Mens UGGs - The Man with the Golden UGG®

Fluffy Fleece Footwear Reclaims its Masculinity

By Natali L. de Assis

UGG Australia is a company praised for the comfort and functionality of its products. Mens UGGs are often overshadowed because the market for UGG is primarily dominated by women. As of 2011 UGG Australia has started it's Men's marketing campaign featuring Tom Brady (Read More). Oddly enough, these same women will often gladly endure numbness and calluses in the name of cute kitten-heel pumps. It is high time for men to get on the bandwagon and embrace mens UGGs. One could hardly make the argument that the Classic style is too feminine for a mens boot. The only reason that Classic mens UGGs are associated with feminine boots is that mainly women wear them; the style itself is unisex.

If anything, the utilitarianism of the Classic UGG is criticized by some women as being too mannish. Not to mention that UGG Australia offers a nice collection of mens UGG boots, mens UGG slippers and mens UGG shoes, all with a suitably rugged and masculine exterior.

What do men want from footwear? Comfort, durability, functionality, and like most people these days, a good deal, all of which are essential components in mens UGGs. Whether they'll admit it or not, men also have a certain look they want to portray. Jocks have their trainers, businessmen wear Oxfords, LA prepsters have perfected the flip flop/jeans look, and the emo kid on the corner lives in his combat boots. There is an image portrayed by what you wear, and this includes your footwear. So, what do mens UGGs say about you or your man? UGG boots are associated with comfortable luxury, brand power, and versatility. Jocks can wear their UGGs after skiing, the LA prepsters can flaunt the brand, and the emo kid can try one of the sturdy mens UGG boot styles.

Many celebrities are embracing mens UGGs, from Brad Pitt, Harvey Keitel, Jude Law and Rhys Ifans. An entire team of soccer players in Chelsea, UK showed up for the opening of the Covent Garden store wearing their mens UGGs.

Even Rolling Stones guitarist Ronnie Wood has a pair!

So why is the majority of the American male public lagging behind? Mens UGG boots have the function of comfort, temperature regulation, and they go with any outfit. On top of that, UGGs are a better deal and investment than the synthetic knock-off that barely keeps you warm and needs replacing within a year.

The iconography of shoes is strong for men, though perhaps not quite as obvious as it is for women. Granted, the Roman emperors are more known for their strappy sandals than boots, but most of the stereotypically strong men in history wore boots. Picture the clanking armored boots of medieval knights or the Vikings with their big furry boots as they conquered Europe. In American culture the strongest icon for masculine strength even has a boot named after him: the cowboy boot. It is time to recognize mens UGG boots as the dominating male footwear for the Age of Technology.

UGGs started out as a boot for men. Shepherds in Australia wore fleece boots while tending their flock. In WWII aviators donned the boots as they fought to protect their country. When the shepherds and pilots ditched the work for the waves, mens UGG boots became popular among surfers.

It was only within the last decade or so that UGG Australia became popularized as a female dominated product. Before the company re-launched itself as a fashion label, you were more likely to find mens UGGs on beaches than womens UGGs on runways.

For such a simple boot, pretty much everyone has an fierce opinion about UGGs, especially mens UGGs. Love them or hate them, you have to admit they're incredibly comfortable and versatile. For the guys who aren't quite ready to don the Classic style of mens UGGs, there are other styles for boots. The Hartsville and the Beacon have a thicker, more aggressive tread, and a stronger exterior. Both these styles of mens UGGs still have the fleece lining to keep your feet warm and dry and are durable enough to handle whatever conditions you need. Best of all, many of these styles are currently on sale at FleeceFootwear.com!

However, if you want to go back to the basics, try the Classic Short. Pay homage to the decades of surfer dudes who wore mens UGGs before UGGs were cool!