Would you wear a vintage fur coat bought at auction?

[RobinEllacotStrike]

I went to an auction at the weekend and I ended up buying a fur coat. AI tells me its mink. Its long & glossy & brown. From the look of the lining its very vintage.

I'm not vegan or vegetarian even, and I while am very happy that the UK banned fur farming I don't have any issue with wearing vintage fur - in fact I see it as honouring the poor dead wee mink.

What would happen to these old coats if they aren't worn or enjoyed? they would end up in landfill. Fake fur are a plastic environmental nightmare (though I did buy a 2nd hand vintage fake fur last winter - maybe it was a gateway fur.)

So I don't have a problem with vintage fur.

I don't know if I would wear it out. But I struggle to keep warm while WFH in the winter so I may well wear it as my WFH warming coat.

What's your take on vintage fur? Would you?

I assume that since you bought it you intend to wear it otherwise why bother. Would I wear it? No it’s a bit mob wife for me. I also live in the south east where it’s barely cold enough to justify it.

Yes, I know it's Sarah Jessica Parker and that she's a quirky dresser in that show, I've just never seen it. I've only seen her in the theatre I think, I don't remember seeing her in any films either.

I have three fur coats, all gloriously fake. I love a big fluffy coat, I feel the cold and they are the only coats that are warm enough. I would not wear real fur as I find the thought of it upsetting but I can see the sustainability arguments for vintage fur, my fake coats aren’t great for the environment.

I love a bit of the mob wife look.

I'm in the SE but I really feel the cold these days, so it absolutely will be deployed to keep me warm.

It is true though!

clearly its not true - its just some peoples opinion.

"Opinions" are just that - what a person thinks about something, and like arseholes, everyone has one.

Opinions are very far from being a universal truth, even if you are trying to shame people for their differing opinion.

I have a couple that do service when extra cold. Nothing as good as mink but if you don't wear it its dishonouring the animal who died for it.
Doesn't mean you have to go out and buy one though.

No, human beings that are no longer in the Ice Age and have no other clothing option, all look absolutely ridiculous in fur. It doesn’t look good, they all, without fail, look like Antony Hopkins in Legends of the Fall.

The reason you look ridiculous is that you’re not a Mink.

The animal didn’t ’die for it’. It was killed for it. Words matter.

It isn’t going to bring the animals back to life whether you’re wearing vintage mink, stuffing it in the back of a wardrobe out of fear or shame, or sending it to landfill.
I heartily agree with posters who say that the plastics that are used in much clothing manufacturing these days is far more harmful, it’s devastating sea life. Last year I stupidly bought a cardigan from M&S, recycled polyester of all things, three washes & it was only fit for the bin, how is that ethical?
I have two beautiful old fur coats inherited from my mother, they were very expensive. I’ve only recently dug the out of the wardrobe & was wondering whether to send them to auction but am now, after reading all your posts, seriously thinking of wearing them.I have a few sheepskin coats, leather shoes & bags, I’m not a vegetarian, I keep livestock & pets, so sue me

No

The animal was bred and killed for it

I wouldn't but because it's not my style rather than ethically. I'm vegetarian, but I love leather shoes and bags, so I compromise and only buy them second hand.

Useful when your electric heating breaks down during the Beast from the East and you’re waiting for the log burner to get going. I have my grannie’s old one and I was grateful then. It’s going nowhere.

I haven't worn fur since I was a child trying on my great-nana's coat, but I think I looked pretty adorable then.

Fur's not a look I'd go for now, personally, and it can look a bit mob wife or trashy if styled wrong, but I don't think it has the power to make an attractive woman ugly.

It’s a complex question. I was born in Canada where people wear fur all the time - it’s not even a status symbol, I remember our dinner ladies at school wearing it.

I’ve lived in various countries including Hong Kong, where it’s definitely a status symbol, given it’s never remotely cold.

In Canada there are fashion designers working exclusively with recycled fur, they make amazing coats and I wouldn’t worry about wearing one.

I once bought a fur coat in Pakistan, ended up giving it away when I got back to London as I could feel the dirty looks when I wore it. For full disclosure it was rabbit fur, so no different to lamb skin. I was also offered leopard fur, which I declined obviously- they are endangered.

Recently I got a shearling coat from my aunt when I helped empty her house, it was made in France in the 60s and looks amazing, I can’t wait to wear it - very retro couture.

It boils down to needs, culture and welfare, which will vary country to country.

I would wear it. Most people will assume it’s good fake anyway.

I don’t support fur farming practices but the animal is already long dead so I don’t view it as propping up the industry. It seems a shame to waste it. I equally haven’t thrown out the ivory handled knives that have been passed down from my great grandmother, although I think what happened to those poor elephants is absolutely horrific.

Never. I’d not buy it either. If I somehow had a fur coat overnight I’d sadly pay my respects to the poor creature who it came from and bury it.

I’ve been a vegetarian for 50 years, fur has never been ok in my lifetime.

And old and douchey

I’d wear it if I were you given that you’ve bought it. It’s not my thing but I do think this is a geographic thing. Fur is vastly more acceptable when you are somewhere properly cold so you could save it for holidays to chillier climates if you feel weird about it.

I've got a few vintage coats I'm talking 30s and 40s. Hasn't been cold enough here to wear them for years, Ditto faux fur. I gave a couple of white mink jackets away to friends.

We've a lot of wild mink in the river. They've decimated the swan and duck population. Evil little bastard's.

Exactly this! they do look ridiculous.

Its not a good look and that is why you very, very rarely see anyone wearing old real fur coats - because they look tacky and ageing.

You asked for opinions and that is the opinion of lots of people, I'm afraid.

A real fur coat makes you look as though you’ve just escaped from a 1983 Christmas special. They’re so enormous and cumbersome that they completely overwhelm the person wearing them. Rather than enhancing an outfit, they become the outfit and unfortunately the wearer ends up looking like they’ve been upholstered or are being attacked by a large furry bear.

It’s the ultimate 1983 Christmas special aesthetic: bigger hair, bigger shoulders, bigger jewellery and an enormous furry monstrosity thrown over the top. 🤮

If you dont want to hear opinions then perhaps you should have stated that you only wanted to hear opinions that agreed with you 🤷‍♀️

No, i don’t think I would, but then I don’t go anywhere I could wear it without feeling like a bit of a pillock. it used to be a status symbol, didn’t it? Maybe if I frequented the opera or polo or something like that I’d feel comfortable in it.

I would, yes. It's not as if you are buying it new.

No, that coat lived and died in pain and suffering. You might think you're being edgy claiming you love looking like a mob wife but really you look like the thing people are claiming mink are.