Let me take you back in time for a moment: Fourteen-year-old me stands in the bleachers at a high school football game on a fall night wearing black leggings, a big sweatshirt, and UGGs, aka the universal teen girl uniform of the time.
Needless to say, I’ve always been a big fan of UGG boots. Even when people called them unstylish, I would secretly wear my old, beat-up slippers or boots in the comfort of my home and when running quick errands—they’re just so darn snuggly.
So when UGG minis made their recent comeback, I was thrilled for both nostalgia and comfort reasons—that is, until I was reminded of the price tag. As much as I loved how adorable and stylish they looked on everyone on TikTok, I wasn’t willing to drop $150 on a pair of boots I’d mostly wear on my 10-minute morning walk to yoga.
But, I still wanted to get in on the look, which led me to Beach by Matisse Breckenridge Platform Ankle Boot, aka the perfect UGG minis dupe for a little more than a third of the price of the originals. After perusing the color options (they come in chestnut, black, and rose), I decided to go with the chestnut, as it reminded me the most of an original UGG color.
Since these don’t come in half sizes, I went up half a size and once I tried them on, I was glad I did. The extra room made it easier to slip the UGG mini dupes on and off, while still allowing them to hug and cushion my feet. Right off the bat, I admired how similar they look to real UGGS—seriously, except for the missing logo on the back, you’d have a hard time telling them apart.
The only major difference I noticed were that the platforms on the Breckenridge ankle boots are smaller than the ones on the UGG minis. Personally, I actually preferred this because the UGG minis platform looks slightly out of proportion with the rest of the shoe (IMO) and I worried they’d feel too heavy on my feet. These ones give me a nice amount of extra lift, without weighing me down.
The fur inside the shoes is also slightly different from your typical UGG—while it’s still cozy, it also felt more lightweight, which I appreciated since Brad Schaeffer, DPM, board-certified foot surgeon and star of TLC’s My Feet Are Killing Me, recommended that I always wear these boots with socks when outdoors. When I used to wear socks with my UGGs, my feet would feel too warm, but these kept my toes the perfect temperature.
“My patients always ask me how I feel about the soft and warm type of boots on the market,” Dr. Schaeffer says. “When wearing a boot inside and outside—if you do chose to do so—please be mindful of the bacteria and fungus that can accumulate throughout this duel use. When outside, our feet tend to sweat and create a perfect environment for bacteria and fungus to grow. It is a great idea to wear socks with these boots.”
Although these UGG mini dupes are certainly comfortable and supportive, I would note that I have mostly been lounging around the house in them or taking them on short walks (with a cute athleisure outfit on to match, of course). Longer walks in these might leave your feet feeling slightly fatigued, but if you want to wear them out and about a lot, Dr. Schaeffer has a tip for you to keep you feeling supported.
“I highly recommend looking into insoles to completely optimize shoe comfort,” Dr. Schaeffer says. “For everyday use, I recommend Dr. Scholl’s Float-On-Air™ Insoles, which are lighter than traditional insoles. They provide relief from tired, achy feet and are available at any drugstore.”
For now, you can find me lounging around my chilly apartment (hello, Boston fall) or running some quick errands with these stylish UGG mini dupes keeping me snuggly and stylish all day long. Grab a pair for yourself ASAP before they sell out.
Our editors independently select these products. Making a purchase through our links may earn Well+Good a commission.
