Fur Coat: Long, Classic and Cropped Faux Fur Styles From a 1919 Tax on the Real Thing

Fur Coat: Long, Classic and Cropped Faux Fur Styles From a 1919 Tax on the Real Thing

A fur coat edit sorted by length: long and maxi faux fur coats, classic mid-length styles and cropped jackets. I say which shape works with what you already own and what to check before you buy.

The first fur coat I would ever want to own was not made from fur at all, and that turns out to be an old story. According to the Smithsonian, a 10 percent federal tax on real fur ran from 1919 to 1928 and gave a boost to the mills making pile fabric, and by 1948 and 1950 synthetic piles like Orlon and Dynel were being made for the job. The fake version has been a serious part of the closet for about a century.

 

That history is why a fur coat today is mostly a question of shape. I sorted these by length, because length decides how you wear it. The long coats are the statement: the LAMARQUE Darelle maxi in walnut, the LOBA Luciana in cream and the Andamane Winter Maxi in greige all hit well below the knee and cover whatever you have on underneath. The AKNVAS Duke is the grey and white one, and Show Me Your Mumu's Miss Cindy overcoat is printed with a feline pattern if you want the coat to be the whole outfit.

 

If you want black, the Adrienne Landau long coat and the superdown Willow long coat are the sleekest, and the ELLIATT Lux in beige sits at a more wearable midi length. Before you buy, hold the sleeve against your wrist, because a long, heavy coat looks best when the cuff does not hide your hands. What I would skip: a pale maxi if you commute on a crowded train, since cream shows everything.

Fur coat collage: twelve long, mid-length and cropped faux fur coats around a leopard-print coat photo

Long and maxi faux fur coats

Collage: faux fur coats sorted by length on a magazine-style page

Mid-length coats that go over anything

LAMARQUE was founded in Montreal, and the brand says that in 2013 its design director joined forces with one of North America's leather pioneers to perfect the biker jacket. That leather background shows in the Linnea coat in black, which has a clean shoulder and a no-fuss collar. It is the one I would pick if you own one fur coat and want it to go over anything.

 

The classic mid-length coats are the easiest to live in. The Line & Dot Axel and the superdown Kennedy are both warm brown, the LPA Maria is a deep chocolate with a belt, and the SIMONMILLER Knox in tawny is the heaviest, with a soft pile that holds its shape. For a shorter, boxier cut, the black superdown Willow keeps the same plush look with less coat to manage.

 

The Lovers and Friends Margot in sand has a big shawl collar and a belt that ties at the waist, so it can be worn cinched or open. The Elsa jacket from the same label is a shorter tan style. Try each one on with a thick sweater underneath, since a mid-length coat that fits over a tee can feel tight once it is cold. What I would skip: a belted coat if you like to wear it open all day, because the belt just hangs.

Classic mid-length faux fur coats

Cropped jackets for the pieces you own

Cropped fur has a different job. It sits at the waist, so you can wear it with the trousers or skirts you already own and the coat reads as a layer, not a statement. The BLANKNYC crop coat is the casual one, and the Line & Dot Liana and the SNDYS Leila jacket are soft and cream or tan, which look good over denim.

 

For something dressier, the Kim Shui Kyla in ivory has a fluffier pile, and the Lovers and Friends Silas in sand is the neatest of the group. The L'Academie Savoie and Gamine jackets both have a wide, open collar, and the Jaded London Mendoza is the blonde, shaggy one. A cropped jacket needs high-waisted bottoms, or the gap at your waist will fight the shape.

 

Cropped fur also has a practical side, because it fits on a chair back and in a car seat without getting crushed. Check the lining and the closure before you decide, since a hidden hook closes more cleanly than a snap that gaps. What I would skip: a very light color if you plan to wear a bag with a strap across the body, since it will rub the pile flat.

Cropped faux fur jackets and short coats

Choosing your fur coat

A fur coat is the piece you reach for when it is cold and you want the outfit to look finished with almost no effort. Pick by length first, then color, and try it on with the heaviest sweater you own.

 

My own order of choice is the black LAMARQUE Linnea for everyday, the LOBA Luciana for an occasion and the BLANKNYC crop for a casual day. Brush the pile gently with a wide comb, and hang it on a wide hanger so the shoulders do not collapse. If you want to keep browsing, I also put together Shearling and Faux-Fur Bags and Fur Collars That Make the Coat.