Rugged, hefty, trendy and practical might have to make way for a new word of description for boots: Uggs.
As more people are seen sporting Uggs, the Australian sheepskin boots gaining wide acclaim across the country, many are taking note and taking a stance on whether they would sport this imported shoe trend.
"It took me a little while to warm up to Uggs," said Nicole Shuman, a graduate student in the English Department. "Now I am hooked. And I only have the Target version."
Originally established in the 1960s and marketed to Australian surfers, Ugg boots - especially the "Ultra Tall" boots that are popping up on the east coast - made their way from Australia to California and finally to New York to become a nationwide fashion phenomenon.
According to www.theage.com, an entertainment fashion Web site, the brand is projected to reach $31 million in sales this year after sales increased by 44 percent in the third quarter. Not bad for shoes whose name comes from the term surfers originally gave them: ugly boots.
Many say the craze can be attributed to Ugg-worshiping celebrities such as Kate Hudson and Oprah, who did for Uggs what MTV did to the popular music industry.
Jason Byers, store manager at Journeys in the Boulevard Mall and a UB graduate, said that the rise in Uggs popularity has been gradual.
"Uggs are still more of a West Coast thing, but they are becoming very popular here, especially among younger, fashion-conscious females," Byers said. "I like them, but people are really paying for the name."
Byers said he expects his store to start carrying the brand name shortly, to add to the store's already hefty collection of fleece-lined, suede, western-style boots.
Many consider the Uggs brand's $50 to $275 price range to be well deserved. According to the official Uggs Web site, the popular $165 "Ultra Tall" boots are made of innovative thermostatic fibers, which guarantee sweat and freeze prevention for your feet in temperatures ranging from 30?!F to 80?!F. Socks are not even necessary when wearing Uggs, many owners brag.
The recent popularity of Uggs seems to have made the flat-heeled, practical alternative to the more formal high-heeled boots.
Laura Mire, a first year UB graduate student in English, said she would buy Uggs for their comfort alone if it were not for their high prices.
"My motto is definitely functionality, not fashion," she said. "All my uncomfortable shoes sit dormant in my closet."
Eliza Spencer, a sophomore theater major, agreed that practicality mattered more to her, but may not to those who seem to set the fashion trends.
"In Hollywood people are getting them in all different colors and wearing them with mini-skirts, which kind of defeats the purpose," Spencer said, "Hollywood isn't even cold. Why would you wear boots with a mini skirt?"
Melissa Green, assistant manager at Naturalizer in the Boulevard Mall, said she does not think highly of the high-priced footwear.
"They look like Eskimo boots and the prices are outrageous," she said.
While Ugg boots are nowhere near the top of her list of favorites, Green offered her insight on the direction of the ever-changing shoe fashion market.
"Styles in particular are becoming more classy and trendy," she said. "The heels are thinner as opposed to clunky and square, and toes more pointed. However, round toes will always be in fashion."
"This season I see a lot of bright, pastel colors on all shoe styles," Green added.
According to some of its retailers, Uggs will introduce powder blue and pink collections next month, perhaps to get in line with recent '80s-inspired colorful shoe trends.
While some watch the attire of the stars for the next big thing in apparel and footwear, others said they are more inclined to forego the new fashion trends in favor of the tried and true.
" I wear my sneakers all the time anyway," said Spencer.
