This woman found out the hard way that platform Uggs aren’t meant for the snow. Now, she may be facing expensive medical bills.
Ugg boots became a huge fashion trend in the 2000s, and celebrities like Beyoncé and Paris Hilton wore them. While they were initially deemed a trend that would fall out of fashion in a few years, they’ve proved to have staying power.
They’ve remained a wardrobe staple due to their simple and warm design and had a meteoric rise in the last few years as they leaned into modern aesthetics with the launch of their platform Uggs.
But this woman found out that just because her platform Uggs are meant to keep you cozy in the winter, they’re not an all-terrain shoe.
Uggs gone wrong
In a duo of viral videos that collectively have nearly 1,000,000 views, TikToker GiGi Pena (@gigipena_) shares her unfortunate story.
“PSA: Platform Uggs and ice do not mix,” Pena says.
Pena, who is covering her mouth, moves her hand to reveal a smile with a very broken front tooth. It looks like a smooth third of her front tooth is gone, and we imagine she’s in some level of pain.
“This is your sign to take them off your Xmas list,” she adds in another video.
Now, a small chip might be fixable with a bit of dental bonding, but given how much of her tooth broke off, she might need more involved measures like a dental crown, root canal, or even tooth extraction.
If this ever happens to you (and we hope it doesn’t), save the broken tooth piece and store it in milk til you give it to your dentist, take ibuprofen for management, and avoid biting on the chipped tooth until you can visit a dentist.
While Pena hasn’t graced her audience with a storytime, based on a recent video, it seems she got her tooth fixed.
Can you wear platform Uggs in the snow?
At the end of the day, you can do whatever you want. But if you want an expert opinion, the answer is no, your platform Uggs are not meant for the snow.
It might not be the answer you wanted, but it comes straight from the brand itself.
Waterproof: Uggs are not waterproof. Snow can easily seep through the suede, ruining the soft material and leaving watermarks. There are waterproofing sprays out there that can help, and Ugg recommends using them. While there are no guarantees that your shoes will be 100% resistant to water if you step in a puddle or are out in the snow, they can keep them fresh if you use them as your everyday shoes and want to avoid them getting dirty or overly moist.
Tread: The foamy soles of Uggs do not have enough traction for slippery conditions like snow and ice. And the fall can be even worse if you’re wearing platform Uggs that further elevate you from the ground.
The right tools: To remove surface dirt or snow, use a soft bristle brush on your shoes. If staining occurs, take care of the mark with a suede eraser or mixture of water and mild detergent.
“Wear them for comfort and warmth inside your lodge. And if you do go outside, remember to dry them off next to the open fire,” the Ugg site suggests.
Are any Uggs snow-friendly?
While the classic and classic adjacent Ugg designs are not the best option for the snow and impending ice, the brand does offer nearly 20 styles that can withstand the snow.
These styles range from $160 short boots to $500 tall boots that can withstand temperatures as low as -32ºC.
Commenters react
“The way I gasped and clutched my imaginary pearls!!!” a person said.
“I have the platform Ugg slippers and I fell like a sniper took me down from the roof,” another shared.
“Literally have a broken kneecap rn because of a spill in platform Uggs,” a commenter wrote.
@gigipena_ The denist WILL be hearing from me #platformuggs #brokentooth ♬ original sound – Gigi
“I call them the ‘ankle twister 5000s,’” a viewer chimed in.
The Daily Dot reached out to Pena for comment via email and Instagram direct message and to Uggs via email.
Internet culture is chaotic—but we’ll break it down for you in one daily email. Sign up for the Daily Dot’s web_crawlr newsletter here. You’ll get the best (and worst) of the internet straight into your inbox.
