Ugg boots. Aussie souvenir gifts, winter sheepskin boots, fashionable Australian sheepskin footwear. Call them what you will, they're the fashion accessory that you will never grow out of, that you'll wear more than your trusty faded denim jeans, and that your feet will love you for.

So what are ugg boots, and why are they becoming so popular around the world? In case you've been living under a rock and haven't got a pair, here's a brief history of the Australian fashion phenomenon that is ugg boots.

The exact history of how these Australian winter sheepskin boots came about is lost in the mists of time. What is known is that they've been worn by Australians since European settlers first arrived on the huge island continent and discovered that their cold feet could best be warmed by sheepskin footwear. Whoever the first person was to don a pair, he or she started an Aussie fashion trend that would be perpetually enduring.

Australians love the outdoor lifestyle, and Aussie surfers and beach lovers have been wearing winter sheepskin footwear for well over fifty years on the beach, as a way of keeping their feet warm whilst out of the water.

The name ugg boots is derived from that famous Aussie tradition of lovingly abbreviating every common usage term, and it was only a short skip from "ugly boots" to seriously "ugg boots". Ugly as they were perceived at the time compared to more traditional wear, there was no beating these Australian uggs boots for warmth and comfort.

Until recent times, Australian ugg boots, or "Australian uggs" as they are sometimes endearingly referred to, were one of the world's best kept secrets, used by those in the know down under. How the rest of the world started getting in on the action is somewhat debated, but one of the most commonly held beliefs is that they were popularised by Baywatch star, Pamela Anderson, when she kept her feet warm on set by wearing a pair of Australian ugg boots. Since then, tens of thousands of people around the world have bought pairs of uggs, whether it be as Aussie souvenir gifts, fashion statement, or most commonly, for their pure comfort and enjoyment.

Whether or not ugg boots will become as synonymous with the Australian lifestyle and culture as other Australian symbols such as the kangaroo, the didgeridoo and Vegemite sandwiches is yet to be seen, but one thing is for sure, this is one Australian lifestyle accessory that the rest of the world is loving as much as Australians do.

David Malan is an internet and e-commerce expert with over ten years experience in designing and developing enterprise grade online solutions for business.