Sheepskin has been around for as long as man has been able to catch a sheep. For the record, catching sheep has never been easy as they can move surprisingly fast for creatures with relatively short legs. Anyway, we digress so back to the benefits of sheep and their skin:
Yes, sheep are very useful in many ways. Sheep meat is tasty, nutritious, and a staple on many menus. Sheep’s wool is used to make wool, which in turn is woven into fabric and used to make sweaters. Lastly, sheepskin is used to create garments and soft furnishings for the home.
The Benefits of Sheepskin
Genuine sheepskin is warm, waterproof, and easy to work with, which is why it is a perennially popular fabric for coats, jackets, gloves, and boots. The history of sheepskin as a garment is long. Shepherds once used sheepskin to keep warm at night and the use of sheepskin for boots has been traced back to 500BC.
For much of history, sheepskin has been viewed as a utilitarian material, used for its insulating qualities. Working men used sheepskin to protect their bodies and extremities from the cold and a pair of sheepskin lined boots was essential for anyone toiling away in sub-zero temperatures.
Sheepskin in Fashion
Today, things are a bit different and although sheepskin is still an important material for working people, it is increasingly becoming a fashion accessory for the rich and famous. It became popular in the 60s, with a sheepskin coat essential wear for the Beatnik Generation. Fast-forward to the 80s, Vivienne Westwood used sheepskin in her collections and sheepskin rocketed into the mainstream.
Today, sheepskin is still as popular as it ever was, but if you want to be a trendsetter and wear sheepskin in style, there is a right way and a wrong way to wear this amazing fabric.
Sheepskin coats are an enduring trend and 2015 saw a revival of long, floor length coats that were so popular in the 1970s. On the Chloe catwalk, models wore long sheepskin coats over floaty dresses, accessories with thin belts. Burberry took a slightly different approach – their designers gave traditional brown sheepskin a new look with navy blue and gray dye.
Classic Sheepskin
Today there are lots of ways to wear sheepskin. A classic sheepskin coat is the perfect accompaniment to skinny jeans and a cute woolen sweater, especially on a cold winter’s day. These make a great date outfit, or why not throw on a sheepskin coat if you are heading out for a walk in the park with the kids?
Belted sheepskin coats can be dressed up with a belt and stylish knee-length boots. There are also some seriously trendy biker-style sheepskin jackets for those of you who want to rock the biker chick look.
How Not to Wear Sheepskin
Sheepskin is eminently wearable, but for the record, sheepskin Ugg boots are no longer a good look. D-List celebrities have killed off Ugg boots completely. Wear them at your peril.
You can’t go wrong with sheepskin. It looks great on and it also looks great in the home, so check out sheepskin rugs by Sheep Skin Town if your home needs a makeover.