Rain and cold bring out several things here in the middle of Texas. It turns the easiest drive into a sluggish nightmare as Texan drivers suddenly lose the ability to pilot their vehicles the minute precipitation falls from the sky. Rain also gives people an excuse to call into work, either citing horrid driving conditions or personal illness attributed to cold. And rain also brings out the worst in the history of fashion, namely rain boots and Uggs.

Upon the first drop of water falling to earth, numerous girls giggle with schoolgirl delight at the prospect of putting on their new rain boots. For those of you who have grown up with practicality or taste, these designer rain boots are train wrecks of color, rubber and the herd mentality. Take an explosion in a paint factory and the creativity of Dr. Seuss as a designer and you have yourself a pair of rain boots. Always, without fail, these boots will be of bright pastel colors, putting Easter enthusiasts to shame. If you stare into a puddle and are blinded by the reflection of hot pink and turquoise polka dots, you have survived rain boots. The fact that a huge portion of the TCU population owns a pair (or two, shudder) is enough to keep most people locked up on a rainy day. But rain boots are not the epitome of terrible footwear. No, that delightful honor falls entirely on Uggs.

Uggs are the brilliant Australian idea of taking a dead muskrat, stuffing a poodle inside of it, then taking a rabbit pelt and garnishing the exterior. The result is an exciting blend of random and stupid, with a hint of uselessness. The Ugg (the boot, not the caveman noise) was designed to survive the harsh Australian winters, hence the interior being entirely wool. Unfortunately, this is Texas. It never gets cold enough to warrant a pair of Ugg boots. New York perhaps, but not friggin’ Texas. The worst part about Uggs apart from their design is their use. People use them here when it is not cold, then go along and wear them with Nike running shorts. Why would you wear an item designed to keep you warm or dry, coupled with an item meant for summer use? Have the common sense to cover up and keep warm, not parade around in your self-indulged fashion sense.

Keep your heads up folks. Soon the cold and rainy season will pass, and with it, the epileptic-fit causing rain boots and poodle boots will pass as well. Perhaps, in the future when we are looking at our old yearbooks with our children, we will look back on these ugly fashion fads and laugh. Because, seriously, who would wear a pair of rain boots or Uggs and not feel silly?

Bruno Bruelhart is a junior writing and history major from Hobbs, N.M.