Types of Mink Stoles
Mink stoles or mink shawls are ladies' shoulder wraps made from mink fur. These stoles are prized for their warmth, softness and luxury. During the mid-20th century, mink stoles were also a sign of class. Higher-class women were able to afford the cost of mink fur and wore their stoles with ornate dresses for special occasions. The type of mink fur used to make the stole classifies the type of stole. Does this Spark an idea?
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Wild Mink
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Stoles made from wild mink fur retain a naturally dark color. Usually, wild mink are smaller than farm-raised mink so these stoles are sometimes smaller in size or composed of more individual furs than stoles fashioned with farm fur. Vintage mink stoles are often made of wild mink, as farming mink did not become a viable industry until the 1920s. Wild mink stoles may also have courser, less luxurious fur than farm-raised mink stoles due to the necessity of warmth over softness in the wild.
Farmed Mink
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Stoles made from farmed mink comes in over 20 different colors. Because these mink are bred both for softness and color, farm-raised mink fur spans the color gamut from ranch wild to demi-buff, gunmetal and mahogany. Farm-raised mink are also larger and better fed than wild mink, resulting in larger pieces of more luxurious fur. Farm-raised mink fur is more popular than wild mink in modern stole production because it is a more secure and readily available source of fur than seasonal mink hunting.
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Faux Mink
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The growing awareness for animal rights caused mink stoles and other fur fashions to fall out of favor in the latter half of the 20th century. Faux fur fashions have increased to fill the void left by real fur. Faux mink stoles are made out of acrylic polymeric fibers that can be cut, dyed and processed to match the natural texture and quality of real mink fur. Faux fur often sells at a lower cost than real fur and can be produced relatively quickly, in bulk and made to order. Stoles made of faux fur are often woven of one large piece of material and rival real fur in warmth and fashion.
Designs
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The typical design of a mink stole is that of a shawl, which wraps around the shoulders and covers the upper portion of a lady's body. While the head and legs of the mink are often removed before the skin is used to make the stole, some vintage stoles retain these parts of the animal. Dyed mink stoles use farmed mink fur dyed to various shades for a greater diversity of color. Fur can be dyed a darker fur coloring or dyed extreme or unnatural shades that cannot be achieved through mink farm breeding.
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References
- Photo Credit George Marks/Retrofile/Getty Images
