Monthly Archives: December 2010

100 Days of Fur: Day 40

Posted on by

1

To read the full story on the 100 Days of Fur experiment, click here.

Yesterday I received a box of vintage furs from one of our “furrier friends” in Toronto. My favourite was this black sheep coat with the mink collar. It has a beautiful trapeze shape and a stunning gold lining. I wore it out for dinner last night, and once again, I got nothing but compliments. It is strange that now that I am almost halfway through this experiment, fur has essentially become a part fo my every day life. I love it. And I’m warm.

100 Days of Fur: Day 34

Posted on by

3

To read the full story on the 100 Days of Fur experiment, click here.

My rabbit bomber jacket layered under an old army parka.

Sometimes you need the combination of warmth and waterproof, and fur is not always a great option when you need something waterproof, which is why I’ve taken to layering fur in these situations.

I have an old rabbit fur bomber jacket which looks great but is not in the best of conditions. My German army parka, bought in a market in London, is great for warmth and it keeps out the wet (and has a million pockets and a giant hood.) Sometimes I like to layer the rabbit bomber jacket underneath the army parka, so I get the benefits of both. The giant collar on the bomber jacket also acts as a scarf. I’ve worn this combination in Stockholm in the winter (including the coldest weekend of the year, a while back), and it keeps me very warm. Yay to fur!

Also, I had some very nice comments last week (including a guy stopping me in the street to say “Nice jacket!” about my sapphire mink.) I managed to convince my vegetarian friend, who was visiting from England, that fur wasn’t as bad as he had thought (and I had him try my sheared beaver scarf on a walk, he was impressed.)

But… I also had my first somewhat negative comment about fur, although it was hardly that bad. When I was at the gas station, the cashier commented on the fox tails hanging off my bag. Her exact words were “Cool! Cruel…but cool!” So if that is the worst I am going to get during these 100 days… then I am fine with that. (By the way, we are one third the way through the experiment!)

Have a warm, wonderful, furry holiday season!

-Yasmine

Fur Lover: Joanna Hillman

Posted on by

2

I really love outfit bloggers, I follow a couple of them to inspire me to have fun with clothes. My favorite posts with fur is when the blogger wears it with a simple outfit (jeans & T-shirt), nothing over the top, just your casual girl. I love how fur is now going street style and worn with a very relaxed style — very different from the full length mink coats I saw half of the women wearing in Quebec city last week-end!

So I decided that I would share the best outfit posts with fur to inspire you to wear your fur pieces. Last week, I was on Harper’s Bazaar website when I saw this new blog: “Joanna’s Wardrobe Diaries: 30 days of Style.” Joanna Hillman is Harper’s Bazaar senior fashion market editor and I’ve got to say that I love the variety of colors, textures and heels in her wardrobe!

Accessories: Helmut Lang fur collar and Anne Dee Goldin fur hat

Fur accessories is a small luxury every girl should have: it’s the fastest and most economical way to give an edge to your style of the day. The Helmut Lang fur collar is simply decadent, it’s just perfect for the chic outfit! But if you are going for a more urban look, the trapper hat is a must have. I see it everywhere here in Montreal, the bigger the fur, the better!

Escada Mongolian scarf & Adrienne Landau printed fur vest

The long Mongolian lamb scarf from Escada is so unexpected for that dress; that’s why it’s my favorite look so far. Mongolian lamb will add a unique texture to anything and it’s so soft and curly that you’ll instantly fall in love with it! But I’m also a big fan of fur vests and that leopard print rabbit vest from Adrienne Landau is adorable (there is also a matching beret!) Leopard print is one of the strongest trends of the season and I promise that a vest like that will keep you warm in style!

What’s your favorite outfit from Joanna’s Wardrobe Diaries?

-Alice

100 Days of Fur: Day 28

Posted on by

5

To read the full story on the 100 Days of Fur experiment, click here.

My two beautiful fox tails.

I have had some fox tails lying around for a few years, so I asked the master furrier at Pappas Furs, to turn them into something more practical. He attached some loops onto both of them, and now I am hanging them off my bag. I may try them on something else as well, any ideas? Too big to be earrings! I also dug out an old fur shoulder bag I have, which I am toying with wearing, although it sheds like crazy (yes, my furs are not all as luxurious as I would like…) So one day when I am not wearing dark colour, I may bring it out.

The fox tails hanging off my bag.

As I wore the fox tails dangling from my handbag yesterday, I realized I was nervous. Nervous that some crazy activist would try and tear them off my bag. And then I realized how wrong those feelings were… Firstly, there are very few people who would have the guts to do something like that. They have no idea how I would react (which would be a screaming fit and then a frenzy and possibly violence if they were within hitting distance, followed by a lawsuit…) Secondly, why should I feel nervous about wearing something I love? Why should anybody, especially a silly person who thinks synthetic fabrics made from petro-chemicals are better for the environment than fur, be allowed to intimidate me or make me feel nervous about what I am wearing? They shouldn’t. And that is what I am out to prove with this experiment, we are one quarter of the way through, and I have had nothing but compliments on my fur collection.

My shedding fur bag.

100 Days of Fur: Day 24

Posted on by

7

To read the full story on the 100 Days of Fur experiment, click here.

Wearing fur for the past 24 days has been a real pleasure, as I find myself showered with compliments every time I wear my fur pieces. Of course there is a downside to the experiment, the fact that I am limited to a few pieces and I have a very beautiful collection of non-fur coats that are feeling quite neglected right now. But aside from that, I have been feeling very warm and glamorous over the past few weeks.

In my very warm mystery fur coat. It might be beaver, it might be nutria.

Last week I went to the opening of the Louis Vuitton party in Vancouver, to celebrate their new retail space, and the party was a festival of fur! If anyone says fur is dead, they are wrong, as the beavers, minks and foxes were out in full force. (I am hoping to post photos later this week, if I can get my hands on a few.)

I have also been enjoying telling people about the 100 Days of Fur experiment, and why I am doing it. I can’t believe how bad a reputation the fur trade has gotten in the past few years. So many people are ignoring the eco benefits of the fur industry: it is sustainable, it is local, and fur is biodegradable as well as long-lasting. These are the types of qualities many so-called environmentalists have been looking for in fashion fabrics, yet many tend to ignore the benefits of fur. I am so happy to be able to educate people on the fur industry, and thrilled when I change opinions.

Just a reminder for the rest of you, here is a list of the many reasons why fur is green.

  • The fur industry supports people living close to the land
  • Fur is biodegradable
  • Fur can be reconditioned over and over again, making it the ultimate recyclable garment
  • Fur lasts a long time, most people don’t buy a new coat every year
  • Fur is sustainable: all the animals killed are in abundance
  • Fur is local: animals are raised in Canada, caught and processed by Canadians, and sold by Canadian companies
  • The Fur Industry employs many Canadians who live in areas far North where there are very few jobs and prospects