There are few shoes that provoke such a visceral reaction as the Ugg boot – I pride myself on owning at least a few of them. Shoes that once would have been described as ‘man-repelling’, you know the ones: Crocs, Tabis, anything that vaguely resembles—or, in the case of my Coddies fish sandals, literally depicts—an animal. And yet even against this backdrop of amorphous accessories, the sheepskin stomp has always been a bit of fashion Marmite: cosy to the point of controversy (lest we forget the outrage caused by mums dropping off their kids in ‘dressing gowns and Uggs’, yelled the red tops in the early 2000s), anti-glam yet weirdly… good. And now—like the peplum top and boho maxi skirt before it—Uggs are back.
Of course, Uggs never really left. They simply slipped into that liminal category of clothing that we tend not to take too much notice of: worn on coffee runs, airport concourses and walks. But if the many Y2K revivals have taught us anything, it’s that yesterday’s guilty pleasure is today’s cultural artefact. *Adopts Carrie Bradshaw voice*, are we finally ready to admit we’ve always loved them?
In their early-2000s heyday, Uggs conveyed a kind of easy off-duty cool—paparazzi shots of Paris and Nicole, and other LA It girls padding around in Juicy Couture tracksuits (which are also enjoying a comeback) and bug-eye sunglasses, latte in hand. And now, as the pendulum predictably swings back towards ease and emotional dressing, that same slouchy spirit feels newly relevant.
However…
(Image credit: Backgrid)
This time around, the Ugg renaissance comes with a twist. Jennifer Lawrence, so often cited as the pinnacle of easy celebrity style, has stepped out in a pair of Uggs—and high-top Uggs at that. Spotted mid-stride in a polished buttermilk wool coat grounded by a classic chestnut pair, the only hint of Millennial nostalgia could be glimpsed in the black tights, which looked rather reminiscent of the Ugg-legging pairing so coveted by the girls at my secondary school (and worn by the girls from the posher school the next town over). Of course, her handbag choice quickly snuffed out any easy noughties comparison. The Row’s deep burgundy ‘The Lady’ bag comes with cool gold-tone finishings and an even cooler $33,000 price tag.
That contrast—the tailored coat and casual Uggs topped off with a handbag that could (and may well have; we’ll never know for sure given The Row’s strict no-camera policy) headline a runway—is the personification of high-low credibility.
A restrained palette and unshowy styling made the whole thing look incredibly chic, in that most offhand way, which of course makes it all the better. This evolution mirrors a broader shift in fashion’s mood. The Y2K revival, initially all froth and fun, is growing up. Yes, the nostalgia remains, but it’s now being fed back to us through a more refined lens. The Ugg fits neatly into this framework: a familiar silhouette, softened and sharpened by modern styling. They aren’t offset with irony or trend-chasing; instead, they have their own place in J-Law’s arsenal, and for a shoe that was designed to be slopped on post-surf, that is a spectacular ascension.
Get the look
Gucci
Gg1660s Oval-Frame Acetate Sunglasses
Strathberry
Georgia Mini Croc-Embossed Leather Burgundy
UGG
UGG Women’s Classic Tall II Boot
