Can I wear fur?

[CosmopolitanCocktail]

I have two fur coats previously owned by my great grandmother.
I have kept them in my wardrobe for the last 20 years.
One is a short mink coat so now bang on trend.
I am a total animal lover but these animals died 60 years ago and the pelts are beautiful. To just discard them seems wasteful so truly torn.
So would I AIBU to wear it?

Fur isn’t and wasn’t only about fashion. For many humans it is/was also about survival.

If it’s between me and the fox, I choose me.

How stupid. Have you bothered researching the environmental and labor impact of the fake fur coat you didn't need, when you added to the problem?

Rather wear fur that degrades then plastic that stays in the ground forever.

That coat is not particularly nice - it’s quite dated and frumpy.

Donate it to an animal sanctuary or a zoo where it can be put to good use and spend some money on a nicer coat for yourself

It is so heartening when you come across clear thinking in a world of hand-me-down attitudes parroted without any real thought.

Fur gets a hard time because it is traditionally seen as something wealthy people had, which is more the issue than the animal if you ask me. As you say, no-one bats an eye at leather, or, very often, a chicken burger.

Not a chance I would. It’s the principle.

If it fits me I'd wear it. People will assume it's a fake fur anyway.

Not in this context

as you well know

Yes, of course you can. The animals are long dead. Enjoy the coats.

Perhaps, perhaps not.

You know no more than I.

It is none of our business, and animals don’t care. Life is procreation and survival.

The problem with fur isn't even that some of it is sourced unethically. So is leather.
It's because it evokes image of cute furry animal🤷
Same reason some people wouldn't eat horse. Or rabbit.

That leather is from the carcasses of animals slaughtered for food. The animals killed to make fur coats only died so someone well-off could wear a fancy outfit.

One is a by-product of the food industry which would otherwise be thrown away. The other is the unnecessary murder of animals (often endangered species) for no purpose other than human vanity. See the difference?

That is not necessarily true though.
Rabbits are used for meat. Minks were primarily fur but also oil. I guess not much to eat there...
Yes, mink industry was shit, no one can deny that but it's a bit of a farce to say all fur comes from animal that is not eaten or used for anything else while leather is.

I also find wasting parts of animal because they are undesirable bad.

I'd donate them to an animal charity, orphan animals can use them in their nest. To someone above defending leather, there is no such thing as humane killing for the food chain. They just do a great job hiding the hideous reality. I don't wear leather either, or consume any animal products at all. I know that's not for everyone, but I love and respect animals.

A little while ago there was a flurry of posts on here obviously by the same poster under different names. They were all, "Look at this vintage fur coat - surely this is more ethical than buying a new coat and ohhh, my boyfriend loves me in it."

Turned out she owned a fur shop in London and was trying to normalise the wearing of fur. This OP is giving me the same vibe,

Don't wear it OP. It looks ratty and the poor animal probably had a miserable caged life and a horrendous death, perhaps skinned alive. That's what you're parading if you wear it. Could that feel comfortable under any circumstance?

This is a relatively morally neutral way to wear fur but I couldn't do it. To wear something that I knew was the product of intense suffering and cruelty would really distress me. But I don't consume animal products at all so I'm aware not everyone feels this way.

Was coming on to say exactly this! 👏👏

Don't be ridiculous no matter what time has passed, it'll never be ok 😡

This. Plus marine life killed after every wash. So sensible.

Allegedly dying form pollution because of fake fur trade (where do you get that from out of interest?) Is not comparable to being kept in horrific conditions then being skinned alive is it?

www.peta.org.uk/blog/vintage-fur/

Not sure why you're posting as you seem convinced already it's fine to wear. Vintage fur fuels the fur industry by making it appear acceptable to wear fur therefore creating demand. This is well documented. Thankfully it's now illegal to farm animals for fur in the UK however fur is still sold as fake on the high street and fur is imported. The animals farmed and killed for fur suffer cruelly throughout the process. I can tell real fur and I would absolutely judge anyone for wearing it. It also looks rank when humans wear it and looks much nicer on the animals who died to make it. Burn it.

Yeah. Not a good look. You wouldn't say the same thing about ivory. And that's been banned.
Just awful. The only thing the fur looks good on is the animal it came from.
Photo looks horrendous.

Its a sad stte of affairs when you can not wear vintage clothing because you're worried how people will treat you.