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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To buy a second hand fur coat?

111 replies

DarlingDuck · 26/08/2011 21:56

I have never worn fur, always faux fur but have found a coat I love on ebay and just realised it is real fur... I don't know if I could bring myself to wear it TBH, but if I could would it be unreasonable??

OP posts:
Andrewofgg · 27/08/2011 10:28

No: the point I make is that to object to faux fur is as silly as it would be object to "faux meat".

duchesse · 27/08/2011 10:39

I suppose that technically you're not driving the current fur market if you buy 2nd hand... especially vintage.

If on the other hand the current owner has had the coat for 2 years and needs to sell this one to fund the next, then ethically it starts becoming dubious again.

Carrotsandcelery · 27/08/2011 10:40

I understood your point Andrew but I don't, personally, agree.

I don't think the two things can be compared.

Eating faux meat doesn't encourage others to eat meat instead - by providing fake meat, more people are not eating real meat.

By providing faux fur, the sight of fur on the high street is considered normal, acceptable, nothing to be concerned about etc. I understand that few people wear real fur now but it keeps the idea of it more normal.

There is no need for it, especially in the UK or any other developed country.

Andrewofgg · 27/08/2011 11:11

Some people who buy faux fur might buy real if faux was not available.

The real point is that this is a personal and individual choice - not one to be taken collectively, under compulsion, or under fear of harassment from people who have taken the opposite choice.

Empusa · 27/08/2011 11:59

"Eating faux meat doesn't encourage others to eat meat instead - by providing fake meat, more people are not eating real meat."

And we've been pointing out that by providing fake fur, more people are not buying real fur.

Carrotsandcelery · 27/08/2011 12:07

Andrew where is the freedom of choice for the Chinchilla?

mamalovebird · 27/08/2011 12:16

DarlingDuck, if you have to on here to ask whether or not you should buy it, then I personally think even if you did you wouldn't wear it as you'd probably always feel uncomfortable in it. If you loved it that much, you wouldn't give a toss about what anyone else thought. You've pretty much answered your own question.

Personally, I think fur, real or fake, looks a bit tacky, unless you live in in a place where you need to wear that kind of thing.

GreenEyesandHam · 27/08/2011 12:28

I wouldn't wear a real fur coat. I wouldn't wear a fake fur coat.

I'd look (and feel) ridiculous

Empusa · 27/08/2011 12:34

GreenEyes I look and feel glamorous in (fake) fur.

I look and feel ridiculous in most other warm coats. They are rarely pretty and warm.

GreenEyesandHam · 27/08/2011 12:38

See I'd think that you looked ridiculous as well Grin

Coats in general aren't the most glamourous and flattering of garments though I agree

Empusa · 27/08/2011 12:41

Ah then you'd be disagreeing with all the people that compliment me in my lovely coats Grin So I wouldn't care.

But yes, that's my main reason for loving (fake) fur, it looks good (IMO) and is warm. Whereas I'd chew my arm off rather than wear a sensible looking warm coat.

I am vain as anything Grin

I'm sure you'd agree, 40's hairstyle + red lipstick + something like this = daft looking

Carrotsandcelery · 27/08/2011 13:07

My best friend has a beautiful figure, glamorous hair, is stunning looking but looks ridiculous in her fake fur coat: especially as she wears it in London Shock

GreenEyesandHam · 27/08/2011 13:08

Yes you're dead right that ensemble would look ridic Grin

GreenEyesandHam · 27/08/2011 13:09

^^was to Empusa btw

Carrotsandcelery · 27/08/2011 13:14

Grin Empusa - I agree that wouldn't really work...but a long beautifully cut velvet coat could look fantastic.

Andrewofgg · 27/08/2011 14:01

Carrotsandcelery in the same place as the freedom of the cow or the sheep but unless you want to make meat-eating illegal so what?

These are not choices which we as humans have the right to force on other humans. We have free will.

Carrotsandcelery · 27/08/2011 14:15

Andrew I think we will never agree because I do care about the cow and the sheep too.

Humans don't have free will to do whatever they like - there is some moral responsibility expected of us.

Was it not said, "With great power comes great responsibility" or something like that?

Ifancyashandy · 27/08/2011 14:37

I adore wearing my fake fur jacket and have had many compliments on it. I would never occur to me to feel self-conscious in it as I (perhaps mistakenly) assume strangers know it's not real. In a way, it's honouring animals - they are so pretty, that I want to pay homage to them but without causing them any distress. I would never wear real as a personal choice.

Am very surprised people judge those who wear fake - honestly never crossed my mind and I would be very Hmm if anyone made annotative comment to me.

Ifancyashandy · 27/08/2011 14:38

Should proof read ... 'a negative comment towards me....'

aldiwhore · 27/08/2011 15:14

My Granny owned the most gorgeous fur coat, and it really WAS beautiful, but I couldn't ever wear it as I don't agree with using that little of an animal (so eating meat, wearing leather etc is fine by me... as long as there's as little wasteage as possible).

It was a fantastic coat, warm without being sweaty, light as a feather, so soft to the touch, better on the animal.... I did struggle, as I LOVED it, and wore it (naked with no knickers) on a number of occassions in my home.... but by having it (after Granny's death) I felt dirty, guilty and knowing I would never wear it in public because that would be a public declaration of support for furs, I decided to burn the beautiful damn thing. I didn't want anyone else to have it, and couldn't keep it for myself.

I cannot deny that furs can be utterly wonderful (sod the status...) but I also couldn't reconcile myself with wearing them. The fire stank. I felt good.

Andrewofgg · 27/08/2011 15:22

Carrotsand clery What about the wasps whose nests we destroy with them still inside?

What about the smallpox virus we have made extinct?

Do you, in fact, want to make wearing real fur, or faux fur, illegal?

Do you, in fact, want to make eating meat, or faux mat, illegal?

TimeWasting · 27/08/2011 15:51

I don't objectively see any difference between wearing fur and eating animal products.

No one in Britain needs a fur coat. Doesn't get cold enough.
No one in Britain (apart from the handful with specific disorders) needs to eat animal products.

They are both choices.

But boycotting fur is super easy. Especially if you can't afford it.
Makes it easy to take a moral stance that doesn't extend to the leather on the feet or the sausage in the fridge.

Ethically I find faux fur objectionable because it's made from petrochemicals.
Balancing animal rights and environmental concerns is tricky.

fourkids · 27/08/2011 15:58

"The argument that fake fur normalises the wearing of real fur is silly imo. Does the eating of Quorn sausages encourage people to eat meat?"

LOL!!

fourkids · 27/08/2011 16:00

Actually, now I come to think harder about it, I once tried a quorn chicken burger...but have stuck to the real (vastly superior) thing since then...

Carrotsandcelery · 27/08/2011 18:23

Andrew we don't need to eat cows and sheep to survive and we don't need to wrap ourselves in Chinchilla fur to survive - none of these animals pose a threat to our health and well being.

I said nothing about making anything illegal btw. Those are your ideas not mine.

The op asked if it was unreasonable and IMO it is.

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