I recently saw a Reddit thread that started with a deceptively simple question. On the subreddit r/bitcheswithtaste, : “Are we wearing Uggs this year? I wanted Uggs so badly in high school and never had them but after seeing them come back last year I am considering getting a pair for this fall. Are they back in style for good? Or was this just temporary?”
To understand this question—and all the weight it carries—we might need a short history lesson. In the early aughts, socialitesParis Hilton and Nicole Richieruled the small screenon The Simple Life. The slender, flippable Motorola Razr phone reigned supreme (sorry, Nokia brick) and found its place in the back pockets of teenagers the nation over. Trucker hats, dresses over jeans, Juicy Couture tracksuits, hair scrunched with so much Aussie mousse that it continuously looked crunchy and wet: this was the aesthetic of many a millennial in their prime. I would know. I was there.
Circa 2007, Uggs were expensive and hard to get your hands on. I remember scouring the aisles of a Nordstrom Rack in the Cleveland suburb of Westlake, Ohio, until I finally founda pair of mint green, size 6 Uggs. I, too, could participate in the trend. And at a discount!
And then, like so many other artifacts of the increasingly fast-fast fashion cycles that we inhabit, Uggs were out and branded as “cheugy” by the late 2010s. The shoes remained relegated to the margins of fashion until 2023, when model in a pair of tiny white shorts that resembled men’s underwear and a pair of Ultra single-handedly reviving the aughts staple. .
But there’s another response to the Redditor’s question that flitted through my mind as I read the original post. Did Uggs really ever go away? Or were they always there, lurking unfashionably, stalwartly serving practical purposes for outdoor enthusiasts? I’d been happily packing Uggs for car camping trips for well over a decade by the time Bella Hadid performed the resurrection. And I knew from talking to other folks at ϳԹ that they found all manner of uses for Uggs in the adventures they were having.
So, what gives? Did Uggs die? Or had they just been hiding in the woods?
The Original Departure of Uggs
To be fair, the initial rise and fall of the Ugg boot wasn’t solely driven by changing aesthetic preferences, although they played a big part. Delving into recent history suggests that concerns over the production of Uggs—along with some high-profile celebrity campaigns—brought legitimate skepticism to the animal welfare component of their production. One such highly memorable non-endorsement came from Pamela Anderson who, after wearing Uggs on the set of Baywatch and subsequently learning they were made of sheepskin, told in 2007: “I feel so guilty for that craze being started around Baywatch days—I used to wear them with my red swimsuit to keep warm—never realizing that they were SKIN! Do NOT buy UGGs!”
The animal welfare group PETA has long campaigned for that uses real hide, and they’ve taken Uggs to task over the years for their use of real sheep.
The Ugg brand states on their website that, for them, “it is essential that all animal-based materials we use are sourced from animals that have been raised humanely using sound animal husbandry.” To ensure this, they say they “use an internationally-accepted welfare standard for livestock” called the .
And, Uggs actually do come in vegan options now, which .
But What If They Never Really Went Away?
I never got rid of my Uggs despite being told by my much-hipper younger sister that they were no longer cool, because, well, I wasn’t wearing them to be cool anymore. My once-cutting-edge mint green Uggs had gone the way of the minivan: their functionality usurped their image. I didn’t don them for an early morning dog walk on a snowy day to impress my friends and neighbors with my sartorial sensibility. I wore thembecause they were warm, and I didn’t need to worry about socks. I could go directly from slippers to Uggs with little friction.
I asked my colleagues at ϳԹ to share a little on their relationship with Uggs if they had one, and it seems I’m not the only person who has worn them regardless of the trend cycle.
Fellow millennial Abigail Wise, digital director of ϳԹ, told me: “For years, my climbing partners have made fun of what we call my ‘approach Uggs.’ But even the relentless teasing couldn’t stop me from slipping on my favorite crag shoes. They’re easy to pull on between climbs, which gives my toes a break from restrictive climbing shoes, and they keep my feet warm on chilly mornings without having to bother with tying laces—or even socks.”
Mary Turner, senior brand director for ϳԹ, has also been letting Uggs keep her feet toasty for adventure. “I live in my ankle-height Uggs all winter. No socks needed, just slide ’em on and head to yoga… Makes life so easy!”
And, Teaghan Skulszki, social media editor and a card-carrying member of Gen Z, says that she first started wearing Uggs in elementary school.“As a little girl, I remember going to school with everyone matching their Uggs, instantly creating a connection and community. Today, that community has transitioned to my friends in the outdoor community. With all of the different styles that have come outrecently, I’ve been able to accommodate my different pairs of Uggs to different versions of myself. I have my comfy slip-ons that I throw on after a long hike to relax or my thrifted knee-high leather UGG boots that have survived several Coachella festivals. Uggs are reflected in all different areas of my life and match all of my different personas and styles. They are timeless and adapt and grow as I have.”
So there you have it. We may not all be wearing platform Uggs with men’s underwear, but we’re wearing them. And we have been for some time.
Ryleigh Nucilli is a digital consultant and The Pulse columnist who started her love affair with Uggs in a steeply discounted pair of mint greens. Now, she owns some Baileys for outside and some Cozy Slippers for indoors. She’s writing this bio wearing said slippers. They are cozy.