “my thing” but quick comfort that aren’t too bad of an eyesore like er… OTHER shoes… cough crocs cough they [being uggs] make the perfect winter on-the-go shoe.
they [being uggs] make me think of Australia! :]
Those are some pretty pricey bunny slippers!
I hear Victoria Beckham wears Uggs at home and only at home also!
There was a period when I considered buying a pair but I decided they didn’t fit in with my “be more girly” style. Blair Waldorf would never wear Uggs!
I would consider buying a pair for homewear, but to spend that much on a pair of booties for indoor wear only makes my heart break. I guess they are cheaper in Australia (and NZ?) though. I was talking to a girl last week about Uggs. She only ever wears Uggs. She says they really help with her back pain..?
I had a fake pair I bought at K-Mart for $13. I wore them to death during the winter I spent in Boston. Hideous? Yes. But as someone who loses all feeling in her feet during winter and was required to walk or take the bus everywhere, they were a godsend. They kept my feet warm that whole winter, even when the temperature were in single and negative digits and when the snow came up to my shins. And since I was managing the food pantry at a homeless women’s shelter, stocking shelves and driving around the city to pick up donations, no one gave a shit how I was dressed.
Of course, I had to toss them after winter because they were demolished. The salt dumped all over the city that winter had demolished them, as well the backs of several pants, all the way up to my knees.
I live in my boots year ‘round. Three pairs of Frye, a pair of cowboy boots, either of my two pairs of Docs…
Sundresses, minis, jeans, capris, peasant skirts… They all get a pair of boots. Which pair depends on my mood for the day. Sometimes I will slap on a pair of heels, sometimes my Birks (only the un-manky ones, though*)... But most often? Boots of some stripe.
‘Cos I have a harder time falling over in them, and I… I am clumsy as all get out. I’ve fallen over whilst standing still, and got tangled in a bar stool once toppling all the way down to the floor (skirts above my head; it was lovely). Boots keep me more stable somehow .
(*I feel the same way about most Birkinstocks as you feel about Uggs – my Bostons are relegated to home wear. I adore them, but I have a very hard time allowing myself to wear them out of the house under most circumstances.)
I took a photo of my ‘uggs’ (actually another brand) just a day after I bought them, & about a day before you made this post!
I love my snuggly boots, I went for the chocolate brown, because I wear a lot of blue.. & they, surprisingly, go well with dark reds too. Mine are the same as Hannah Elizabeth’s (who commented above); www.flickr.com/photos/purrsika…
I’m definitely the epitome of bad fashion when I am apartment chillin’ in my vietnamese fishermans pants & be-ribboned uggs… but I’m comfortable, cozy, warm & happy. & that’s what counts. (n__n)
I say, rock those woolly boots! So very Aussie/NewZealander!!!
I love Uggies, and have always wanted a pair like yours :)
I just saw a girl out in public wearing red tartan uggs with pink trackpants tucked into them. Oh dear.
Heidi — It’s possible now to buy woolly orthotics for Uggs, and they’re pretty good. I think Lynco makes them. They don’t look much like the regular Ugg insole, but if you’re in the US, you can buy them at The Walking Company. I’ve had them in my boots for two years, and they’re warmer than plain orthotics and much more supportive than the standard insole (which I use to line my slippers, ironically).
In all honesty, I hate them. I call them Fug(g) Boots ><
DM’s, on the other hand, I adore. I’m looking hard for a pair of the classic white ones NOT online x]
I FULLY AGREE WITH THIS:
2. Ugg boots may not be worn in conjunction with a denim miniskirt, oversized sunglasses & a paper cup of “venti”-sized Starbucks
wow, ‘just as gay as’... not usually a commenter on comments in this way, but .. ouch, talyallyse. (-__-;)
purrsikat — Oh yuck, I just saw that too. It’s gone :>
I own uggs, and i LOVE them. They are so confortable!
I remember thinking they were cute, a few years ago. I even will admit to wearing them in public… and i do think they looked cute (back them) with jeans tucked into them and a cute top. or a cute dress…
And i live in LA, so you see people wearing them out here with shorts. skirts and dresses ALL THE TIME.
Anyway, i think it was cute a a few years ago. But now, i never wear any of my uggs in public. I just wear them with my victoria secret sweat pants around the house…
I think people need to get it, IT’S NOT CUTE TO WEAR UGGS IN PUBLIC ANYMORE! (and most people don’t think it ever was… i disagree with that, but yeahhhh. not cute anymore!)
In the UK many girls wear them quite stylishly with socks & tights. I am not sure if I can explain but they arelayered, and it doesn’t look half bad.
I remember having a knee length pair of orange coloured ugg boots which I used to wear to lectures at unitec because man, that building was cold!. Then I got written up in the student newsletter as having no style. Harsh I say. Harsh.
I still wore them anyway. They looked ace with a long assymetrical skirt and some layered tops and scarves.
So psshaw I say, wear whatever you want!
www.zappos.com/product/7210760…
I’m telling you, they’re kind of weird, but I totally think you could rock them in black… ; ]
UGGS are also made out of animals. congrats.
Uggs – yes they’re hideous but boy are they comfy. I try to avoid wearing them out the house (more out of wanting to have a style of my own than anything else) since they’re pretty ubiquitous now. However – long distance flights – amazing! (Actually long winter road trips too) And I will admit to wearing them to work after many a err late night the night before (hey – I got to wear my slippers to work which feels vanilla subversive & thank heavens for casual dress codes).
I have some really cool knited mooks kinda ugg-ish boots they are super cute and super warm…I’ll see if I can find a picture….nope…but I do think ones like these www.zappos.com/n/p/p/7419524/c… and these www.letsgoclothing.com/index.p… could be worn with tights/skirts/over jeans.
I think that it is perfectly okay to go out of the house to the supermarket or takeaway store in your most comfortable clothes. I think its how you wear them that counts.
best option ever in the days of our life in which we totally choose for comfort above fashion.
God, they’re the comfiest thing ever!
I love my uggs, and yes I do wear them out. I honestly think they look really cute when styled properly (and no colours other than the classics, thank you). They become a daily staple for me because I live in Canada, where winters are unbearably cold. Again, I see no problem in doing so becuase I think it actually looks cute and cozy. Like very bundled and warm, and that look is VERY appealing in -30 degrees Celsius weather.
Anyway, I wouldnt even dream of wearing the denim skirt/Ugg boots/coffee and sunglasses thing… who wears uggs in the summer??? but when it actually counts in the winter, you can be sure I’ll be wearing my warm and cozy uggs with pride.
Ok so I do admit to owning a pair of boot like Uggs, though I feel mine are slightly more attractive.
www.emubootshop.com/Products/p…
Above is the link to the boots I do own. Emu makes them. My only defense is that they were a gift and I go to college in a place that redefines cold for me. Everyone wears Uggs or equally warm boots or you will freeze. I sacrifice fashion to avoid toe-cicles!
i purchase a pair of ugg boots 5815 classic type last year,like it very much.
UGGs are so ugly. Everyone in my entire school owns a pair of UGGs and sadly they all wear them with denim mini skirts. I don’t own a pair of UGGs but I have a pair of Canterbury Sheepskin Boots, from New Zealand. They look similar to UGGs, but are way more attractive, comfortable, last longer, made out of real sheepskin, the softness inside doesn’t fade or get madded like UGGs, and they are water proof. So if you against UGGs but still want a soft, comfortable boot. Check out www.nznature.co.nz/sheepskin.h…. THEY ARE SO WORTH IT! I have 2 pairs! xo Samantha
@M.E. I just want to say thanks for mentioning the Walking company. I looked through their website in search of wool orthotics, but couldn’t find anything. Boo! I’d love to find something with an arch support because I have such I high arch! But no matter what you’ve given me hope that there are options out there. And when I find some fuzzy orthotics, I’m going to put them in all my shoes for winter. Maybe I don’t have to wear my UGGs 24/7 after all!
@Kara – those EMU boots are totally cute!
I want a pair!
Holy hot topic batman! 3 words for redemption. 30 below freezing. If I can still feel my feet when it is that cold and I am up to my eyeballs in snow I could give a crap what it looks like :) There are some days where fashion has be put on hold for survival…