I have seen Hasidic Jews in Brooklyn strolling on the absolute hottest days fully dressed – layered in black (or navy), even with wool hats (streimel), in what appears to be the most uncomfortable wardrobe imaginable. And on occasion, we do see Islamic women fully draped in black on hot summer days. Of course there are religious elements at work here, and when one is dealing with religion, fashion and comfort play second fiddle.

But there are many others, as shown in today’s photo collage, where the appearance alone of wardrobe appears to trump cooling comfort. Even on a blistering hot and humid August day, take a walk through the East Village, and you will witness any number dressed in tight black jeans and heavy boots.

Unfortunately, the issue of black versus white clothing and heat is not as simple as the fact that black absorbs heat from sunlight and white reflects it. There are additional considerations – how tight the garments are, wind speed, and the reflection/absorption by the clothing of heat from the body. White will reflect body heat back, and black will absorb body heat, so the net effect of loose white clothing is actually less cooling.
From an article from the Straight Dope by Cecil Adams, “Does black clothing keep you cooler?”

Desert-dwelling nomadic people such as the Tuaregs wear loose-fitting black clothing, and have been doing so for a very, very long time. If there were an advantage to wearing white clothes, you’d certainly expect they’d have figured that out by now.

Apart from color, there is also the issue of full dress. I have also met numerous individuals, both men and women, who will not wear shorts, skirts, sandals, or any wardrobe elements that expose the legs or feet – only what summer heat requires for maximum cooling. In these cases, there is also no religious dogma; perhaps the operative factors are vanity and/or self-consciousness about their bodies.

Or maybe there are some fundamental differences in human physiology. Have you ever noticed people in a wardrobe of dress clothes on a hot day who do not look the least bit uncomfortable or even show one drop of perspiration? Another mystery of science…

Photo Note: These photos were all taken in Washington Square Park on very hot days during this summer.

I’ve written before about how New York City not only tolerates the unconventional but also embraces, nurtures, and even encourages it. Iconoclasm is celebrated here. I had a high school English teacher who was personally frustrated with the ostracism for thinking differently in a small town. He encouraged us to attend university in a large city and move from the provincial small town environment.

One day, he announced that although it was required to have the local paper in the classroom, we would not be reading it – we would be reading the New York Times. The local paper, he said, would remain stacked in the corner and was suitable for training your cat. A bit harsh and disrespectful of local talent, but it was the Dead Poet Society of my youth. I shared his frustrations, and his advice had an influence on my decision to move to New York City.

I think things have changed much since that time. Electronic media, styles, and popular culture are much more quickly adopted across the globe. However, at a core level, most people really don’t like the offbeat or unusual, excepting for some, perhaps, a period of wild youth and rebellion. Take a look at some of the captures I have gotten in the last three years.

First, we have André. I called this posting Out There, because he really is. In this second photo, Fashion Forward, he poses for me with an unusual dresser. I have subsequently met André on numerous occasions and have learned that he has done quite a bit of fashion work – he has graced the cover of French Vogue and has his own Wikipedia page. Spike is a character who could easily be subject to hostility in another environment. Here, we have a man who travels with an exotic bird, boa, and small alligator .

Women who dress provocatively will always get some looks, but I can’t imagine the reaction in a small town to women dressed like some whom I photographed. Take a look at Narcissism Gone Wild, the Water Sprites, this urban Wood Nymph, topless women in a Dyke March, the bearded lady who founded Circus Amok, and a group of metal fans in Piercing Al Fresco.

I had to hustle to capture the woman in today’s photo. I loved the geometrically designed coat as well as the snakes on her legs, which I assumed were tattoos, not printed hose. I never got a chance to ask her or give her my card – I imagine she likely would have posed as would any New Yorker Gone Wild…

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For some time now, I have been fixated on capturing the Uggly phenomenon in New York City. In fact, I have made general announcements to friends and coworkers just last week that I was waiting for an opportunity – perhaps a group of young women.

Imagine my elation as I witnessed what appeared to be a made-to-order event. On Saturday morning I noticed a couple not only both wearing Ugg boots but also toting Ugg-branded bags. It felt like I was seeing the smoking gun after a crime. This couple obviously had just purchased a pair of boots in complementary colors – the classic beige for him and black for her. This case was His and Hers Uggs, and they were quite happy. In a bizarre, fortuitous twist, the woman actually posed for a photo with an Ugg bag on each side of her (photo upper right). Quite pleased with the results of the photo session (lower left), the couple went off stepping proudly down Mercer Street.

The story of Uggs is a long and sordid war story. The sheepskin boot goes back millennia, and their use in Australia is attributed to the fact that they are the world’s largest producer of wool. Popularity of sheepskin boots rose with their use in World War I & II by aviators to keep their feet warm in non-pressurized cabins. They were popular with surfers since the 1960s for keeping their feet warm while out of the water.

In 1971, Shane Stedman registered the term Ugh-boot, as well as other terms, with the Australian Trade Mark Registry. In 1999, the Ugg name was purchased by Deckers Outdoor Corporation, which began aggressively pursuing Australian manufacturers using variants of the Ugg name. However, the terms ug, ugg, and ugh have been used generically by the Australians since the 1950s. Blue Mountain Uggs go back to 1933. In 2006, Uggs-N-Rugs (an Australian manufacturer) was successful in having ug, ugg and ugh boots removed from the Australian Trademarks Registry. Read a history here.

Ironically, ugg boots were never intended as street wear but rather for short term and/or indoor use (recommended to be worn sockless for maximum warmth – ugh). That stops no one, of course, from unintended use, much as we see Land Rovers driven in Manhattan. (See my story, Different Bummer, on shuttershades.)

So after half a century, why the sudden interest, in spite of the fact that some consider them quite hideous? I have read reports by doctors warning of foot problems owing to their lack of support. Many reasons have been given for their boom in popularity, including the purchase of 350 pairs for $50,000 by Oprah for her staff, and its listing on Oprah’s Favorite Things show. Adoption by celebrities such as Kate Moss, Sienna Miller, Sarah Jessica Parker, Gwyneth Paltrow, Jessica Alba, Brad Pitt, Jennifer Anniston, and a myriad of others has also been cited.

But for our couple, all that matters is that they procured the latest rage in fashion in the USA and wore their his-and-hers pair proudly in the streets of New York City, Uggly or not…

More about the companies: Decker (publicly traded DECK) was founded in 1973 and is headquartered in California. Sales in 2008 were $580 million. The bulk of their sales comes from Ugg boots. Although still branded Ugg Australia, shoes are now manufactured in China. Copies can be found everywhere, of course, and can be had for a fraction of the price of the Ugg brand.
Companies like Blue Mountain, Nganjo, Jumbo Ugg, and Uggs-N-Rugs do manufacture in Australia and have campaigned for consumers to patronize their brands, which they claim as not only more authentic but also higher in quality and a better value.