Fashion with principles, can it be done?

I’m a vegetarian, have been all my life and therefore I won’t wear any animal products either – I mean if I’m not going to eat them, why wear them? This means no fur, animal skin, suede or leather.  So obviously, my choices for designer handbags and shoes are limited, since leather is supposedly ‘top-quality’ and is used by all designers. But I’d never really minded that (especially since the price tags were enough to put me off too!), and checking the materials on shoes, belts, bags etc in shops is just a normal thing to me now... truthfully, I even feel a little superior when I think that I am choosing to avoid killing an animal for any reason. Then of course, leather, snakeskin and fur have to become the biggest materials to be seen in!

Okay, okay, the fur is only faux, for the 70s feel, but still. The actual catwalks use real fur A LOT. Yes, PETA have been campaigning against it for years, with many celebrity endorsements, but it hasn’t stopped. I suppose at least any fur in my price range will be fake... But then with the huge fight against the use of fur, how come reptile skin doesn’t get the same? Again for a 70s look, snakeskin is becoming a hot fabric, not just for bags and shoes, but clothes too. And I can’t open a magazine without seeing that leather is THE material to be seen in – leather dresses, shorts, jackets, leather anything is hot property since the fetish trend hit catwalks. 

But of course, I won’t be buying any of it. I may be totally obsessed with fashion, but my principles come first! I am just wondering if it is possible to be truly fashionable with morals, since the designers don’t seem to care about using animal skins, and like anyone who loves fashion I dream of getting a Chanel handbag. I’ll just have to hope they find a conscience by the time I can afford one. 

This season however, it is getting very difficult to ignore the leather trend, and fur on coats is oh so 70s chic, while being wild with snakeskin is a growing trend – what is a fashion victim to do? I agree that the shapes and silhouettes of these pieces look good, but if I invest in any of them, it will be 100% fake! Even if people say the real deal is higher quality, I’d rather go cheap with my principles intact.

So really, can you go haute couture without selling out to leather? Will the hottest looks ever start being the kindest? We’ll have to wait and see. Love and kisses, Tara xox