How to choose the right fur coat - advice from professionals. How to choose the right mink coat: expert advice How to choose the right coat length

The end of winter is the time when sales begin in fur stores, and any fashionista can buy the fur coat of her dreams at a very attractive price. When choosing high-quality natural fur products, you always have to take into account a lot of subtleties. Even if you have already had to wear "mink" and "sable", you are not immune from mistakes when buying a new thing. Therefore, on the pages of the "Beautiful Half" we decided to talk about how to choose a fur coat and discuss the most pressing problems that arise in this case.

Neither cut, nor design, nor colors, nor even the price of a fur coat are indicators of its quality. The main criterion by which a smart woman will choose a good fur coat, is its durability. Another factor is directly related to this factor - the service life of the product. And everything seems to be clear here: the less the fur is deformed during wear, the longer the fur coat will retain its best consumer characteristics. And when choosing a fur coat, the heat resistance of the fur is not the least important. But it is usually taken into account only by residents of the northern regions. For most southern fashionistas, a fur coat is just an image and status item: sometimes they don’t care whether this garment can withstand a forty-degree frost or not.

What fur is better?

In the rating of sympathy for Russian women, mink coats have been leading for many years. They still remain a symbol of well-being, high social status and good taste. But for all its beauty and external gloss, mink does not belong to the most durable and wear-resistant furs - it has rather “average” indicators. And experts evaluate the quality of fur coats from a particular fur according to the following hundred-point scale:

  • hare - 5 points, high heat resistance, average service life - 1 season;
  • rabbit (long pile) - 10 points, high heat resistance, average service life - 2 seasons;
  • sheared rabbit - 30 points, low heat resistance, average service life - 2-3 seasons;
  • marmot - 30 points, low heat resistance, average service life - 3 seasons;
  • protein - 30 points, moderate heat resistance, average service life - 4 seasons;
  • desman - 35 points, moderate heat resistance, average service life - 4.5 seasons;
  • nutria - 40 points, moderate heat resistance, average service life - 5 seasons;
  • lynx - 45 points, moderate heat resistance, average service life - 5-6 seasons;
  • red fox - 45 points, high heat resistance, average service life - 5-6 seasons;
  • muskrat - 45 points, moderate heat resistance, average service life - 5-6 seasons;
  • sheepskin - 50 points, high heat resistance, average service life - 6 seasons;
  • karakul - 50 points, moderate heat resistance, average service life - 6 seasons;
  • marten - 60 points, high heat resistance, average service life - 7 seasons;
  • arctic fox - 60 points, high heat resistance, average service life - 7 seasons;
  • raccoon - 65 points, high heat resistance, average service life - 9 seasons;
  • mink - 70 points, moderate heat resistance, average service life - 10 seasons;
  • sable - 80 points, high heat resistance, average service life - 12 seasons;
  • fur seal - 85 points, moderate heat resistance, average service life - 15 seasons;
  • beaver - 90 points, moderate heat resistance, average service life - 18 seasons;
  • otter - 100 points, moderate heat resistance, average service life - 20 seasons.
  • Fur dressing

    Ideally, a fur coat made of natural fur is supposed to be soft, elastic and resistant to deformation. If you deliberately wrinkle it, then it should straighten out on its own, and there will be no traces in the form of creases on the surface of a well-dressed fur. Now remember important point: softness and lightness are not the same thing. A “weightless”, “airy” fur coat, no matter what fur it is made of, is a deliberate marriage. The bottom line is that unscrupulous manufacturers often stretch the fur during dressing, since special technologies have long been worked out. As a result, the skin on which the pile rests becomes incredibly thin, and the villi seem to “move away” from each other. There is no longer a close fit necessary to maintain heat between them.

    The correct dressing of the fur or not can be determined in another curious way - by smell. Handicraft fur coats usually do not smell very pleasant. And the fur, processed according to all standards, will not irritate your olfactory organs. Branded things simply cannot have a repulsive smell.

    If the fur has a long pile, then when checking for quality, it would not hurt to stroke it “against the wool” - just run your hand in the right direction. Breaking and falling out villi are a signal that something is clearly wrong with the fur coat.

    How to choose a mink coat

    Perhaps no other fur is faked as often as mink. Therefore, when buying a mink coat, it is worth spending time studying it closely. First of all, look at what is under the pile. Between the main villi of the fur - the so-called awn of the mink is a short fluff - the undercoat. If it is not there, then in front of you is not a mink, but its imitation.

    All hairs on mink fur are usually the same length. Even a small difference that can be seen with the naked eye is critical.

    When stroking against the wool, the pile on the mink coat should in no case become “sticky” - it usually immediately takes its original position.

    And one more alarm signal- prolapse of villi. You can even grab a few hairs with your fingers and pull them gently - of course, without applying excessive force. Easily separated villi are a sign of poor-quality fur.

    Mink fur has a pleasant natural sheen. Its main natural color is brown, and shades can be both light and dark. The most common brown shade, it is typical for the European mink. Natural colors include white, gray, black.

    Fur coats made of black mink with a short pile are now in special demand and are known under the name "blackglama". Due to the very short length of the guard hair, blackglam fur coats seem not to be fur, but velvet. This variety of mink is cultivated in the USA. Its luxurious color is often referred to as the "color of oil."

    Mouton coats

    Mouton is a way of dressing sheepskin. The raw material for it is the skins of Australian sheep, but the fur processing technologies are not the same in all countries. For example, in Russia, muton fur is impregnated with formalin, which creates an airtight "shell" around each hair and increases the resistance of the pile to external influences. The Russian muton wins in terms of wear resistance over foreign counterparts, since formalin processing is recognized in other countries harmful production and prohibited. However, the quality of such fur coats is truly unrivaled.

    A good muton fur coat will not only protect in cold weather, but also withstand tests in the form of wet snow and other atmospheric precipitation with dignity. It will not be covered with "pellets" during wear - unfortunately, handicraft fur coats sometimes suffer from this drawback. With proper processing, the muton acquires a pleasant unobtrusive sheen - it can also be considered one of the positive signs.

    A muton fur coat does not need an additional insulating lining - this fur itself copes well with the functions of a “heater”.

    On the surface of the fur coat there should be no matted areas of fur. This shortcoming, in principle, is not particularly terrible, as it is easily corrected with a comb, but only an old muton can have such a look. It is quite possible that the material for sewing a fur coat was not selected too meticulously.

    How to choose a fur coat from a beaver

    Beaver fur takes an honorable second place in the wear resistance rating, second only to otter fur. You can wear such a fur coat without problems from 18 years old and more - it all depends on the accuracy of the hostess. The beaver, as you remember, is a semi-aquatic animal - it spends a lot of time in the water. Therefore, its skin is not afraid of moisture. On the contrary, after a walk under a wet snowfall, a beaver coat becomes fluffier.

    Natural beaver fur is very pleasant to the touch if you iron it in the direction of the pile. As soon as you move your hand in the opposite direction, you will immediately feel a slight tingling sensation. By the way, this is a specific feature of the beaver - other furs do not have it.

    Plucked beaver fur coats are now in fashion, and many women suspect that this type of dressing of boar fur has a bad effect on the quality of the fur coat. In fact, a plucked beaver is practically no different in properties from a regular beaver.

    Natural beaver is quite an expensive pleasure. There are many fakes on the market - fur coats made of cheap fur, but "stylized" like a beaver. This is either a nutria - it can be recognized by the absence of undercoat, or a rabbit - sellers usually call these fur coats "beaver", misleading the buyer.

    How to choose a fur coat from a raccoon

    Raccoon coats are one of the best outerwear options for a long and harsh winter. Visually, it is always easy to distinguish them from the background of all the others - the raccoon fur is distinguished by volume and fluffiness. At the same time, they are light enough - as much as necessary for comfortable wear.

    An unpainted raccoon is recognizable by its dark awn and silvery hair tips. But fur coats from it are less and less common on the market, and tinting is gaining more and more popularity. In any case, raccoon fur should have a thick undercoat, and it itself is soft, tender and elastic. Sometimes, under the guise of a raccoon coat, an inexperienced customer can be offered an analogue from a raccoon dog - outwardly, such products look exactly the same, but the rough texture of fur and mezdra gives out a fake “with a head”.

    However, here it is worth making one lyrical digression. The fact is that the famous Finnish raccoon also belongs to raccoon dogs - this breed was bred artificially, specifically to obtain fur with high consumer characteristics. Finnish raccoon fur coats are a sign of Finnish quality. They are not cheap, but fully justify the investment made in them.

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    A properly selected fur coat will decorate any woman and give her a special style and attract attention. Surely, many women dream of a beautiful fur product, but the choice should be taken seriously, because this is a rather expensive thing, so as not to regret anything later. If you are ready to buy such a luxurious thing, do not rush to go shopping without having the necessary experience. It is not always possible to distinguish quality from a fake. Experts give advice on how to choose the right fur product. How to choose mink coat-professional advice will help you in this difficult choice, among many models.

    We all understand that a fur coat for women is now not just warm clothes, but also a source of pride, an expensive accessory, so the choice must be approached very carefully.

    First rule

    Choose trusted and familiar salons or contact a special shop that has been working for a long time in this area, as well as specialized fur salons or boutiques. To categorically refuse shopping in the markets or mega-centers, especially during seasonal sales.

    Thus, you risk spending money on cheap fakes. On the recommendation of experts, it is better to buy clothes from European manufacturers.

    In their opinion, domestic manufacturers of fur clothes are not so responsible for the mink production process, they often use low-quality raw materials. It follows that it is better to make such a purchase abroad, but such a fur product will have a high price.

    Second rule

    To make the right choice, you need to determine the purpose of the purchase. Answer yourself the question, where are you going to go: only for celebrations, for work or for a walk with children?

    To "show off" at parties, a fur product is not needed. An evening coat is an accessory, not a warm winter garment.

    When you choose a product for everyday wear, that is, in it you will go to work or for a walk with your child, pay attention to the fact that it should be warm, but light!

    If you choose a heavy mink coat, you will not be able to walk in it for a long time, and even more so walk, because you will get tired under the weight.

    If a woman drives a car, then a very important fact must be taken into account. The fur product should be light and certainly the length of the "midi" (midi), i.e. above the knee.

    If a woman uses public transport, then you do not need to choose light colors, as in a very short time, your fur will look untidy.

    Third rule

    Mink is chosen not for one season, but for the next few years. Therefore, when choosing a model, give preference to the classic model.

    If you buy a fashion item with interesting gadgets that are trendy this season, remember that on next year You can look absolutely ridiculous and funny. Fashion never stands still, and classics remain classics.

    Fourth rule

    Pay attention to the fur - it should be smooth, silky and shiny. Mink is quite expensive, so it is often faked.

    Very often, marmot fur is given out as mink fur, but it is not so dense and shiny. You should also carefully check the undercoat for density, as the thermal properties depend on the undercoat.

    In order to check the quality of the fur, you need to hold it in your hand. The fluff or hair left in the hand will tell you that the manufacturing technology is broken. It could also mean that the animals were used during the molt, such fur is definitely not to be bought!

    See that the fur does not stick together, it should be silky. Look at the entire product carefully to avoid rust stains that do not come off, even with dry cleaning. These spots may appear on the fur if the animals were in metal cages.

    Fifth Rule

    When choosing the size of a fur coat, remember that under it you will probably be wearing a sweater or other warm clothes. To do right choice, do not stand like a fashion model in front of a reflection in the mirror. Raise your hands up, walk around, bend over, sit down. Just do what you do in your daily life.

    Buying expensive thing You must make sure that it is not only beautiful, but also comfortable for you, does not interfere with your movements and comfort. If you take into account all our rules on how to choose a mink coat, then the choice will become much easier and more competent.

    A mink coat is an expensive pleasure. In the market of fur products, it costs at least 40 thousand rubles. Therefore, women choose a fur coat carefully. When choosing, you need to know by what criteria the quality of fur, fur products is evaluated.

    The main parameters for determining the quality of outerwear by professional fur businessmen:

    Criteria quality Poor quality
    Glitter pile There are overflows in the light. The gloss is uniform. There is no shine or shine is not everywhere.
    Brightness natural brightness. Mirror.
    Skin sizes More than 15 cm in length and width. Less than 15 cm.
    Presence of spots All wool has a uniform color. There are stains from the cell and smudges under the pile.
    Wool When plucking, less than five hairs remain in the hand, and when the manipulation is repeated, it may not remain. When twitching, villi remain in the hand, which is also observed when twitching again from the same place.
    Smell There is a natural smell of leather, fur. There is a vinegar, gasoline smell or rotten meat.
    Color spectrum The natural color of the animal or high-quality coloring without transitions is noticeable. When washed off, the paint leaves marks on the hand. In the light, color transitions are noticeable.

    Important: Buyers need to remember that the process of making a mink coat is very time consuming. If the skin is dressed poorly, then with the remnants of fat it will stink when worn, and if there is no fat at all, it will dry out, which will cause the pile to fall out.

    How to check a mink coat for quality

    Before buying, learn about the methods for determining the quality of mink fur. Do not trust sellers, as their main task is to sell goods.

    Exist simple ways determining the quality of the fur yourself:

    1. Swipe the fur with your hand against the growth of hairs, it will immediately restore its previous position. Here it should be noted that the pile does not stick out in different directions.
    2. Take a look at the fur. Under the outer pile, there should be fluff, shorter hairs. The reliability of a fur coat in severe frosts depends on them.
    3. Examine the fur coat with your hands. If villi stick to the hands, the fur is of poor quality. Also, the seller must allow the fur to be pulled, which will also help determine the quality of the fur. The pile should not fall out. Otherwise, your fur coat will constantly shed and lose its presentation after the first months of wearing.
    4. Another way is to smell. Smell the future fur coat. Extraneous chemical odors should not come from it, only natural ones.
    5. Examine the fur coat from the inside. The lining fabric, the quality of tailoring, the size and evenness of the stitches, the durability of the socks will depend on this.
    6. If the mink is dyed, we check the quality of the application. To do this, take a piece of light fabric, rub the pile. If traces remain on the fabric, the toning is of poor quality.
    7. Check that there are no traces of rust, faded areas of wool on the wool.

    When choosing a fur coat, choose the right size, model. Please note that the mink product is for winter, you will have to wear warm clothes under it. When worn, it should be comfortable, not embarrassing, consistent with modern fashion trends.

    Authenticity Analysis

    Consider what types of mink are used to make expensive fur coats:

    • Living in North America, Canada. Black mink blackglama is especially appreciated. Its fur is velvety and durable. Blackglam mink is sold at auctions and has a very high cost.
    • Scandinavian. Lives in North America, Denmark, Finland. Cheaper than North American, but comes in a variety of colors. From blue, gray, to brown and black.
    • Living in Russia. Bred new breeds of North American mink, but with warmer fur and a long pile.

    When buying a fur product, find out information about the manufacturer, this is also very important. Manufacturers must be well-known in the fur market, in proven fur salons. In the salon, the seller must present a quality certificate to convince you of the authenticity of the mink product.

    Many couturiers will sew a fur coat from another animal so that a simple housewife cannot distinguish a mink from a groundhog or a rabbit. Here you need to know the structure of the fur. Mink fur is stiffer, rougher to the touch than rabbit fur, and marmot hairs are generally prickly.

    To achieve a unique resemblance of a rabbit with a mink, its fur is plucked in a special way. But when viewed personally, it is noticeable that the undercoat has different length or it is the same length with the outer pile. So - in front of you is a rabbit.

    Remember, the rabbit always leaves a pile on the hand when twitching, tingling.

    To distinguish a mink from a marmot, you need to take the pile in a fist and slowly release it. If the fur flows one-dimensionally, quickly takes its former position - a mink, and if it leaves stripes that separate the lines of the pile from each other, and when it returns to its previous state it has a feeling of wrinkling, this is a marmot.

    There are more nuances. Remember, a mink coat weighs little, if you tried it on and did not feel that you were wearing winter outerwear, then the coat is natural, but the groundhog, the rabbit will be more tangible and weighty, in the truest sense of the word.

    After the purchase, all methods can be carried out at home again to make sure that the fur is 100% natural.

    How to determine the nature of a mink skin?

    When auctioning Blackglam mink skins, they are checked for naturalness. A label is sewn to each skin indicating the type of mink. The label must be white with a black inscription, and when viewed under ultraviolet rays, you can see an invisible word.

    Each label has a number printed on it. The serial number can be used to determine the authenticity of the skin. Each number can be found in the skins register on Blackglam's website.

    Today, it is customary to chip fur coats. Chipping will reveal counterfeit goods. The barcode is applied to outerwear in the event that the lining of the product or the product itself is made of fur. But if there is only fur trim (collar, sleeve, pocket), then the chip is not applied.

    By the barcode, you can find a mink product, or made from any fur, including polar fox, on the website of the tax service. This suggests that the production of this fur coat is legal.

    A KiZ chip is attached to each fur coat. The country of origin is determined by the chip. If the chip is green - Russia, red - the fur coat was brought from European countries. The marking can be sewn into the seam of the product, sewn onto the main label.

    If an outerwear store sells goods that are not labeled, then this is fraught with penalties, up to and including confiscation.

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    Discussion: 8 comments

      I am not a vegetarian, but I wouldn't buy a mink coat or any fur coat in general. Now there is such a choice of clothes that I have become an ardent defender of animals in this regard.

      Reply

      I can say with confidence that it is better to trust the domestic manufacturer. I'm buying furs at Sadovod in "Furs from Vitaly" on Sadovod, line 4, pavilion 148. Indeed, the fur shines and is cut very high quality.

      Reply

      I really wanted a mink coat. I saw an ad on Avito, they say, a woman attributed the season, and she was tired of it ... And a noble fur coat and a quarter of the money cheaper ... I bought it, and after a couple of seasons I also thought of selling it, but then I gave it to my mother. The fur coat is very light, but at the same time warm (I wore mine up to -20), and the hairs are like silk. The style has changed to a more sporty one, the fur coat has become irrelevant, but on the other hand, it fulfilled its dream, moreover, by itself!)

      Reply

      A good mink that will be worn for many years is nafa or blackgama. And they are very warm. There are such furs in Elena Furs, now the sale has begun, they sent me a newsletter. Prices are the same as in summer, but for now winter has just begun, at least here in Moscow.

      Reply

    1. Reply

      Long coats are not very practical. I realized this after I wore it for one season. I had to take mine to the studio and they made me a short fur coat, a hat and a bag! I bought famous brand Antonio Didone. The product is very high quality, so I go with this set for more than one year.

      Reply

      No down jacket will be as warm as a fur coat. If you choose a quality product with thick fur, then you will not freeze even at -35. I can advise the Condor boutique in the Emirates. I checked the wear resistance of fur coats on myself. I was extremely satisfied with the quality.

      Reply

    A beautiful and cozy fur coat is the dream of any woman. This outerwear looks good, testifies to the status of its mistress and perfectly warms even in harsh winter conditions.

    Choosing a quality fur coat is not an easy task. This is an expensive acquisition, which should not only look great and emphasize the beauty of its owner, but also last more than one season. What should you pay attention to when choosing a fur coat?

    Long, short, light, dark, style, fur, its cost and many other characteristics determine the purpose of buying a fur coat. Be sure to "try on" your purchase to the lifestyle you lead and evaluate how comfortable and practical the fur coat you have chosen will be.

    An important nuance when buying a fur coat is the climate of the region in which you live, the characteristic temperature for winter, humidity, precipitation. If the winters are not too severe, choose a fur coat in which you will not be hot, otherwise you can show off in it for only a few days. If your region is characterized by a high level of humidity, purchase a fur coat with a protective treatment against moisture.

    The style of a fur coat should be suitable not only to taste, but also to lifestyle, age. In any case, the fur coat should be loose enough so that you can wear it not only with a thin evening dress, but also with a thick sweater, jacket. At the same time, pay attention not only to the spaciousness of the overall cut, but also to the sleeves, shoulders, chest area. And it’s also not worth buying a fur coat a size larger, it will look as ridiculous as it is too tight.

    Choose the style according to your figure. A coat with a belt will emphasize a thin waist. Beautiful legs a fur coat with A-line silhouette and long to mid-thigh. For a full figure, a loose, flared, knee-length fur coat is best suited. Also overweight women you should not choose fur coats with long-haired fur, they will only add volume, but sheared fur and a rich collar will visually balance the figure. Fur coats to the floor should not be chosen by short girls, visually they will make them even lower.

    The color of the fur coat should be chosen taking into account your appearance. brunette co dark skin It will look most advantageous in a fur coat made of brown with a red undertone or glossy black fur. Platinum blonde will emphasize her beauty with black mink, raccoon or silver fox. A fair-skinned and fair-haired woman will look amazing in a fur coat made of fox, brown mink, lynx. As for dyed fur coats, they bring variety to the wardrobe, but at the same time they last less than natural fur coats, and they are more expensive. It is good to buy a loose fur coat as an additional one to a natural fur model.

    Fur can be plucked, unplucked, sheared, unshorn, dyed and natural. When choosing fur, the best guide will be the climatic features of the region. Sable, arctic fox, muton, fox have good thermal conductivity and wear resistance. Fur coats from the described fur will last up to 10 seasons and are great for the climate of the Urals, Siberia, and the Far East. And the otter, chinchilla, nutria, beaver also have good wear resistance and are very well suited for climates with high humidity. The appearance of the latter is slightly inferior to the former, but unlike them, such fur coats will last up to 20 seasons. Ermine, rabbit and marmot have proven themselves well in the conditions of central Russia.

    Separately, it is worth talking about the mink. This fur is not in vain the most popular, as it is actually universal. Noble shine and spectacular appearance This fur won more than one heart, especially since the mink has an average heat resistance and strength, which allows you to wear it for up to 10 seasons in almost any climate. If you decide to buy a mink coat, you should be aware of the fact that male fur products are heavier and warmer, since their fur is denser and thicker than that of females.

    Visually, the fur of a high-quality natural fur coat should be shiny, thick, without bald spots. Run your hand over the product against the growth of hairs, if the quality of the product is good, the hairs will lie evenly and smoothly, it is not allowed that they break. If you easily pinch a good quality fur coat, there will be no hair left on your hand. Otherwise, in front of you is a product from an animal killed during the molting period or the technology of dressing the skin itself was violated, which is fraught with the fact that the fur coat will lose its appearance after the first season. When choosing a fur coat, remember it in your hands, high-quality fur should be tactilely soft, quickly return to shape, and should not wrinkle into icicles.

    If you decide to buy a dyed fur coat, then try it, attach to the product white cloth and squeeze tightly, high-quality painting should not leave any marks in this case. Otherwise, the fur coat will shed after the first exit under wet snow.

    Pay your attention to the quality of fastening parts of the skins. It is better to take the fur coat where the skins are sewn and not glued, it will last you longer. In glued fur coats, threads are not visible at the joints of the skins.

    If the seller prevents you from carefully inspecting your future purchase on your own, most likely he doubts the quality of his goods, which means that you should doubt him. A fur coat is an expensive purchase and you need to buy it from reliable and well-established sellers who will not only help you make the right choice, but will not resist a thorough inspection of the products.