With fur being the big thing this winter and all the rage, it is essential that you know how to indentify the real thing when you come across it. Generally the rule about vintage is if it has reached the grand old age of thirty years then it is considered a vintage item. Although nowadays some people will class things from several years ago as vintage - it's not, it's retro. It's also retro if it's trying to look vintage.
1. One of the first things you need to do is identify the species of fur you are looking at. This will give you a clue as to how old the item is, as we all know and rightly so some species are endangered because of their fur culling and hunting ethics and so cannot be now used to make friviolus fashion items. This is commendable and totally the right way to go about things for the future and generations to come. However this doesn't solve what to do with all those old vintage furs that are still out there. Do they get burnt and wasted or used and appreciated? Everyone has their own opinion on this, and no one is right or wrong - it's still a matter of hot debate between the best of friends. Ok, some furs went in trends some were always elitest. You can as a rule of thumb tell a real fur from a faux fur by it's feel. This is something you have to do for yourself with practice. You have to stroke real fur and faux to get to know the difference. It's not that hard once you've been stroking a few coats believe me. The oils in the real fur are still there and it will feel soft, silky and luxurious. The faux fur, although getting better still doesn't have that absolute snuggle me and love me forever feel to it yet. Nearly but not quite.
To add with a little help - there is also a smell. Real fur will have at some point in it's life have been looked after and introduced to moth balls. They leave a soft lingering smell in the lining. Sniff around the pockets and neckline where they would have been stored or hung.
2. Look for a label. Sounds easy enough. But real fur is still sold, so you have to know which stores still sell furs. Chances are that you will come across an old label that you've never heard of before. This could mean that it's from an old store - as they change their names over the years. Knowledge of this and from the era of coat you are sourcing helps. Gen up on what it is you are looking for if it is a specific make, style or era. Knowledge is power. Also look for initals sewn in. Often furs were made to order in select fashion houses. Remember years ago only the rich could afford real fur. Usually the woman had her initals sewn in as part of the service. Also if the label says wash at such and such degrees - it's faux. Real fur should never be washed only dry cleaned at a specialists.
3. Know your eras and their styles. Look and research a certain era of coat. 1970's and 1960's furs will be a totally different cut to a 1930's 1940's coat. For example in the 1950's the coats were often shorter sleeved, called a bracelet cut - so the lady could show off her diamonds as well just for that extra money sniffing effect. In the 1940's coats tended to be more long sleeved. It all depends on what you are looking for. The answer here is research, research, research!
4. Look for sand. Evidence of sand tells you it is old straight away. Feel the weight. A real fur naturally will be slightly heavier than a faux fur due to the hide. Especially if it is vintage. Years ago in some they used to place sand in the lining of the coat to help combat damp and weight it's hang. It's also to do with the process of the furrier.
5. Look at the fur in a good light. Seems obvious right, but faux fur is manufactured. It will be perfect and often a repeat pattern. Think about it - it's a mass produced product right. Real fur like us is made with imperfections. Patterns and colouring will be random. Simples. If you want to take a magnifying glass along and look at the individual hairs. A faux fur will have the same couration all the way along on each one, a real fur will be individual. Try it and see.
6. If in doubt, here's one my Granny taught me. Take a pin with you, get a single hair folicule and pierce it with the pin. I'm serious. If the pin passes through easily it's fake, if it resists and is difficult it's real. Another one is if they allow you to, you can ask to snip a very small piece of the fur from under the collar, on the inside or once you have purchased it, if you love the coat for itself. Hold the snipped fur to a naked flame in a pair of tweezers. The faux fur is made from synthetic plastic it will smoulder, then burn with a chemical smell. Real fur will smell like your own hair when it get's caught in the hairdryer and create a clumped smouldering ball. Please though, remember to do this test away from the rest of the fur item so it doesn't all go up in flames!!
7. Remember real fur will be attached to a hide, faux fur won't. Check the lining of the coat if in doubt. Also if it has a head and a tail, feet even - more than likely it's a real pelt.
Your Mission, should you decide to take it is..................shop till you drop. Target : Vintage clothing, shoes and bags.......you have your list, work from it. Your Disguise: Comfy boots, you have miles of hilly terrain to cover.
Easy to slip on and off dress....there will be changing rooms, lots of them.
Thin Cardigan: It may be the end of October but you will be working up a sweat hiking and carry heavy bags. Spare high heeled shoes: For trying on those must have dresses. Large Bag : Carries survival kit, chocolate, mobile, purse and bottles of water. Camera : You never know? Your destination : Brighton, all the Laines...........cue music........................ Up at 6am, quick get ready as my lift will be here soon. Yup, shopping this early. Well, first is the travel time and the aim is to get there exactly as the shops open. Bang on. We have a lot of ground to cover! For those of you who have never been clothes shopping with me.......well let's just say it is an experience, and for those of you who have, I apologise again, you really didn't know what you were letting yourselves in for bless you. All those miles and hours I made you walk, I hang my head in shame..........but it is an addiction. Fortunately it has taken me years to find her, but I have found a worthy adversary. Someone who loves clothes shopping every bit as much as I do, and who can shop just as hard and fast. Ding Dong!
Even before the shops opened Brighton was busy, heaving like a swarm of bees. We parked and set off through the large shopping centre and off into the back hills of Brighton. The best place I know for the most vintage, retro and general cute individual shops in this area. First place we headed for was the wonderful Velvet in Bond Street. One of my favourite shops and I couldn't leave without I buying a cute little delicate scarf before we blasted into Irregular Choice shoes like a whirlwind of squeals!! Their shoes are to die for!! Then it was off to one of the best vintage shops in Brighton that I know Dirty Harry in Sydney Street. Their prices are so much more than reasonable and the staff are fabulous, not only by wearing the vintage clothing in their own individual styles but also in their pleasant approach to helping customers. It's a thumbs up from us. My girlie friend bought the most divine Audrey Hepburn 1960's black marabou feathered wiggle number. Bellissimo. x Bustling down Sydney street was a gas and all the shops and market stalls were in a Halloweenie mood, except one seemed to have a mix up of the seasons and had the Easter Bunny ears out instead?! But they're so cute, we can forgive them for making us go "Awwwwww look at the bunny ears!"
Next it was a quick step over to the gorgeous Wolf and Gypsy who always present their shop in such a beautiful way. They have at the moment these most adorable hand knitted cardigans, but that will have to be for another day. We had a list to stick to for situations just like this, when one of us is torn and drawn by a beautiful item of clothing.....the others job is to issue firm orders to "step away from the non listed bargain"!
We weaved our way through Sydney street in and out of the nicely presented vintage shops and one rare shop that smelt of heavily of moths balls and where everything is piled it seems without neither care nor love. Each of us holding the others bags as we rummaged on hands and knees sometimes through the piles of discarded hats, shoes and wraps. Rail upon rail of coats and vintage dresses, asking to move mirrors into the light and giving each other honest appraisal and opinions of potential purchases. We met some of the most jolly, happy and lovable staff along our merry journey and some that were so miserable their faces might have cracked had they actually smiled at us, but that's the heady mix of Brighton that I love.
The energy, the buzz, that eclectic mix of life....and then it happened, I stepped into a small store that I adore on the corner of Sydney street, the rightly and justly named Fashion Temple, and I fell in love with a dress the moment I saw it hanging there on the rail. A 1950's rockabilly retro wild black and red cherries halterneck dress with low hung black netting. That with petticoat frou frous at home would look banging! For such a bargain price I could not leave it there, it had to come home with me, but not before I twirled around the shop in it jive style. Ready for next years Vintage Fair.
A sharp left turn up the road and we were at another shop I adore Kate and Aud . Small compact, but beautiful and filled with the most delicious items on the cusp of Trafalgar Street. Kate does the dresses, Aud the jewelry. I found a beautiful 1930's tea dress upstairs, but sadly it was designed for a flat chested girl. I know, I was heart broken. My head had already planned it to go with my heeled tan brogues, brown knitted bolero.....but it was not to be ma cherie. Having traipsed through every vintage store on the North Laines it was time to head over to the conventional stores for a quick mooch before heading off to the South Laines, Ship Street, where my girlie friend fell in love with a vintage fur coat in Penelope's Portmanteau, a classy little joint with smoking hot jewelry and handbags. We rounded the day off with a visit to Monsoon a shop I adore at any time of the year or any place.
Winding the day down we snuck into Mr Simms Olde Sweet Shop for a few treats to take home. The shop is a legend of vintage sweets for memory taste buds. Our nearest one is in Chichester and my girls love it! It is the main shopping event for them every time we go in.
We also quickly popped over to Hardy's Orginal Sweet Shop There is so much to test and taste that it's like Harry Potter's Honey Duke's store. There is always something new to squeal at. Shelves filled to the brim with row upon row of delectable sweets, all brightly packaged and coloured begging to be tried and devoured. This time I got them a Gumball machine each to savour. The staff were all dressed in full macabre Halloween costume, which I adore. It really gets everyone into the ghoulish spirit of things and is immense fun!!!!
Last but no way in the least is a visit to the famous Choocywoocydoodah's in Duke Street where the window chocolate sculpture displays have hoards of people always crowded around it. They never disappoint and have displayed a gorgeous Halloween theme. As this is the career path my youngest daughter wants to take, I just had to take some photos to show my girls when I got home, They displayed a Vampire pre-bite on a woman's neck and several life like chocolate skulls.
It's a must do visit I'm afraid! The sculptures are so awesome and then you realise that they are completely made out of chocolate....the fascination and admiration grows ten fold in a heart beat.
Heading home with arms full of bags, recent loved purchases, treats for those loved ones at home and sides aching from laughing together girlie friend and I staggered gracefully back to the carpark.
Tonight my legs and buttocks ache from walking and climbing quaint little boutique staircases. That was some hardcore shopping, but it was worth it..every step, even if we did only buy two vintage items off our lists......there is always another shopping day to plan.
To add with a little help - there is also a smell. Real fur will have at some point in it's life have been looked after and introduced to moth balls. They leave a soft lingering smell in the lining. Sniff around the pockets and neckline where they would have been stored or hung. 
