Just the other week I found myself in a situation that I've been pondering ever since. I was at a party with the dress code of 'elegant cocktail' and hence decided to don my Karen Millen drape dress and, as the night was a little chilly, my vintage silver fox fur stole. The evening was coming along nicely with general banter and free flowing champagne until, after about an hour, some old family friends walked in. I greeted I one of the girls with a kiss on the cheek but as I went to say hello to the other, I noticed a grimace upon her face. Did I smell? I wondered worriedly as I tried to remember whether I'd put on deodorant (I had, in fact) before realizing that this expression wasn't directed to me but to the fur stole wrapped around my shoulders. She looked from the fur, to me and then back to the fur before throwing up her hands and crying out 'umm, I'm a vegetarian!' and walking off without another word. Now, I don't know about you guys, but having never experienced anything like this before I didn't know how to react and I stood there quite baffled for a minute or so.
Now let me just clarify. I do not condone the killing of animals for the use of fur when it comes to fashion and was myself a vegetarian for two or so years. The only reason I came to be in possession of this fur stole was because it was my Grandmothers, handed down to my mother and, one day, will presumably come to me. I would never buy new real fur as I feel like that would be supporting the fur industry and the unnecessary pain of animals, however, as this stole is a) vintage and second hand and b) a family heirloom, I feel as though by wearing it i'm recycling it somehow, so that a silver fox died not in vain. All this however, I was not given the opportunity to explain. As the night wore on and
I became more and more pissed off with each glass of free champagne I thought out my predicament in a sensible and adult-like manner, I began to wonder and question myself...was I supporting the fur industry, even though I had not purchased the fur myself? Maybe I was promoting it by acting as a coat-hanger for it's products? I was upset because I had been made to feel like a bad person as well as the fact that I had potentially hurt my friends feelings. But (just as I began to think PETA would turn up to the party and throw a bucket of red paint all over me) I wondered that, even if this were the case, do people have the right to judge so openly other peoples morals and beliefs? After all, if you told me that you voted for Tony Abbot in the last election I wouldn't openly judge your moral compass or criticise such a choice...at least, not to your face.
That night I left the party a little thoughtfully (believe me, I don't usually leave parties with free alcohol pondering the philosophies of human morals), wondering at my own actions and the actions of those around me when it comes to fur in the fashion world. The fur industry is a terrible thing in our modern society and really, I feel as though with it's poor reputation and people's increased interest in animal activism, it may be a material in fashion that soon dies out. So what do you think, dear readers....by wearing the fur, was I simply supporting the fur industry? And should I still be looking over my shoulder, half expecting a van full of animal activists to kidnap and hold me to ransom? Or was my family friend's reaction over dramatic and unfair as I was not given a chance to explain myself? I did take some small pleasure however, when leaving the party, in noticing that she was wearing real leather boots...talk about an (un)faux par.
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