What I Learned About UGG Australia Boots: They are NOT Australian!

Tags

Fashion, sheepskin boots, trademark disputes, ugg, ugg australia, ugg australian made, ugg boots

I just came back from my New Zealand / Fiji/ Australia vacation yesterday and while shopping in Sydney I came across many UGG boots for sale.  (Right now Australia is entering their winter season, FYI)

I did a quick Google search on UGG boots in Sydney, which lead me to the historic Sydney neighborhood, The Rocks to find a pair of UGG boots and check prices.

I came upon a large store emblazoned, “UGG Australian made since 1974:”

I decided on a pair of black short boots… my $30 Kirkland Costco boots are well worn (and almost to the bare soles) and I thought, heck, I’m in Australia, might as well buy something that originated in Australia!  In the end I paid $129 (not including Australian taxes) for the shoes.

Funny thing was, I noticed that the logo at the back of the heel was different than what I had normally seen in UGG Boots in the USA.

In actuality, there are 2 different UGG stores in The Rocks neighborhood…  UGG Australia is sold at a small boutique on 139 George Street, Sydney while UGG Australian Made is sold at a large store on 140 George Street, Sydney.  I missed the small boutique while in Sydney, which sells a variety of goods and brands and instead went to the large shop (only one brand sold) instead.

UGG Australian Made vs UGG Australia:

I did more online research that night since I was a bit perplexed at the difference in the label.  It turns out, that the UGG Australia brand that the USA is used to, is an American company, Deckers Outdoor Corporation.  In Australia, the word “UGG” is not a specific brand but a generic term for that type of shoe.  The “UGG Australia” brand boots that are so popular in the States are mass produced in China.  It is a USA brand and not Australian…. which is a little misleading because the name of the brand is “UGG Australia.”

And maybe the most interesting fact to note… The word “UGG” has been revoked as a trademark in Australia and as a result the Deckers corporation cannot trademark there.  The Deckers corporation holds trademarks in the USA, China and the EU, and NOT Australia.

From this London firm article: “The Australian Sheepskin Association is attempting to change the name UGG into a regional mark similar to that achieved for Champagne which would negate it’s trademark status in many jurisdictions. Deckers in response has focused on the fact that its UGG boots are made in China and not Australia.”

I have not purchased UGG Australia boots in the USA so I cannot compare them to my recently purchased boots.  It also came with this tag:

This logo is a trademark registered by the Australian government to indicate that “the product has been manufactured here (not just packaged) and 50% or more of the cost of making it can be attributed to Australian materials and/or production processes.”

Phew.  The history of the UGG boot and the trademark wars makes it all very confusing.  And since UGG Australia’s boots are made in China, it can be said that UGG boots that are made in Australia are “FAKE.”

So here is the dilemma.

Is it better to buy the “UGG Australia” brand that we are all familiar with and the one that is the most popular worldwide? …Despite the brand is from the USA and they manufacture their goods in China?

Or….

Is it better to buy an UGG boot that is made with Australian materials in Australia, since that style of boot was created there?  The downside would be that the Australian brands are not as recognizable or sought after like the USA ones.

What do you think?  

❤E&I

Confessions of a Male Shopaholic and How I Can Relate

Tags

addiction, shopaholic, Shopping, shopping addiction, the fashion industry

I wanted to do a quick post to share this amazing article written by Buzz Bissinger for GQ, a man addicted to Gucci.

A few highlights that I’d like to share:

I have an addiction. It isn’t drugs or gambling: I get to keep what I use after I use it. But there are similarities: the futile feeding of the bottomless beast and the unavoidable psychological implications, the immediate hit of the new that feels like an orgasm and the inevitable coming-down.

Hellooooo déjà vu.  I’ve never considered myself a shopping “addict,” per sé, but buying things..even the littlest, mundane, everyday things can give me that same feeling.  When I walk to the car to drive to the mall, or when I’ve just parked at the mall parking lot and I’m entering the stores, I get this strange quickening feeling.  It’s as if I need to get in FAST.  I’m just TOO EXCITED.  Nowadays, 80% of the time I come out unscathed.  Sometimes when I’m perusing the aisles of giant Forever 21 stores with their color coordinated sections, I snap myself out of my retail dreams and think, WHOA! What the heck am I doing here?  And I immediately shake it off and walk out before I am tempted to buy something.  (I swear the warehouse-sized Forever 21′s today suck you in to buy because of their sheer size… they’re so overwhelming now!)

I’d say I’m pretty good at restraining myself but WOW does it feel good to find something that:

1. Fits you
2. Is a good deal (in my eyes)
3. And heyyy lucky me it’s JUST what I needed!

*commence skipping out of the store with shopping bags in hand*

And then when I get home I’m welcomed by overstuffed drawers, piles of clothes in the laundry, and pairs of shoes that I’ve only worn twice.  Sigh.

I like turning around and seeing the poor lost souls in the gulag of the higher rows. I hope they hate me, chattering chipmunks trying to figure out who the f*** is this poseur, or however it’s said in Fashion Italian. Then again, I don’t see them dressed to kill, in an $8,000 Gucci pony-hair jacket that no one else in the U.S. has and wax-coated black jeans, shiny and sheeny and sizzling.

It really is all about appearances, isn’t it.  If nobody’s there to see your new goods, then what is the point?  Even if my real life friends/coworkers don’t see it, there’s always Instagram, Facebook, blogging…  *Guilty as charged over here.*  I just wonder if there will be a time when I’ll ever stop caring.

There’s a fine line between expressing yourself creatively and showing off.  Maybe they’re one and the same.  Is that all bad?  Is feeling awesome about yourself because of A, B and C really that bad?  Is it only okay if you’re not hurting anyone else in the process?

….

There’s also something about the change of seasons that really ramps up the advertisements and color combos at retail stores.  SPRING!  MINTCORALPASTELS!  Rainbow hologram EVERYTHING!  Lucite crossbody neons!  Floral prints on acid!

It’s so strange… I never thought I would covet floral pants, but here I am thinking about a ridiculous pair of floral pants that I saw on a YouTube haul video.

Fashion….the concept seems so harmless but this industry incredibly powerful.

♥ E&I

Sinful Colors Nail Polish for $0.99!

Image by nouveau cheap

Until 2/23/13 you can go to your local Walgreens and use their in-store ad coupon for $0.99 off of their $1.99 regularly priced Sinful Colors polish!

And this applies to ALL Sinful Colors.. including their new and pretty Sugar Rush collection for spring

♥ E&I

Kate Spade Drawstring Opus Purse & A Warning

Tags

bag, bags, drawstring opus, kate spade, opus, purses

To Well Heeled & Revanche

I got this bag at Nordstrom Rack maybe 2-3 years ago for $200-something.

The straps are patent leather.  I’ve used this bag to DEATH.  The handles are long, and extremely comfortable.  This is my default, go-to bag.

BUT. See below.  The straps are breaking.

A lot of the Kate Spade bags have this type of strap.  The reason why it is breaking?  It may be because the material is patent leather.  Patent leather isn’t very bendable.  The straps are long, and as such they ‘fold’ down when not rested against something.  I’m not sure if the regular leather will do this, but this is just a quick review and warning to those who want these types of KS purses.

♥ E&I

Julep Maven Unboxing – “Boho Glam” for February including Best Dressed Add Ons

Tags

julep, maven, nail polish, nailpolish, nails, polish

 February’s Boho Glam Maven Box (Including Best Dressed Add-Ons)

I received this month’s box using credits, and you can too, by sharing this deal with 2 friends via referral.

Go to Julep.com to get your first Maven Box (after taking a style quiz) for FREE shipped and use FREEBOX at checkout.  For USA and CANADA residents only.  For a little more info, please see my original post here.

Again, if you decide to subscribe, make sure you know when to skip a month if you don’t want to order for that month.  Or just cancel if you’d like.

 You can skip any month free of charge- just login to ‘My Account’ between the 20th and 24th of the month and select ‘skip the month’. Please note, you must submit the ’skip the month’ form by 11:59pm (PST) on the 24th.

For this month, I decided to switch my box to the “It Girl” style, which normally comes with 3 polishes (instead of 2 polishes and an extra gift).  You can switch styles or skip the month in the time window described above.

Here are the contents of my two packages: February Boho Glam Maven & Best Dressed Add-Ons

This month’s box came with a little travel eyelash curler and a handful of chocolate hearts (which Justin promptly gobbled up, so they are not in these photos).

The colors (from left to right): Rebel (silver holo), Ginger (sand holo), Ingrid (burnt orange crème), Julianne (smoky grey blue crème), Jane (rose gold glitter), Oscar (gold glitter)

The official February 2013 Maven box:  Ingrid, Julianne, Oxygen Nail Treatment & Freedom Polymer Topcoat

The add on’s I received in the Add On were: Rebel, Ginger, Jane and Oscar.  There were too many pretty polishes this month and I REALLY wanted to see the rose gold glitter in person so I splurged :}

NOTD featuring 2 coats of Ginger and Freedom Polymer Topcoat on top

Phew!! Holographic polishes are so hard to capture.  In real life the holographic qualities are amazing… but no matter how hard I try the rainbows just never translate to pictures.

First impressions:  Compared to the Milani HD polishes that I have, this is a very fine holo.  The Rebel and Ginger holos are fine enough to wear to work without much attention, but in the sunlight they are very beautiful.

Freedom Topcoat:

Extend the life of your manicure in minutes with Julep’s Freedom Topcoat. Activated by natural light, this innovative formula creates a unique polymer force field that prevents chipping for days longer than regular top coat, leaving your nails with a gel-like shine (but without gel-removal hassle). Any nail polish remover does the job—you’ll never pay for painful gel removal or soak your hands in nail-weakening acetone again. Freedom will give your nail color a whole new lease on life. Who knew technology could be so gorgeous?

Freedom Topcoat impressions: I’m so used to Seche Vite that I don’t use any other topcoats anymore.  But I was curious about this one.  The dry down time was  a little longer than I’m used to, and it did impart a nice shine.  But I honestly don’t think I’ll be replacing my Seche Vite anytime soon.  But this will be a nice backup.  As far as wearing time, I only wore it for a couple days and it did chip after 2 days with one coat of topcoat.

Oxygen Nail Treatment: 

Complete nail care and make-up all in one bottle. Made with a patented Hexanal formulation, nails are restructured to a stronger, thicker, and smoother condition in just one stroke. Advanced plant stem cell complex provides anti-aging benefits, while ground-breaking oxygen technology forms a nonocclusive film on the nail, proving resistant to water penetration and improving the permeability to oxygen. Results are nails that are structurally stronger, and less prone to breakage and splitting. How to use: Apply in layers on clean nails to achieve desired high gloss and subtle “Nail Makeup.” Use once or twice a week regularly to promote strong, healthy nail growth.

Oxygen Nail Treatment impressions:  Between this and the topcoat, I really do like this much better.  Aside from being a nail treatment, the polish is lightly tinted with pink, giving it a nice french manicure gel effect.  Strangely enough, I like the smell too!

♥ E&I