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April 26, 2007
Ugg! Enough!
Over the past few years, an odd phenomenon has taken over Los Angeles.
Outfits no longer make sense.
People's feet are dressed for winter and their bellies are dressed for summer (yes, that's a mere 5 degree difference here in LA, but you know what I'm getting at).
I honestly hoped this would wear off over time, and as the feet got warmer and the butts got colder (and the funny tan lines became laughable come summer time), the boots would walk themselves back into the closet and save themselves for a more appropriate use.
For a brief moment I believed that by taking photographs people would see how utterly ridiculous this trend has become and the abused-and-ashamed boots could crawl back up into the bottom hem of the pant legs where they belong, finding a safe haven beneath the bottom third of a boot cut pant, relieved they no longer have to be the prime focus of a stupid outfit.
But not in LA.
The boots just keep getting bigger and furrier and more complicated until it is unclear if that's a Yeti or an urban hipster approaching until they are 6 feet away, in which case it may simply be too late.
Join us now as we take a look at about a dozen or so more examples of Ugg-wear in LA.
A photo essay of justified ridicule:
First I want to know where are all of these footless yetis living now? What do the poachers do with their bodies after severing them from their ankles?
Has anyone considered creating an organization to provide prosthetics for the poor guys?
Maybe it's just my cynicism shining through, but it seems common sense is no longer hip and has gone to the wayside. What better way to illustrate the cumulative decline in thinking than to wear an outfit that makes absolutely no sense whatsoever? I mean, at least get the Ugg flip-flop, which is more appropriate beachwear.
I am no fashion guru (and if you ever meet me you will know I'm hardly even an apprentice), but I remember hearing on some TLC makeover show that long continuous lines make your legs look longer and slimmer. I'm not sure if general logic properties apply to fashion ensembles, but I would derive from the above rule that choppy lines with chunky boots make your legs look shorter and fatter, and according to modern wisdom (Oprah), that's not desirable.
My cats have been asking me to get these. It reminds them of the toys that are attached to their cat condo and they appear to be constructed from real live bunnies, two of my cats' natural prey. (I told the cats that on principle I will not spend $200 on a pair of shoes which are host to fleas, they don't seem to understand, but they haven't had to work a day in their lives so they have no appreciation for money or what things cost these days.)
Since no one goes halfway here in Los Angeles, now there is a clamoring of urban hipsters to try to outdo each other by adding decals and patches and bling to the boots to make them "individual" and "unique." You can have them airbrushed by a company in Washington or get them with patches to represent who you are!
I apologize for the poor quality of this photo but the woman is wearing pink furry boots with a sparkly rhinestone skull and crossbones on them, which I could not let go.
And what has become of our youth? They no longer concern themselves with the everlasting perils of arch support? The $150 dead animal boot is now the workout shoe of choice for America's perkiest cheerleading squads? Honestly ladies, I don't think these boots were made for walking (or dancing/jumping/spinning), I think the greatest amount of strain they are intended for is the lazy post-surfing munchies.
These furry white things have become so prevalent in Los Angeles, that now you can get them for your (sigh) American Girl Dolls. I feel fortunate my brain didn't implode when I saw these things, though they are quite impressively similar to the boots women are wearing around here, I give the American Girl Project Runway crew some props for that.
Speaking of the children, it appears kids put these things on and turn into the animal that their feet most resemble, which must be detrimental to the development of a secure identity (isn't childhood hard enough?), and confusing for the family pets. Here we have a child who believes she is a bear.
As far as I remember (but I've only lived here for 25 years, what do I know?), Angelinos weren't so big on killing things in the name of fashion. So why is it suddenly okay to put pink sheep on the endangered species list? Have you ever seen a pink sheep? Now you know why. Its lifeless pelt is stomping around at the Grove buying Victoria's Secret sweatpants and iced blendeds at the Coffee Bean. Tell that to its orphaned pink baby lamb. Pamela Anderson sure did.
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All of this leads us to scream "UHHH ITS A FASHION STATEMENT, NOT A QUESTION!!" But explain to me the GUY at my gym who wears Uggs, sunglasses, and a stocking cap; at the gym, in August?
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It's the same here in the Netherlands and I must say I've been really happy to wear my uggs. Finally boots that are comfortable and that you can even do sports in!! I do agree with you on the season thing though, they are for winter and look rediculous in summer. Mine are back in the closet untill winter (or autumn) starts again.
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oh man, i love it. excellent photo essay
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i am a huge malingering fan. I go back to the days when she was making fun of Crocs. (a cause I fully support to this day)
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FINALLY! Someone has documented my daily irritation! It is particularly egregious here in LA with the weather always sunny.
My feeling is this: if it is warm enough to wear teeny tiny skirts and teeny tiny tank tops, it is TOO damn warm to wear Uggs!
Now, having said that, I will say this: I DO wear Uggs. In the snow, where they belong.
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YAY! Thank you for documenting this idiocy. The only thing worse than UGG boots in LA (esp. in the spring, summer and fall) is UGG boots, worn with a tiny mini skirt, a belly-baring tank top, a zip-up Juicy couture hoodie and a sideways trucker cap. UGH!
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Do what I do - burst out laughing in their faces. Actually, this reaction is not planned at all - I am just rude that way. Sooooory. By the way - how sweaty and smelly must their tootsies be? Ewwww.
Uggs are ugly, but make sense in cold weather. All LA has is rain. Right up there for me with the folks wearing gloves when it's 60 degrees.
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this has to be the funniest post i've read in a while. keep them coming!
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I find uggs and a short skirt to be a hot combo on girls. So what if it's always 79 degrees here, that just gives people the freedom to wear nearly anything year-round. Sometimes I wear a trench or a wool coat with flip-flops at night in July, SO WHAT. Unless it's blazing hot, I like to wear jackets. Big fucking deal. If you like uggs and they make you look cute, I say wear them all year long.
The girls in this photo essay just can't dress in general. The girl in the 4th pic needs to stop with the short skirts, not the uggs. I mean, LOOK at that chick in the 2nd pic. She's giving me an aneurism with her utter hideousness.
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Great post, Mal! Uggs are a prime example of the ridiculousness of fashion these days.
I pissed my pants laughing at people here in Colorado wearing them in the snow this past winter. The stupid things aren't waterproof.
xtx, Crocs rank right up there with Uggs on the stupidity scale.
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Crocs and Ugs! both are hideous!
There's a time and place for both, even though extremely gorgeous women wear this fashion phenomenon all the time. Ugs in tropical locals and Crock in the Netherlands do jive!
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Get over it?
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Hey oliver - friends don't let friends wear Uggs in summer.
Just say no.
Mal - excellent write-up. As you are so fond of saying, the world needs more mirrors.
Bill S.
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my uggs got up in the middle of the night and ran into the woods ....
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I need to buy some of these so that I can express my individuality, like everyone else. Otherwise, the terrorists win, right?
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Gee, how timely. What's next - a stern declamation against Tories and Whigs? How the insult "So's your old man!" is ruining post-Taft America?
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short whiner,
if you look at the comments clearly the issue is quite timely. maybe if you actually lived in LA youd know what the hell your snarking about.
and fuck the whigs.
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though i kind of like the hey ya mukluks simply for their sheer ridiculousness, i gotta say thank you for publicly pointing out this hideous crime of fashion. and i fully agree that crocs are ugly as well...though the new croc ballerina flats could be passably cute. but that's just cos they pretty much look like normal ballerina flats.
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Just because I live in Rancho Palos Verdes and you live in a greased shitshack in downtown Skidsville is no reason to cry, chuckles. Go bitch at the poster from the Netherlands, you hairless hypocrite.
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I think that Uggs are sort of cute. I like the sort of anti-fashion fashion of Uggs and mini's. Maybe it's a generational thing.
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Style-wise, mal, I agree with you. Nothing's funnier than watching the fashionably challenged chase the latest craze. Emperor's new clothes, anyone?
But I will admit I own a pair of Uggy type boots, made by Skechers. They are downright comfy. (btw -Uggs are now made in China and are nowhere near the quality of the original Uggs.) Anyway, damn the catwalk, full speed ahead in whatever direction suits me. I dress for no one if not myself.
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All fashion is retarded. For ages the old peoples have been complaining about what the young ones are wereing, and now malingering has crossed over from being a young one into being an old fart, wineing about how other people dress. Didn't everyone else stop talking about the retards that still wear uggs? Her focus on this issue that nobody cares about shows only the gain of her granny tendancies, girl needs a fucking reality check!
Your site is full of hateful comments about other Dodger fans, you really deserver a taste of you own medicin. The Dodger suit looks fucking stupid on you. I'm getting closer to finding out where you sit in the stadiem, expect some pictures of your outfit to be critisized in Dodger forums very soon.
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Dodger Stadium holds, what, 56,000 at capacity? Good luck with that.
Talk about someone that needs a hobby. And a dictionary.
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heheheheheheheh...Great write up! And I thought Arizonans were the worst dressed in the west.
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I happen to live in a million-dollar shack in a rather tony little suburb, but thanks for your concern, short stuff.
As for that stuff on my shoe, it is somewhat compelling to know that there are fashions in complaining about fashions. Now I'll have to track down who the trend-setters in fashion whinging are, so that I may maintain my avant-garde status and complain about fashions people haven't adopted yet.
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So, bitching about Uggs is old hat now? That is news to me, but I don't follow these things. Everyone is still wearing them, so it doesn't seem to be having any effect. Even if it is old news, this article has some great photos that show off the fad at its worst.
I've seen grannies in Uggs. It isn't just an age thing, but nice try.
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Ridiculing the trend of the Ugg is so cliche, but it deserves ridicule. It's looks disgusting, sweaty and unsanitary. The only worse offense are those pleated miniskirts.
Atleast the body image problem in LA is grossly exaggerated evident by so many overweight teens displaying their fat nowadays in cut-off belly shirts and miniskirts.
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I hate UGGS and I hate how they're worn in LA. They were barely tolerable with jeans. But I suppose that's better than being barefoot like Britney was when she went to that gas station bathroom. In LA it's entirely possible for someone to have an outfit completely of my pet-peeves: trucker cap, polo with upturned collars, mini skirt, leggings and UGGS.
You can get them sprayed to waterproof them BUT I maintain they are not proper winter boots. It's even more irritating when you see unsprayed boots in the snow. 'tards ...
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The same thing can be seen up here in the San Francisco Bay Area. It isn't limited to LA, although no doubt people think it started down there. ;)
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may i say... all u ugg bashers are just JEALOUS U CANT AFFORD THESE ADORABLE SHOES!! UGGS WILL NEVER GO OUT OF STYLE AND I HAVE 6 PAIRS!! These are the comfiest and cutest things u will ever see. jealous jealous people.
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you people need to get a life. who gives a shit
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I'm with Tina on this one.
I love my Uggs, and I won't part with them no matter what y'all say.
They're cute and comfortable. I'm sick of women having to suffer for the sake of "fashion".
What's funny is Uggs are from Australia and they're not winter boots anyway. They were first made for and by surfers.
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We have the same problem over here in Seoul, Korea. UGGS just won't die! I'm a street shooter for an online fashion magazine in Seoul, and people are holding onto their dirty UGGS for dear life! When will they stop!?!?!
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Personally I think you took pictures of people with terrible fashion sense to begin with. It hasn't got anything to do with the UGGS. UGGS are HOT when paired with the right, proper fitting clothes. UGGS are comfortable and cute. Why the hell do you care what other people are wearing? I personally think they look better during the winter time but southern cali doesn't get much of that so what do you propose they do? and the mini + ugg combo is cute. oh.. and uggs aren't snow boots. -__-;;
and who are you to say uggs are ridiculous when so many people wear them? and people wear them because they think they're cute. not just because their comfortable (like crocs.)
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i agree with wearing it in the summer is pretty stupid, but it's everyones own opinion. if someone thinks something is ugly, they are not going to wear it, so obviously the people that are wearing these uggs like them. shoes that you wear people might thing are ugly too, thats why there are so many different kinds of shoes because not everyone has the same taste. i just got a pair of uggs but i also live in new england where it is very cold in the winter. and by the way, they are great in the snow so people that are saying they are not, how would you know if you don't like uggs, which means you've never tried them in the snow?
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i agree with wearing it in the summer is pretty stupid, but it's everyones own opinion. if someone thinks something is ugly, they are not going to wear it, so obviously the people that are wearing these uggs like them. shoes that you wear people might thing are ugly too, thats why there are so many different kinds of shoes because not everyone has the same taste. i just got a pair of uggs but i also live in new england where it is very cold in the winter. and by the way, they are great in the snow so people that are saying they are not, how would you know if you don't like uggs, which means you've never tried them in the snow?
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I understand that some people like uggs, I'm sure it comforts them to walk around in what feels and looks like their slippers! I hate them with a passion please buy slouch boots if you must wear comfortable flat boots, in uggs you just look ridiculous!!!
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P.S. Don't get me started on crocs!