Yes, You CAN Be Vegan & Wear Your Fuggs Too! PLUS My Vegan Shoe Collection!

I opted for the sweater style this year. They can be worn several different ways, which is cute and keeps them versatile for different looks.

First of all, I'm going to clear up what the term "Fuggs" is. Fuggs are Fake Ugg-style boots; they are typically vegan and contain no animal products like leather, wool, fur or suede - materials that are not vegan-friendly. At least, my fuggs are always vegan. For years I wore a pair of vegan Airwalk fugg boots and they really were such great quality. I was able to put the Airwalks in the washing machine and dryer, and they really did last a very long time. Normal wear and tear happened, and I decided to get rid of them at the end of the winter season.

The brisk fall air has set upon us, and I felt the need yesterday to get another pair of fuggs, remembering that I no longer had my pair. This type of boot is perfect for throwing on when you have to run errands or have something laid back to go out and do. There are so many brands that offer vegan boots of this style, that go great with slouchy or boyfriend jeans, leggings, sweats, and other casual outfits. They are normally inexpensive, so that is another wonderful reason to opt for the man-made, cruetly-free version of these boots rather than the outrageously expensive and ridiculously cruel ones that have made this footwear popular to begin with. So what are you looking for?

In order to choose a cruelty-free fugg boot, read the label and look for the words: vegan, all man-made materials, fabric upper and all-man made or rubber sole, faux-fur or polyester lined, etc., ensuring that all parts of the shoes are, in fact, vegan-friendly.  You can contact companies too; ask them about their glue, if it isn't available on their website (please note that most shoes made in the United States and in modern days, typically are not made with glue that contains animal products, but it never hurts to research or even investigate with the company to find out if your particular batch contains the vegan glue or not. Some companies do not list their product as vegan, since they may switch glue brands throughout processing, so since they are unsure, or things can change, to play it safe they declare that it cannot be called 100% vegan; that is where asking the company if they can look into a particular batch or lot, might be helpful if the company is willing to work with you). Also, don't just rely on the label; examine the product to be sure the fur is genuinely faux. Personally, I can usually tell when a material is vegan-friendly or not, but it may take practice, especially if you are knew at it; it is just a matter of experience, that is why knowing the brand is reputable helps with trusting the integrity of the product and the labeling on it.

So, since I was out running errands yesterday, I decided to keep my eye out in the stores, for a pair of replacement fuggs. I lucked out by immediately liking a pair I found at Walmart (in the above picture) and I was able to identify as free of animal products. They only cost 20 bucks, which is all I really wanted to spend on shoes since I have so many to begin with. Which takes us to my vegan shoe collection.

The top shelves are: ballet flats, sandals, kitten heels and wedge heels

Then the next shelf down: More kitten and wedge heels and three pairs of stilettos (one strappy and one appropriate for any time of year, both black, for practicality - unlike my previous shoe collection that was way too many pairs and felt maddening) - and at the top my absolute favorite heels in my entire collection, my gorgeous Kweder vegan ones!

The last shelf pictured above: various casual sneakers

My last two shelves are: junky shoes like flip flops, crocs used for gardening, boots that I wear in the fall and winter, and my vegan nike runners.

My vegan shoe collection has dwindled over the years because I long for simplicity in life, plus it was getting a very diva vibe about it, which I'm not always into; I like to try to live pretty simple and low maintenance whenever possible. I like to keep shoes that are versatile for various outfits and also at least one particular pair for each style of shoe, in order to have an option for any occasion (i.e sandal, wedge, stiletto, ballet flat, casual sneaker, running shoe, stuff like that). I have shoes that range from very inexpensive to the more luxury vegan shoe, but my go-to to purchase are always on the more moderately priced side of things since we walk everywhere in our shoes and they get dirty and beat up, therefor it isn't practical to have a shoe collection that costs more than your car does. A good way to get vegan high-end shoes is to wait for them to go on sale, making your investment feel a little less Mariah Carey, but you can still achieve that rich and polished look that most of us often desire, especially in particular social situations where it is just plain necessary.

I like to clean my shoes by vacuuming off any dirt particles or fuzz prior to storing on the shelf, and cleaning with a damp cloth if needed. If I don't have time to vacuum or clean them, they will sit at the doorway until I have time, since I don't like to put away my shoes with the other shoes when they are dirty.

So, what do you think of the fugg style? Are the falling leaves, crisp air and pumpkin spice everything making you long for a pair of these boots to match your mood, or are you just plain over this craze? And for now, the Dirty Vegan is signing off - and off to make a soy pumpkin spice latte!