Well, hello there! I call this look “elf princess”!

You can’t tell, but I am actually wearing a purple sweatshirt, black sweatpants & UGG boots with this ensemble! (Very glamorous!) It just evolved as I was sitting at home writing. It was uncommonly cold the other day, so on a whim I dug this (very warm) coat out of the back of my closet, & put on this flower crown which I SERIOUSLY can’t get enough of. (It is from Which Goose on Etsy, if you want one of your very own!)

Now about this coat: it’s vintage fur. I haven’t owned it for very long. It was a gift, but I just don’t wear it because the ethics of it make me feel extremely uncomfortable. Instead, it languishes in the back of my wardrobe.

On one hand, it was a gift from someone I love, & it seems extremely wasteful & horrible to throw it away. But on the other hand, the fur industry makes me feel really sad & it’s not something I have any interest in supporting, especially when there are so many great faux options available (which I am reallyhappy to wear)! Some of you have probably heard the story about when I met the man who did all the fur for the Sex & The City movie, & I wanted to throw up on him… Bad!

When I posted this picture on Facebook, a conversation sprung up about fur. As the discussion evolved & I said that I felt conflicted about wearing it, I asked the people commenting what they would do with the coat if it was theirs. It was suggested that I donate my coat to Coats For Cubs. When you give them your old fur, they use it to keep orphaned & injured animals cozy & comfortable! I think this is a great idea, & one I was not aware of before. I am all for keeping injured animals warm!

One rehabilitator related a story about a restless orphaned river otter who chirped constantly. Once she was given a fur blanket, she settled right down. Turning the sleeve of a fur coat inside out, a rehabilitator can also create a warm nest for a burrowing animal such as an opossum. Some animals adopt a piece of fur as a playmate, jumping on it and wrestling with it.

After I read that I went & had a cuddle with the world famous Hank Williams, who I pretty much love more than life itself, & couldn’t help but think how AWFUL it would be if someone tried to make a coat out of him! (Not to mention how hard I would kick their ass for even thinking about it.) It’s not really any different, is it?

So, I ask you…
What would you do if you owned this coat?
Do you own any fur personally?
How do you feel about fur in general?
Do you buy it new or vintage or not at all?
What would you do if you inherited a fur from say, your mother or grandmother?
Do you wear faux fur (or do you think of it as a “gateway drug”)?
If you don’t buy fur, are you vegetarian?
Do you wear leather? (The cows they use to make your shoes are not the same ones they make into hamburgers!)
How do you feel about taxidermy?
Do you go hunting or fishing?
Where do you personally draw the line?

I would be sad to give this coat away, but I also think it would be going to an excellent cause. I’m not wearing it anyway, so it might as well be used for something positive! Would you donate your fur coat too? Should we all do it together?! (Fur Coat Drive 2010!)

P.S. I know this is a hot-button topic for a lot of people, but please keep it respectful & charming! Love!