Shearling Genius

Burberry Prorsum Fall 2010

Shearling has never been my thing, but I'm actually liking the incarnation of it this season. Almost every major label sent a shearling coat down the Fall/ Winter runways, in varied styles from aviator bombers to fleece zip-ups.

Burberry's was definitely my favorite, with their structured leather jacket. One of the ways designers modernized fleece was by putting as much of it as possible on the outside instead of as a lining, and Burberry utilized that to full effect.

Other designers like Celine and Derek Lam covered entire pieces in sheepskin, with contrasting details.

Celine

All of the designers mentioned have carried some pretty hefty price tags. Luckily, you can find less expensive versions of shearling just about everywhere. Topshop and Express have affordable sheepskin vests and jackets, and this is also an item that's easy to thrift, as they're continually in style.

When shopping for a shearling, what one needs to remember is the devil is in the details: fleece and leather are always a good combo, as is all over shearling. Just make sure your materials are fluffy and clean- not thin and ratty. A little also goes a long way, so even if you don't like the extremity of the trend, a hint of sheepskin on a lapel or sleeve works, too.