Wild Side

For the longest, I've always wanted to post about animal prints. Animal prints can really bring out the wild side for females who wear such animal print garments and shoes. Animal fur can really provide some extra style (and even warmth). However, some VASTLY oppose animal prints, especially from actual animals. This blog post takes a look at animal prints in fashions as well as animal furs in fashion. It was initially supposed to be about just animal prints, but I have to take things a bit further to add some extra value to blog posts.

All featured images were taken from Google Images searches. I apologize if any posted images violate any sort of copyright. I will find other pictures to feature if there are some I can not use. Material provided is for educational/entertainment purposes. Some of them are the best ones I could find to explain each section. However, I will look elsewhere if I need to find other images to feature.

--- Animal Prints at a Glance ---

Everyone has their own opinions about animal prints. For some people, animal prints are a wild and fierce way to make a statement.

I personally think that animal prints are best done in moderation. A leopard print mini dress with black sheer tights and black high-heel pumps is perfectly fine. You may have some leopard print pumps with a peep-toe design up front. Maybe you fancy zebra prints- that's fine too with a zebra print dress. Or... you can be a '90s fashion wreck and wear a cheetah print top with black leggings and white athletic sneakers. Your call.

What Makes Animal Prints Stylish?

I think what makes animal prints so fashionable among females are twofold. First, you have an interesting pattern to wear with any number of outfits. A female who goes with an all-black outfit and wears something with animal prints adds a popping color or pattern to go with a certain outfit. The other aspect of animal prints simply relate to a wild style to compliment any look.

Some Dislike Animal Prints; Some REALLY Dislike Animal Prints...

There are those who dislike any sort of animal prints because they look tacky or unattractive. However, there are some that REALLY hate any sort of animal print items- mostly animal rights activists.


Where do YOU stand? Remember that this blog post is primarily a digest on animal prints in fashion.

--- Animal Print Examples ---

How can a girl show off her wild side? Here are some examples of animal prints in fashion.

Zebra Prints.

^ from: amazon.com - a sample of zebra prints. This is a laptop bag case in zebra print with pink trim.

For some reason, I've started to fancy black and white zebra print with pink (usually hot pink) trim. Nothing says girly quite like zebra prints with accents of pink. Or maybe zebra prints outlined in pink

Cheetah or Leopard Prints.

^ from: www.hipsterchic.com - A short cheetah print dress is one way to show some wild chic.


^ from: heels4less.com - Want to make a wild statement? Say it with some leopard print pumps!

In the case of cheetah or leopard print shoes, they can be a creative alternative to the skin-tone (I'm trying to avoid saying "nude") shoe. I don't know the real difference between cheetah prints and leopard prints. One site I looked up said that there was a difference between the two. I basically know of cheetah prints.

Snakeskin.

^ from: selfridgesretaillimited.scene7.com - Slither into the style snakeskin can provide.

In coming up with this initial blog post, I nearly forgot to mention snakeskin. It would seem mostly harmless since snakes shed their skin and allow for these snakeskin garments to be offered. Snakeskin patterns have been fashionable for both males and females. Such items range from snakeskin pants to women's pumps and various accessories.


There are various animal print items to tickle the fancy of someone wanting items with a distinctive style. These are just some of the many animal print garments and accessories to prove the point.

--- REALLY Wild Side: Animal Fur ---

This blog post regards fashion. However, I must also introduce some non-fashion elements here to prove a point. So here goes...


^ from: www.fur.me.uk - Wearing actual animal fur can be one way to be fashionable... and it can also be one way to get you on the bad side of certain animal activists.


Actual animal fur can be very stylish for a number of fashionable types... unless you're an animal activist. Various dead animals used for fur for fashions range from to very expensive chinchilla furs. One search on Amazon that I did for a past blog post had one chinchilla fur item sell for as much as $1.2K US Dollars! The impact of killing animals to make actual animal fur for items can be extremely damning to certain fashion designers. Animal rights activists can sometimes go to levels unfathomable to attack and undermine those who wear certain animal furs. They may even protest and damage property in the name of defending animal rights.

I once seen some graphic YouTube videos from PETA where actual animals were killed just to make certain clothing items. I could hear animals squealing and blood dripping from animals as certain products were being made. This is the sort of thing activists would graciously disapprove and dislike. These videos and these portrayals are ways for such activists to not only expose a threat and call for action, but also to take action into their own hands by expressing their displeasure... at our expense.

Some people think some animal fur wearers (even if just for a fashion show) could never be a target to activists. Don't think such a thing can happen? Just ask Paris Hilton. In February 2006, protesters from PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) flour bombed Paris Hilton over fur she was wearing while the socialite was in London, England for London Fashion Week that year. The fur was from a designer named Julian Macdonald. While animal activists normally are opposed to almost any cruelty to animals, I am speaking primarily in the context of fashion for this blog post.

Faux Fur... a Better Alternative?

^ from: www.silkandsable.com - If you still want that animal look (only without the guilt of wearing actual animal fur, try faux fur.

For one way to combat the guilt of wearing actual animal fur, faux fur is a very viable alternative. This uses other materials to make furry material. It's a guilt-free way of enjoying fashion without feeling like you're being stylish at the expense of slain animals. Personally, I would never wear animal fur. I am not excited about wearing fur anyways. I don't think I look cool or would prefer wearing anything of actual animal fur. Also, I would never say that a certain outfit would look better with animal prints or animal fur.


So while actual fur can be fashionable to some, that pursuit of being fashionable with animal fur comes with a hefty price tag not only in buying them, but in possibly being under fire by certain would-be protesters/activists.

--- Should You Try Animal Prints and Furs? ---

It is up to you. In my own view, I would probably find it best to go with guilt-free animal print items just to be safe. I am talking about just items that are NOT made using actual animal fur. But then again, it is up to you if you want to try your hand at wearing certain animal prints and animal furs.

I think the real appeal in animal prints and certain furs is mostly in wearing something with an appealing pattern to it. That is what I think it comes down to in fashion- wearing something stylish and fashionable. Why do you think certain patterns catch on and become stylish? Maybe it is offensive since we're talking about animals, but the pattern of certain skins have certain distinct patterns that make them trendy and stylish. I am speaking on a style standpoint here.

I have offered personal insight, but most of what I have discussed is on a neutral basis. Feel free to make your own opinions and views based on what you've read.




I usually attempt to show some bloggers who wear some animal prints, but because I have to consider various audiences, I have decided NOT to feature bloggers who wear some sort of animal print items. Maybe I change my mind in the future, but I will NOT discuss certain bloggers who wear animal print items.

What do you think about animal prints and animal fashions? Feel free to comment and thank you for reading!

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