1950s Refashion - Fur Coat Remodeled into a Cape-Stole

While real fur coats are a current fashion heresy, nonetheless, they were definitely a sign of wealth and high fashion in the 1940s and 1950s (well, and in a lot of decades). In this 1950 refashion, a worn out fur coat from the 1940s or older (it's hard to tell) is remodeled into this chic cape-stole, using a Woman's Day 3269 sewing pattern. The pattern was especially designed for real fur and actually included a real furrier's needle (not easily available in those days).

Here is the "before", a short coat of caracul fur. The caracul is an Asian sheep with a dark, curled fleece when young. The coat is old and very worn, with not much good fur left. The cape-stole is the perfect pattern for using small amounts of short-haired fur worth saving.

I love the cape-stole result, whether made of real fur or faux. The tie closing is a lovely touch.