The year is 2009 and I’ve just had keyhole surgery on my knee. During my sixth-form free periods I head to hospital for post-op physiotherapy appointments. With one glance at the knock-off Ugg boots on my feet, the physio sighs. “You need to stop wearing those,” he says. “While you’re recovering, you need something with a bit more support.” Do I take his advice? Absolutely not. I carry on hobbling around in my crutches and fake Uggs combo for weeks, convinced that I am the height of cosy chic – because in the late Noughties, Ugg boots were undisputedly the “it” shoe of the moment.
Yes, these sheepskin-lined slippers looked a bit like a child’s sketch of a shoe come to life, and their rounded toes instantly made the daintiest of feet look cartoonish. But thanks to countless paparazzi shots showing celebrities such as Beyoncé and Jennifer Lopez padding around toting massive handbags and Starbucks cups, these comfy boots became the epitome of off-duty style, fashionable without trying too hard. Their allure was, for me, somehow greater than any practical considerations.
