Opinion
Rock around the Croc: three steps to becoming a rubber slipper wearer
by Luisa Silvestri
Silence of the lambs – or why I don’t wear Ugg(ly) boots
1.9.2023
The triumph of Ugg boots seems relentless. It’s incomprehensible, in my opinion. I don’t want to walk like a drunk duck or steal a lamb’s soft coat.
These Ugg boots ain’t made for walking
Who’s that shuffling?
However, very few Ugg owners wear recommended insoles like that. It’s obvious to the ear. The fact that you can’t walk properly in Uggs means their wearers end up shuffling as if too lazy to lift their feet when walking. If you’ve ever walked behind a group of Uggs-wearing teenagers, you’ll know that sound is worse than fingernails on a blackboard.
Not just a crime against fashion
I find it hard to justify and can’t even bear the thought at all of those white Easter lambs being skinned for my sake. That’s another reason why Ugg boots remain a no-go for me.
Ugg moves with the times
To be fair, the brand is making an effort to polish up its image in that regard. Much to Peta’s (site in German) delight, the US company Deckers Outdoor Corporation, which Ugg is part of, announced in March 2021 that it’d also be making vegan Uggs in future. However, they wouldn’t tell me when this was meant to happen.
Moreover, the brand wants to present itself as more sustainable and animal-friendly in other ways. For example, it hasn’t used alpaca fur in Ugg products since the spring of this year. What makes them different to lambs is a mystery to me.
Over 99% of the wool used is already recycled. In future, Ugg even wants to do away with new wool altogether or use only RWS-certified material, i.e. wool that comes with an animal welfare guarantee.
I might be able to ease my conscience on that front, at least in a few years’ time. However, what I couldn’t allay is my fashion conscience. A lot of other people don’t seem to have this problem. I get the feeling that these boots are more popular than ever. Wherever I look, I see Ugg boots, even in summer – and I ask myself why.
Are you team Ugg or «keep these crimes against fashion away from me»? If you’re in the first camp, we’ve got loads of brand new autumn Uggs in our store right now, from tall boots, to short ones, slippers and everything in between. But they don’t really knock my socks off – and I’m normally pretty shoe shopping-savvy.
Header image: CT Media/Shutterstock
A true local journalist with a secret soft spot for German pop music. Mum of two boys, a dog and about 400 toy cars in all shapes and colours. I always enjoy travelling, reading and go to concerts, too.
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