How does our LOVE of FUR start?

How does our love of fur start or are we born with it.

My mother used to relate the story of how much I loved my Grandma to visit.

That I couldn't wait to give her a hug when she arrived and if I went 'missing' when she was visiting I could always be found in the hall closet "cuddling" (as my mother put it) her fur coat. Grandma emigrated when I was five, but many decades later I still love to "cuddle" my fur coats.

I have eight coats (1 Lynx, 1 Beaver, 2 Mink and 4 Fox). Would have many more if I could afford them.

This question comes up every now and then. Here is a link where many of the basic questions are asked and answered by a lot of people that love fur. It goes into depth about how they think and how they feel about fur. I feel that it is one of the best questionnaires posted on here when it comes to all the aspects of fur.

"The very big questionnaire." Currently on page 5 of: The Fur Den.

viewtopic.php?f=1&t=3944

I personally think I was born with it. After all, Who would NOT want soft and warm things on there skin? I have fond memories of a fluffy pink powder puff being used on me after my bath. I was however taken by surprise by my first encounter with a real fur when I was five. I remember feelings of empathy for the animals begin to fade as my body was showing a growing affection for their fur. I felt embarrassed that a woman's garment was exposing my feelings. Fortunately for me a bouquet of soft fluffy tails concealed the event. Not long after I seen a bearskin rug on TV I enjoyed knowing the big dangerous animal was killed for a nice lady. I always felt a little sorry for the animals but I loved them more as furs. So I guess it is just who we are!

I don't know. Maybe to somehow relate more to the animal I wear its skin, or because of Cruella's persona, nowadays I just accept it

because of Cruella's persona

This is my canonical reason. On one hand watching Chelsea (name???) talk incessantly about such-and-such with the investment in her pelts is a turn-off, but seeing a woman comfortably wear a ridiculously expensive luxury item (who cannot be ignorant of its origins) is a powerful pull on my psyche. Such is the case with Cruella.

For me it was literally that touch of mink at a young age. It began with touching and being touched on the cheek by a mink coat worn by a family friend. Within that year my mom borrowed a wrap. She must have remembered the cute encounter as she seamed to understand why I was a little nervous. She stroked my back with the fur as she reminded me it was the same fur as the coat I liked.There have been many furs since then but I will always have a soft spot for mink.

I posted my reply to a more recently started thread called My First Fur Memories.

Childhood

It's very strange to me because I haven't really come into contact with fur first hand. As in, I've never really touched real fur properly. I've only ever seen other people wearing it, but I love it nonetheless! I can't remember when it started, but I've always found women dressed in fur attractive. I sometimes think it may have been growing up with a cat, as this would have been my only contact with the touch of fur. I suppose maybe my attachment to fur comes from the love I had for the cat, because I grew up with it.

My earliest memory regarding fur was my mother's fur jacket. I think it was fox, at least that's what my memory recounts it as, but of course, at the time (4/5 years old) I didn't know. All I do know is that it was very thick and soft, with a zip as opposed to buttons, and it was far too big for me (obviously). I do have a photo of my mother wearing the coat, but I don't recall her ever wearing it in my presence. It just hung in her wardrobe. I would often go into her wardrobe, just to feel the fur, hold it in my grasp, rub it against my cheeks, just embrace it, but it was many years before I plucked up the courage to actually wear it (I can't remember exactly how old I was, but around nine or ten years old.

Around the same time (nine or ten years old, give or take) my auntie came to visit, and when she did I would have to give up my bed to her, with me sleeping on a sofa bed, which meant that my bedroom essentially became her bedroom for the duration of her visit. I would still need to go into my bedroom though to get whatever I needed - change or clothes, stuff for school, toys, etc - and hanging on the back of my bedroom door was the most gorgeous full length, fur coat, similar style to my mother's in terms of thickness and softness, so again I think it was fox. I couldn't believe what was hanging there right in front of me. I just had to try it on. Think Lion Witch, and Wardrobe! Far too big for me, far too long, but god it just felt wonderful wearing it. In secret of course!

When my auntie left to go back home, of course her fur coat left with her. Or so I thought. My mother's jacket disappeared at the same time. I don't know exactly what happened to them, but I presume that they either sold them, gave them to charity, or just threw them away. I searched my mother's wardrobe numerous times trying to find her jacket. Maybe it was put away somewhere in storage - in a linen basket under blankets, or under the bed in a suitcase, or at the bottom of her wardrobe, or even under the kitchen sink. I recall searching frantically for her jacket everywhere. I never saw it again.

Made me feel so sad. One day I had access to a gorgeous fur jacket whenever I wanted. Could sneak a cheeky feel while it hung in the wardrobe, could wear it when my parents had gone out or before they got home from work. The next day it was gone forever. I just knew then that I had to get my own fur, but of course I was far too young to be able to afford one.

I did get lucky a few years later in my early teens. I bought one for around £20 from a charity shop. I think it was rabbit fur, but still it was a fur coat all of my own. It didn't last long, it was found by my mother - actually it was found by our pet cat, who clawed it out from my hiding place under the bed and left it lying out in the open for my mother to stumble across. She made me throw it away, but it did result in a rather interesting discussion afterwards!!!!

My mother borrowed a fox jacket (I believe crystal fox) for a wedding she was planning to attend.

Completely normal, and a familiar story for meany here at the den, in various versions over the years. A common starting point.

I remember an occasion where, as a primary school child, I had joined our local library. In those days, libraries were extremely austere environments where talking was absolutely verboten as was any other activity that broke the calm and order. I was exploring the 'outsize' books, some of which were very heavy, when I came across a huge book about Hollywood which had on its cover the iconic photo of Rita Heyworth where she has a cigarette holder in one hand and is dragging a white mink stole with the other.

Honestly, I was so excited by this picture that I dropped the book with a huge THUD which drew disapproving tuts from the imposing library staff! I remember becoming extremely embarrassed by drawing attention to myself at such a seminal moment in my development! Obviously, there was no way I could take the book home since I could barely lift it but I did sneak a look every time I visited the library after that and enjoyed the tingles the photo produced in me.

I remember an occasion where, as a primary school child, I had joined our local library. In those days, libraries were extremely austere environments where talking was absolutely verboten as was any other activity that broke the calm and order. I was exploring the 'outsize' books, some of which were very heavy, when I came across a huge book about Hollywood which had on its cover the iconic photo of Rita Heyworth where she has a cigarette holder in one hand and is dragging a white mink stole with the other.

 

Honestly, I was so excited by this picture that I dropped the book with a huge THUD which drew disapproving tuts from the imposing library staff! I remember becoming extremely embarrassed by drawing attention to myself at such a seminal moment in my development! Obviously, there was no way I could take the book home since I could barely lift it but I did sneak a look every time I visited the library after that and enjoyed the tingles the photo produced in me.

I can totally relate to this! I remember being drawn like a moth to a flame to many women's magazines due to fur. As for the above mentioned photo believe I know the exact one you are talking about. thanks for bringing up old memories!

Speaking of covers, i can remember an old issue of life magazine with a woman in a wolverine parka, which was quite rare in the 1940's, for sale on eBay. I have one similar today, and love it!

I have been reviewing my FUR history.

The earliest memory is when I was about 7 or 8. We (my parents and I) used to go into London about twice a year. Can't remember why.

Anyway, in those days there was a chain of stores called Swears & Wells. They had a branch at the junction of Oxford St. and Regent St.

I was mesmerised by the FUS in the window display, and tried to estimate what the smallest item would cost.

I decided that a pair of FUR gloves would be about £10. At the time I was on 10/- (50p) pocket money so it would take me a long time to save up.

I never did.

Later when I was at secondary school, I was asked to pick up a FUR muff from a family friend, and bring it home. This is when I think I started to love FUR, as I put it into my trousers before going into the house. I remember being asked (told off) for having such a large backside.

My re-awakening came when I saw a silver FOX fur boa in a shop in Bath when I was about 25. I bought it, and hope my wife would wear it (as it was a Christmas present) I think she did once, but I took it over and wore it several times.

It was just a start of my fur wardrobe.

I now posses 3 MINK coats, 2 MINK hats, 2 FOX hats SABLE hat, MINK gloves, MINK scarves, FOX scarves, SABLE scarves, SABLE gilet, blue FOX gilet, SABLE lined gloves and so many more FUR items. I just purchased a knitted MINK scarf, and a blue knitted FOX gilet from Harrods (Dennis Basso) from their winter sale.

I have a total of over 30 FUR pieces. I wear at least 4 pieces wear every day, and I try to increase that number as often as possible. My record number of items on a special occasion was 12!

Your post brings up another question I have had for some time now...how does one measure the size of a fur collection, and what counts and what does not. I keep a numbered inventory list of all my major fur pieces, in order from first acquisition to newest. This list only includes coats, jackets, stoles and blankets, but not my huge collection of hats, muffs, skins, boots, gloves, etc. When i say that i have x number of furs, i am only counting the major items, not all individual pieces of the minor ones. What do others think is the best method for counting a collection? The other reason I ask, is that one often reads that say Jennifer Lopez has a huge furs collection. How is this being counted, because if I count each hat and headband, my collection would be much larger than what I generally account for.

Completely normal, and a familiar story for meany here at the den, in various versions over the years. A common starting point.

So I have noticed! I find it amusing that I thought I was the "only one" for all these years to rather common! OK, I'm home.

Completely normal, and a familiar story for meany here at the den, in various versions over the years. A common starting point.

So I have noticed! I find it amusing that I went from "I thought I was the only one" for all these years to rather common! OK, I'm home.

double post sorry!

No, you are not the only one...even girls love it...

No, you are not the only one...even girls love it...

It tends to be only an older generation that loves it or doesn't mind it.

In my experience, a lot of girls these days (and guys for that matter) are VERY against even the idea of fur. :\

Not true at all in my experience...i am not older, and i get many more complements than i do grief, especially from high school/college age people, even more so from guys. Perhaps it is true in California, as it is so PC there, but not up north where i am from.

Not true at all in my experience...i am not older, and i get many more complements than i do grief, especially from high school/college age people, even more so from guys. Perhaps it is true in California, as it is so PC there, but not up north where i am from.

Yeah, must be a Cali thing. Here, you are vilified for wearing fur. :\

That sounds completely and utterly true and plausible. Also highly unfortunate for any fur lovers like yourself who live there to have to deal with.