Let's flash back to middle school, the prime time of everyone's schooling experience. Your signature winter uniform consisted of black pants or jeans, a North Face jacket, and Uggs. You probably committed multiple fashion crimes when you wore those fleece-lined boots far past winter and wore them with skirts in the spring.
Add a side of braces and a dash of pimples without concealer, and this picture should bring you right back to middle school. What good times.
After a brief hiatus, the Ugg trend is coming back. And with it are warm feet, comfort, and impeccable bad taste.
How do you make Uggs chic? You can't. Lucky for you, these boots were made for comfort, and that comfort is too hard for me to pass up, so I've compiled tips for buying the least uggly ones.
Tall Uggs: Don't do it.
Kim Kardashian is fabulous. This outfit is not. Pass on the tall boots unless you plan on rolling them down. They slouch with age and increase your sloppy quotient exponentially.
Bows on the back: Are you 5?
While Suri Cruise looks adorable in her Bailey Bow Uggs, you do not. No bows allowed unless you are a 5-year-old little girl frolicking in the cold or a wannabe middle-school cheerleader.
Leather > Suede
Leather Uggs vibe a more sophisticated and grownup look than suede Uggs do.
Bright colored boots: Better not.
While pink might be your fave, don't do it. You're trudging on thin fashion ice by wearing Uggs in the first place. As for animal print: don't even think about it. Only children can pull off any Ugg color that isn't neutral.
Moccasins and slippers: Do it! But not outside the house...
Ugg moccasins and slippers are the most comfortable footwear you can own. Warning: they're only acceptable during finals week, at the dining hall, at the lib after 9 p.m. or walking out of your trailer on a movie set as pictured above (or just walking out of your trailer).
Sparkles: Debatable
I say go for it. If you're aiming for Ugg chic and not ghetto fabulous, buy them only in neutral colors. Why not add a little sparkle to your winter wardrobe and a little glitter to your gait?
Short suede: Ehh
While leather is your best option, these come in a close second. They're tall enough to be seen, yet short enough not to give you middle school flashbacks every time you look down.
Here are some examples of Blake Lively, fashion icon and hero, rocking Uggs. While none of us peasants will ever be as fashionable as her, at least we can try.
Uggs will never improve an outfit. But, fashion trends are fashion trends. No matter how uggly a trend may be, people will still hop on the bandwagon. There's no shame in having comfortable and warm toes on your way to class.