Choose High-Quality Fur
Though beautiful, fur is vulnerable to changing fashions and attacks by animal-rights activists, and can be costly in more ways than one. Select yours carefully.
- Difficulty:
- Moderate
Instructions
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1
Familiarize yourself with the types of fur: Mink, fox and beaver garments are popular; sable and chinchilla are expensive and rare; coyote and opossum furs are generally used for men's jackets.
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2
Determine how you will wear the fur. Do you want a plush mink coat for parties, or a casual jacket - maybe with only a fur-trimmed collar - for relaxed wear?
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3
Decide whether you want a garment that is sheared or unsheared, dyed or natural. Special treatments like dyeing can increase the fur's price.
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4
Shop around extensively to compare furs and to be able to recognize good quality.
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5
Go to a reputable fur dealer or to the fur department of a department store. Consult with the store's furrier.
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6
Examine a wide variety of furs. Pelts should be glossy, soft, supple and well matched.
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7
Feel the fur. Guard hairs (the long outer layer of hairs) should be soft and lustrous, and underfur (the inner, insulating layer) should be uniformly textured.
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8
Wear the garment and consider whether its weight is right for you. Is it too heavy?
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9
Make sure that seams are sewn tightly and that hems fall straight.
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1
Tips & Warnings
The price of a fur coat generally depends on workmanship, label, style, and the number and quality of its pelts.
Buy the highest-quality fur that's within your budget. Choose an outstanding-quality beaver coat over a moderate-quality mink.
Furs sold at incredibly low prices probably lack quality.
Leather strips can be inserted to space out fur strips. The finest fur garments have no leather, while less expensive ones contain more.
Check that the underfur is in good condition. Unsheared longhaired coats can mask an imperfect underfur layer.
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Comments
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furcare
Oct 07, 2010
start moving your arms around. Yes, start moving them around: up, down, in circles, etc. If you feel discomfort, the arm holes may be too high or too low. This is also an expense change. Do not fuss over sleeve length. This is quick and easy change. Have fun. Do not forget to haggle. - - Give em hell,-- Fur Dr Dema -
furcare
Oct 07, 2010
do not count on passing these furs on to your children. Sometimes the seller will not know if the fur is dyed. A good way to check is to look underneath the lining at the bottom of the coat (a lot of times it will not be sown on) to see the color of the leather. Natural color or nude will confirm that it is a natural fur. Grey, brown, or other colors than nude will suggest that it is a dyed fur. Think of all the vintage stoles around today. I personally restyled many 50 year old stoles. This is a great example of a natural fur that has been processed with limited chemicals and no dye. Take a moment. Does the coat feel balanced? Make sure that all the weight is distributed evenly shoulders on down. This is not only important for comfort, but for looks as well. It is also very important to notice how the ends of the coat run. I will attempt to explain this as best I can. ...
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furcare
Oct 07, 2010
Please allow me to give you some tips of what to do when your are at the fur store. You are now arriving at the store and you have more confidence than ever. This confidence is coming from all the knowledge you already posses about choosing a fur. You have already decided on several styles, lengths and fur types that will suit your needs. Now you are ready to match your taste to the products inside the store. You walk in the store like its your runway. In minutes you are describing your tastes, preferences, and reasons. Your furrier will be very impressed and a little intimidated. As you examine the furs, touch the fur. Feel the soft hair. They should not be bristly. Now, put the coat on: Ask the seller if the fur is dyed? Dyed fur has a shorter lifespan because its chemically processed. Todays dyes are very high quality and will still provide you with years worth of fun but...
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LeeRose
Dec 20, 2008
Most let-out mink coats should have leather stips between the pelts. These accentuate the vertical lines, however the width of the leather is determined by the height of the hair (The shorter the hair, the narrower the leather). The leather should not be visible from the fur side AT ALL. If the leather is visible, the manufacturer is trying to save on mink pelts, and that makes for a cheap and not-very-warm garment. If no leather is used, the garment becomes heavier than it should be.
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Nov 22, 2005
Make sure all the seams are sewn tightly. It is a common problem.
