As you can see from the picture I have already made my decision, but I would still appreciate your thoughts.
Fur? Yes or no?
I found this jacket in a local antique/secondhand shop just before Christmas. Speaking to the owner I discovered it is made of red squirrel skins. This isn't as horrendous as it sounds as it dates from the 1930s - 40s when the Canadian red squirrel population was a serious problem and the animals were being culled. Rather than waste the gorgeous fur it was shipped to UK and Europe and made into clothing by skilled furriers. This practice apparently ended during the Suez Crisis when shipping the skins became uneconomical.
I absolutely fell in love with the coat, the colour and sheen are wonderful. It is recycling. It is warm. It makes me feel good.
But, I do appreciate the anti-fur lobby may not be friendly about it, which is why I would like your opinion, dear reader.
It certainly is your colour Lis. Go with it, I say, perhaps don't mention the squirrels, unless someone asks you!
ReplyDeleteDo you eat meat? Do you wear leather shoes and carry leather bags? Go for the fur my friend, and enjoy its warmth. Happy new year!
ReplyDeleteI have warm slippers and boots made of sheepskin and plenty of nice bags made of leather... in fact, I teach the leatherworking merit badge to Scouts. I think the bigger pity would be to let those skins go to waste.... and it is a nice color for you too.
ReplyDeleteIt looks a beautiful coat and it sounds as if the furs would have been wasted if the coat hadn't been made. People used to make fur skin coats out of the necessity to keep warm and since your coat came from the necessity to rid a country of an over abundance then I don't see anything wrong in wearing it. I have a beautiful fur coat of my Mum's that dates from the 50's or 60's so can be classed as vintage that is just lying neglected in a cupboard because I can't decide what to do with it. I should probably get it out and enjoy it as you are doing yours. Beautiful colour, it suits you.
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