Fur definitely makes a fashion statement. Think back to every picture you have seen of your grandmother, maybe even your mother, when they were dressed up for a big night out. Every lady has a mink stole around her shoulders. It was the “must have” accessory of the late 50s and early 60s. The more well to do ladies had full length mink coats and the not so well to do ladies only dreamed of owning one. Then came the 60s and the fashion trends exploded. There were fur boots, fur pants, fur everything.
The animal rights activists were coming down hard on anyone owning real fur. How could anyone want to wear the pelts of an animal that was killed for their pleasure? If only everyone could see the deplorable conditions of a mink ranch, raising animals to kill them and use their coats for coats. However, the demand did not wane. Not every mink and chinchilla owner out there was concerned about how their coats, hats, boots or stoles were obtained.
Around this time faux fur came into being, synthetic fur manufactured to look and feel like the real thing. You would be hard pressed to tell the difference between faux fur and real fur today. The manufacturers have been perfecting their craft for over thirty years now. There are coats, hats, boots and other accessories that look so real you can smell the musk of the animal on them. You can feel good knowing that a group of small rodent animals were not killed so that you can make a fashion statement. The animal rights groups have made a difference. There are a lot less real fur coats and accessories being sold today. There are a lot of grandmas fur coats hanging in closets across the country, waiting to be used for a school play or a 60s dance, and grandma would be proud.