Uggs. People either love them or don’t.  There doesn’t appear to be a lot of middle ground.  I happen to love them.   But I have a friend, younger than myself and very very stylish who does not like them – at all.

I’ve always been very particular about my appearance.  Probably too particular.  For as long as I can remember, I have loved clothes and putting outfits together.  I like to look nice and I have always had a lot of clothes and shoes.  A lot.  I love to peruse through Vogue and Harper’s Bazaar and have since I was a very young teenager.  I love to meander through the JCrew website.  I love the blogs, The Sartorialist and Le Catch.

I’m fairly short, 5’3, and so like to wear clothes that make me appear a bit taller – and slimmer.  There are certain clothes that make a short person look shorter.  And squat.  Stubby, stumpy, chunky.  Capri’s are not good for a person of my size.  Neither are clunky, square-toed shoes.  Pleats in pants.  Dirndl skirts.  And Uggs.  Or so I thought.

When Uggs first became popular and trendy, people had really strong opinions about them.  I read some fashion stylists say they would never be caught dead in a pair.  Others loved them. And guys really didn’t like them on women.  They don’t exactly help elongate a woman’s look.  I didn’t think they were particularly attractive on some people, but on the other hand I saw some women who wore them with a short skirt or leggings and look really cute.  Of course they were very young super models and I’m a 53 year old short woman.  And I don’t wear short skirts.

But two years ago I caved and asked for a pair for Christmas.  And I loved them.  I got the light brown ones with the higher shaft.  They did make me look short and squat with leggings but they were so so comfortable.  And warm.  I didn’t wear them out in public except to walk the dogs. But I wore them constantly here at home.  And in two short years, I have worn the heck out of them.  I tried to wear them out in public recently, but my teenage sons gently suggested that possibly they were too dirty and worn to wear to their school. So this year, I asked for another pair.  But this time I asked for the shorter shaft and in the dark brown.  And I put them on Dec. 28 and I haven’t taken them off except for bed and bath and today is the 4th of January.  And I wear them in public and to my sons’ schools.

The shorter shaft looks better on me and are easier to wear under pants or with pants tucked in.  I don’t know if with age comes a certain amount of confidence to wear things I wouldn’t have been caught dead in years earlier, or if with age comes a certain amount of unconcern with my appearance and more interest in comfort instead.  (Yikes – never thought I would hear myself say THAT!)  But either way, I love them, they’re still warm and comfortable and amazingly, I think they look pretty good.  And I was pleasantly surprised when I went to my son’s first basketball scrimmage – wearing my new Uggs with my yoga pants (which I have also worn everyday since Dec. 28 and every day before that for the previous 11 months!) – and in walks a good friend who is my same age wearing her new short shaft Uggs.  Her first pair and she also loves them.  Her daughter gave them to her.  Saw her again today and she was still wearing them, as was I.

And now I can’t imagine I’ll ever go without a pair.   I can even picture myself as an 80 year old grandma wearing my knit pants (hopefully not these same “knit” yoga pants?) and my Uggs.   Try the slippers, too.  I have a pair and they’re wonderful.