12.29

Fur Coat

1 3 wearing a fur coatfur coat

fur: vintage | jeans:Gap | waterproof boots: Aquatalia | sweater: H&M | striped shirt: Old Navy

photos by Stewart Hunter Photography

Although this fur is one of my favorite coats, I rarely wear it… which causes me lots of guilt. I feel guilty wearing it and guilty for not pulling it out since it was passed down a while ago to me from my grandmother — I’m honored to have received it and absolutely adore it, plus the fact that it keeps me warmer than anything else in my closet. I have very distinct memories of my grandmother wearing it, so wrapping up in my coat keeps the cold at bay and not only brings physical warmth but also warm memories of her… making me wish I could pull it on without wondering what message I’m sending. Do any of you have the same the hesitations about wearing real fur? I’d love to hear if wearing fur has become a personal issue or if it’s simply a regional issue or a fashion issue since it seems I’ve seen more fun furs (i.e., purple, striped, green etc) this year, and yes, I completely realize I’m opening a furry Pandora’s box.

On a lighter note, where did I wear my fur coat? Sledding with the kids!! I don’t sled… I stand and watch (which is absolutely freezing, but just as much fun)!! It was a glorious afternoon with kids from 3-53 sledding, everyone laughing and having a good time, and in such good spirits all around as everyone released the kid inside of them as they yelped and screamed flying down the hill and dragging sleds back up the hill, just to repeat it again and again. I was content to watch, stay warm in my grandmother’s fur coat, and enjoy the smiles of everyone around me. And I was warmer than I had ever been while watching them.

 

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25 Comments
  • http://lady-of-style.blogspot.de/ Lady of Style

    Kim, this is a beautiful fur coat and it definitely reminds me of elegant ladies wearing fur as a normal protection against the cold and snow. I understand your dilemma and I am not sure what kind of fur it is but I am not an activist against wearing any kind of fur! My golden wintercoat which I presented on the blog recently, has a big rabbit fur collar and I cannot see anything wrong in wearing it as I also eat rabbit.

    Sledging reminds me of my own childhood as well as the time my children were young. It is so much fun - sledging as well as watching!

    Your photos are absolutely beautiful!

    All the best to you, Chloe and your family and a Happy New Year!
    Hugs from Germany,
    Annette | Lady of Style

  • Kim, USA

    That is very beatiful coat and you look very chic! Happy New year!

    Kim,USA

  • Tamera Beardsley

    Oh Kim … I Love this look!! You have managed to be the epitome of what I refer to as ‘down to earth Glamour’ ! You have taken a traditionally glamour piece … and styled it with real life pieces! Be still my heart and kudos to you gorgeous!!

    Wishing you and yours a fabulous new year!!

  • Debbie Stinedurf

    Can I just tell you how absolutely beautiful that coat is?! I think the important thing here is not that it is real fur, but that it was given to you from your grandmother with real love. She wanted you to have it to wear and look as beautiful in it as I’m sure she did. What matters is how happy you feel when you have it on, not what others think. So you go on and rock that fur!
    Debbie
    http://www.fashionfairydust.blogspot.com

  • Ann

    Beautiful pictures and I like how they flow through a story. Fur from Grandma…..it’s the memory that is most important and the gift. I wear some fur trim and I grew up on a farm where we a raised animals for food so I do understand both sides of the story. I think it matters most how you feel wearing it.

    blue hue wonderland

  • Rea Alducente

    I love the setting of this shoot! My country is a tropical one so I don’t really wear fur coats even during the rainy season. Ahaha :) But yours looks really perfect for the season!

    REAlity Bites

  • Charlie

    I recently bought a thrifted coat that at first I thought was real. I was excited but also embarrassed. It was an odd feeling. I didn’t want people to think it was real but felt okay about it seeing as it was thrifted and not bought as a conscious fur-buying decision. I imagine yours feels the same. Mine turned out to be a fake. My gut still says that if it is already out there it is okay, just don’t buy a new one (like I could afford one anyway!!) It looks amazing and it has a great story. The thing about the prevalence of fakes is you can always pretend it is one. The world is mad!!

  • silvrgurl

    Love the fur, reminds me of one my grandmother use to wear all the time
    Great snow pics
    Brett

  • http://cannella-vita.blogspot.com/ Erica

    Love those boots!

  • http://www.acolourfulcanvas.blogspot.com/ Sue @ A Colourful Canvas

    Kim, you look gorgeous! And the setting is magical. You do get a range of temperatures in your part of the world, don’t you. On the subject of fur…can’t do it. I won’t go on a tangent about it, but real fur coats make me sad, and I could never wear one and feel good. That’s just about me though. Yup, I’m all for faux when it comes to fur.

  • Beata B

    Fantastic look dear Kim! I have a few pieces passed down to me from my mother, mother in law and aunties! I adore them for the exact reasons you mentioned, not just for timeless style! You look gorgeous in yours :) lots of hugs, Beata xxx

  • Pam@over50feeling40

    Gorgeous look, Kim and I love the snow pictures. We have not seen snow in San Antonio for almost 30 years. This style is stunning. Have a wonderful and happy New Year’s!

  • http://www.fortsmithstylista.blogspot.com/ Jan Graham-McMillen

    Lovely! Beautiful you, looking classic in the snowy landscape. I’ve got mixed emotions about real fur. It’s not as if I could afford it anyway, but if I could, I’d choose faux, I think. It’s so convincing nowadays. But inherited pieces seem like me to be in a different category. If the damage is done, and it was a different time and place when the coat was produced, it seems wasteful and more than a little sad to let it go to pot. Fur doesn’t last forever … it’s sort of karmic cost per wear. Bad to practice cruelty, but worst to make the sacrifice for naught. It’s a time-frame thing for me.
    I found an ancient fox collar in my mother’s hope chest … ruined. That was especially sad.

  • LandofLaLa

    I LOVE your look!<3 And there's no reason to feel guilty! Its a piece given to you by a loved one, and its no different than wearing leather shoes, belts, purses. Funny how I rarely hear that comparison. I don't think twice about buying a leather belt or purse, but why think twice because its a jacket? Aside from that, Lucky you, that you she thought of you when passing down this coat. Its a stunning piece! Heirloom pieces from family members always hold a special place in my heart<3 Your pictures look amazing!

  • http://the-travel-guru.com/ Roni Faida

    Wow. Just fab. And don’t feel guilty, just enjoy your coat, it looks great on you!

  • http://www.popcosmo.com/ PopCosmo

    Thanks so much Tamera! I love mixing “high & low” - otherwise I just feel under or overdressed… but I definitely prefer your description! I hope you don’t mind me borrowing! Happy New Year to you too!

  • http://www.popcosmo.com/ PopCosmo

    Great point…. I hadn’t thought about her intentions of me wearing it!!!

  • http://www.popcosmo.com/ PopCosmo

    Oooh, I understand… the smell!!

  • http://www.popcosmo.com/ PopCosmo

    Exactly - you’ve summed it up quite well!

  • http://www.popcosmo.com/ PopCosmo

    Can you believe the amount of snow we’ve had? I’m ready for spring and sunshine!

  • http://www.popcosmo.com/ PopCosmo

    I agree… with everything you said, which is why I’m fine with wearing what my grandmother had. But I have no problem wearing leather, why is that? Conditioning? I have no answer! I did hear the worst report on NPR the other day… and I’ll never be wearing angora again. Those poor little rabbits… yikes!

  • http://www.fortsmithstylista.blogspot.com/ Jan Graham-McMillen

    I eat cow. Leather is a by-product of food processing. From hamburgers to handbags. As long as I’m an omnivore and include beef in my diet, then it seems appropriate to waste none of it. I don’t eat rabbit, or fox or mink or sable or leopard or cheetah. Farmed fur is not on my list of acceptables.

  • http://www.nofearoffashion.com/ No fear of fashion

    I think that is the difficulty with this subject. I like faux fur and I love real fur. But I will not buy real fur anymore as I cannot be sure how the animals were raised and treated. With food, we nowadays have labels which give you information about the animals life (if nobody is cheating, but usually I think the producers are well checked). And if the animal lived a good life, I don’t mind. Neither to eat the meat or wear the skin. And yes we are conditioned I suppose, as I cannot check this with leather shoes, but nevertheless always buy it. Perhaps because you hear less cruelty stories about animals and leather than fur? I am against any kind of suffering. By people or animals, big or small, which makes my life rather difficult. I need to keep a lot of (cruelty) information from myself as I cannot take it. Makes me sick. Even a spider (not my favourite animal) many never suffer because of me.
    Now to how you look…. Like a perfect winter picture. I totally agree with Jan (I usually do haha): wear it and be beautiful in it. Shame to let it go to waist now. I could not do this in The Netherlands as we have lots of opposition here, fur-wise. The people who are against wearing fur paint spray your fur coat.
    Greetje

  • http://www.fortsmithstylista.blogspot.com/ Jan Graham-McMillen

    (Out of order this note!) Got to thinking about your reference to angora … make sure when you read labels that what you are looking at is angora wool from sheep, which is Mohair. And (as far as I know) sustainable and cruelty free. Dan (the resident goat expert) says that shearing wool is more of an annoyance to the goat than cruel. Agree completely about the poor bunnies!

  • Kate

    I absolutely love your fur coat! I have a similar one from my grandmother that I wore while visiting family in NYC last week. Nothing beats the warmth and chic look of a classic fur coat! Stopping by from today’s trendspin link up.

    xo Kate
    http://www.stilettoedtosteeltoed.com