Snug as a bug in my Uggs! (Ugg Boots: Classic Tall)

Member Name: glitter_princess

Product:	Ugg Boots: Classic Tall
Date:	28/12/08 (966 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: So comfy, warm feet, don't let water in, mold to fit your feet

Disadvantages: Expensive, I have to take them off to go to bed!

Ugg boots are surely fashion's equivalent of marmite: you either love them or hate them. And until very recently I was firmly in the hater camp - I thought they were ugly, clumpy, overpriced, and only for fashion victims and footballer's wives. That is, until my sister forced me to try on her Ugg boots... As soon as I put them on I was an instant convert - sure, they're not the prettiest items of footwear but they are the comfiest things I've ever had on my feet.

This Christmas, my Mum, my sister and I went on a short trip to New York and top of my wish list was a pair of Uggs, so we made the trip to Saks 5th Avenue and I made what was the best investment of the trip.

Ugg is an Australian company that use 100% sheepskin to make their boots, all of which are lined with oh so fluffy sheepskin lining. They come in a variety of styles, short, tall, mini, cardi, but the ones I went for were the Classic Tall style which come up to the calf. The closest match I can make in style is probably eskimo boots, with the obvious seams up the side and across the front. In terms of colours you can choose from Chestnut, Chocolate, Black, or grey - all fairly neutral colours which should go with a variety of clothing. The fit is a bit wider than regular boots so they work well with skinny jeans tucked in. However, if your jeans aren't skinny, don't try to tuck them in - it looks baggy and terrible!

The quality of the materials mean that the boot is lightweight and flexible and, combined with the fluffy lining, make you feel as if you are wearing slippers but with the support of a shoe, they really are that comfortable! Walking around New York in December is undeniably cold, with lots of snow and temperatures considerably below freezing, but the difference between our first day (when I wore trainers and two pairs of socks) and the second day (Uggs and only a pair of tights) was amazing - with the Uggs my feet were kept really warm and despite the snow, kept completely dry. The sheepskin fluffiness inside the boot molds to the shape of your foot as you wear them in, giving extra comfort, and they have a molded EVA sole to give extra flexibility. Ugg do recommend that these are worn barefoot, but I wasn't quite brave enough to face that in sub zero temperatures! We did a lot of walking while we were in New York and I have to admit that these were by far the comfiest walking shoes I've ever worn, as well as being really warm.

Ugg boots are a designer brand and can be bought in the UK from Selfridges, Sole Trader, or even one of the newly opened Ugg Stores (an indication of how quickly this brand has taken off!). For real Ugg boots, they don't come cheap - the tall versions tend to retail at around £160. I managed to get mine in the US for £115. Ugg also release new style each season - in New York the newest tall style seemed to be one with a zip up the back.

While there are loads of copies of Uggs around, I would recommend the real thing over these - although they are cheaper, the quality just doesn't compare. I remember last February meeting my sister in London after work and she was wearing a fake pair of Uggs (that had still cost her £80) which had overheated her feet and were soaked in sweat! Other disappointments with fakes include letting in water which then ruins them, and generally falling apart after just a few month's wear.

If you're looking to buy Uggs online and are after a cheaper deal, be careful - a quick search for Uggs brings up loads of websites claiming to offer Uggs at discount prices but if you know what to look for it is easy to spot that these aren't genuine Uggs. Any site that doesn't show you a close up picture of the Ugg label on the back of the boot is pretty much guaranteed to be selling fakes. A genuine Ugg label should show interlocked letters, with the middle G being bigger than the other two letters. It should also have the Registered symbol after and Australia below. I would hazard a guess that if you are paying less than £90 for your Uggs, that they are not genuine. Of course, if you want to buy a cheaper pair to test out whether you like the style before shelling out a lot of money then there are loads of choices available!

Despite having hated these boots only a few months ago, I've not worn another pair of shoes since I bought these - I'm not really a trainer girl, but my regular heeled boots are not always comfortable so these are a lifesaver. Obviously they're not for smart wear, but for everyday, popping down to the shops or heading into town, these are perfect.

Summary: Don't knock them until you've tried them on!