Adding Fur to Garb

[Lady De Rue Rue]

Hello everyone.

I had a quick question on adding fur to your garb.  I have seen several women with fur foxes or other forms of fur draped over their gowns at the  Faires we have attended. 

Right now I am having a gown (nobility class) constructed for me and I was asked if I wanted to add a real fur fox to the gown.  The fox is from the 1940's so, it is a vintage piece.  I have done my research on fur and Elizabethan costumes and it would be historically correct to add it to the gown.

So, the question I ask is how do most people (mainly the patrons) react at a Ren Faire to see someone wearing real fur?  Is it positive or negative?

My current garb has faux fur cuffs but, I wonder if it is a good idea overall to add the real fox fur to the gown.  I am not someone who would throw paint on someone who is wearing a fur coat or scream out an angry protest against a person wearing fur.   But, I do know there are a lot of people who are very against real fur of any kind vintage or brand new fur.

Just curious on what people think, trying to avoid tomatoes being thrown at me if I am wearing real fur 

[Celtic Lady]

My husband and I have real fox heads/fur pouches. We've worn them to faire before. So far people have been curious about them and seem to have been ok. Children and dogs are usually very fascinated... wanting to touch or smell them.

[Lady De Rue Rue]

Thanks for the response, now I just have to see if it fits into the budget!

[DonaCatalina]

I wear a mink zibellini. Henrique is not permanently attached to the gown. He has a little tortoise shell chain and a clip in his mouth. And he is nearly 90 years old. When not being worn, he resides in cold storage. Most people don't even seem to notice him. The ones who do seem to think he is really cool.

[Rowan MacD]

  I don't see where wearing real fur trim on garb would be any different from wearing real fox, lynx, wolf or coyote tails.  All of mine are the real deal because quite frankly, the fake ones look.....fake.  I can't speak for the rest, but I have never heard a single negative comment about the fact that my tails are real fur.
  All the Faux fur that I have seen that is supposed to appear real, doesn't look right to me and probably wouldn't fool anyone who knows what real fur looks (and feels) like.   Since vintage fur pieces are readily available and reasonably priced (at least around here) there is really no reason that folks could not sport real flea furs, or collars and fur trimmed cape hoods on their cold weather garb.   Recycling is good!

 

[gem]

Honestly, I find it creepy and disgusting, and I hate seeing the fox and other animal tails on people at Fair. I don't patronize the booth that sells animal skulls and pelts. I know it's a big "thing" to have the fox tails or whatever, but it's not something I enjoy seeing. I wouldn't ever say anything to somebody's face, but since you asked, there you go.

[Adriana Rose]

I would say that is was faux if asked, or say that its rescued from an old fur coat. People can be odd about fur. I stopped wearing my fox tails because they made my rear hot and I go down if I get too hot but I still like them.

But back to the question

if you want to go for it! I have a fur coat that I found for like 5 bucks that I really want to take apart and edge a cloak in.

So if you do please post pictures!

[Lady L]

Honestly, I find it creepy and disgusting, and I hate seeing the fox and other animal tails on people at Fair. I don't patronize the booth that sells animal skulls and pelts. I know it's a big "thing" to have the fox tails or whatever, but it's not something I enjoy seeing. I wouldn't ever say anything to somebody's face, but since you asked, there you go.

I agree with you, gem.

[Lady Kathleen of Olmsted]

A friend of mine gave me a knee length,  tan Ranch Mink coat. I am going to take it apart to trim in strips,  a heavy Wool lined cloak I want to make. I did a lot of Real Fur work back in the 80's, so I am able to rework fur into other things. I might even make a muffler for my hands as well.

[Lady De Rue Rue]

I would say that is was faux if asked, or say that its rescued from an old fur coat. People can be odd about fur. I stopped wearing my fox tails because they made my rear hot and I go down if I get too hot but I still like them.

But back to the question

if you want to go for it! I have a fur coat that I found for like 5 bucks that I really want to take apart and edge a cloak in.

So if you do please post pictures!

Dear Adriana Rose,

I am my winter garment mindset so, when I see real fur and even the faux fur at the fabric store I instantly think wouldn't that be great to add to the gown.  Not realizing the Ren Faire we attend is during the summer and this past summer every weekend we attended it was 90 plus degrees with a heat index of 100 or more.  And I was roasting away in my garb in the shade, even drinking as much water as I did, I still soaked my bodice and partlet by the time we came home, and that was with just faux fur on my cuffs.

The gown that I am having constructed in being made out of cotton velvet and with my low tolerance of heat adding any type of fur fake or real would not be in my best interests, I could see myself passing out at my husband's feet just for adding another layer to the gown

Thank you for bringing up the heat, I completely forgot how hot it gets

[Lady Kathleen of Olmsted]

As with real fur, working with faux fur requires a sharp Fur Knife. Do NOT use scissors!

Why?? Using scissors make fur look like  a bad shag haircut. From the wrong side, using a sharp bladed fur knife reatins the integrity of the fur. There are fur needles, also called Glover needles, that pierce through the skin easier.

If one is going to work with real fur, check with a Furrier as to how to proceed. There is also a tape designed to be used with fur when making hand or machine sewn seams. this tape makes the skin stronger. Faux Fur does not need the fur tape.

Good Luck!

[Tipsy Gypsy]

The only reactions I've witnessed to fur have been admiration, mixed with a little envy maybe. Personally, I don't give a rat's pelt what anybody else thinks, though. In fact, I just picked up a huge wooly sheepskin, and now that the sheep are done with it, I plan to recycle it into a luscious, fwuffy cape for the weekend.

[Adriana Rose]

Dear Adriana Rose,

I am my winter garment mindset so, when I see real fur and even the faux fur at the fabric store I instantly think wouldn't that be great to add to the gown.  Not realizing the Ren Faire we attend is during the summer and this past summer every weekend we attended it was 90 plus degrees with a heat index of 100 or more.  And I was roasting away in my garb in the shade, even drinking as much water as I did, I still soaked my bodice and partlet by the time we came home, and that was with just faux fur on my cuffs.

The gown that I am having constructed in being made out of cotton velvet and with my low tolerance of heat adding any type of fur fake or real would not be in my best interests, I could see myself passing out at my husband's feet just for adding another layer to the gown

Thank you for bringing up the heat, I completely forgot how hot it gets

Yes NEVER forget that you arent good with heat, you'll get to know the EMTS very well. I try to keep a little zippy bag in my pouch to put ice in to well put down the bodice, and hold on to the major veins in my legs.

I would love to make a cloak like Lady K was talking about but my faire season runs from freaking freezing to hotter than hell so its a should I waste the time or look fabbo when its cold as hell.

[isabelladangelo]

Sorry for jumping in a bit late but...

I've been "rescuing" fur coats for a gown I plan on making eventually.   All of mine is rabbit but, since you are doing something similar, I only wanted to add that I personally have no problem telling people that I reused the fur from something else.  I really don't think most people would care.  Most of us do eat animals after all....(Granted, we typically don't eat fox but reusing fur is actually highly acceptable for the most part)

[Jay Byrd]

I see a lot of fur at NYRF and I have never seen or heard tell of anyone saying anything negative or making any fanatical actions.  I like to think we are a bit more tolerant of others choices.  I used to have deer skin boots that I made and I only ever heard poitive remarks.  Robin Hood of the day always used to joke, "Oh look, He's out in his 'bear' feet."

Jay Byrd