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March 10, 2011
Ugg-ly Winter Boots
Chilly air blows the hood right off my head as I’m heading home from my first class.
Cold finds its way down the neck of my sweatshirt, and I’m overcome with a chill that sends a
shiver through my body. The sun is shining bright, but the breeze of 34 degree air counteracts the
warmth of the sun. A layer of slush coats the walkway and splashes of water and snow are
kicked up behind each step taken. Puddles scatter the street as the dormant snow is finally
starting to liquefy. Spring is right around the corner, but that doesn’t mean anything about the
fashion trend I’m engulfed in. As I’m only a number in the sea of college students that hustle
down Pollock Road, I’m surrounded by women wearing the very popular winter boot, Uggs. A
group of chattering girls walk in front of me, and I look down to notice the astounding variety of
these boots worn between the six of them. All of their footwear share similar torn toes, scuffed
bottoms, and worn suede. There is a very relaxed, slouchy look to the material, which is one very
different than that of stiff new boots. One of the girls wears grey knit Uggs, another wears the
classic short boot in chestnut, a dark khaki color. Her friend is wearing black Uggs with a single
button on the outside, and the girl walking next to her wears tall Uggs in a chocolate color. One
of the girls walking in the pair behind them wears ankle height Uggs, and talking to her is a girl
wearing navy Uggs with a paisley pattern. To my surprise, not only are the women around me
sporting this fairly new fashion trend, but so are men. A male student next to me is also wearing
Ugg boots, commonly known as “Muggs”, for men. They look just like the boots the women
around me are wearing, just much bigger to fit a man’s foot. Despite the growing popularity of
this sheepskin footwear, their price, style, durability, and versatility do not create the practical
winter boot they are cracked up to be.
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Seen all over the world, Ugg boots are everywhere. A debate still remains on their origin,
but coming from either Australia or New Zealand, Uggs were first worn in by aviators in World
War I. They’ve been around since the 1920’s, and have recently become more popular since
then. Following World War I, Uggs became useful to surfers in order to keep their feet warm
after exiting the cold water. Surfing helped make Ugg boots popular outside Australia and New
Zealand, and they were then brought and sold to people in the United States.
The moon boot-like style of Uggs has a similar bulky look on everyone. They create
“cankles” on whoever wears them, a look that creates no distinction between the person’s calves
and ankles. Fuzzy inside and soft outside, they’re commonly worn with anything. “Pants tucked
in” is a common style, as is the “Uggs with leggings” look, both of which give cankles to the
person wearing them. Created in Australia, Uggs have made it to America and now serve as a
“wear with everything” boot. Why they are so popular, who knows? Are these unflattering,
impractical boots so likeable just because they’re trendy?
When using the word winter, it’s implied that that includes winter weather- snow, wet
slush, and ice. In order to hold up to winter weather, a winter boot should be waterproof enough
to seal out snow and ice. Notice that The North Face, a company known for their winter clothing
and footwear, creates boots that are waterproof through and through. They’re equipped to face
snow and slush, as a matter of fact, they’re supposed to. Uggs don’t stand a chance to The North
Face winter boots, and they shouldn’t even be in the same categorized together. Unlike Uggs,
The North Face boots have laces. This allows them to be tightened around the ankle, which
eliminates cankles and creates a more stylish look. Instead of a suede outer layer, The North Face
boots have a sturdy rubber outsole to keep out wet weather. They both have the same interior,
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furry and warm, but The North Face winter boots have the edge because of their durability and
stylistic appeal in the winter weather.
Still speaking of durability, it’s very common to see the toes of Uggs decorated with salt
residue due to snow clearing. Not only does this issue relate to the strength of Uggs in the snow,
but this clearly shows Uggs can’t even handle the aftermath of the snow once the water has dried
up. These permanent salt lines on the boots are a good example that if the Uggs do get wet, they
can’t bounce back to their original look. And as a side note, more damage is done if an attempt is
made to wash off the salt left behind.
Uggs, being a cold weather boot, are not very versatile. They’re worn with almost
everything cold-related, like down coats and other fur-embellished accessories, but they are only
useful in the winter months. Being made of sheepskin, and stuffed with fur, it is evident that they
shouldn’t be worn in the warmer seasons. It’s possible for someone to wear them in the summer,
but it looks extremely silly and it is pointless. Have you ever seen a sheep walking, covered in
thick layers of wool in the summer? No. That’s because they would over heat, much like the feet
of those who wear Uggs in the warm weather. That being said, Uggs also shouldn’t be worn with
shorts, dresses, or skirts. If it’s warm enough outside to walk around bare-legged, furry boots are
not necessary. A Wellie, or rain boot, would be much more practical because they are not limited
to just one season. They can be worn any season it’s wet, including warm weather. Wellies do
not look ridiculous with any outfit that shows some leg, they protect from wet weather, and they
don’t cause overheating. If it starts to rain in the spring, fall, or summer, either put on Wellies, or
wear sandals that will fare well when they get wet.
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Now, an argument could be made for warmth. Yes, I’ll agree Uggs are warm, but that
goes under one circumstance. Uggs are only warm if they’re dry. More times than not, the
ground is wet during the winter. No feet are warm when winter weather has made them wet.
How warm can a soggy, suede covered, fur lined boot be? Not very warm, which then defeats the
purpose of wearing Uggs in the first place.
Similar to Uggs’ durability and versatility, price is also a downfall. Costing anywhere
between $120.00 and $180.00, Uggs are a fortune. For a boot that isn’t waterproof and can only
be worn, at most, six out of the twelve months of the year, $180.00 is impractical, especially
because they lose much of their value after one winter. Comparing cost to The North Face winter
boot, prices range from $95.00 to $165.00. With a winter boot that is just as warm, waterproof,
and will last longer, the consumer is getting a higher quality boot for a smaller cost. Maybe it’s
the “Ugg Australia” label perfectly sewn to the heel of the boot that makes the price tag
worthwhile. Maybe it’s because everyone wears them, or maybe it’s because even fake Uggs
make the person wearing them seem like they have the real thing on. The fashion trend and need
for the consumer to conform Uggs seems to be more important than the money given up to
purchase the boots, which is why Uggs are such a popular product. As time goes on and Uggs
become more popular, the boots are increasing in price. When will Uggs become too expensive
that they’re not worth it?
The durability, versatility, style, and price of Uggs make them impractical winter boots.
Because they can’t hold their own in a winter storm, they look like house slippers, and they’re
extremely expensive, they are no contest to season-specific boots like Wellies, and The North
Face boots. Until we get these ugly, moon boot-style, soggy-when-wet boots off the planet,
normal, waterproof winter boots should be worn in the cold weather months. In the future I hope
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to see warm, dry feet, real winter boots worn in public, and a cankle-free environment. These
boots should be given back to the surfers and pilots; they seem to have a much better use for
them!