Trend Watch: Fur

Outfit by DSqaured2, courtesy Style.com

It's impossible to ignore the fact the it is now winter, at least in the North East of the U.S. (Australia: I'm jealous.) As I type, I'm looking out the window seeing the tiniest flurries floating around, and I know it's already snowed in some states. Yikes! Winter is tough, fashion-wise. It's difficult to choose outfits that work both inside and outside, a particular challenge in cities whereby most inhabitants spend a fair amount of time on and off public transportation. Wearing a giant, puffy down coat will keep you toasty on the way to the station, but once inside the train, all those feathers get really stuffy, and it's not like you can peel the coat off and get comfy when you're crammed up against 50,000 other warm bodies (some creepier than others). But the real tragedy is that all the down puff obscures what you're wearing underneath (which may or may not have taken twenty minutes to put together)!

Fur has a long, and controversial past – as a p.c. pre-teen I was staunchly anti-fur – but there's no denying that it is CHIC. Adding a splash of fur to winter outerwear is the easiest way to ramp up style without sacrificing warmth, and, from what I can tell in New York, I'm not alone in this belief. Fur is everywhere! Real, faux, full-length coats, vests, collars, trim – it's everywhere and it looks fantastic!

Yves Saint Laurent


Dynasty Clutch by Angel Jackson


Versatile vest by Fendi


Mink and velvet "Ava" necklace by Louis Vuitton


Gorgeous coat by Altuzarra


Nesta fur-trim bootie by Manolo Blahnik


Bottega Veneta coat - at once cozy and chic


I love the elegance of this simple outfit, and the fur collar adds a fun, unexpected, but very chic twist.


Darrington clutches by Michael Kors


Electric blue at Versace

It's one thing to see a trend on the runway or in magazines, but how regular people bring it to the streets is a whole different ballgame. On The Street fashion guru, Bill Cunningham recently shared his favorite fur findings on the streets of New York in this video for the NY Times, and it's worth a look.

I bring it to the streets, with my favorite winter coat; a vintage 1960s fur-trimmed number I picked up in 2008 at a favorite shop in Soho that has since closed. I coveted it for a few months and when I saw it come down in price I snapped it up. Boy am I glad I did; it has made me feel so much less drab and sad for the last few winters!

Yes, I was photographed outside of Buffalo Wind Wings (in Brooklyn, no less)! Don't hate.

This being primarily an interiors blog (that touches on graphics), I can't, in good faith, ignore how the fur in apparel fashion translates to home fashion! We've been seeing furry, fuzzy pillows and throws for a while now. Prices run the gamut, but they all make a home look and feel warm, despite the freezing temperatures.

Photo courtesy Lonny


Living room by Patric Johansson for Elle Interior


Another Lonny gem


Chic interior by Ryan Korban - a fur throw and fur upholstery, which is a great take on a classic modern chair


Via Elle Decor

Heather Clawson, of Habitually Chic wrote a great piece on Carolina Herrera, illustrating how fur intersects in fashion and interiors.

Bringing the style into your own home is easy – stores high and low are offering great furry options; from Ikea sheepskin rugs to West Elm to Williams-Somona Home to trade-only vendors like Donghia, there are fur accents for everyone!


West Elm


Williams-Somona Home


Donghia