Legend has it that Uggs is short for ugly, but they are still warm and comfortable and perfect for Chicago winter. I own a pair of Uggs and I love to wear them for the trek to Tech in the morning when it’s freezing outside.
Uggs are primarily functional shoes. They are meant for warmth and have only recently been deemed stylish. Made of sheepskin, Uggs look especially great with skinny jeans tucked into them or with boot cut jeans over the tops so you only see the bottom of the shoe. What looks terrible is the trend of wearing Uggs with a mini-skirt.
If it is warm enough to wear a mini-skirt, then what in the world are you doing wearing Uggs? Uggs are meant for really cold weather, the kind that can induce frostbite.
If it’s 55 degrees outside, you just look like an idiot wearing seasonally-conflicting clothing. Even worse, it looks like you forgot it was November in Chicago in the middle of getting dressed.
If you are going to wear Uggs with a short skirt, at least wear opaque tights or, dare I say it, leggings. At least you won’t look like you didn’t realize it was cold enough to snow outside.
Another tip about Uggs: Don’t wear them in slushy or rainy weather. Uggs can be treated to be water resistant, but they still aren’t water proof. They can easily be ruined by rain, and sheepskin doesn’t clean easily.
Ugg Australia also makes hats and handbags, but you can easily overdo the look so only wear one item at a time. Wearing the furry hat, purse and shoes all at once is just going to make you look overdone and foolish (or look like a llama). Mix it up for added style.
There are many brands of Uggs look-alikes, called “fuggs” (fake Uggs). I would recommend buying them, because they can be just as warm and stylish and sometimes half the price.
Also make sure to stick to boots that are made with real sheepskin rather than a man-made fiber. If they’re made of a natural product, that allows your feet can breathe and stay much warmer.
We go to Northwestern. Pairing a mini-skirt with Uggs may be cool in Miami or Orange County, but up here in Chicago we tend to check the weather report (and the mirror) before putting on our outfit.
Have a fashion question or pet peeve? Email me at k-rowney@northwestern.edu.