As the mercury drops the hunt is on for practical wardrobe additions that look chic too. Sheepskin boots have long been a staple for freezing winters and are a must-pack if you’re headed to the slopes and want to stay cosy during apres ski. But what’s new this season? You can’t picture a sheepskin shoe without UGGs flashing to mind.
Yes, some of us will think of their 2000s heydey when they were the shoe of party girls — everyone from Paris Hilton to star of The OC Mischa Barton flew the flag in celebrity circles — and they were all over university campuses thanks to their comfy creds. But they actually date back to the late 1970s, with roots in the surf world. Aussie surfer Brian Smith founded the company in Santa Monica, California and they quickly became a staple for beach communities to slip on after riding waves.
After the brand’s big moment in the Noughties, their popularity waned for a while, but in the past few years, they’ve had a major resurgence with a new crowd of It girls such as Emily Ratajkowski and Bella Hadid. The mini versions were a street style staple last year and this season the playful heeled iterations called New Heights will elevate your looks. But of course, there are plenty of other labels to know in the sheepskin world.
Mou was founded in London and the brand’s shoes are made with cowskin and goatskin as well as having sheepskin lining, so they are both durable and super warm. Emu is another Aussie label using supersoft sheepskin an.
