Are Ugg Boots Actually Chic Now?

There were several early signs of a ​modern Ugg-Renaissance. The first pointed to Ugg boots walking at Fashion Week in a Fall 2018 collaboration with the Parisian brand Y/Project. From there, Ugg seeded its comeback as a capital-F Fashion player through more strategic team-ups with Eckhaus Latta in 2019 and Telfar in 2021. Then came one of the most viral Ugg outfits in the brand’s 46-year history: in September 2022, Bella Hadid walked around Manhattan wearing Ugg’s Mini Platform Boots with a leather jacket and men’s briefs.

Hadid’s underwear and Uggs outfit—worn while casually eating a New York slice of pizza without a care in the world—catapulted Ugg boots from a throwback style coasting on the coattails of Y2k nostalgia to a mainstream shoe trend with mass appeal. Following the supermodel’s outing, the $160 mini platform boot became Ugg’s top footwear style for Q3 of 2022. It soon sold out across retailers nationwide, much to the chagrin of any Zillenials who had added them to their holiday wishlists.

I vividly remember walking around Soho that fall and seeing clusters of Hadid’s disciples filming TikTok fit checks on the miniature chunky platform. The sight struck me as especially uncanny because it mirrored a middle-school version of me doing a similar shoot with my tall, chestnut Uggs for a friend’s Facebook album.

Hadid's now-historic Ugg outfit also marked a shift within the celebrity street-style space with even more tastemakers stepping out in the shoe. Earlier this year, Dua Lipa wore Ugg slippers with a Birkin Bag, while Sophie Turner accessorized her platform Tazz pair with boyfriend Peregrine Pearson. Just last week, Jennifer Lopez wore platform Uggs with purposely dirty Acne Studios baggy jeans and an $8,000 Bottega Veneta suede bag.

And Ugg's momentum is still very much ongoing. According to parent company Deckers, Ugg's net sales increased 16 percent to a record $1.560 billion in Q3 2024. Their foothold in Fashion Week also remains strong: over email, Ugg president Anne Spangenberg says Ugg boots were "included in the renowned Spring 2025 fashion shows from Elena Velez, Yueqi Qi, and Tokyo James and spotted on the likes of actress Chloë Sevigny, models Alex Consani and Precious Lee, and rapper Doechii" throughout Fashion Month.

But are Uggs really a winter 2025 shoe trend that everyone outside the fashion and celeb area can try? For us, you know, regular folks who want to retain heat in our feet running errands on December mornings?

While what you wear on your feet is ultimately up to you, I took to the archives to comb through hundreds of street-style images. I also spoke to Ugg aficionado Kylie Garbourg, an Australian fashion content creator who's been wearing the brand since she was a kid. After hours of research, I found my definitive answer: yes, smart, polished-looking Ugg outfits that anyone—and I genuinely do mean anyone—can wear do, in fact, exist.

With a Rich-Looking Coat

If you aren't already following Kelly Rutherford, please take a few moments to do so. The actress is known for her minimal, expensive-looking (and costing) style—as evidenced by this rich-looking coat and jeans combo paired with suede slippers. Recreate Rutherford's look in an outfit with mini Ugg boots and a faux fur-trimmed coat that has a mob wife familiarity.

Keep It Casual

"When styling my Ugg boots, I like to make sure that the outfit matches the shoe's aesthetic," says Garbourg. "For example, you don't want to skew too formal; otherwise, it may look funky." Hailey Bieber epitomized the Sydney-based style influencer's note with this casual platform Ugg outfit, featuring a simple long-sleeve and nubby brown cardigan that retained a level of luxury.

Top Trending Colors

When styling a riskier silhouette, I always encourage relying on existing trends to add substantial, fool-proof polish. With a pair of cozy and, yes, admittedly controversial Ugg boots, butter yellow and corporate gray—two of the top fall 2024 color trends—are smart and safe additions.

Key Color Coordination

Speaking of colors: Garbourg advises keeping a consistent tonal palette with the accessories worn alongside your Uggs. "Have fun styling different outfit combinations with the boots and try to incorporate more accessories and pieces that complement each other. A great way to elevate the outfit is to have all your accessories match the color of the shoes," she says.

An It-Girl-Blessed Bubble

Chloë Sevigny wore Ugg's New Heights boots with the bubble skirt trend this past September at her MYTH magazine celebration. So, my logic goes: if the It-girl-to-end-all-It-girls can wear the lambskin boots and a frothy mini to a major industry event, then I can wear the same for a day spent simply checking off my to-dos.

Strategic Base Layers

Garbourg's personal favorite styling idea "starts with a simple base, such as jeans and a tee shirt, and another layer that elevates the look that matches the tone of the boots," she says. "This could be a beige trench coat, a brown leather jacket, or a cream sweater. I also like to ensure I utilize accessories like belts and bags to tie in the look, giving it that elevated aesthetic."

With a Long-Lasting Leather Bomber

Here's another great trending-two-in-one idea: try the leather bomber jacket trend and dark wash denim in an outfit featuring black Ugg boots. There's a reason fashion people have called on the dark color as a chic cure-all for centuries; black is a simple, distraction-free neutral. It's quiet—and the color's sleek capabilities extend to a pair of Ugg boots.

Winter Whites

Rutherford's winter white ensemble is one of my personal favorites, particularly as a blank canvas to wear with Tasman Ugg slippers (that have a pop of red) during errand runs on gloomy January days. Ugg president Spangenberg concurs: "While some might see the colder months as a time to stay inside or limit activity, we design Uggs to allow consumers the opportunity to play, move, have fun, and express themselves outside." In other words, this is an Ugg outfit that begs to be worn outside, not tucked away indoors.

With a Conversation Coat and Sweater

This cheerfully-colored coat, likeminded sweater, and shearling Ugg slippers pairing also ranks high on my must-try-for-myself list. The bright coloring and intricate knitwear round out the casual footwear, making the overall ensemble feel balanced and suitable for wearing out of the house.

So Begins the Preppification of Ugg Boots

Doechii's bubble skirt, V-neck sweater, and Ugg boots grouping is one that maybe wouldn't work on paper—but assembled together and worn with the rapper's signature too-cool-to-care attitude, it does. Recreate the preppy outfit by swapping a frothy micro-mini bubble skirt for tailored trousers.