The first time I spied UGG Classic Short Boots, they were warming the feet of my 50-ish Southern California neighbor. He and his trusty surfboard had just returned from a mid-winter, late-afternoon foray into the frigid waves. His boots were worn out and slightly ridiculous, and the dirty wool fleece cuff blended in startlingly well with the plush hair on his legs.

Not a big fashion statement.

Still, the boots intrigued me. I'm a fan of all things fluffy, and UGGs are nothing if not fluffy. At $100 a pair, though, I balked. They're warm and toasty, but they're also ugly. So ugly, in fact, that my husband,a man who wears shiny shoes with tassels, calls them elf booties.

For years, I refrained from buying a pair of UGGs. The tide turned a couple of weeks ago, when I spotted a picture of Jessica Simpson in one of those insipid celebrity magazines that I secretly love. She was wearing the same UGGs my neighbor had, but in pink! Baby Pink, to be precise. UGGs are ugly, I don't especially like Jessica Simpson, and I don't care for the color pink. Still, I really had to have those shoes.

If you've tried to find a pair of Pink UGG Classic Short Boots, you know what you're up against. Apparently, most of the world wants them, too. This shocked me; I mean, I'm prone to the occasional fit of bad taste, but what's everyone else thinking?

Since every store is sold out, and UGG's website is backordered until summer, I did what any reasonable woman would do: I spent 50% more to get them on ebay.

UGG Classic Short Boots

• Australian Sheepskin Boots
• Fully Lined in Wool Fleece
• Flexible Sole (EVA, whatever that is)

When you slide your foot into UGGs for the first time, do it without socks. It's sort of like sticking your foot into a teddy bear, but without all those pervy connotations. They have much more support than a pair of slippers, but they're incredibly comfortable.

Will your feet overheat? Bah. I can't stand going sockless-- I need cotton on my feet at all times. I've been wearing my Uggs, with no socks, for about three hours now. It's 70 degrees in my house, but my feet are comfortable.

The UGG Classic Short Boots reach about 1/3 the way up my calf. If you prefer ankle boots, you can fold the tops over, revealing a fluffy pink cuff. There's that word again-- fluffy.

Without getting into all sorts of sordid details about my awful feet, it's hard to find shoes that don't give me blisters. I could live in Tod's, but at $300 per pair of loafers, they spend a lot more time resting in their sleeper bags than they do on my feet. My UGGs ar the first pair of shoes I've bought in years that didn't need a "breaking in" period to feel comfortable.

What to wear? When you fall in love with a pair of pink sheepskin boots, it's important to ask yourself this: what on Earth will they match? The easy answer is "nothing." If you own clothing that will match pink sheepskin boots, it's time to rethink your entire wardrobe.

Durability and Cleaning
My neighbor's boots are a testament to two things:
1. Your UGGs will last a long, long time.
2. They'll look like crap within a week.

Sheepskin is like suede or nubuck-- if it gets wet or dirty, it won't be pretty. If you're a surfer with a pair of sand-colored UGGs, your probably don't care. If you're a shallow bubblehead like I am, and you bought Pink UGGs to wear to the mall, it's advisable to spend an extra $8 for UGG's Sheepskin Stain & Water Repellant. For another $8 you can buy UGG's Sheepskin Cleaner & Conditioner. UGG recommends against using leather cleaner on their sheepskin products, but there may be lower priced sheepskin cleaners on the market.

Colors, Prices, and Availability
UGG Classic Short Boots are currently unavailable in five lovely colors: black, chestnut, sand, baby blue, and baby pink. You can view the colors at UGG's web site:

http://www.uggaustralia.com/images/products/5825.jpg

They're "unavailable" because UGG is backordered until July. If you're more patient, sensible, and responsible than I am, wait until summer. You'll be able to buy them in any color for about $100. If you must have them now, beware: depending on size and color, they're going for $130-$200 on ebay.

Recommended: Yes