How to Buy Vintage Shearling: A Luxe Guide for the Modern Diva
How to buy vintage shearling: where to look, how to check the fleece and the fit, which colours to choose, and how to clean and store a coat.
Vintage shearling is one of the things I hunt for. For me the reward is in the hunt: finding a coat that looks good, feels right, and that nobody else will be wearing.
Buying it well comes down to knowing where to look and what to look for. The brand and the price tag matter less than the feel of the fleece, the way the coat is made and the small details.
The coats in the photographs are all mine, and so is the video. I bought them at the markets in Andorra, over ten years.
Where to look
Start with reputable vintage shops, online and in person. The best pieces often turn up in small shops in cities with a long history of fashion, and at estate sales, where a whole wardrobe from another time comes up at once. You need to be there at the right moment, with an eye for quality.
Now, what to look for. Don’t stop at the outside. The suede or leather should still be supple and not badly worn, but the inside tells you more. The fleece should be soft and deep, not matted or stiff. There is nothing worse than a beautiful coat with a lining that feels like an old rug.
The fit can be tricky. These coats were cut more generously than modern ones, so what looks right on the hanger can feel roomy once it is on. No worries. A good tailor can take it in.
Shearling colour
Tan, brown and black are the classics. But don’t walk past an unusual shade. A deep burgundy or a soft grey is just as easy to wear, and it gives your wardrobe something of its own.
How to wear it? Against something plain and modern. A shearling coat over a simple black dress. Or over jeans and a cashmere jumper for every day.
A belt pulls in a coat that is a little too big and gives it shape. Oversized sunglasses and a vintage handbag finish it.
And it is not only for winter. A lighter shearling jacket works in autumn and early spring, over a floral dress.
Caring for shearling
You can’t throw shearling in the wardrobe and forget it until the next cold snap. Have it professionally cleaned and conditioned. And keep it out of the rain. Water is the enemy. If you do get caught, blot the coat gently with a dry towel and let it dry naturally, in its own time.
Never hang it on a wire hanger. Use a sturdy padded one, so the coat keeps its shape. Store it in a breathable garment bag, which keeps the dust off and lets the skin breathe.
Fur
Shearling is fur. There is no way round that. But hear me out.
Vintage shearling is a sustainable choice. These pieces have already been made, and by buying vintage you are not adding to new production. You are giving a beautiful garment a second life.
I buy vintage fur because it is sustainable, it keeps me warm, and it is respectful to the animal that once was.
The last photograph was taken in Andorra, in the snow.
A coat that has been loved before now gets to be loved by you. So keep hunting.
