When I think of Ugg, I think of many things. I think of Bella Hadid wearing her pair of mini platforms with the teeniest shorts, eating a slice of New York pizza sitting on a stoop. I think of Nicole Richie inexplicably wearing a tall black pair with jeans to a 2000s red carpet. I think of myself as a tween looking at photos of Miley Cyrus wearing some with a fuzzy cuff while walking around in L.A. eating frozen yogurt and feeling so desperately like I needed to embody that essence immediately.
Ask anyone and they’ll likely say something similar. They’ll reference an iconic paparazzi moment or red carpet or a celeb who has worn the comfortable boots in a way that no one else has. By being so attainable and comfortable, Ugg has positioned itself as much a dream as it has a shoe. To wear them is to wear something all of Hollywood owns. It is to be casual and comfortable with no shame in a way the most famous typically aren’t. It humanizes them while also making the non-celebrity feel closer to the fashion of fame.
And so of course, when a new Ugg collaboration drops that reenvisions a look that has become so iconic, it might give you pause. When I heard Ambush, a brand that would more likely be called eccentric and experimental before it was called relaxed, was collaborating with Ugg, I couldn’t envision what the result would be. All I knew was that it would definitely be something I would want, and I was right.
The collection is made up of two shoes you wouldn’t necessarily think are by Ugg. There’s a fuzzy Mary Jane with a silver heart clasp on the strap and a black cap-toe and a chunky penny loafer with a fuzzy tongue and back. The texture brings them back into the Ugg universe—they are, more than anything, extremely cozy—but the silhouettes feel entirely singular to anything Ugg has done before.
Creative Director of Ambush Yoon Ahn told me at the collection’s launch event that the collaboration came about at the same time she was beginning to design Ambush’s S/S 25 collection. “I've been exploring the theme of uniforms for a few seasons,” she said. “For this Ugg collection, I wanted to think about what the uniform would look like for artsy, kind of weirdo kids at school. That’s been an ongoing theme for a few seasons at Ambush. So for Ugg, I thought, what about the actual school shoes, right? I wanted to create something that could be part of the uniform. I instantly thought a Mary Jane and penny loafer are just ageless.”
As for what it was like to work with a brand with such a famous look, she just thought about turning things inside out. Literally. “I just thought let’s flip it inside out. I want to bring the fuzziness of the Ugg outside. A penny loafer is typically made of pretty stiff leather. I wanted to think, How can we make these a bit softer? I was thinking about the comfort a lot and also about making something very versatile that you can dress up or dress down.”
She’s sitting on a chair and gestures down to her feet so I can see how she is wearing the fuzzy white Mary Jane. She’s decided to style them with a pair of baggy jeans and a more feminine flowy white Ambush top. She’s also covered in pearls, with long layered necklaces swinging from her neck and bracelets wrapping around her wrists.
How I Styled the Ugg Ambush Mary Jane Flats
Inspired by her, I knew I needed a pair in white. And they haven’t come off my feet since. Like all the other Ugg shoes in my closet, they’re so comfortable and easy to slip into. But they’re definitely more elevated than my tried-and-true Tasmans, so I gravitate toward them when I want to feel comfortable but still look dressed up. Texture is a huge part of my personal style. I think adding some to a look is the easiest way to give it that little extra something.
How Comfortable Are the Ugg Ambush Mary Jane Flats Really?
These Mary Janes also make it easy to lean into the schoolgirl aesthetic of the campaign. I’ve been pairing mine with pleated skirts, polos, and knee high socks. Typically, I opt for a simple ballet flat or a non-fuzzy Mary Jane, but once again, the texture of these just makes the whole look more complex and unexpected. And now when I think of Ugg, I know I’ll think of these, my new favorite little fuzzy shoes I can’t live without.
Shop the collection below, and you’ll see exactly what I mean.
