In 1978, an Australian surfer named Brian Smith founded Ugg in California. Vogue says he wanted to create a shoe out of his favorite material, sheepskin, and that he went on to make a classic shearling-lined boot built around the idea of extreme comfort. That is the whole appeal in one line: a soft boot you pull on without thinking about it.

Vogue's account of the recent revival is useful for anyone shopping around. The brand's footwear design lead, Helene Frain, said it began with the silhouette: a shorter cut, a thick platform, and a two-inch outsole on the classic boot. Harper's Bazaar noted back in 2022 that sizes in the minis were selling out fast, and Vogue wrote that finding your size in the classic colors was still hard. So an Ugg boots dupe search often comes down to availability, a color the original does not make, or wanting the look without a logo.

This edit is pieces from other labels that share that detail: a pull-on shape, a soft suede-look outside, a plush lining. For the ankle height, I would start with the Bearpaw Shorty in tan, a chestnut suede pull-on with a ridged sole. The Dearfoams Fireside Perth in black is a foldover boot with an Australian shearling cuff, and the FitFlop GEN-FF in tan adds a lace-up front, a shearling collar and a chunky sole. The Alegria Rylah in latte is the dressier one, with a ruched upper and a shearling collar, and the Pajar Aura in black leather has a chunky lugged sole and faux-shearling lining.

Here is the fitting-room test for this group: fold the cuff down and look at the lining, because genuine shearling and faux shearling are labeled differently and the product page will say which. In October I would wear any of these with bare ankles and a wool skirt, or with thick socks under cuffed jeans.

Frain told Vogue that shortening the cut and adding a thick platform felt fresh, and the platform is now the part people look for first. So judge these from the side. The sole should read as a deliberate two-inch lift, not a clumsy block, and the boot should still look soft above it.

The Bearpaw Retro Shorty Platform Bootie in black is a suede ultra-short pull-on with woven side trim, and it is the closest to the low silhouette. The Dearfoams Fireside Kingston in sand has Australian shearling lining on a chunky sole, while the Bayswater in sand is quilted with a fluffy shearling collar, a fun twist. The La Canadienne Epic in brown laces up with a fluffy shearling lining on a lugged platform sole, which makes it the one I would wear with straight jeans. The L.L.Bean Wicked Cozy Booties in brown have a water-resistant suede upper and a lugged platform, handy for a drizzly weekend.

Pick one up and bend the sole at the ball of the foot. A platform that does not flex at all will feel heavy by the end of an afternoon. Then check the opening: a pull-on shape needs a stretch or a pull tab at the heel so the suede does not wrinkle at the ankle. The FitFlop Gen-FF Mini in black has a double-faced shearling cuff and a flexible sole, so it is the easy walker of the group.

What I would skip: the sherpa-covered Pajar Jules mule-boot if you want a suede look, since its upper is faux shearling and reads fluffier than the rest.

Sheepskin boots began as plain work wear: Yahoo reports that Australian shepherds and shearers used leather straps to wrap sheepskin around their legs. Tall styles are the closest to that old idea, a soft wrapped shaft that goes up past the ankle.

The Bearpaw Elle Tall Boot in light brown is a chestnut suede pull-on with a ridged sole and a plush lining. The Snuggle Murphy in iced coffee has a cream sherpa shaft on a wavy platform sole, which gives it the most personality. For a more tailored feel, the Celtic & Co. Aqualamb in darkest brown is a calf-height suede boot lined with shearling, and the British Original Celt in navy is a color the original boot does not usually come in. The Bos. & Co. Neva in black is waterproof leather with wool and genuine shearling lining.

The test is the shaft. Sit down in them and see whether the top digs in behind the knee, and check how a calf-height shaft sits over tights or leggings. In October I would pull a tall pair up over a knit dress.

Some in this group are made from faux fur or teddy-style material. The BARETRAPS Alliah in dark brown has a faux-fur upper, the AZALEA WANG Emberlyn in brown is a teddy-style faux shearling with a low block heel, and the BARETRAPS Navia in cognac has a faux-fur lining. They are softer and fluffier looking, so choose them for the texture and not for a suede finish.

What I would skip: a tall boot with a heel for long days on your feet, if the plan is the soft slipper feeling.

Harper's Bazaar describes Ugg's slipper the way many people think of it: a slip-on silhouette and a pillowy sole. That is the checklist for the flats and clogs here, and it explains why the ballerina-style flat gets so much attention, a soft shape that goes with tights and a coat.

The Moon Boot Shearling Ballerina in bone is the nearest to that idea: a low-cut cream flat with a navy strap and a rubber sole. The Sam Edelman Michaela Fur in olive is a suede ballet flat with plush faux-fur trim around the opening. For clogs, the Birkenstock Boston in brown suede has an adjustable buckle and shearling lining, and the Amsterdam in gray is a minimalist closed-back clog in wool felt. The Vince Berkley in tan is a mule-clog with a driver-style sole, and the Sofft Angela in tan is a loafer-style mule with a soft shearling-lined interior.

Check three spots. Look at the heel: a closed back will stay on, an open back needs a strap, and the FitFlop Gen-FF back-strap mule in brown, covered in shearling with a rounded toe, has one. Look at the footbed, since a shearling lining that is stuck down flat will compress fast. And look at the sole, because the Bearpaw Loki II in neutral has an indoor and outdoor sole, which matters if you plan to step out for coffee.

What I would skip: a flat with fur trim on a day of wet pavement, because suede darkens and the trim mats.

Harper's Bazaar quotes a fashion buyer who says sole type and fabric are important in snowy climates, and adds that rubber soles and shearling-lined boots suit harsher weather. That is the right way to read this group: it is where the soft look meets real winter.

The Sorel Out N About IV Chillz in black is a waterproof lace-up bootie with a white faux-fur collar. The Sorel Ona Ave Alpine in black sea salt is a black leather boot with shearling trim and criss-cross laces. The Dansko Lillith in black has a real shearling-trimmed shaft on a low stacked heel, which makes it the one that works for the office. The Kamik Abigail 2 in beige is a calf-high snow boot with a quilted nylon upper and faux-shearling lining, and the Blondo Natasia in bone has a faux-shearling cuff over leather and textile.

For slush days I would go straight to the L.L.Bean Bean Boots Rubber Moc Shearling-Lined in tan, a rubber bottom with real shearling inside. The Hunter Play Short in natural is a short rain boot with a faux-shearling textile lining and a leopard-print finish, which is the one to wear with a trench in a downpour.

Cosmopolitan praised a quilted alternative for a wipe-clean, water-repellent upper and grippy soles, and that is a good thing to check on the product page. Look at the seams around the sole, and the tongue or opening for a collar that keeps water out.

What I would skip: the rain boot on a long dry-cold day, since a rubber shell with a textile lining is for wet weather.

I would decide on height first: ankle for skirts and shorts, a platform if I wanted the lift, tall for coats and knit dresses. Then I would check the lining on the product page, because it says whether the warmth is genuine shearling or a faux fiber, and look at the sole in profile.

After that, color. A chestnut or sand suede reads closest to the original, and black or navy is the easy winter choice.

Brian Smith started with a surfer's love of sheepskin and a soft boot, and that is still the best test for anything on this page: does it feel like something you would pull on without thinking. If you want to keep browsing, I also put together UGG Boots and Shearling Bags.