Okay, sometimes when I’m having a rough day, I like to shop for something special, something I’ve been thinking about or have wanted for a while. So recently after lunch, I suddenly decided I had to immediately run out to Overland Sheepskin and buy my third pair of Uggs. It’s getting chilly now and I want to slip my feet into sheepskin in the morning, and I don’t want to wear socks if I don’t feel like it. I thought I might feel a bit guilty buying another pair of such pricey boots, but after looking at the dozens of different styles of Uggs, including Uggs for kids that make you want to be a kid, I started thinking about what pair I want to buy next. I love them with my jeans and I wear jeans to work almost everyday. So, I now have three pairs of Uggs and I love them, and refuse to feel guilty about loving them - let me count the ways:

They are Quality: If you have a pair, you know what I’m talking about. UGG® Australia is the world’s largest seller of Grade A sheepskin. Grade A sheepskin is know for being both extremely soft and dense is therefore both comfortable and durable. Grade A sheepskin has many advantages: it breaths naturally and you do not need to wear socks to keep warm. In fact, it is recommended you don’t wear socks as sheepskin whisks away moisture and allows air to freely circulate. Ugg also uses twin-face sheepskin in many products—a piece of twin-face sheepskin that has been treated on both the fleece side and the skin side, making them really cozy.

If you own Uggs, or have tried them on, and then try on a pair of knock-offs, you’ll see the enormous difference right away. Knock-offs are usually made with lesser quality, often synthetic material, and can feel coarse. Synthetics can be non-breathable and do not provide the warmth and durability of Uggs.

Uggs are Wearable in all Seasons: Have you ever seen a woman wearing Uggs with shorts, and wondered how she is getting away with it and why her feet aren’t hot? It’s because sheepskin is naturally thermostatic and keeps the temperature of your bare feet close to your natural body temperature regardless of the temperature outside. This is why I live in Uggs all winter long—the weather in Iowa gets bitterly cold, and my feet have never gotten cold wearing them even in weather well below freezing. And, it’s great to be able to go without socks (socks are another topic I'm passionate about)!

Uggs Last Forever: Uggs last forever (well pretty close)! One great feature of Uggs is the removable foot bed offered in many of their styles. This year, I bought new sheepskin foot beds to replace my older ones. Putting in a new footbed is like buying a new pair of boots for only $15.00.

You Get what you Pay for: I know Uggs are pricey (around $150 for boots), and you may be tempted to go for the knock-offs! But remember the wise adage, “You get what you pay for,” and if you have to put away some change for a while to spring for a pair Uggs, you won’t regret it!

Why Models, Movie Stars, and Women Everywhere Love Uggs

Uggs have been a wardrobe staple of the rich and famous for years, and their popularity and selection of styles continues booming. It all started in 2000, when Oprah introduced the Ultra boot on “Oprah’s Favorite Things.” When movie stars started wearing Uggs they quickly became a hot fashion trend, and Uggs Boots became the 2004 most searched fashion word on the internet.

UGG® Australia Raises Money for Charities

What do Liv Tyler, Miley Cyrus, Eva Longoria, Matthew McConaughey, Ellen DeGeneres, Martha Stewart, Jessica Simpson, and Sharon Stone have to do with Uggs (I mean besides looking great in them)?

In 2005, UGG® Australia decided to use St. Jude as the primary charity for every annual Art & Sole celebrity boot auction. Every year famous actors, models, musicians, and artists join Uggs to design a pair of Classic Boots to auction off on the brand’s homepage during a 14-day period in December. All of the proceeds are then donated to further the research for St. Jude. Last year, these celebrities joined the 5th annual auction and raised more than $105,000.

Tips for Caring for Uggs

You can gently clean sheepskin Uggs with a soft cloth or a suede or nubuck brush to loosen any dust or small amounts of dirt.

To clean spots, use Uggs Australia Cleaner or very gentle soap, but never put your Uggs in a washing machine.

To help make Uggs more resistant to water, use Uggs Water & Oil Repellent spray.

For a more thorough cleaning, you can wash the entire boot with cold water and Ugg Shampoo & Conditioner.