Ughhh....Uggs

I hate Uggs. They're on every starlet, sorority girl, and in winter with miniskirts in LA and now Dallas. They're just awful.

Facebook and MySpace are full of I Hate Uggs groups, and You Tube has many videos of people burning them. In some cases, guys burning their ex- (or soon to be ex-) girlfriends' Uggs. And then this guy who has put together an amusing Ugg Song video:

But there is a problem living where the temperature stays well below freezing for months at a time. No matter what shoes and socks I try, my feet are in freezing agony after about 10 minutes outside. I bought some gorgeous (waterproof) thick-soled, shearling-lined riding boots a few weeks ago, and they are wonderful....except that the cold still seeps in the feet. I get cold much less quickly, but still it happens.

I've been investigating potential solutions. Wearing my ski boots will not work, for obvious reasons of not being able to walk in them. Hiking boots also are great, but hard to wear daily. So I started thinking....everyone is wearing Uggs, maybe there's a functional reason. Maybe they are actually super warm and comfortable.

But I still couldn't get past the image, or my inner voice that guides me by pondering "What would Miley Cyrus do?" and then doing the opposite.

And my feet continued to freeze.

So, I decided to ask some Ugg wearers and find out if they were really warm. Finding someone who seemed normal and wore Uggs was tough, but I did meet one who is professional, normal, and just an all-around cool person over the holidays. When I said, "I have to ask if your Uggs are really warm," she laughed and said she knew exactly why I was asking. She hated the idea of them, and wears them so much that she has to buy new pairs to replace the worn out ones. And that they were ok "as long as you don't wear them with sparkly leggings."

Quite a funny comment, as she didn't know I had been struggling with the sparkly leggings issue the prior week. I'd read about Plush's fleece-lined leggings and was thinking about getting some when in the US (though they're out of stock almost everywhere!). Then I was in the Schlecker (think CVS or Walgreen's) during the break of my German class, and saw fleece-lined leggings for only €5!!! The only problem was the rhinestones bedazzling both legs up to just above the knee. So awful, yet so soft and warm. And nothing costs only 5€ in Germany.  I decided to let function beat out fashion, and wore them (with as tall boots as possible to cover up most of the sparkles). With long underwear under them, they are super warm and comfy, I'm ashamed to admit.

So, after much internal debating and trying on, I bought some Uggs over Christmas. They're the zip-up ones, so a little thicker and more fitted than the originals. And they are SO comfy and warm! I still feel totally self-conscious and there is some residual self-loathing, but most importantly, my feet are warm and not in pain. (I do have some gorgeous brown suede boots that are warm, but their warmth is derived from the fact that the 4-inch platform heels keep my feet far from the ground....not great for walking for an hour...)

Herr J promises not to call me "Anna Montana" anymore, but for one night only, I went full Miley Cyrus for his amusement on New Year's Eve. It was cold, dark, and I took perverse pleasure in wearing my rhinestone-legged leggings with Uggs. It was surprisingly warm....between the leggings, Uggs, my Christmas Columbia fleece, and the earmuffs, the only cold part was my hands. We have to work on gloves now.... I guess the good thing about living somewhere with winter is that you have to buy a whole new wardrobe. My winter clothes from Texas were mostly thin boots, open-toed suede pumps, and sleeveless cashmere sweaters and dresses. That's pretty much summer attire here...

Enjoy!

If you're ready to brave a potential eye burning, check out Tori Spelling and her husband illustrating how not to wear Uggs...I really can't say which one of them is worse.