Goodwill Fashion Expert—Bjorn Nasett

Bjorn Nasett - Goodwill Fashion ExpertBe sure to read Bjorn's weekly column for great advice. If you have specific questions send him an email at askbjorn@goodwillsew.com.

Learn more about Bjorn here and follow him on Facebook, Twitter, PinterestTumblr and YouTube!

 

 

 

 


 

Fur Real vs. Fur Faux

Posted by Jamie Klinger-Krebs on Jan 22, 2015 11:25:00 AM

leather and fur comboOpinions definitely run rampant out there on the subject of wearing of fur. While there are some who view wearing fur as a high-end luxury, others may reject it due to concerns of animal cruelty, and/or other moral objections. But, no matter how you feel about touting fur, there is definitely no denying the use of animal hides as some of the first materials available to ward off the cold and provide some comfort to our ancestors during the Prehistoric Age. The indigenous people of the Arctic Region and other cold-climate areas on the globe, such as Russia, Scandinavia and Japan, still rely on these skins for much of their clothing in the most practical of senses. Since I grew up in the country, at a young age I became familiar with furriers and others who legally made their living by hunting and trapping, so I understand both sides of the opinion spectrum when it comes to fur. However, today we’ll look past the debate and instead take a look at some of the runway shows featuring fur as part of their fashion statement. These days there are many faux (fake) furs which can give you the desired “fur” look you’re looking for, but without all reservations of wearing the real thing. So, no judgments here, this is simply a presentation of the ways in which fur was shown as part of a fashion collection by some of the featured designers at Mercedes Benz Fashion Week.  

Up first, we have a leather-and-fur combination coat worn with a long leather skirt and boots.

Carolina Herrera Carolina Herrera

Classy designer, Carolina Herrera, does her best impression of retro glamour with many of the fur-infused pieces of her winter collection this year. We see it as a simple scarf, like adornment to this artisan-inspired wool coat. It’s just enough without going overboard. Next we see an ombre-grey pullover with a knit waistband worn with wool-plaid slacks and long, grey gloves. This funnel collar seems very modern again and I Carolina Herreralike this look overall. A capelet in black and Carolina Herrerabrown is worn with a velvety skirt and retro hat in green. An interesting drop-shouldered jacket in rich camel is trimmed in fur in an interesting way, is paired with a knit sweater and knit skirt, and again a vintage-inspired chapeau. Continuing with the boat-neck trend, we see this vibrant coral-red coat trimmed with dyed-to-match fur at the sleeves and bottom of the coat. The double-breasted styling and sleek wool slacks keep it all within a monochromatic range. Even the pointy shoes reflect the rich tones.

The design-duo Badgley Mischka (shown below) were going for a Russian-cossack look with a lot of their runway ensembles. Large fur hats and scarves made of different furs were worn with all kinds of garments, including dresses, coats, suits, and even beaded evening gowns!

Badgley Mischka   Badgley Mischka Badgley Mischka Badgley Mischka

Son Jung WanDavid TlaleKorean designer, Son Jung Wan, (shown left) gives us another capelet with sequin appliqué detail, and designer David Tlale (right) showed us a cropped, fur jacket worn with low-rider pants. This is definitely my LEAST favorite. It just comes across as tacky.

Ideas from runway shows are just thoughts you can use to bolster your own fashion sense. But, in some cases, you should run away from these ideas as fast as you can! But, no matter what you choose to do, you can always find a new inspiration for your home or wardrobe at Goodwill. I recently purchased a faux-fur, reversible-hooded parka at one of our stores. I paid $19.99 and have happily worn it on a few of those very cold days we’ve had this winter so far. I prefer to wear it with the faux fur on the inside for warmth, but I’m not opposed to people wearing their fuzzy looks in whatever way they can to make themselves happy. I’ve found many a fur hat, scarf and even some vintage furs for purchase at Goodwill, so if you’re in the market for some fur go take a look!  Whether you’re fur-real or fur-faux, you can access a fashion look at a pittance of the retail price. Plus, your purchases (and donations of gently-used items) do so much more than bolster your style appeal, they actually help put people to work, and that is something we can all get behind without debate!

Topics: faux fur, wearing fur, fur fashion, Bjorn Nasett, Fashion