The concept of weather-appropriate footwear means nothing to me. I wear unsuitable shoes for every season, in spite of snow and slush. And when my choice footwear inevitably fails, my soaked socks and I have reason to stay home and watch reruns of Scrubs.
Despite this irrationality, I still feel qualified to hand out the following advice.
Uggs are not spring footwear.
Wait! Never fear, faithful Ugg wearers, I am not bashing the beloved footwear nor am I throwing out this caveat without a reasonable replacement. Oh, no, I have a perfect, spring-appropriate replacement in mind.
But first, I must back up this bold assertion (especially since I am currently sitting in a room where 75 percent of the occupants are wearing Uggs).
While I must admit my reluctance to join in on the Ugg-love, I do understand the popularity. One Ugg hater-turned-owner went so far as to claim, "they were the best thing that ever happened to my feet – it is like walking on a cloud."
An endorsement like that can't be argued with. Uggs are the ideal winter-weather footwear, especially for those living in the Arctic Circle or Sioux Falls, S.D. But with the recent heat wave, I've seen many Ugg boots turn into waders.
The result is footwear resembling wet kittens. Furry and matted. Unattractive.
So before the mountains of snow really begin melting, I suggest all Ugg wearers begin the transition into spring footwear. For the hardcore addicts, this means immediately mailing your Uggs home and having your mother lock them away until next November. (Or October, if winter decides to be particularly brutal again).
The ultimate rainy-day Ugg replacements are wellies, also known as rubber boots to those not familiar with British shoe jargon.
Although wellies were once associated with only fishermen and gardeners, the modern versions are much cuter than manly maritime boots.
A quick Google search reveals polka-dot wellies, striped wellies and wellies with zebra print or designs à la Alexander Girard. From modest to avant-garde – wellies fit in any wardrobe. And much like Uggs, wellies look great with leggings, skinny jeans or, God-forbid, jeggings.
But beyond the fashionable aspects, wellies are waterproof. For any wellies-wearer, the formidable lakes soon to be formed by melting snow won't be a hindrance. Try walking across the green in those Uggs on a warm spring day. The sheepskin won't fare well under the duress of grass, mud and water. Wellies, however, are rubber boots. Perfect for any waterlogged terrain.
So Ugg-addicts, as the snow begins to melt, keep this warning in mind — in the interest of keeping feet fashionable and dry, wellies are clearly a smarter spring choice than any sheepskin snow boots.
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