FUR OR NOT?

[Heather]

Ok, so it's freezing cold in Aberdeen at the moment. [Siberia cold!!] I was in town this morning and for the first time in years I saw a woman wearing a Fur Coat and I'm not talking clever fake here. I used to work for a Jewish Lady who had a wardrobe full of them and I know Mink when I see it.

Is it getting acceptable again? I personally don't like it. Fair enough in my Great Gran's day there really was'nt any other way of keeping warm outdoors in a scottish winter, but nowadays we have Helly Hanson and North Face and no need for murdering innocent creatures to sling on of a morning. Leather. I am fine with as I eat meat and consider it to be a bi-product but Fur is a bi-product of murder as far as i'm concerned.

I have heard justification such as "It's a very old fur and belonged to my Gran and the Fox would have died ages ago of old age anyway" I read this one From Polly Hudson a fashion Journalist in one of the tabloids a few weeks ago when she was talking about another disgusting new trend of stupid bimbo types who's greatest desire in life at the moment is to own a Snakeskin Handbag. Polly thinks people hate snakes and you would think the snakes would be glad to be made into bags that everyone wants. I'm still not sure if she was being serious or not.

What does everyone else think?

[OTink]

Hello Heather. I used to have no problem wearing a nice mink coat, real or faux. As long as it's beautiful and of good quality. Now they just hang in my closet. As long as the animal wasn't torchured and specifically killed for the coat, I don't know if it's so bad. I don't like to think about that part of it. I haven 't worn mine in years, in fact minks are very good beds for puppies or kittens. They feel they are with their mother. (Good transition...) - I understand how people can spray red spray paint on furs and picket in those rallies against cruelty to animals, and yet I also think if your going to wear a faux fur, you are pretty much sending the same message. Of course you are talking to someone who enjoys wearing human hair hairpieces sometimes, so I probably don't qualify to answer this. If you want to really get technical, don't wear down coats either, those feathers belonged to some very nice birds! (Not to mention, you should probably throw out all your leather boots and shoes and handbags and chairs -and go vinyl...of course then you are risking contributing to the danger of the ozone layer because of how they make vinyl, and you could be considered a threat to global warming.)

[Heather]

Funny you should mention the dog bed Tink, that's what My Mum did with My Gran's old one. It was a very beautiful coat from the 20's that had belonged to my Great Gran and would probably have cost a fortune. I wouldn't have dared to wear it as someone did actualy once have a go at me for wearing a very obvious fake. I have to confess I do wear Down Jackets but again as I said I do eat meat and I consider down a Bi-product. You are right about all of the non bio-digradeable stuff, I have lately developed a guilt complex about using plastic carrier bags so much and have resolved to be more Eco friendly.

[OTink]

Ah, Good for you. You are setting a good example Heather.
Let's hope there are more people like you out there who really care enough to make the difference. I mean this sincerely.

[OTink]

This was a good segment on Going Green:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3DNzd0hUULs