Silence of the lambs – or why I don’t wear Ugg(ly) boots
1.9.2023
Translation: Julia Graham
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.
I’ve always found Ugg shoes hideous. Plushly lined, they create a wall around women’s feet like a fabric brick. And then they walk accordingly – as if someone had just hung a brick on their leg. Nevertheless, the hype around these unaesthetic shoes is unwavering. Personally, I’ve never bought a pair. Which means I did sometimes secretly slip on my big sister’s Ugg boots when she sent me to fetch cigarettes in the freezing cold. What can I say: they were incredibly warm and extremely comfortable. And yet, they still never changed my mind. I couldn’t find the right grip in them. Instead, I probably looked like a waddling duck.
These Ugg boots ain’t made for walking
Orthopaedists have been criticising the duck waddle for years. Orthopaedist Ian McDermott, for instance, said in an interview with the British Daily Mail that the flat rubber sole and soft leather provide virtually no support for the foot. In the worst-case scenario, wearing Uggs or similar shoes can even give you knock knees. Incidentally, orthopaedic insoles can help remedy Ugg mania, according to Victor Valderrabano from Basel’s Ortho Swiss Centre in an interview with illustrated news magazine Schweizer Illustrierte (site in German). It’s also important to gradually build up the time you wear them so your feet can get used to them.
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
If that’s not argument enough, there’s also another decisive one: Ugg boots and animal welfare don’t go together. The outer layer of the shoe is made of cowhide, while sheepskin or lambskin is used on the inside. The animal protection organisation Peta has long since criticised the brand for seriously injuring lambs on a regular basis or even killing them during shearing. In addition, animal rights activists revealed that sometimes the animal’s whole skin – and not just their coat – is needed for the shoes.
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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