Guys - wearing your furs

Since 99% of the coats out there are ladies coats... queston for the guys out there.... do you just wear the coat as is.... do you really give a how it does up? Do you take the coat to the furrier and get the closure reversed??

I have to admit 90% of the used coats I have were purchased as ladies coats....

I recently just picked up a massive silver fox full lenght coat which looks like it was never worn... Im tempted to take it the furrier and just have the clasps reversed.... or just leave it as is....Ill use this as an evening go for walks coat while its -30 outside!!

I always had them changed but interesting question. What I find is that if I change the buttons I can wear them pretty much anywhere without feeling out of place. I know that if I didn't I would often just not wear them.

There are places where I don't usually wear them. A couple of places where I think they would probably be somewhat "Anti". I figure if they respect my views I should respect theirs. etc. But all in all, they get lots of use during the winter.

W

I've had mine switched over. But you're right. I don't think that 80% of anyone you'd meet on the street would even know. And 95% could care less.

Bob

I could care less. I take my better furs in for storage every year and haven't even given switching the closures a second thought.

FLinFL

I know you asked this questions of the guys, but as a typical female just can't be quiet!!

It is funny, I am a woman and I almost never use my closures! I stick my hands in my pockets and envelope the fur around me!! Of course that is not for taking long walks either. For that kind of weather, I have a hooded zip-up parka.

For my full length mink I have a large button at the top and I use the inside belt to snug the fur around me. Again, I don't use the closures, they actually aggravate me. They make the fur pull and tug and it makes me feel restricted.

When I had my full length longhair Beaver, I did use my closures because I wore it when it was bad out. It also did not hang properly when it was not at least partially fastened, not sure if the weight of the fur, or the denseness of the pelts made it feel that way.

The main challenge I see with men wearing a fur originally made for a woman is the fit of the shoulders and sleeve length. Many of the newer furs have the fully lined roll cuff which can solve the problem.

The furs that I have bought in recent years have all been custom jobs, but I did purchase a perfect-fit woman's indigo fox coat last year and had the buttons reversed. My parkas all have male-side zippers.

Oh, and I wear my furs a lot in winter, just about everywhere including running the snow blower (when the #!%&ing thing starts).

In my experience, there are more important issues to wearing women's furs than button/clasp directions. Some of these are related to the anatomical differences between men and women, some are related to the way the fur coat fits the overall outfit, and some are simply cultural conventions or fashion choices. Although most of these topics have probably been covered in previous Den discussions, there is no harm in reproducing them here.

Firstly, women's bodies are less muscular, and especially their shoulders are narrower than men's. Men's shoulders are more square and wider. Hence, even though the chest of the coat may be large enough to fit a man, the shoulders for a woman's fur coat are cut narrower and that creates a constraining feeling when worn by a man. If I recall correctly, furcoatman also pointed out in a previous thread that even among the women's fur coats, the shoulders used to measure 17/18 inches, but nowadays they are more likely to measure 19/20 inches.

Secondly, men's arms are longer, in proportion to their bodies, than women's so again, a woman's fur coat might fit perfectly in the chest and length (not to mention the shoulders) but its sleeves may not be long enough for a man.

Now, it may well be that a women's fur coat might pass all those preconditions, and in any way may fit you perfectly with respect to its measurements. But then, a women's fur coat is designed to be worn by a woman, possibly wearing high heels. And wearing high heels changes everything about the posture of a woman. This point may well be the least appreciated aspect of wearing women's coats by men.

Let me elaborate further on this point. Women's bodies are naturally curvaceous, and to have smooth curves, women's bodies hold more fat than men's. Their behinds are more pronounced, and if you come to think about it, women's breasts are nothing but two large cones of largely fat tissue. So, they have two protruding masses, one forward and one backward. Hence, when a woman walks, her body sways more than that of a man.

This is also related to the center of mass of the person in question. When you are standing for a long time, your legs may start hurting. This is mostly because you have not paid attention to keeping your center of mass (also known as center of gravity) between your legs. In order to reduce the pain, you may resort to moving your feet, placing all your weight in one of them and lightening the load on the other. This is a very bad practice, because it will make you tired even faster. Hence, what you must do is what a well trained soldier does during ceremonies: separate your feet a bit so that they match your shoulder distance and distribute your body weight evenly on your legs.

What happens when a woman puts on high heels? Her center of mass moves slightly upwards and forwards. This increases the natural swing while she is walking, making the swing more pronounced and more esthetically pleasing.

What does a fur coat have to with all this? Simple. Women's fur coats are cut in ways to underline this natural swing of women while walking! The most conspicuous aspect of women's coats are their large hems, which can be appreciated when the wearer pulls her arms up. The coat's hem appears like the wings of a bird. If the hem is quite large, then the coat's lower part looks like a well draped curtain, with the fur making lots of waves or S-shapes. These draping hems, combined with high heels, make the wearer of the coat as if she is moving effortlessly, or waltzing. Needless to say, all those large hems are not needed for men.

Another issue to consider is the differences between the silhouettes of man and woman. I mean, women's bodies are like an hour-glass with narrow waists, voluptuous breasts and large hips. In men's bodies, the shoulders are pronounced and then, it goes downwards in a straight fashion. This is why traditional men's suits (jacket and pants) are cut in a way to make the men's figures appear slim and straight. In order to emphasize narrow waists, women's coats are cut so that they get narrow at the waist and then go downwards with large hems (think of Scarlet O'Hara's gowns in the movie Gone with the Wind).

Finally, there are some design elements that may be considered feminine. This is a subjective area, so what I am going to say may not hold true for all. For example, a favorite design element for women's mink coats is frills at the collars, cuffs and trims. I think they are not for men's coats. Spiral sleeves are another element that I do not associate with men's coats.

Maybe we should refer to actual pictures and continue discussing that way...

All very good points brought up... I guess being in endurance sports my whole life, Im rather lean and very narrow across the shoulders... but long arms and legs which makes finding used coats that fit a bit of a problem... Ive had luck getting some coats that hit mid calf and fit very well...

I think as well (for myself) that the type of fur makes a difference whether I wear it inside or out.. for example I would wear my racoons, coyotes, or beaver out at anytime regardless of clasp direction.. I guess because they are common to see as a mens fur.... I have the most incredible Red Fox Full Length coat, Ive worn it only a few times during the day for a walk in the park... its generally a wear at home coat unfortuneately... the silver fox though I am very tempted to just wear whenever as its a darker fur and suitable... I may still just take it to the furrier and have the hook and eyes switched...

For myself I really like the feeling of having the coat all done up around me.. kinda provides that furry lock so to say

Most of the ones I wear are in The Gallery. Fur lined jackets mostly.

I wear them all teh time in the winter and everywhere.

OFF

Great points here.

Most my coats I wear out are mens coats, often reversible, but in the last year or two got in the habit of wearing the fur out almost all of the time with things like mink (rex rabbits tend to be worn inside because of the superior plushness)

I did by some big hooded full pelt/length foxes, and was lucky to get them at a good price new. They need to be switched over. However I removed the big button that was on the wrong side and ignored the clips, no one is gonna even know under all that fox fluff Linda has a point, I rarely do up my coats unless they are the zipper type.

I've started wearing the hooded foxes out in the snow here in the UK and had some a lot of positive reception. The nearest I've had in the way of negativeness is some odd looks and maybe someone chukle, and once on the tube someone mutter under their breath to their friend that I looked 'gay' (the joke was on him, I had the ladies all over me in the clubs the night before =p).

I also agree strongly on the points about fit/shape/cut. With things like my hooded fox, I get away with it as they are so big, and so fluffy (they also are cut in quite a square manner on the shoulders). It's harder to get away with with things like minks though.

Having said all that, the line between male/female clothing is getting blurred and for furs this is a good thing as there has been a lot more mens coats recently. (though generally I hate this feminisation of mens clothing, particularlly with jeans as I can never find a damn pair due to my big muscles and find it rather gross that it is fashionable for men to have slender looking legs now).

I also have to say tropper hats are more fashionable and so I often wear fur tropper hats (though due to ass of a bouncer, one of mine got nicked, good thing I only paid £15). Likewise I also have a huge scarf that was a make-shift hand-sewing attempt from an old hamster skin lining I brought and had no use for.

Mens coats have always been made with the wrong intention --- I think.

Take Kostas site....this jacket I think would be perfectly 'male',

http://www.mailonfurs.com/en/women/sapphire-mink-jacket-with-genuine-chinchilla-collar

with just a few minor changes.

However, we still see the 'pimped' furs, big epilettes (think spelling is wrong!!), poor type of fur choice, and few cross overs. I think the fur lined jacket is a great starting point, even a fur lined vest is an option.....perhaps a starting point for 'males' to make the transition to bigger 'fur-wearing' experiences...

Agree with Lynda, take the clips off.....let the coats hang.

Auzmink...

Re men's.

Yep agreed. Time and time again I've went into stores asking for a coat for myself. Only to be shown huge one size fits all men's coats that look huge. Don't fit. Look terrible. I remember one experience for instance where I went in and they showed me a coyote. It looked worse than terrible. I was going to leave and noticed a hooded woman's coyote with white fox trim around the hood and down the front. Tried it on. It fit wonderfully. And it looked gorgeous! Just wish I'd had more money there at the time and I would have owned it. My experience has been like that time and time again. Men's coats look terrible. The right women's coats often look great. And actually seem to fit better.

Problem is of course that they don't have enough call for men's coats to stock a full line of sizes in different furs etc. So they are caught in a bind.

Add to that. Look at almost every catwalk show video. A fur designer with all of the beautiful models coming out wearing fur. And at the end the designer comes out wearing a suit and no fur for instance. Why would I buy a coat from a furrier who would not be proud enough of his products to wear them himself?!!! I consider those folks that do that as little better than retarded. Saying, "Oh, everyone else should wear my products but I would Never do it!" That male designer should design a coat for himself and wear it there rather than looking worse than stupid by wearing a suit and no fur coat. Until the industry begins to become proud of itself, they will still have problems.

Just some problems with the industry as I see it. Maybe just me though.

WF, the coyote looked ugly becasue it was probably very old. Coyote has a very course hair that does not age well.

Foxkid, your post cracked me up!! You really are funny!

Auzmink, I agree with your selection of Kostas' sapphire mink. Would make a fabulous man's fur.

On many of your comments about men's furs, you need to remember who these furs are being marketed to and who is buying them. In NY, LA and even in Detroit these gangster furs sell well. The other fur that sells well to men is the backwoods type full length longhair furs. Guys love them. (And their ladies!) If you aren't looking for a gangster fur, I would have one custom made. I remember Earendil had a custom made full length hooded white fox. Incredible coat!!

JG had a full length Fisher. A coat to die for!!

I don't claim to be the best men's fur designer going but check out my furs in The Gallery in Et Cetera pages 5 & 6.

I purchased the furs and most of the jackets off eBay and had them put together by two different furriers to my instructions.

They didn't cost lots of $$$ either.

OFF

Hi.

It is a very interesting discussion. I just bought a man's coyote jacket (photo of me in the fur jacket is in the gallery http://thefurden.com/cpgfd/displayimage.php?album=11&pid=24447#top_display_media

what do you think about the jacket?

Thank you for your answers.

furlondoner

Refer wrote...

WF, the coyote looked ugly because it was probably very old. Coyote has a very course hair that does not age well.

She's right guys... I'm on my 3rd coyote coat... well, not literally... uh.... give me a few minutes!

FLinFL

I actually had a serious reply to post.

But not any more!!!

J

thanks for all the inforation on a question that I alawys had. My wife has wide shoulders so she's not the typical women.

Hi all,

I am not often on this forum, but this time I discover a discussion that really catches my attention.

As some of you said it already, fur coats for women are so much nicer than fur coat for men. I am a guy and for over 3 years now I owe a gorgeous full length phantom beaver coat. The coat is marvellous, was originally made for a (tall) woman and fits me wonderfully well. The model is not too feminine. One could call it "unisex" or "gender agnostic", allthough if one wants to put it black on white, it is a classic woman's coat. I love to wear it when I go out for a walk in the cold. I wear it in the countryside, in parks and in town. Only once I have been shouted at, not because I was a man wearing a fur coat but just because it was a fur coat. If I had been a woman I would have been shouted at as well. Aside from this, I have only heared whispers of admiration every now and then. True is that I am catching attention. I have not changed the closing of the coat, neither do I plan to so. No one takes care anyway and I don't bother. What is important is that it gives me a wonderful feeling when I wear it. It is difficult to describe but many on this forum understand exactly what I am talking about. It is just a magic moment when I squeeze into the coat, close the inside belt, clip the furrier hooks, put on my gloves and start walking.

My wife doesn't fully appreciate my "fur walks" and still refuses to join me when I am in fur. I can understand this and she understands that my "fur walks" makes me very happy. She also realizes that I could be a drinker, a drug addict, a wominizer, a gambler, a liar, lazy, stupid and many others. I am not any of those. I have only one "weak spot", I like furs and I like wearing them. Moreover this passion has yielded her a full wardrobe of furs as well. So she has not too much to complain about and she knows.

Once I put on my wife's black mink coat for a walk. The coat is a bit too small for me, but nevertheless it was just wonderfull, allthough I prefer the deep softness of my sheared beaver. I would like to buy one or two other fur coats for myself. By all means it will be women's coats. I am not even looking for men's coats.

In the meantime I keep walking in beaver.

Jerome

Great post Jerome.

She also realizes that I could be a drinker, a drug addict, a wominizer, a gambler, a liar, lazy, stupid and many others. I am not any of those. I have only one "weak spot", I like furs and I like wearing them. Moreover this passion has yielded her a full wardrobe of furs as well. So she has not too much to complain about and she knows.

This is a smart woman! Too bad countless other wives, partners, girlfriends, etc. can't take lessons from her! They are so clueless!

Great post, Jerome! Merci!

She is a marvellous partner indeed and this allows me to enjoy furs in many ways. It is just wonderful to go out with her when she is elegantly dressed in one of her many fur coats. She is so sexy in fur! You can't believe it. As I wrote, she accepts my own "walks in fur" as well. Moreover I must admit that every now and then I also enjoy wrapping myself in her furs. They are too feminine to wear outside, but I just can't resist the incredible pleasure to bury myself in her minks. Again.... on this forum everybody understands this.

So, yes, I am a very happy man indeed. Only one thing makes me unhappy, the temperature just jumped up with 10C. That will keep my fur in its closet for a while!!

Jerome

It was 44*F in San Francisco today. Very cold for us. I saw a guy wearing a black mink jacket in Downtown San Francisco. A sight you don't usually see around here.

I think the question of whether or not the clasps should be moved should be asked by the man wearing the coat. If it don't like it, change it, if it doesn't bother YOU, leave it. Do what YOU want...you don't have to follow what other people do...be a trend-setter.

I have tried on some woman's furs, but I have yet to find one that doesn't feel awkward on. All the fur coats I have owned are made for men, but I would not be opposed to wearing one that was made for a woman, if it fit right.