Over the last few years, the seemingly impossible occurs: Crocs were reborn in the cultural consciousness. An ungendered fashion item, Crocs became a symbol of irony, unseriousness and childish joy. Crocs fit perfectly into the mould of ironic nostalgia that Gen Z embrace. Can the same be said for UGGs? 

UGGs have reappeared on Pinterest boards largely as part of the Scandi-Girl Autumn/Winter aesthetic in 2022; in particular, the updated low-rise UGG has been scattered across online fashion platforms. But the reclamation of UGGs is perhaps more significant than the Croc revolution. While Crocs, in their noughties heyday, were worn by people of all genders, the classic UGG boot was a distinctively feminine piece. In my memory, their impracticality was extremely vexing and distressing to the straight man. Their popularity inevitably led to their ridicule, and soon UGGs became one of those cringey pieces that one can never imagine seeing again. What is notable is UGGs essential role in the ’Basic Girl’ cultural moment; the undermining of popular feminine aesthetics.

The emergence of UGGs in 2022, however, is dissimilar from the Croc in that their appeal is not largely ironic; in the Scandi-Girl aesthetic they are a serious staple, cohesive with boyfriend jeans and a North Face. UGGs are part of a larger revolt against ‘basic-ness’; feminine people are refuting the principle that things that are ‘girlish’ are necessarily inferior. To look down on the Pumpkin Spice Latte and Taylor Swift is untrendy in 2022. I don’t think I’m exaggerating when I say that UGGs in popular fashion are an indicator of a larger feminist paradigm which is taking pride in femininity as protest.

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