Winter Footwear: Comfy or Impractical?

While living in the northern part of the U.S. allows us to escape the scorching heat in the summer months, the people of Massachusetts are inevitably subjected to the excruciating cold that begins to bite at our noses as soon as Halloween decorations are stored away. Now that the cold has comfortably set up shop in our everyday lives, a noticeable style of attire begins to grace the halls of Needham High more and more often. This would be the infamous winter footwear that is the Ugg. 

Appearing in many different forms, Uggs have been made popular in the fall and winter wardrobes of many across the globe and have become famous for their comfortable-yet-socially-acceptable appearances. The most popular styles of these fleece-lined shoes seem to be the classic slipper and the Ugg minis, which are just the classic Ugg boots but shorter. 

I have to admit— I have fallen victim to the Ugg craze as well. I wear my slippers at least twice a week, or whenever my schedule is free of rock climbing in gym. It’s safe to say my most comfortable and convenient shoes are my slippers, maybe even to the point that they are my favorite pair of shoes in my whole collection. But, last Thursday, when rain and fast winds caught Needham by surprise, I looked down and saw my beloved slippers soaked in rain. Even after drying, the legacy of that rain storm is stained forever on my favorite shoes, a terrible reminder that I should have looked at the weather forecast that morning. 

Let’s face it. Ugg shoes are not practical. They cannot hold up against the rain and the slush and the sleet and the ice and the snow. They are bound for ruin. It seems rather ironic that the most comfortable and warm shoes are not fit for winter weather. 

Even so, these now wardrobe staples have somehow found their way into the hearts of hundreds of students in Needham High, and if I had to guess, I'd say that they’re not being abandoned in the near future. However impractical, the welcoming factor of warm, fuzzy, and cute slippers has earned their place in my closet, and they will not be seeing the donation bin or the garbage can anytime soon.