Are we really sheep?

November has fully engulfed Minnesota. I sit here gazing out at a fresh blanket of white that covers the dormant grass and accentuates the barren limbs of oak trees. Christmas lights can be spotted on a few eaves, and Christmas wreaths are finding their way into numerous retail stores. Beyond the egg nog in the cooler at the grocery store, there is something else that cannot be missed adorning the feet of a plethora of womens feet in the land of 10,000 lakes and across this great nation, UGGs! These trendy sheepskin boots that have been imported from Australia and overtaken every females Christmas wish list. Whether it is the colorful shorties, the gaudy fur kissed, or the classic tan mid-high, the UGG fad has taken hold of, not only our college campuses, but our entire country. I have been told that they are amazing boots that keep your feet warm but not too warm. The wool is like a cozy blanket that your feet can't wait to be encased in. I am not arguing that they boots are not top shelf, but there is something that concerns me about this trend. Are we all a bunch of sheep?

How often is there a fad that one person starts and then the masses simply buy into because "everyone is doing it." Are we simply drinking the Kool-Aid because everyone else is and we don't want to be left out? Are the UGGs a status symbol, or are they the cats meow? Why are women in sunny Phoenix buying up furry leather boots that are rated for the Tundra? I think that there is something in all of us that has resulted from our need to be accepted and desire to be a part of something larger than ourselves. I think back to seventh grade and my new American Eagle sandles that I bought instead of Tevas. Since Yankton is three years behind the rest of the country AEO did not mean stylish and trendy, it meant generic. Therefore, I was labeled as "Generic Eric" because I had broken away from the Teva movement. Who would consider American Eagle generic in this day and age? However, my intent in blogging about the "sheep nature" is not to seek sympothy for some buried wound. I simply want people to consider why they want particular styles, brands, or trendy items.

The old addage, "Would you jump off a cliff if Jimmy jumped off a cliff" fits very well into the world of fashion trends. Would you be wearing those Australian boots if the other 75% of college females were not wearing them? Why do we simply go through life with our eyes on "others" for what we should be wearing, doing, saying, eating....Can we not be different? Do we not make decisions because they are good decisions? How can we live outside of the sheep mentality. Stop following the crowds and take some time to ponder why you are wearing what you are wearing and doing what you are doing.