Needless to say, the matter is often up for massive debate. To be sure, they are an ugly shoe.
"Unfortunately, Ugg boots are not sexy," said a writer for the Independent in 2003. "Unless you're Mrs. Bigfoot on a lone mission across Antarctica to find Mr. Bigfoot, that is."
Ouch. They don't show off long, tapered legs or look sexy on a date night. They have no heel to give the illusion of height and they are stumpy and odd looking on our legs. But the comfort. Oh, the comfort. I bought my first pair of Uggs back in 2003 when they were just starting to take off. I was a young newlywed who, up until then, never spent more than $100 on a pair of shoes, but I splurged on the Uggs, spending more than $300.
They have been worth every penny.
Those Uggs have lasted my through 12 winters. They have seen me through the birth of three children, trudged with me through the ice and snow to walk my older two kids to school, taken my dog on his early morning winter walks, and accompanied me to thousands of yoga classes over the years. Their extreme warmth, comfort, ability to be work without socks (!), and easy slip-on ability make them pretty much a godsend in the winter. And while my footwear selection has grown exponentially and includes (much to my shame) several pairs of more expensive and fancier boots, the Uggs get the most wear every winter.
In fact, after 12 years of nearly obsessive, full-time wear, I finally had to retire my first pair of Uggs (they got a hole) and boy a second pair. Still, that's a pretty good return on my investment, no?
So when people make fun of Uggs, I have to stop and wonder if they have ever actually slipped into a pair. I have to wonder if they have ever felt the soft sheepskin surrounding their feet in warmth on a 12 degree morning or tried to make a 5 a.m. yoga class without them. What do they wear? Some crappy snow boots that take minutes of tugging and tying to get on their feet? And then even once they are on, they couldn't even begin to be as comfortable.
Now, don't get me wrong. I am a New Englander at heart. I know everyone needs a good pair of LL Bean Duck boots and I love mine to the moon and back. But my Uggs are still more important to me. They get more wear.
There are other shoes people love to hate as well. New Natives. Crocs. Moon shoes in the 70's. Even Doc Martens have had their share of dislike. In all of these cases, I can kind of, sort of understand. Crocs are ugly. Sinfully so. But even so, I am assume the people who love them wear them for comfort not style. Which is fine. Just admit it.
I would argue that Uggs have both. They are stylish in their own way. But mostly, they are deliciously, amazingly, fantastically cozy and comfortable. They aren't going anywhere any time soon. Haters need to either get on board or step aside. These boots? Well they really are made for walking. Good luck keeping up.