The Current Campus Footwear Epidemic: The Ugg Boot

The current condemnation of what can only be considered a glorified slipper should be no surprise to the female university student. At least it shouldn’t be if you have access to the Internet and have been exposed to the many viral comedic criticisms of the infamous Ugg boot. What is surprising, however, is that young, intelligent, and privileged girls are still purchasing them.
 
The reason for my harsh, albeit deserved, disdain for the boot is that it can’t be excused for lack of a budget. I hold my stylistic judgments on garments that for obvious reasons help us poor starving students save some coin: knock-off bags and thrift-store finds. The biggest atrocity is that Uggs are expensive! Young women are actually shelling out big dollars from their student loans to adorn their feet in furry, shapeless misery, which may or may not be embellished with a fuzzy pom-pom or two. This only reiterates my motto that money doesn’t buy you style.

I do not mean any insult to those of you who enjoy the warmth and comfort of the Ugg boot on cold and rainy days here on campus. What I am attempting to do is coerce you to leave the giant furry socks at home, and consider a plethora of alternatives.
 
My personal choice: a thick pair of athletic socks from Walmart coupled with my Ecote brand leather lace up boots. They’re perfect for fall/winter, they’re chic, and most of all at 79.00 from Urban Outfitters, they’re less expensive than the Ugg. There are many fashionable alternatives to uggs, such as the riding boot (always a classic), the motorcycle boot (current and trendy), or the moccasin (in leather or a thick suede to avoid premature distressing).  The list goes on; “Ugg boots are just comfortable” is not an excuse.
 
The slogan “I refuse to have elephant feet this winter” was used in a viral video about putting an end to the Ugg boot pandemic. Not only should young women refrain from acting like animals, they should also refrain from resembling them. A good shoe is like the period at the end of sentence. An Ugg boot, however, is more like a question mark. As in, why did that girl subject her outfit to that kind of embarrassment?  Or does, that girl not know about stylish alternatives? Either way, don’t be caught in the confusion; let’s put an end to the Ugg!