To Fur or Not To Fur, That Is The Question
In this day and age, when beautiful faux furs are rampantly available, I would never encourage anyone to buy a new one. When it comes to vintage pieces, however, I can’t quite decide whether I’m cool with them or not—I mean, the animals have already died, so shouldn’t we wear them for as many generations as possible so it wasn’t completely in vain? Get your chance to sound off about it after the jump.
Though Kate Moss has recently been pimping her range of Topshop faux furs, she has also—without a seconds hesitation—covered herself in animal pelts to stay in fashion’s favour. The throngs of ladies that follow her every sartorial lead have done the same. For me, the issue is not so cut and dry.
I won’t lie; I love the look of fur. I think it adds glamour and luxe appeal in almost any application. But I am also a huge animal lover and when I think about them (any of them) losing their lives to make a warm coat for person to benefit from I am repulsed. Many that know me would even say I like animals more than I like people—and they would probably be right! The unfortunate truth of the matter is that there are millions of vintage fur pieces out there and I feel like it’s even worse crime to just toss them away or, worst off all, to hide them away in the back of a closet collecting dust out of shame. If you bought a fur, or even if you inherited it, I feel like you should show a little respect and wear it. The damage has been done (in many cases decades ago) so shouldn’t we try and make the most of it?
My mom inherited a gorgeous mink jacket and stole from her mom and I'm fairly certain that she has never worn them. Ever. In Vancouver, a very nature loving “lotus land” kind of place, fur is pretty taboo, and it’s not out of the question for someone to protest you wearing it. I don’t know if they would throw pain, but I wouldn’t rule it out either. In Calgary it is a completely different story.
A few weeks ago, one of my coworkers at Swerve magazine, Ruth Myles, wrote a piece about how Calgarians have and will always wear fur. It supported both sides and she even talked to PETA, who btw, give vintage furs to homeless people in North America and ship them off to Africa and Afghanistan. Why, pray tell, is it ok for some people to wear fur, but not others in PETA’s mind? If it really is the ethical treatment of animals that they are after, I can't wrap my head around that bevahiour? Anyway, when the piece was published we waited and waited for the enraged phone calls to come pouring in. They never came—not even one. What did arrive, though, was email after email, thanking her for making it ok for people to take those old furs out of the closet. No paint throwing to worry about here in C-Town it would appear.
So Let's Hear It: What’s the feeling on fur where you live? Do you own any? Do you wear it, or are you afraid or ashamed? Are you like me and think that vintage furs need special considerations? If we are ruling out fur, shouldn’t we be ruling out leather, suede and meat as well? Any Calgarians out there surprised by the city’s apparent pro fur stance? Is fur an integral aspect of high end fashion or would faux fur do the trick?
By: Meghan
Photo Credit: Splashnews
Posted by: danae | Nov 18, 2009 12:30:41 PM
I am surprised by the pro-fur Calgarians. I don't own any fur of my own, and personally do not care for the look... makes me look fat. I am not offended by those who wear vintage furs, just don't go killing any more animals, especially Koalas.
Posted by: Debbie Maguire | Nov 19, 2009 7:23:29 AM
In this day and age of environmental awareness, has anyone ever thought how long it would take for a piece of faux fur to disintigrate? Is faux fur not a petroeum based product? On the other hand, if a piece of real fur is thrown in a land fill, it will go back to nature in no time at all.
I agree there needs to be monitoring to make sure there is no unneccesary suffering for the animals used in the fur industry, and will support that, just as others should.
I have vintage fur. I love it. I wear it. When I am approached about the correctness of wearing it, I ask the person about their knowledge of faux fur. Usually it is the end of the discussion.
C'mon folks. Lets use some common sense and start spending some of that energy in helping the children of our society that seem to slip through the cracks and get lost in our society.
Posted by: Kelly | Nov 19, 2009 10:35:38 AM
Fur is not green. It goes through a very similar process as to make a leather jacket - strong chemicals like formaldehyde and cyanide make sure that the fur and skin attached doesn't rot away. Decay is the natural process of a dead body - not tanning. So it wouldn't "go back to nature in no time at all". If you want eco -friendly materials then stay away from fur, for sure, and faux fur if you're so inclined.
There is no monitoring on fur farms - they are inherently cruel. The only way to stop their suffering is to abolish the fur trade once and for all.
Vintage fur, though not directly from the source, still states that killing animals for vanity and fashion is OK - when it really is not.
Posted by: Rose | Nov 19, 2009 12:13:20 PM
My guess is that PETA disapproves of people wearing fur as a fashion trend, which encourages more people to go out and buy it (faux or not). I think they probably gave it to homeless people, and shipped them to other countries because this way, it's not about fashion, it's about function - it means that the fur will not be "wasted", but will also (hopefully) not result in more people buying fur.
I agree with Kelly - vintage fur still implies that slaughtering animals for fashion is acceptable. As long as it continues to be worn by fashionable people, others will want to follow that trend, and as there is a limited supply of "vintage" fur, more animals will be killed so that others can keep up with the trend. Anyone who is in the fashion industry, particularly celebrities, needs to understand that people will copy their actions, whether they're using faux fur, vintage fur, or the pelts of recently killed animals.
Posted by: think again | Nov 19, 2009 12:57:17 PM
Do any of you no fur people eat meat?
OMG...
Posted by: Ron | Nov 19, 2009 2:41:07 PM
Why don't they just go out and kill mice, rats, raccoons, and skunks (black & white). Black & white go nice together. Raccoons (stripes are slimming). Rats & mice (all sorts of colors). Rats & mice; there is an abundance of them, plus they are doing the world a fovour.
Posted by: Tiffany | Nov 19, 2009 3:12:39 PM
I live in northern Canada.... and I wear furs... I have 4 .. and I see no problem at all... 3 are vintage and one is new... the new one is goat hair... people eat goat!... so what is the problem?... we kill cows, horses, pigs, chickens, goats , sheep, cats, dogs, and rabbits for food everyday!!! so why not be environmentally friendly and use everything... like there furs as well?.....
Posted by: danae | Nov 19, 2009 6:35:21 PM
Cats and dogs?! Every day?! NOOOOO!
Posted by: Sherry | Nov 19, 2009 9:16:05 PM
I'm with Rose - by wearing fur (even vintage), you are effectively advertising for the fur industry. Consider that everything you buy, wear, eat, ect. has a positive or negative effect on someone or something.
Posted by: Terri | Nov 19, 2009 11:00:52 PM
If you wear fur...vintage or otherwise, you are demonstrating to the world it is ok to wear fur. It was different in the days when animals were killed humanely for survival needs and everything was used. Now, animals are skinned and tortured, dying painful deaths, for the vanity of people who want to look glamorous. Canada is allowed...honestly...to import cat and dog fur from China where they are treated horribly and people often buy it as it does not have to be labelled thanks to our Canadian laws. Nice, huh? The cruel leg hold traps they still use where animals have to bite off their own limbs to escape or die of starvation or in the case of beaver, struggle for breath for many long minutes while they drown...the minks who have electrocution rods shoved into their anuses after living a horrible life in a small cage. Yes, we have a ways to go when it comes to our treatment of food animals in factories, but people, seriously...do we need to do this to our gentle friends just for their fur?? Fur is not cool in this day and age. When I see people wearing it I think of great vanity and ignorance, not beauty. We need to evolve here, people...please show some compassion for our felllow creatures.
Posted by: Kelly | Nov 25, 2009 10:17:33 AM
Fur is a caveman's fashion - not a rational minded, critically thinking human being. If you think otherwise, then you've proved my point :)
Posted by: Laina | Dec 8, 2009 1:27:31 PM
Fur is warm. Im not ashamed that I have and wear fur. I also wear leather, and eat meat. If you think minks are treated poorly, think of chickens, forced to lay eggs every day, kept in cages so that their feet grow around the bars of the cage, so their legs have to be cut off, or cows that are kept almost perpetually pregnant, baby cows that are kept in the dark their whole lives, in a cage so that their meat doesnt get too tough to make veal. Either go vegan, or get off your soap boxes.
Posted by: Kelly | Jan 3, 2010 4:13:06 PM
Actually, I have worn a few fur coats during protests and they aren't warm at all! And they make you look huge and shapeless.
I am a very strict vegan and I agree that those who dislike the treatment of fur farmed animals should think about all the others that live similar lives.