Welcome to Thrift Score Thursday! Today’s find comes from a Goodwill in Mooresville, NC!
You’re looking at a quite gorgeous and totally flawless fur jacket. I think it’s mink. I don’t know any furriers, but I do know a hunter who has assured me it is indeed mink. 🙂
And I scored it for $20!!!
PLEASE don’t think that I think killing animals purely for their pelts is okay. I don’t. But, I love the furs I own that were either left to me by relatives or that I’ve scored at thrift shops and antique malls. I appreciate their craftsmanship, style, and warmth! I feel like a curator, taking on the responsibility of caring for these properly. 🙂
And I loooove how fabulous I feel in a good fur!
There was quite a stir when I hopped into the Piggly Wiggly to grab a bottle of vino for an all-girls movie night with pals! 🙂
Before you go out and score your own pretty pelt, make sure you check out this handy guide on telling the real from the fake. 🙂
Cheers!
Mooresville, eh? Fairly certain I know the previous owner of that there mink coat! Love your blog, btw!
For real? Tell tell! 🙂
A friend of mine from Mooresville used to have a coat very similar to that one… eerily similar, in fact! And I haven’t seen her wear it in a while… I will investigate further and get back to you! In the meantime, if you found any cash in the pockets you can return it to me;)
There is actually something you can do with old furs. I think it’s the Humane Society or ASPCA that uses them for “lovies” for young animals that don’t have mothers. You can donate your fur to them.
wow. im so glad that since a animal had to die that at least it will be worn and cared for. 😀 good find lady.
I’m completely with cgroth — love the artwork you have on the orange wall! Are those custom pieces, or did you choose them because they do (sort of) abstractly resemble you?
Thanks! Haha…those are actually paintings of me by a long-ago ex. When posing for them, I was wearing business clothes in a tub filled with paint-stained water.
Yep…he was just that kinda guy.
All I could think of while reading this post is the video for Thrift Shop by Macklemore.
Totally off topic but I LOVE the pieces you have hanging on the wall behind you on the couch! Beautiful!
I love the discussion between you and Liz. Also love the fact that the picture was taken in front of the Piggly Wiggly. 🙂
Hi admin, nice post. Please check bit.ly/W6oXs9 soon, that pastebin expires in few hours.
I love the civil discourse between you & Liz! It’s refreshing to see that people can have opposing viewpoints but express them respectfully 🙂 And I love that you’re wearing mink at The Pig!
I’m a vegetarian and have banned the use of any fabric or craft materials that have animal products…leather, fur and most wools to be more specific. I appreciate that you brought up the fur issue in addition to the recycling factor. I think everyone should be allowed to use/wear the materials they wish–after all, I can’t expect everyone in the world to agree with my values or to do the things that I do.
What’s most important is that you put your values and morals out there, and you never claim to be something you’re not. I once met someone who told me as soon as we met that she was vegan. Within 10 minutes she was telling me about her vintage leather boots, and even showed me a vintage purse she was wearing that was made out of horse hair. Not very “vegan” things to do.
I personally wouldn’t even want to touch a fur coat, whether new or vintage, much less wear it. I’d just as soon burn it or bury it in some weird hippy ritual! But I’m just one person.
I love your blog! 🙂
I agree – I wouldn’t want to touch fur (or leather for that matter) but it is better when it’s thrifted. My issue is this: that skin (or fun) should have DECOMPOSED by now but because of all the nasty chemicals, it’s still around!
And of course, the fur and leather industries are so incredibly cruel – those animals need their skin much more than I do!
Lovely mink! I have a few vintage fur pieces also. One is a curly lamb crop with mink collar but some of the pelts are starting to tear and separate. Do you know what causes this? How to prevent further damage? I am just very careful with it. Maybe just an age thing. I love when you find a vintage fur how the owners initials are monogrammed :).
Wow, can’t believe you snagged that for $20! Amazing. Great post 🙂
Checkout my most recent post about faux fur here: http://wp.me/p2RGHv-xP
– CC @ CraveTheseClothes.com
Incredible find. I, too, don’t believe real fur should be currently produced anywhere and share in your sentiment of feeling as a “curator” to the gorgeously made pieces of the past. The fur guide you posted is a fabulous resource. Look forward to the new — and upcycled — treasures you find.
I have an old rabbit fur coat that was my mom’s. I can attest to the warmth. I usually wear my for holiday parties when my frocks are skimpy and I have to get to the car without freezing the ta’tas. Can you lend any advice to keeping fur nice? I’m afraid the pelts on my mom’s jacket are starting to dry a bit and pull apart.
That is an AMAZING coat! I think I really need to start thrifting.
Unfortunately while I get your point about taking over the second hand fur to keep it meaningful and prevent the waste of disguarding it, wearing a second hand fur still sends the message that all fur is okay. The many posts where you have mentioned how hot it is where you live suggest to me that fur isn’t any kind of practical essential. I’m sorry Gillian not with you on this one. All fur carries bloodshed to me.
I love (vintage only) fur. And I know that’s not a popular thing to love. For me it’s a question of where to draw the line. I wear leather shoes, and I sometimes eat meat that was probably factory farmed. The leather and food industries are also famously cruel to animals, but I used these things. Most of us do. When I buy something used (the food analogy ends here btw), I feel like I’m separated from that. Sort of like how I’m against sweatshop labor-powered fast fashion. When I thrift, I’ll still buy pieces that I know were probably made using unethical labor and feel guilt-free because at least I’m keeping it out of a landfill.
I understand that fur is different for its conspicuous “cool factor”. I really don’t know if by looking awesome in my fur I’m encouraging women with the means to buy new furs to do so. I hope not. Whenever anyone compliments me on my furs, I tell them that they’re from a thrift shop…trying to keep them away from new furs.
It’s a tricky situation.
When I wore this fur, it was 34 degrees out, so I DID need to wear something warm, but you’re right, wearing fur was NOT a necessity.
But where do I draw the line?
I guess your recycling message is the stronger one in this blog which is good. And that way you’re encouraging people to think about it from a different perspective.
While I do not at all agree with purchasing new fur, I do own some furs that were bequeathed to me when my grandmother passed away. I have the same viewpoint as you when it comes to 2nd hand fur.
I think you presented your point very nicely 🙂
Thank you, Liz! I totally agree. I love this blog but was so disappointed to see this. To wear fur is to perpetuate the standard that torturing animals for fashion is acceptable, even if the fur is vintage. This doesn’t make it any less cruel or gross, and telling someone it’s vintage doesn’t change their perspective that you, in fact, support the fur industry. Money for fur is money for fur, whether it is from a new manufacturer or a thrift store. If fur just sat and sat and sat, retailers would slowly but hopefully surely realize that it is not a fashion people with common sense want to see any longer.
I have found that most folks who support fur, even vintage, have never actually seen the industry at work. If that is the case for anyone reading this, I would encourage you to check out some of the film out there; and I would ask you: if you can’t bare to watch it, why would you ever support it (in ANY way)?
u da woman!
whoa what a find. I dont think i’ve ever seen any real fur in australia. I’m pretty sure its not all that common here 😀 Hope no crazies throw paint on you, do they still do that? XD
I was a little nervous. Will probably avoid art supply/hobby stores just in case! 😉
I’m such a huge fan of the vintage fur – especially out of context – going to the supermarket et al. That mink is simply gorgeous and the STYLE of the jacket is fabulous. I always feel sad when I find a jacket that is made of gorgeous fur but is a hideous, unwearable style.
Suggestions for restyling fur???
Isn’t it amazing? I love wearing it. I’m sure this is silly, but I feel like a celebrity. 🙂 I wouldn’t want to attempt restyling fur, because it’s so valuable. I know this is a service at least some furriers offer though. 🙂
very cool! I live in the bay area of California and here we have Alemeda Antique Fair.. i scored a leather beige jacket with a fur lined bottom and fur collar.. amazing! and it was from the 70’s . bought it from the original owner she took such good care of it.. and for only 30 bucks! IN love 🙂
Any good thrift stores there?and by “good” I mean cheap. Lol I live in Nor Cal but find myself down there often.
Very nice. I own two monk shawls. One was my mom’s. The other my grandmother’s. I also have a full length mink that is so wonderfully cozy in the cold weather! Oh, and I have one of those fox collar things, you know where you use the fox mouth to latch with the tail. That was my grandmothers as well
That should be mink shawls…
I was gonna say…Those poor monks must be cold! 😉
LOL!