As the latest shoe mega-trend sweeps the nation, southern California surfers say they have known about this cozy footwear for years.
By Jennifer Chan
Staff Writer
They’re so odd-looking, they’re cute. They’re so cozy, they’re irresistible. And they’re so popular that unless you’re willing to pay top dollar on eBay, you’re not going to find yourself a pair until April.
Amid Gucci handbags and stiletto heels, the fashion world is now clamoring for a pair of Uggs, the plain flat-heeled sheepskin boots originating from Australia.
Initially constructed for surfers to warm their feet after braving the freezing waters, these boots have been around since the 1970s, but have just recently captured the attention and created demand among stylish consumers across the country. The boots have long enjoyed a presence in Southern California and other beach communities, but now their popularity has expanded everywhere.
In early February, Graphic fashion columnist Nicole Flowers touted the popularity of Uggs.
“Uggs are popular because they are comfortable and warm … they go with everything,” Flowers wrote.
“Everyone in Malibu wears them, but now the rest of the country wants to jump on the bandwagon. The concept is: ‘If she has it, I want it.”
The Ugg craze spread to mass media before one could even blink an eye, as they appeared on “The Oprah Winfrey Show” as one of Oprah’s “favorites” and were also seen on sitcoms like “Will & Grace.”
Other celebrities to sport the thermostatic sheepskin include Kate Hudson, Madonna and Sarah Jessica Parker. Even animal rights activist Pamela Anderson intends on introducing a cruelty-free version within the next month.
“Movie stars are the drive behind the Ugg madness,” said Tim Dion, store manager at Becker, the Malibu surf shop that sold out of more than 5,000 pairs of Ugg boots in October. “Celebrities wear them, so everyone wants to wear them. That’s what our society is about.”
The boots’ popularity peaked this fall and by the holiday season, Uggs were absolutely unattainable as the boots were on backorder until spring.
Quick to catch on to the huge demand, solicitors on eBay asked for three and sometimes four times the price as Christmas drew nearer and many were willing to pay high prices for the comfy footwear. From the sturdy yet light construction to the warm luxury of sheepskin, Uggs are worth every penny according to some fans.
Wait lists grew rapidly as consumers sought the surfer boots in all colors, includ-ing the newest additions of light pink and baby blue.
“As soon as I heard pink Uggs were coming out, I did some research,” said senior Annie Cross, who, like many, prefers to wear her Uggs with miniskirts. “I was on the wait list before school started and four months later, I had them. And, of course, everyone wants them now.”
The consumer demand for the boots is so high, in fact, that retailers like Becker are planning ahead for next year and ordering three times their normal quantity just to keep the masses happy.
“We definitely felt a strain this year due to the hot demand for the boots,” Dion said. “A lot of customers were frustrated and we tried our best to refer them to other places that might carry them … but basically, no one did. We’ve been carrying them for over 20 years and this year we couldn’t keep them on the shelves.”
While the buzz in the fashion world still revolves around Uggs, some affirm that the trend is already fading because the boots are impossible to purchase. Fashion experts and retailers predict that once the Uggs become attainable in April, the Ugg madness will die down.
“I’ve been wearing Uggs since 1997 when I traveled to Germany,” said junior Jessica Leonard, who admits she thought the boots were downright ugly when she first purchased them for travel purposes.
“At that time, I got them because they were warm … now suddenly they’re stylish,” Leonard said. “Sometimes it just looks ridiculous … I think the overall popularity of Uggs will fade pretty soon — but for a lot of Californians, they’re just a staple to have.”
So while several stylish shoppers anxiously await April to bring about the new shipments of the highly coveted boots, other loyal patrons long for the trend to fade so they can continue to sport the sheepskin with purpose.
Plain ugly or perfectly chic, the debatable buzz on Uggs rages on.
February 26, 2004
