Why UGG boots, the controversial noughties footwear trend, are all over your Instagram feed right now

Created by an Aussie surfer on the shores of Southern California in 1978, UGG boots almost immediately became a coastal classic and was loved amongst Californians throughout the 1980s. 

Fast-forward a couple of decades and the early 2000s saw the sheepskin booties making the transition from boardwalk to catwalk, where they gained momentum amongst the New York fashion set and saw the start of their Hollywood heyday thanks to velour tracksuit-clad celebs such as Lindsay Lohan, Paris Hilton and Nicole Richie (below), who quickly became some of the first notable ‘ugg-fluencers’.

Although UGG boots didn’t fully disappear in the 2010s – with the likes of Selena Gomez, Madonna, and Gigi Hadid all donning their UGG slippers from home, and Rihanna even rocking a pair at Coachella in 2018 – it’s safe to say that the once celeb-adored fashion accessory dropped off the scene slightly. 

As with many cult items in this cyclical fashion world, they soon became considered  ‘unfashionable’, with many of the harshest young Gen Z critics offering them the infamous label of “cheugy” (along with Crocs and Wedged trainers).

Yet, here we are…

We should say nothing surprises us anymore, with the entirety of 2021 being *what it was*, but UGGs have indeed returned to the forefront of fashion – and we have to admit that we’re quite into it.

With the whole world being stuck at home for over a year and unanimously accepting comfort and practicality as being essential at-home clothing requirements, the UGG-adjacent footwear trend of Clogs and Chunky Slippers emerged first. 

Here we saw iterations such as Bottega’s rubber clogs, Molly Goddard’s platform Mules and the Rick Owens x Birkenstock leather sandals. The introduction of these traditionally *ugly* silhouettes, which took on new comfy adaptations such as the addition of shealing or faux fur, catalysed UGG’s path to re-entry.

Post-lockdown, and with out-of-the-house-fashion thankfully returning, we’re now seeing a slew of off-duty model looks incorporating this throwback accessory. 

These supermodels are most notably loving the “Ultra Mini” version, which is the UGG in all its glory (but cuter and more refined). Whether paired with white boyfriend jeans and a blazer like Elsa Hosk, or styled for being on-the-go in activewear sets and baseball caps like Kaia Gerber (below) & Kendall Jenner, the Ugg has most definitely made it’s comeback.

In the wake of this resurgence, the brand has also diversified its image over the past year; collaborating with CFDA award-winning designer Telfar Clemens on their Ugg x Telfar collection. The 3rd drop, including an assortment of shearling-lined boots and bags, has now introduced cosy loungewear to match.

From Hollywood’s notorious noughties party girls to now, 20 years on and appearing all over our Pinterest boards and Instagram feeds via LA’s hottest supermodels, UGGs may well be one of this year’s fastest-growing, and most surprisingly versatile, footwear trends. Perhaps they even have the potential to gain staple status once more…

Does this mean that we can bring back velour tracksuits, too?

Scroll down for our edit of the best UGGs to get your hands on right now.