Uggs are unofficially the bane of the Washingtonian existence. Seeing a girl in Uggs is usually eyeroll worthy material, and you nudge your friend in the ribs to make a crack about it. So 2009. They’re the ‘N Sync of shoes, something you feel guilty for associating yourself with in the past. Even the brand name sounds like a groan.

But are they really so bad?

Sure, they’re not exactly “cute”, but few shoes come to the rescue like they do. Warmth is a necessity in the damp months of Washingtonian winter, particularly in this year’s especially bone-biting cold. It’s hard to find boots that warm your toes as much as these fluff-filled boots and, in the battle between comfort and fashion, sometimes comfort wins.

Perhaps their ugliness is not such a bad thing. Shoes that were once pretty and have slowly deteriorated into unholy messes are pitiful to look at, usually destined to spend the rest of their days in the back of your closet because they’re too hideous to wear but were too expensive for you to discard on good conscience. Uggs, however, are glorious in this regard: they’re ugly from the moment you get them. You know they don’t flatter you. They’re silly to look at. So who cares if they sag or stain? There isn’t much room for them to get worse, and you know people are already judging you for wearing them, so you don’t have to worry about it. Haters are going to hate. Smile at them, knowing their feet will never be as cozy as yours.

Uggs may not be cool, but they’re so comfortable it’s worth it. Winter isn’t exactly the time for fashion anyways, right? And in the end, they are much like ‘N Sync; just like you never forgot the lyrics to “Bye Bye Bye”, you know you will always have a special, secret, guiltily accepting place in your heart for Uggs.