Sheepskin isn’t the only thing ovine about Ugg boots: This season, New York women are flocking to buy the clunky Australian footwarmers—when they can find them. “We had 1,500 pairs come in on a Friday, and by Saturday midday we were sold out,” says David Zaken, owner of the shoe chain David Z.

Uggs, or Ughs!, as some fashion critics call them, really took off in spring, after Sarah Jessica Parker and Kate Hudson were photographed in them and demand soared. And now customers are “fighting and crying to get a pair,” Zaken reports. “We were taking pre-orders, but now it’s first come, first served.” Harry’s Shoes has sold more than 2,000 pairs since September. “We could have sold 10,000 if we’d had them,” says the store’s manager.

But no one has. “I’ve tried all over the country,” moans would-be Ugg wearer Karly Backer. She could always try eBay, where the hottest style, the classic tall in sand ($130 at uggaustralia.com), is selling for up to $400.

“We won’t be filling any new orders for this winter,” says Connie Rishwain, president of Ugg Australia. Some lucky stores (like David Z.) that bet on the fuzzy phenomenon early on will still be receiving shipments. But others must wait till spring. Which is welcome news for many New York men. “They’re not sexy!” complains Jonathan Schurgin, a 30-year-old banker. “They make women look more like an Ewok than like a Hollywood starlet.”

Related:

• Archive: “Intelligencer Features”
• Articles by Morgan Goldberg
• Table of Contents: December 15, 2003 issue of New York | Subscribe!