Hello and happy Tuesday, vintage lovers!!!
As I begin to learn more specifics on the vintage styles which we know and love, I’m often found in a conundrum of educational pursuits.
Today’s post is an example: One of the season’s hottest modern trends is that of fur. We saw it all over the runways in a variety of styles, from Rachel Zoe vests to full-on fur coats, gloves, earmuffs, scarfs and everything in between.
I consider myself nothing more or less than an animal of this earth. And as an animal, I feel it’s very important to respect the rights of all other brother & sister animals.
That’s why I want to start today’s post — which is an exploration and education on identifying 5 of the most common vintage furs used to create warm outerwear garments — with the declaration that I will never buy new fur or leather products.
However, I will also declare that I will buy vintage fur or leather products as a sustainable option to use the resources which are pre-existing. As another alternative, I can also decide NOT to wear these garments to perpetuate the popularity of new production of fur & leather goods by choosing to utilize them in various ways as outlined in this blog post I wrote last January on How to Recycle Vintage Fur.
I believe that we each have a right to our own opinions, no matter the subject matter. I respect anyone’s similar or differing opinion, and welcome further suggestions on how best to tackle this ethical fashion conundrum in the comments.
So, vintage lovers! For the sake of today’s post, I hope that you leave with a greater understanding of vintage fur as a whole, which will fuel your OWN opinions and decisions on how to engage with these styles and trends this winter.
Keep reading after the jump to learn how to identify vintage mink, fox, rabbit, beaver & raccoon — and to understand just how the fur industry has influenced fashion yesterday through today.
