On the Radar -- Hot Under the Collar

High Tech Fur collar by Emerson Fry

We Blackbird girls have a dirty little secret. And I'm going to spill it right now.  We LOVE fur.  We know it's wrong, but it just feels sooooo good!  Mink, fox, Persian lamb...you name it, we've got it (or, at least we've lusted after it when we see it!).  However, the majority of fur we can afford, own, and wear, is in collar form.

We've always worn our vintage fur collared coats, so I didn't really pay attention to just how many designers did them for their fall lines.  It wasn't until we sold three fur collars in under two weeks that I thought, "Hmmm....what's up with that?"

Turns out everybody did their own version of a fur collar this fall.  And I mean EVERYBODY.  Michael Kors, Marni, Derek Lam, Elizabeth and James, Louis Vuitton....and you know our fave, Alexander McQueen.

Derek Lam, Fall 2012

These collars don't have to be just for coats and jackets.  You could wear one with a sweater or dress to cozy it up.

It doesn't have to be formal either.  I love the casual-luxe feel of this:

From Le 21eme

You can even go for different colors!

Moncler Fall/Winter 2012

And while I pine for all of these fur pieces, I know that the best bet is to buy vintage or handmade.  They are more affordable, one of a kind, and no animals were recently harmed in the making of the collar.

From our shop! 

Or you could be a good girl -- buy faux fur, like this pretty handmade collar -- and still be fashionable.

From imali on Etsy